X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 5 NFL Running Back Power Rankings: All 32 Starting NFL RBs

De'Von Achane - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Mitch Blatt ranks all NFL starting running backs ahead of Week 5. Who are the top running backs in the NFL right now? See his 2023 NFL Week 5 RB power rankings and who the best at the position.

We are almost a quarter of the way through the 2023 NFL season, and we have some surprises at the running back position.

Cardinals running back James Conner is tied with rookie sensation Bijan Robinson for No. 3 in rushing yards. There's another rookie who is within 10 yards of Bijan, but it's not the other first-rounder, Jahmyr Gibbs, who doesn't even qualify for this list because he isn't the starter, and it's not the Zach Charbonnet, either, who some thought would take carries from KWIII. Instead, it is the 188-pound track star De'Von Achane.

Colts star Jonathan Taylor is expected to be activated from the PUP list this week. What role he has on the team after his heavily-covered holdout will be of interest to everyone. Where will he fall in the Week 5 RB Rankings?

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

The Elite RBs in Week 5 Running Back Power Rankings

1. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

Christian McCaffrey holds the top spot for the fifth straight week. Last week, he rushed for 106 yards on 20 carries, scoring three touchdowns on the ground, and added 71 yards and another touchdown through the air. You couldn't ask for a better start to the season from McCaffrey. He is being utilized more than he was last season. He has almost 100 more rushing yards than the No. 2 RB, D'Andre Swift, and 60 more yards from scrimmage than Justin Jefferson.

2. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Bijan Robinson did what he could to move the Falcons offense. He ran for 105 yards on 14 carries against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. It was his second 100-yard game, and, at 7.5 yards per carry, it was his most efficient game yet. But Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder kept ending drives by throwing interceptions and incompletions on third downs. The Falcons lost 7-23. Robinson will continue to be the only highlight of the Atlanta offense for the foreseeable future.

3. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks

Walker has run for five touchdowns in the past three games. On Monday Night Football, he did it again, with 76 yards and a touchdown on 17 attempts. He has yet to go over 100 yards in a game, but he consistently produces similar stat lines. He has pushed to the No. 9 spot on the rushing list.

4. Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys didn't need a lot from Tony Pollard in a 38-3 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3. He only carried the ball 11 times for 47 yards. Pollard's production varies greatly from week to week based on the Cowboys' game script and how Pollard is used.

This was the Cowboys' third blowout victory. In Week 1, Pollard only carried the ball 14 times but gained 70 yards and scored two touchdowns. This time, he didn't find the end zone, so he didn't put together quality fantasy production. His snap total was limited to 37 snaps. In Week 3, he was on the field for 70 snaps because the Cowboys needed him to try to come back. Fantasy managers will hope Cowboys games are closer so that Pollard will be used more frequently.

 

The Very Good

5. De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins

For the second straight week, Achane had more snaps and gained more yards than Raheem Moster. It was the first time he was on the field for more offensive snaps than Mostert. Acahne missed most of the preseason and Week 1 with a shoulder injury, so he started off slowly. In Week 2, he only had one carry. But since Week 3, he's been putting up unreal numbers.

In the past two games, he has run the ball 26 times for 304 yards and four touchdowns. The numbers he has put up in his past two games combined--on a fraction of the carries of the other RB1 contenders--have been enough to put him at No. 6 on the rushing yards list.

He has achieved a league-leading 11.4 yards per carry by breaking off multiple big plays. He leads the league with four rushes for 20+ yards and three for 40+.

5b. Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins

Mostert was the RB1 in fantasy football standard scoring after the first three weeks of the season. In Week 4, however, he only ran the ball seven times for nine yards. He also caught three passes for 36 yards.

Part of the problem was his usage. Achane was used on third and longs. Mostert was used in short-yardage situations. Three of his seven carries were on third and short, and one was by the goal line. But he did not succeed very often on those. He only gained one first down and did not score.

In the future, Achane might take over as the Dolphins' primary RB1, and Jeff Wilson Jr., who is considerably larger than both Achane and Mostert, might have a role in short-yardage situations when he returns from the IR.

6. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

Derrick Henry came rushing back to relevance in Week 4 as the Tennessee Titans demolished the Cincinnati Bengals 27-3. Henry ran for 122 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries and threw a two-yard-touchdown pass.

Following the completion, Henry's first of the season, Henry leads all running backs and quarterbacks in passer rating and extends his streak to three straight years throwing a touchdown pass. In fact, he is four-for-four for 25 yards and three touchdowns in the past three seasons. Ryan Tannehill threw another interception in the win, bringing his total to four on the season. Is a quarterback controversy brewing in Tennessee?

