The NFL trade deadline has come and gone. Overall, it didn’t affect the running back rankings all that much. However, Week 9 does bring back some bye weeks, four to be exact. The Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers all are out this week, so make sure you plan accordingly to replace your stud running back. See where your backup stacks up compared to the rest. These are your running back rankings for Week 9.
Fantasy Football Week 9 Running Back Rankings
Tier 1: Elite RB1
- Alvin Kamara
- Saquon Barkley
- Austin Ekeler
- Jonathan Taylor
These four players are atop the running back rankings for Week 9. Each one is heavily involved in their respective team’s backfield and has a favorable matchup. Alvin Kamara remains a reception vacuum on top of his rushing workload. Saquon Barkley is far and beyond the best offensive player for the New York Giants. As long as he’s healthy, he’s going to be a must-start player from his volume alone. The Chargers face the New York Jets on Monday night. The Jet’s secondary is arguably the best in the league, so the way to attack them is on the ground. Ekeler should be busy. Jonathan Taylor is coming off a 95-yard game against a good Saints run defense. This week he’ll get to run through a porous Carolina defense giving up 139.4 rushing yards per game.
Tier 2: Should Be RB1
- Bijan Robinson
- Breece Hall
- Kenneth Walker
- Josh Jacobs
- Isiah Pacheco
- Tony Pollard
- D’Andre Swift
This group of players has game-breaking abilities any given week. Bijan Robinson has the talent to be his team’s leading rusher and receiver. Breece Hall is averaging 23.33 PPG since his “limitations” have been lifted. He should be in RB1 territory for the rest of the season. Kenneth Walker is among the league’s best running backs. Start with confidence, there’s only a handful of players that receive more volume in the running back rankings than Walker.
Josh Jacobs has a great matchup against the New York Giants and should be able to run at will. The Kansas City Chiefs square off in what should be a high-scoring affair. Isiah Pacheco will get plenty of touches. It’s rivalry week for the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles with huge division implications. On paper, the matchup isn’t ideal for Tony Pollard, but he’s a threat to take it to the house any time he touches the football. On the other side of the ball, D’Andre Swift will be toting the rock. His matchup is just as poor as Pollard’s, but the Eagles offense can score at will.
Tier 3: RB1 Upside, RB2 Floor
- Raheem Mostert
- Derrick Henry
- Rachaad White
- Joe Mixon
- Jerome Ford
- Aaron Jones
The Miami Dolphins running game has lost some of its sparkle the last couple of weeks, but in what should be a high-scoring game, the magic could return. Derrick Henry is still a member of the Tennessee Titans after trade speculation. That’s the best-case scenario for his fantasy value as he’ll continue being a force-fed workhorse. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers running game leaves much to be desired, but Rachaad White owns the backfield. White doesn’t have great running lanes to run through, but he’s got at least three receptions in six straight games. He’s got a safe floor as long as he’s involved in the passing game.
Joe Mixon and the Bengals are starting to get hot. Mixon is the clear top option in the Cincinnati backfield and his role is safely secure. That’ll keep him on the fine line of being an RB1 every week. Jerome Ford battled through injury to be active last Sunday but wasn’t that effective. When 100% healthy, Ford has been one of the better fantasy running backs this season. He’s a solid RB2 in the running back rankings. Aaron Jones is the Packer’s best playmaker and should be treated as such.
Tier 4: Solid RB2
- Rhamondre Stevenson
- James Cook
- Dameon Pierce
This trio of running backs is an odd group. Each one has their own unique playstyle and their respective team’s top back but comes off the field in certain situations. Rhamondre Stevenson gets enough receiving work to stay afloat. Last week he only got two receptions. Look for him to get back on track against a formidable Washington defensive front. James Cook loses work near the goal line, but he gets plenty of volume between the 20s. Dameon Pierce is a ground-and-pound guy with very little work in the passing game. He should be considered in plus matchups, but downgraded in tough ones. This week against Tampa Bay it’ll be tougher to find running lanes. Proceed with caution.
Tier 5: RB2 Upside, Although Likely RB3
- Chuba Hubbard
- Miles Sanders
- Kareem Hunt
- Brian Robinson
- Cam Akers
- Alexander Mattison
Last week Chuba Hubbard out-touched Miles Sanders 17 to 2. It’s to be determined if Miles Sanders is still dealing with an injury or if he’s just been replaced outright. For now, it’s Hubbard’s backfield to lose. Kareem Hunt has turned back the clock. He’s averaging 14.97 PPG since the bye week. Even with Ford in the lineup, Hunt has a weekly RB2 floor. Alexander Mattison may have gotten 17 touches to Cam Akers’ 10, yet, Akers had the better fantasy day. Akers outproduced Mattison in fantasy points from 9.50 to 4.30. With Kirk Cousins out, the Vikings’ offense is ugly but may need both their running backs to step up. Both could be low-end RB2s in the running back rankings if the Vikings go with a more run-heavy approach.
Tier 6: Boom or Bust RB3
- Najee Harris
- Jaylen Warren
- Tyjae Spears
- Gus Edwards
- Justice Hill
In back-to-back weeks Najee Harris has outscored teammate Jaylen Warren. Also, happens to be the only two weeks this season that Harris has outscored his running partner. Thursday’s matchup against the Tennessee Titans is a rough one, but if the trend continues, it’s Harris ahead of Warren. On the opposing side, Derrick Henry’s backup, Tyjae Spears, is getting most of his fantasy points catching the ball in recent weeks. Envision this being a big Derrick Henry game, so Spears will have to get a few receptions to make it worthwhile. The Ravens backfield continues to split touches between Gus Edwards and Justice Hill. Edwards gets the bulk of the carries while Hill remains involved in the passing game.
Tier 7: Desperation Flex Play
- Tyler Allgeier
- Ezekiel Elliott
- Roschon Johnson
- Emari Demercado
- AJ Dillon
None of these players have overly great matchups, but get enough volume to be considered for a flex spot if needed. Bye weeks are back and the running back rankings will need to be deep to cover them all. Tyler Allgeier, Ezekiel Elliott, and AJ Dillon could all see 10+ carries and possibly snipe a touchdown at the goal line. Roschon Johnson and Emari Demercado are the current top options in their backfields and will get opportunities. However, they have tough matchups on the road pushing their rankings down.
Main Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
