The 2021-22 NFL season has already been extremely entertaining. Bye weeks are starting to take place. This means that running backs like Josh Jacobs and Latavius Murray will be out this week. On top of that injuries have started to mount up at this point of the season. It is always a great idea to evaluate backup options so that way fantasy managers are prepared if star players miss time. Here are the Fantasy Football Week 8 running back rankings.
*Ratings are subject to change due to injury reports or possible move to reserve/COVID-19 list*
(Check out the section below for details on players already rumored to possibly miss this week and how their replacement options rank for the week)
Category | Name | Opponent | Ranking |
Must Start | Derrick Henry | vs Indianapolis Colts | RB1 |
Must Start | Dalvin Cook | vs Dallas Cowboys | RB2 |
Must Start | D’Andre Swift | vs Philadelphia Eagles | RB3 |
Starting RB1 | James Robinson | vs Seattle Seahawks | RB4 |
Starting RB1 | Austin Ekeler | vs New England Patriots | RB5 |
Starting RB1 | Darrell Henderson | vs Houston Texans | RB6 |
Starting RB1 | Najee Harris | vs Cleveland Browns | RB7 |
Starting RB1 | Alvin Kamara | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | RB8 |
High-End RB2 | Ezekiel Elliott | vs Minnesota Vikings | RB9 |
High-End RB2 | Joe Mixon | vs New York Jets | RB10 |
High-End RB2 | Saquon Barkley* | vs Kansas City Chiefs | RB11 |
High-End RB2 | Aaron Jones | vs Arizona Cardinals | RB12 |
Starting RB2 | Jonathan Taylor | vs Tennessee Titans | RB13 |
Starting RB2 | Cordarrelle Patterson | vs Carolina Panthers | RB14 |
Starting RB2 | Nick Chubb* | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | RB15 |
Starting RB2 | Chuba Hubbard | vs Atlanta Falcons | RB16 |
Starting RB2 | Darrel Williams | vs New York Giants | RB17 |
Low RB2 | Khalil Herbert | vs San Francisco 49ers | RB18 |
Low RB2 | Damien Harris | vs Los Angeles Chargers | RB19 |
Low RB2 | Leonard Fournette | vs New Orleans Saints | RB20 |
Low RB2 | Zack Moss | vs Miami Dolphins | RB21 |
Low RB2 | Elijah Mitchell | vs Chicago Bears | RB22 |
Flex | Miles Sanders* | vs Detriot Lions | RB23 |
Flex | Alex Collins | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | RB24 |
Flex | James Conner | vs Green Bay Packers | RB25 |
Flex | Michael Carter | vs Cincinnati Bengals | RB26 |
Flex | Chase Edmonds | vs Green Bay Packers | RB27 |
Deep League Flex | Samaje Perine | vs New York Jets | RB28 |
Deep League Flex | Melvin Gordon | vs Washington Football Team | RB29 |
Deep League Flex | Javonte Williams | vs Washington Football Team | RB30 |
Deep League Flex | Tony Pollard | vs Minnesota Vikings | RB31 |
Deep League Flex | Jamaal Williams | vs Philadelphia Eagles | RB32 |
Deep League Flex | D’Ernest Johnson | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | RB33 |
Deep League Flex | J.D. McKissic | vs Denver Broncos | RB34 |
Deep League Flex | Antonio Gibson | vs Denver Broncos | RB35 |
Deep League Flex | Brandon Bolden | vs Los Angeles Chargers | RB36 |
Deep League Flex | David Johnson | vs Los Angeles Rams | RB37 |
Deep League Flex | Nyheim Hines | vs Tennessee Titans | RB38 |
Leave on the Bench | Myles Gaskin | vs Buffalo Bills | RB39 |
Leave on the Bench | Devin Singletary | vs Miami Dolphins | RB40 |
Leave on the Bench | Damien Williams | vs San Francisco 49ers | RB41 |
Leave on the Bench | Rashaad Penny | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | RB42 |
Leave on the Bench | Mike Davis | vs Carolina Panthers | RB43 |
Leave on the Bench | A.J. Dillon | vs Arizona Cardinals | RB44 |
Leave on the Bench | Ty Johnson* | vs Cincinnati Bengals | RB45 |
Leave on the Bench | Mark Ingram | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | RB46 |
Leave on the Bench | Phillip Lindsay | vs Los Angeles Rams | RB47 |
