The 2024-25 NFL season has begun which means fantasy football is back! The fantasy landscape has already changed since the preseason due to breakout players and major injuries across the league.Bye weeks are starting to take place. This means that quarterbacks like Saquon Barkley and Jahmyr Gibbs 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 5 running back rankings.
Key:
Must Start- a player who is in your lineup regardless of the matchup or most circumstances. They Will likely finish near the top of the league in points that week and in most weeks.
Starting RB1- a player who makes fantasy owners comfortable starting week after week. Regardless of the matchup, this player has a high floor.
High-End RB2- a player who may not be likely to carry a lineup that week, but has the ability to have a breakout game and is teetering between RB1 and RB2 territory.
Starting RB2- a player who should be started in most lineups and should reach their point projection. This player is started because of their consistency and moderately high floor
Low RB2- a player who may not be a lock to start for a team every week, but will start more times than not. Their production may not be pretty or win a person their lineup but the production is consistent enough to make a fantasy owner comfortable starting them.
Flex- a player who could float around the territory of being benched, but is started due to the potential to play better than their point projection. However, this player has the potential to flop and cause a fantasy team to lose if he has a bad game.
Deep League Flex- a player who is more of a Hail Mary throw at the position. There are enough reasons to leave this player on the bench, but their upside makes them an attractive option. Desperate times may call for a player like this to be inserted into starting lineups.
Leave on the Bench- a player who should be avoided in all lineups that week. Many times this player could even be left on waivers.
Fantasy Football Week 5 Running Back Rankings
Category | Name | Opponent | Ranking |
Must Start | Breece Hall | vs Minnesota Vikings | RB1 |
Must Start | Kyren Williams | vs Green Bay Packers | RB2 |
Must Start | Bijan Robinson* | vs Philadelphia Eagles | RB3 |
Starting RB1 | Alvin Kamara | vs Kansas City Chiefs | RB4 |
Starting RB1 | Jonathan Taylor* | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | RB5 |
Starting RB1 | Derrick Henry | vs Cincinnati Bengals | RB6 |
High-End RB2 | Kenneth Walker III | vs New York Giants | RB7 |
High-End RB2 | Jordan Mason | vs Arizona Cardinals | RB8 |
High-End RB2 | Aaron Jones | vs New York Jets | RB9 |
High-End RB2 | Joe Mixon* | vs Buffalo Bills | RB10 |
High-End RB2 | Josh Jacobs | vs Los Angeles Rams | RB11 |
High-End RB2 | James Conner | vs San Francisco 49ers | RB12 |
High-End RB2 | James Cook | vs Houston Texans | RB13 |
Starting RB2 | Travis Etienne Jr. | vs Indianapolis Colts | RB14 |
Starting RB2 | Chuba Hubbard | vs Chicago Bears | RB15 |
Starting RB2 | Brian Robinson Jr. | vs Cleveland Browns | RB16 |
Starting RB2 | De’Von Achane | vs New England Patriots | RB17 |
Starting RB2 | Rhamondre Stevenson | vs Miami Dolphins | RB18 |
Starting RB2 | Zack Moss | vs Baltimore Ravens | RB19 |
Starting RB2 | Jerome Ford | vs Washington Commanders | RB20 |
Starting RB2 | D’Andre Swift | vs Carolina Panthers | RB21 |
Low RB2 | Najee Harris | vs Dallas Cowboys | RB22 |
Low RB2 | Austin Ekeler* | vs Cleveland Browns | RB23 |
Low RB2 | Javonte Williams | vs Las Vegas Raiders | RB24 |
Low RB2 | Devin Singletary | vs Seattle Seahawks | RB25 |
Flex | Kareem Hunt | vs New Orleans Saints | RB26 |
Flex | Rico Dowdle | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | RB27 |
Flex | Bucky Irving | vs Atlanta Falcons | RB28 |
Flex | Zach Charbonnet | vs New York Giants | RB29 |
Flex | Antonio Gibson | vs Miami Dolphins | RB30 |
Deep League Flex | Rachaad White | vs Atlanta Falcons | RB31 |
Deep League Flex | Justice Hill | vs Cincinnati Bengals | RB32 |
Deep League Flex | Chase Brown | vs Baltimore Ravens | RB33 |
Deep League Flex | Roschon Johnson | vs Carolina Panthers | RB34 |
Deep League Flex | Braelon Allen | vs Minnesota Vikings | RB35 |
Deep League Flex | Zamir White | vs Denver Broncos | RB36 |