7. D'Andre Swift, Philadelphia Eagles

Swift has started since Week 2, after only getting a single carry in Week 1. He had a streak of two straight 130+ yard games going in Weeks 2 and 3, which powered him to No. 2 on the rushing leaderboard. But the Eagles relied on the pass in order to squeak out an overtime victory over the Washington Commanders. Swift only carried the ball 14 times and, while it wasn't beautiful, he averaged 4.00 yards per carry for 56 rushing yards. He also caught 4 passes for 23 yards.

Swift has gotten a lot of hype this year for producing after being traded from the Detroit Lions to the Philadelphia Eagles. People were asking why the Lions didn't keep him. But it is a good bet that he wouldn't be doing quite as well if he were still on the Lions, just like how Miles Sanders isn't doing as well on the Panthers as he did on the Eagles. Few teams have such a strong offensive line and run-favorable offense.

8. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals

The veteran has been a bright spot for the surprisingly high-powered Cardinals offense early in the season. Conner has been a workhorse for the questionably talented Cards, as he has been piling up the carries (62) and rising to third on the rushing chart (318) while scoring two touchdowns and taking four carries for over 20 yards.

It's not just a matter of piling up numbers on big carry numbers. PFF has Conner graded as the fourth-best rusher of the season.

9. Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville ended its losing streak, but starting running back Travis Etienne did not play well in London. Etienne ran for just 55 yards on 20 carries. He did not find the end zone and only gained a single first down. Not only was his 2.8 yards per carry figure terribly low, he only had a success rate of 30%. Any running back on a good week should be over 50%.

Etienne is an inconsistent, below-elite running back. He falls one spot.

10. Brian Robinson Jr., Washington Commanders

Brian Robinson has slowed down a little after two double-digit fantasy weeks to open the season. He fell to just seven points in standard scoring in Week 3, and this past week, he only ran for 45 yards on 14 carries. His fantasy day was salvaged with a touchdown, which put him into double digits again. He is PFF's No. 12-graded rusher.

11. Breece Hall, New York Jets

Hall should be putting up much better numbers if his quarterback weren't injured. He's not getting many carries, as the Jets are always playing from behind the sticks. Against the Chiefs, with his team trailing big at halftime, Hall only had six carries. He ran for 56 yards and also caught three passes for 13 yards. This is his second game to have single-digit carries. He is only averaging eight carries per game. But of running backs with at least 16 attempts, he has the third-highest per-carry average.

12. James Cook, Buffalo Bills

Cook was averaging over 6.0 yards per carry in the first three weeks of the season, but Cook's critics could take a victory lap after his poor showing in Week 4. Cook only gained 29 yards on 12 carries. There are those who think he can't handle a full workload as an every-down running back. His targets in the passing game have also fallen. PFF's Nathan Jahnke worries that "he’s starting to share more time with the other running backs."

13. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals

Do you know who is not sharing carries? Bengals RB Joe Mixon. Mixon had almost all of Cincinnati's carries in Week 4. The problem? Cincinnati only ran the ball 18 times--and three of those were Joe Burrow. Mixon took his 14 carries for 67 yards. He had 19 carries against the Rams the week before but only averaged 3.4 yards per carry. In the first two weeks, the 27-year-old had 13 carries each.

I wouldn't call him a "disappointment" just yet. His volume is a little bit less than his fantasy drafters would have hoped, but his per-carry average is about what one would expect based on his history.

 

Big-Name Disappointments (So Far)

14. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders

The NFL's 2022 rushing champion has continued to see elite usage in this Raiders offense and has garnered 80 touches through the first four weeks of the season. Unfortunately for Jacobs, it appeared that opposing defenses simply weren't going to let him beat them, as he was consistently faced with stacked fronts and found little room to run early on. Through the first two weeks, he was only averaging 1.6 yards per attempt.

He has improved in Weeks 3 and 4. While he is still not producing RB1 numbers, 62 yards in Week 3 and 58 in Week 4 on 17 carries in each game and one touchdown last week are starting RB numbers. Best of all, Jacobs has been heavily involved in the passing game. He caught eight passes for 81 yards in Week 4. At this rate, Jacobs could finish the season with 80 catches.

15. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

The talented Patriots back has been saddled with brutal matchups in 2023, as he's faced the Eagles, Jets, and Cowboys across the first four weeks of the season. The Cowboys weren't much easier for Stevenson. He only gained 30 yards on 14 carries.

Luckily, he still controls the majority of the volume. Despite New England's addition of Ezekiel Elliott to the backfield, the usage remains encouraging for Stevenson. His production should improve once the schedule opens up a bit down the road.

