Running Back (RB) Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks for Week 18 (2024)

Here we are. We have finally made it to the conclusion of the 2024 season. A little business still needs to be handled, but if you play in a Week 18 fantasy league, you've already embraced the chaos. Teams have clinched. Players will rest and attempt to prepare for next year or potentially for a deep playoff run. 

Meanwhile, some backs are out there looking to finish their story, looking to collect on some of those incentives after betting on themselves in August. It will be interesting to see what the Eagles decide to do with Saquon Barkley as he faces his former team just 101 rushing yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson's single-season record of 2,105 rushing yards.

RotoBaller is here to help fantasy football managers make those tough lineup decisions with our Week 18 starts and sits at the running back position.

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Week 18 Starts - Fantasy Football Booms

Bucky Irving - RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints

It appears as though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have found their back of the future. Sorry, Rachaad White. It's Bucky Irving's world, and we are just living in it. The rookie back has now topped 1,000 yards rushing after posting his second game over the last three weeks with at least 110 rushing yards. Irving is the first Buccaneers running back to reach 1,000 yards rushing since Doug Martin accomplished the feat back in 2015.

If you break down the 2024 running back draft class, Irving's 1,033 rushing yards are more than the 778 rushing yards that the five running backs selected ahead of him have combined. A lot of that comes down to volume. Over Irving's last six contests, he earned 17 or more touches in five of them. Also, in those six games, Irving has churned out 337 yards after contact and forced 18 missed tackles. Breaking that down further, that's 0.20 missed tackles forced per attempt, 3.66 yards after contact per attempt, with 62.3% of his total yards coming after contact, all among the league's elite.

Not only is Irving coming off a performance in which he had 113 rushing yards and 77 receiving yards, but he has a great matchup this week against a Saints team that has allowed 24.87 fantasy points per game this season to the position, surrendering 1,765 rushing yards, 494 receiving yards, and 18 total touchdowns.

Warrick Dunn's first 16 games:
1,440 scrimmage yards

Bucky Irving's first 16 games:
1,430 scrimmage yards pic.twitter.com/HAPD9GGvxs

— NFL Fashion Advice (@fashion_nfl) December 29, 2024

Tony Pollard - RB, Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans

The jury is still out whether Tony Pollard will suit up this week after missing Week 17 with an ankle injury and the flu that kept him from traveling with the team. Now, Tyjae Spears traveled, and he put on some miles, rushing for 98 yards on 20 rushing attempts while adding eight more yards on three receptions.

So, with Spears filling in admirably in Pollard's absence, why am I willing to plug Pollard back into my lineup for what many consider a meaningless game? Follow the money. Currently, Pollard is sitting at 1,017 rushing yards. If Pollard can top 83 yards on the ground this week, he will earn an additional $250,000. If Pollard finds the end zone twice, that's another $200,000 in his pocket.

Tony Pollard Back in Week 18?

1,100 rushing yards earns $250,000
7 rushing TDs earns $200,000

Current: 1,017 rush yards & 5 rushing TDs pic.twitter.com/iM54MXBxb5

— Matt Donnelly (@MattDonnellyFF) December 30, 2024

Houston's playoff seeding is already set, so it is highly probable that many of their regulars will play only a portion of this contest, which will allow Pollard to attempt to reach those incentives against second or third-stringers.

J.K. Dobbins - RB, Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders

Last week, J.K. Dobbins returned to the Chargers' lineup and promptly picked up where he had left off before his injury. Against the Patriots, Dobbins would total 83 yards on 20 touches including a rushing touchdown, propelling him to a 14-point fantasy performance.

He’s back.

Anyone play J.K. Dobbins in a fantasy championship?! pic.twitter.com/Cd0wbiU5Kt

— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) December 28, 2024

Like Pollard, Dobbins can earn himself some extra money this week. Dobbins is 58 yards shy of earning himself $150,000. His 842 rushing yards are already a career-high, but if he could run for 158 yards against the Raiders, that 1,000-yard season would mean more, considering everything he has had to battle to get to this moment.

The Raiders are in the middle of the pack when it comes to fantasy production yielded to opposing backs. This season, they are allowing 22.01 fantasy points per game, the 16th fewest, while the 20.18 over the last four weeks are the 11th fewest. That said, when Dobbins last faced the Raiders, he averaged 13.5 yards per carry, running for 135 yards and a score in that contest.

Week 18 Sits - Fantasy Football Busts

D'Andre Swift - RB, Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers

Last week's 12.1-point fantasy performance was the first time since Week 11 in which D'Andre Swift had produced 10 or more fantasy points in a game. From Week 12 on, Swift is the RB27 in fantasy with 54.2 fantasy points, averaging 9.0 fantasy points per game. Over that same period, Jaylen Warren, Tyjae Spears, and Ameer Abdullah have all been more productive.

Last Thursday marked the ninth consecutive game in which Swift failed to register 100 yards, as he finished with 81 yards on 16 carries. Against the Packers, those opportunities will probably be few and far between, as the Packers will likely force the Bears into throwing to keep pace. 

D’Andre Swift in the loss tonight:

— 12 Carries
— 81 Yards
— 4 Catches

This is Swift’s 9th straight game without recording 100 Yards. pic.twitter.com/fIS298Biy2

— BearsMuse (@ChiBearsMuse) December 27, 2024

It's worth noting that their last meeting was highly contested. In that earlier meeting, the Packers would prevail with a 20-19 victory. That was also the last time Swift found the endzone, as he has since gone six contests without reaching paydirt.

Chase Brown - RB, Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers

Chase Brown's status heading into Week 18 is still to be determined after the Bengals running back injured his ankle to avoid scoring a touchdown, only to have the Bengals score on the next play.

Cincinnati's season comes down to this game against the Steelers. It's the only part of the equation they control, so Brown is going to do what he can to make himself available. Cincinnati needs him, as Pittsburgh is allowing 19.58 fantasy points to running backs over the last four weeks, the eighth fewest. Over that stretch, Pittsburgh has allowed 439 rushing yards and 134 receiving yards, but just one touchdown to the position.

A one-legged Brown is still a better option than Khalil Herbert with two legs, but the matchup leaves little to be desired. If Brown were healthy, I'd be okay starting him. He's less than 100%, so he's a fade.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. - RB, New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles

It's unknown yet what the Eagles do regarding resting their starters, so placing Tyrone Tracy Jr. on this list may be a little premature. 

Let's look at the numbers. If the Eagles play their starters, the 14.60 fantasy points allowed over the last four weeks are more than enough for me to avoid Tracy and the Giants' run game. Philadelphia has allowed 344 total yards to the position, and with Barkley 121 yards shy of Dickerson, expect the Eagles to run on first, second, and third down to get him the record against his former team, draining the clock in the process. 

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