Leave on the Bench | J.J. Taylor | vs Los Angeles Chargers | RB48 |
Leave on the Bench | Jamychal Hasty | vs Chicago Bears | RB49 |
Leave on the Bench | Kenneth Gainwell | vs Detriot Lions | RB50 |
Leave on the Bench | Sony Michel | vs Houston Texans | RB51 |
Leave on the Bench | Giovanni Bernard | vs New Orleans Saints | RB52 |
Leave on the Bench | Salvon Ahmed | vs Buffalo Bills | RB53 |
Leave on the Bench | Jerick McKinnon | vs New York Giants | RB54 |
Leave on the Bench | Alexander Mattison | vs Dallas Cowboys | RB55 |
Leave on the Bench | Marlon Mack | vs Tennessee Titans | RB56 |
Leave on the Bench | Ronald Jones | vs New Orleans Saints | RB57 |
Leave on the Bench | Carlos Hyde | vs Seattle Seahawks | RB58 |
Leave on the Bench | Demetric Felton | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | RB59 |
Leave on the Bench | Devontae Booker | vs Kansas City Chiefs | RB60 |
Leave on the Bench | Jeremy McNichols | vs Indianapolis Colts | RB61 |
Leave on the Bench | Travis Homer | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | RB62 |
Leave on the Bench | Chris Evans* | vs New York Jets | RB63 |
Leave on the Bench | John Kelly | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | RB64 |
Leave on the Bench | Rhamondre Stevenson | vs Los Angeles Chargers | RB65 |
Leave on the Bench | Joshua Kelley | vs New England Patriots | RB66 |
Leave on the Bench | Kyle Juszczyk | vs Chicago Bears | RB67 |
Leave on the Bench | Tevin Coleman* | vs Cincinnati Bengals | RB68 |
Leave on the Bench | Boston Scott | vs Detriot Lions | RB69 |
Leave on the Bench | Jordan Howard | vs Detriot Lions | RB70 |
Saquon Barkley missed games the past two weeks after spraining his ankle against the Dallas Cowboys. The Giants haven’t been clear on when they expect Barkley to return. If he doesn’t return this week Devonte Booker moves up to RB20 between Leonard Fournette and Zack Moss.
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb missed games the past two weeks because of a calf injury. Since Kareem Hunt is on injured reserve D’Ernest Johnson started for Cleveland last week. If Chubb cannot play this week against the Steelers then Johnson moves up to RB24 between Alex Collins and James Conner. Also, Demetric Felton would move up to RB47 between Phillip Lindsay and J.J. Taylor. John Kelly would move up to RB62 between Jeremy McNichols and Travis Homer.
Miles Sanders is considered week to week with a low-ankle sprain. It seems unlikely that he will be able to play this weekend against the Detroit Lions. If Sanders does not play Kenneth Gainwell would move up to RB21 between Leonard Fournette and Zack Moss. Boston Scott would shoot up to RB36 between Antonio Gibson and Brandon Bolden. Jordan Howard who is rumored to see some work for the Eagles would move up to RB57 between Marlon Mack and Ronald Jones.
Two of the New York Jets running backs are dealing with injuries this week. Ty Johnson is being evaluated for a concussion while Tevin Coleman missed last week with a hamstring issue. If both Johnson and Coleman are inactive then Michael Carter moves up to RB25 between Alex Collins and James Conner. While La’Mical Perine will become the RB56 between Alexander Mattison and Marlon Mack.
If Johnson is inactive and Coleman is active then Carter’s ranking stays the same. Coleman would move up to RB52 between Sony Michel and Giovanni Bernard. La’Michal Perine would be the RB64 between Chris Evans and John Kelly.
If Johnson is active and Coleman is inactive then neither Carter nor Johnson’s rankings change. Perine would take Coleman’s slot at RB68.
Chris Evans missed last week with a hamstring injury. If he was to miss this week Samaje Perine would retain his slot at RB28 and Trayveon Williams would be the most likely candidate to take his reps.
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