Is the value of running backs increasing this NFL season?
Former NFL running back Terrell Davis has his thoughts on the appreciation of running backs in the league today.
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Bye weeks thinned out fantasy football running back rotations in Week 6, with Kyren Williams and De’Von Achane among the top players out of action. Week 7 will be a lot kinder to fantasy football managers.
Just the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys will be off in Week 7. That will take D’Andre Swift, Rico Dowdle, and Ezekiel Elliott out of the running back conversation, but among that group, only Swift was an every-week starter.
As such, there will be plenty of running back options to trust in NFL Week 7, which will give fantasy owners an opportunity to fade bigger-name players in difficult-looking matchups. Those start ’em, sit ’em decisions are often risky, but playing the right combination of bona fide stars and waiver wire streamers is the key to any winning fantasy lineup.
Who can you trust in Week 7 of the 2024 fantasy football season? Here are five running backs to start and five to sit.
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Fantasy football start ’em: Week 7 RBs
Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos (at New Orleans Saints)
Williams is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry this season and hasn’t yet found the end-zone, but that could change against the Saints. New Orleans has allowed an average of 169 rushing yards per game during its four-game losing streak and has surrendered multiple rushing touchdowns in three of those contests. Fire up Williams on Thursday night with expectations that he could be a high-end RB2.
Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders (vs. Carolina Panthers)
The Panthers have surrendered a league-high 803 yards and 12 touchdowns to running backs this season. Ekeler may be Washington’s No. 2 back if Brian Robinson Jr. can return from a right knee injury for the Week 7 contest, but he could still produce at the rate of a top-15 running back.
Case in point, this is what the Atlanta Falcons running back duo did on the ground against the Panthers in Week 7:
With that in mind, don’t be afraid to plug Ekeler in as a true RB2 in a favorable matchup. If Robinson is out, Jeremy McNichols could be a nice sleeper flex in a favorable matchup.
Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. New England Patriots)
Travis Etienne Jr. will likely miss this game, as he’s “week-to-week” with a hamstring injury. That will push Bigsby into the lead-back role in a favorable matchup against a Patriots defense that has surrendered at least 133 rushing yards in every game since star linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley went down. The Patriots have also given up at least one rushing touchdown in every game this season, so Bigsby should have a good shot to score in his second consecutive London game.
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Antonio Gibson, New England Patriots (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)
Gibson’s matchup is similar to that of Bigsby. The Jaguars have given up at least 99 rushing yards in five consecutive games and have allowed a touchdown on the ground in every game this season. If Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) can’t play in this contest, Gibson should handle most of New England’s rushing workload. Add in that the Jaguars have allowed the second-most receiving yards to RBs this season, and Gibson has RB2 potential in this spot.
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings (vs. Detroit Lions)
Aaron Jones (hip) may be unable to play for the Vikings against the Lions. If not, Chandler will likely handle the majority of the workload unless new trade acquisition Cam Akers is able to split carries with him.
Chandler is playing against a Detroit defense that just lost Aidan Hutchinson to a gruesome leg injury. That should create more space on the edge where Chandler can operate, so if he gets 15-plus touches, he should reach double-digit fantasy points in most formats.
Fantasy football sit ’em: Week 7 RBs
Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)
Chubb is finally set to return from the gruesome knee injury he suffered in Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season. While it may be tempting to back him, given his penchant for strong, physical runs and his ability to score touchdowns, it’s hard to recommend trusting him without seeing him in game action. The Bengals just held the New York Giants running backs to 63 yards on 20 carries on “Sunday Night Football,” so with their defensive tackles now healthy, this isn’t a great matchup for Chubb.
Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Baltimore Ravens)
Irving had a breakout game in Tampa Bay’s 51-27 thrashing of the Saints. He’ll face a much tougher test in Week 7, as the Ravens allow a league-low 59 rushing yards per game this season. Irving could still be a solid flex play if Rachaad White is out, but the Buccaneers figure to rely more on Baker Mayfield to carry their offense through the air against a porous Baltimore secondary.
Zack Moss, Cincinnati Bengals (at Cleveland Browns)
Moss endured a critical second-half fumble in the Bengals’ 17-7 Week 6 win over the Giants and was effectively benched afterward. Chase Brown handled most of the workload and outproduced the veteran, who racked up just 15 yards on seven touches. Cincinnati may give Moss another chance to prove himself, but at this point, it seems more likely that he’ll remain second-fiddle to Brown, which will relegate him to a touchdown-dependent flex.
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Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)
Mason’s status for Week 7 is murky as he deals with a shoulder injury, but trusting the 49ers’ running backs against the Chiefs doesn’t sound like a great plan either way. Kansas City has allowed a league-low 263 rushing yards to running backs this season (52.6 yards per game), so the 49ers backs may just be low-end flex plays, especially if Kyle Shanahan tries to split the workload to protect Mason evenly.
Devin Singletary, New York Giants (vs. Philadelphia Eagles)
Singletary may return from a groin injury in Week 7, but he has likely lost work to Tyrone Tracy Jr., who posted back-to-back games with 100-plus scrimmage yards in Singletary’s absence. The Eagles have allowed at least 113 rushing yards in all five of their games this season, but without knowing how New York’s workload will be divided, it’s hard to trust Singletary as anything more than a TD-dependent flex.
Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’ems, Week 7
Looking for more fantasy football advice? USA TODAY Sports has you covered:
→ Need an edge under center? Here are the best quarterback options to start and to sit in Week 7.
→ The wide receiver position has been decimated this season. Protect yourself in Week 7 with start ’em, sit ’em advice for wideouts.
→ Tight ends can be the perfect X-factor for any fantasy team. Here’s who you should start and sit in Week 7.
→ A good defense can shut down your fantasy opponent’s offense. Here are some D/ST options to start and sit for Week 7.
→ Kickers are people, too: Here are some of the most clutch kickers to have on your fantasy team in Week 7.