RADIO
No. 12 - Carson Steele (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Buffalo Bills
The list of top 12 running backs gets quite thin with only four teams remaining. Steele didn’t touch the ball last Saturday, but he did rush for 25 yards on eight carries in the regular-season finale.
Steele is capable of producing on the ground or through the air, but he needs to get touches first. The rookie faces an uphill battle to get involved as long as he remains behind Kareem Hunt, Isiah Pacheco, and Samaje Perine.
No. 11 - Samaje Perine (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Buffalo Bills
Perine was brought in to replace Jerick McKinnon as the pass-catching specialist in Buffalo’s backfield, but the midseason addition of Kareem Hunt made his role a little murkier.
The veteran had touched the ball in every regular-season game, but his production dipped last Sunday against the Texans. He didn’t register a rush in the contest, and he could not haul in his lone target. The potential for Perine to catch a couple of passes against Buffalo gives him a boost over Steele, but he’s still a concerning fantasy option.
No. 10 - Kenneth Gainwell (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Washington Commanders
Gainwell may be one of the better No. 2 running back options in football, but we rarely see it because of Saquon Barkley’s dominance. Gainwell had one rush, one catch, and 20 total yards last week against the Rams, merely offering a change-of-pace option when Barkley needed a breather.
This backfield belongs to Barkley, and as long as he remains healthy, Gainwell will remain near the bottom of our fantasy rankings — even against the Commanders, who allowed the fourth-most rushing yards to opposing running backs during the regular season.
No. 9 - Jeremy McNichols (Washington Commanders) at Philadelphia Eagles
McNichols isn’t a household name, but he’s enjoyed random spurts of fantasy production throughout the 2024 season. That’s largely due to his role around the end zone, which has remained steady amidst Brian Robinson Jr.’s fumbling concerns and Austin Ekeler’s usage primarily in pass-catching roles.
McNichols would need a touchdown this week in order to finish much higher than RB9, but that’s not out of the question. He had four regular-season touchdowns, and he also crossed the goal line last week against Detroit. Furthermore, his best receiving production of the season came against the Eagles when he logged four catches and 15 receiving yards in Week 16.
No. 8 - Ray Davis (Buffalo Bills) at Kansas City Chiefs
Davis has shared the Bills’ backup role with Ty Johnson for most of the season. As a result, he has struggled to emerge as a consistent fantasy threat. Nevertheless, the rookie has shown flashes on numerous occasions. Just last week, he rushed four times for 29 yards and a touchdown. He also had 64 yards and a touchdown when the Bills reduced their starters’ snaps in Week 18.
This week, Davis faces the Chiefs, who have allowed the third-fewest rushing yards to opposing running backs in 2024. Given that Davis typically handles the ground attack while Johnson is more of a receiver, it’s only fair to put Davis behind both Johnson and James Cook in this week’s ranking.
No. 7 - Ty Johnson (Buffalo Bills) at Kansas City Chiefs
Johnson has handled a solid receiving role for most of this season, and he stole the show during the Wild Card Round with his spectacular touchdown reception in the back of the end zone against Denver. However, he has just five catches over his last five games as the Bills continue to lean on James Cook and also give touches to Ray Davis.
Johnson is still a solid fantasy option this week, especially in PPR leagues. However, his floor is certainly lower given his role, plus the fact that Kansas City allowed zero receiving touchdowns and the fourth-fewest receiving yards to opposing running backs during the regular season.
No. 6 - Isiah Pacheco (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Buffalo Bills
Pacheco is one of four Chiefs running backs on this list, and for now, he’s not the primary option in Kansas City. While we thought he might finally get back to the lead role in the Divisional Round — a role that has belonged to Kareem Hunt ever since Pacheco injured his fibula — that never happened.
For now, there’s no indication that the Chiefs’ backfield alignment will shift. Pacheco remains the clear No. 2 option behind Kareem Hunt, totaling just 11 rushing attempts, 3.3 yards per carry, and zero receptions over his last two games.
No. 5 - Austin Ekeler (Washington Commanders) at Philadelphia Eagles
Brian Robinson Jr. hasn’t been himself this season, especially after some late-season fumbling issues. That has led to an increase in touches for Ekeler, who returned from injured reserve at an opportune time in Week 18. In three games since then, the veteran running back has 17 carries, 86 rushing yards, nine catches, and 87 receiving yards.
Ekeler’s numbers haven’t been spectacular, and for now, Robinson remains the Commanders’ primary running back. However, the veteran pass-catcher has consistently produced in a complementary role. Out of all the true No. 2 running backs remaining in the playoffs, we’d prefer Ekeler this week — even against an Eagles defense that allowed the fewest regular-season fantasy points to the position.
No. 4 - Brian Robinson Jr. (Washington Commanders) at Philadelphia Eagles
As mentioned, the past five weeks have not been ideal for Robinson. However, he has looked a little better in the playoffs. During Wild Card Weekend, he caught four passes for 22 yards through the air. In the Divisional Round, he had 15 carries, 77 rushing yards, and two touchdowns.
Robinson is our least-preferred choice among the four remaining No. 1 running backs, especially with McNichols and Ekeler hanging around to vulture some touches. Still, his lead role and touchdown potential keep him in the overall RB4 slot (and ahead of Ekeler) for now.
No. 3 - Kareem Hunt (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Buffalo Bills
Hunt wasn’t heavily featured last week, rushing just eight times against the Texans. However, he was highly efficient with 5.5 yards per carry, and he also found the end zone. Furthermore, the veteran has at least one catch in six of his last seven games, and that doesn’t include the Week 10 contest in which he tallied seven receptions on 10 targets.
Even if Hunt wasn’t dominant last week, he still edged out Pacheco in both volume and production. As a result, the veteran running back should see at least 10 touches against the Bills. He’s particularly intriguing in this matchup given that Buffalo surrendered the most receiving yards to opposing running backs during the 2024 regular season.
No. 2 - James Cook (Buffalo Bills) at Kansas City Chiefs
Cook delivered modest production against the Ravens, totaling 82 yards with contributions both on the ground and through the air. He didn’t add to his touchdown total (18), but he still helped Buffalo punch its ticket to the AFC Championship.
Awaiting Cook in the AFC title game are the Chiefs, who allowed the third-fewest rushing yards and second-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs during the 2024 regular season. They also bottled up Cook for just 20 yards on nine carries in Week 11, though he did catch five passes in that contest. The Bills’ lead back is always a threat to produce on the ground, through the air, and near the goal line, but a matchup against the Chiefs hurts his floor.
No. 1 - Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Washington Commanders
To the surprise of nobody, Barkley remains our No. 1 running back. He had another phenomenal performance against the Rams last week, gashing them for 232 yards and a pair of touchdowns. When the game got a little too close for comfort, the Eagles put the ball in Barkley’s hands. Not only did he pick up key yardage, but he also delivered the final death blow against the Rams in the snow.
Barkley’s reign should continue this week against a Commanders team that allowed the fourth-most rushing yards to opposing running backs during the regular season. In two games against Washington earlier this season, Barkley totaled 348 yards and four touchdowns. He’s the overall RB1 still, and you can’t really argue it.