Deep League Flex | Jaleel McLaughlin | vs Las Vegas Raiders | RB37 |
Deep League Flex | Samaje Perine | vs New Orleans Saints | RB38 |
Deep League Flex | Alexander Mattison | vs Denver Broncos | RB39 |
Deep League Flex | Jaylen Warren* | vs Dallas Cowboys | RB40 |
Leave on the Bench | Tyler Allgeier | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | RB41 |
Leave on the Bench | Miles Sanders | vs Chicago Bears | RB42 |
Leave on the Bench | Raheem Mostert* | vs New England Patriots | RB43 |
Leave on the Bench | Tyrone Tracy Jr. | vs Seattle Seahawks | RB44 |
Leave on the Bench | Emanuel Wilson | vs Los Angeles Rams | RB45 |
Leave on the Bench | Ezekiel Elliott | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | RB46 |
Leave on the Bench | Ray Davis | vs Houston Texans | RB47 |
Leave on the Bench | Ty Chandler | vs New York Jets | RB48 |
Leave on the Bench | Jamaal Williams | vs Kansas City Chiefs | RB49 |
Leave on the Bench | Trey Benson | vs San Francisco 49ers | RB50 |
Leave on the Bench | Carson Steele | vs New Orleans Saints | RB51 |
Leave on the Bench | Tank Bigsby | vs Indianapolis Colts | RB52 |
Leave on the Bench | Ty Jonhson | vs Houston Texans | RB53 |
Leave on the Bench | Trey Sermon | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | RB54 |
Leave on the Bench | Cordarrelle Patterson | vs Dallas Cowboys | RB55 |
Leave on the Bench | Dare Ogunbowale | vs Buffalo Bills | RB56 |
Leave on the Bench | D’Onta Foreman | vs Washington Commanders | RB57 |
Leave on the Bench | Kyle Juszczyk* | vs Arizona Cardinals | RB58 |
Leave on the Bench | Blake Corum | vs Green Bay Packers | RB59 |
Players that could miss this week’s game
RB3 Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Bijan Robinson was limited in practice on Monday with a hamstring injury. If this injury doesn’t hold Robinson out of this week’s game it will likely cause him to split time with Tyler Allgeier. If Robinson misses Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tyler Allgeier moves up to RB20 between Jerome Ford and D’Andre Swift.
RB5 Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor suffered a mild high-ankle sprain in last week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It is unlikely that Indianapolis will put Taylor on Injured Reserve because of his injury. If Taylor misses Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars Trey Sermon moves up to RB28 between Bucky Irving and Zach Charbonnet.
RB10 Joe Mixon, Houston Texans
Joe Mixon has missed the past two games with an ankle injury. He is still considered day-to-day with the injury. If Mixon misses Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills Dameon Pierce becomes the RB27 between Rico Dowdle and Bucky Irving. Dare Ogunbowale moves up to RB45 between Tyrone Tracy and Emanuel Wilson.
RB23 Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders
Austin Ekeler missed last week’s game against the Arizona Cardinals with a concussion. There is a chance that Ekeler returns this week. If Ekeler misses Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns Jeremy McNichols becomes the RB41 between Tyler Allgeier and Miles Sanders.
RB40 Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jaylen Warren missed last week’s game against the Indianapolis Colts with a knee injury. There is a chance that Warren returns this week. If Warren misses Week 5 against the Dallas Cowboys Cordarrelle Patterson moves up to RB38 between Jaleel McLaughlin and Samaje Perine.
RB43 Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins
Raheem Mostert missed the last three games with a chest injury. It is unclear if this injury could cause Mostert to miss more time. If Mostert misses Week 5 against the New England Patriots Jeff Wilson Jr. becomes the RB53 between Ty Chandler and Trey Sermon.
RB58 Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Juszczyk is considered day-to-day with a shoulder injury. It is unclear if this injury could hold Juszczyk out of this week’s game. If Juszczyk misses Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals any of the reserve tight ends or running backs could fill in for Juszczyk at fullback.
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