16.  Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears

Herbert ran over the lackluster Broncos defense, gaining 103 yards on 18 carries. Playing the Broncos is a recipe for offensive success, but Herbert still deserves credit and should move up two spots ahead of Jones and Harris, who haven't been producing.

D'Onta Foreman appears to be the odd man out in the Bears backfield. Herbert and Johnson have evolved into what's essentially been a 50/50 timeshare over the last two weeks. That usage split - and the fact that this Chicago offense has been horrendous - limits the potential upside for both backs.

17. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers

Jones was a terrible disappointment in his return to the Packers lineup in Week 4 after missing Weeks 2 and 3. Jones carries the ball five times for 18 yards. He also caught one pass for a loss of four yards. Jones is 29, due a huge payday next year (in the final year of his contract), and playing for a team that is still trying to figure out what its offense looks like and who its future quarterback will be.

18. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

After an up-and-down 2022 campaign, Harris has struggled to find consistency at the outset of the 2023 season. He's been fairly non-descript when running the ball. He just pushes forward with power, but he seldom musters enough yards for the Steelers offense to stay on schedule. He continues to cede pass-game work to Jaylen Warren.

The Steelers' offense is not just a problem for its running backs. The whole thing is a hash of poorly cooked casserole that ruins whatever fine ingredients are used.

19. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

Barkley has missed two straight games, but he is likely to be back in Week 5. He practiced more in Week 4 than in Week 3 and went into the game as "doubtful." He gained 114 yards on 29 carries in the first two games of the season. He only caught nine passes. That's not what one would have hoped to see from Barkley, who was pegged as a possible RB1 candidate. While the Giants are a bad team, Barkley could turn it around as he gets comfortable.

 

The Surprises (Good and Bad)

20. David Montgomery, Detroit Lions

David Montgomery is the RB1 in Detroit. Let's be clear. He had not 12 carries, not 22 carries, but 32 carries in Detroit's impressive victory over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. He ran for 121 yards and three touchdowns.

Why aren't the Lions playing Jahmyr Gibbs more? Because Montgomery is playing so well. He gained nine first downs and converted the necessary distance for success 50% of the time.

21. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

In his first game back from suspension, Kamara was a focal point of the Saints' offense. He was targeted 14 times in the passing game and caught 13 passes for 33 yards. Saints fans would like to see him do more with that much volume. That's a third of how many yards he was making per catch. He also ran the ball 11 times for 51 yards.

22. Zack Moss and Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

After missing the season opener with an injury suffered in training camp, Moss has been a notable addition to the Colts offense over the last two weeks. He's gained 280 rushing yards and one rushing TD since joining the lineup. Will he continue to be the starter now that Jonathan Taylor has been activated? It's anyone's guess. JT might end up being traded.

23. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams

The second-year back has played a surprisingly large role for the Rams across the first three weeks of the season. Expected Rams starter Cam Akers had disagreements with the coaching staff again and was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, leaving the entirety of L.A.'s backfield work to Williams. He appears to have little competition for the RB1 job and should continue to see elite volume going forward.

With 245 yards on 64 carries, he is in a class of RB efficiency that includes Joe Mixon.

24. Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings

Alexander Mattison had shined in previous spot starts for Minnesota, but he's stumbled out of the gate in his attempt to serve as a full-time replacement for Dalvin Cook. Mattison's poor efficiency prompted the Vikings to acquire Cam Akers from the Rams.

Mattison retains the starting job so far. He ran for 95 yards on 17 carries in Week 4 against the Panthers, while Akers only had five carries.

 

Talented with Questions

25. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs' offense revolves around Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Taylor Swift. Isiah Pacheco is just the wingman. He is a good runner, and he does what the team needs him to do. He is averaging 5.0 yards per carry and has been PFF's No. 9-graded RB through four weeks.

Pacheco will have his weeks and have other weeks where he won't get many carries. Week 4 was one of his weeks. He ran for 115 yards, the third-most of the week, on 20 carries, and he scored a touchdown.

26. Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers

After a career year with Philadelphia in 2022 led to a huge offseason contract with Carolina, Sanders' production has been underwhelming to this point, as he's currently averaging less than 3.4 yards per carry. However, he has been making a contribution in the passing game. This situation in Carolina is worse for him as a rusher, but he is being used more as some wished he was in Philly.

With the subpar quarterback room made up of rookie Bryce Young and veteran Andy Dalton at quarterback, Sanders and this Panthers offense will likely struggle more than they succeed.

27. Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans

Pierce is more talented than his ranking. But he's stuck behind a very bad offensive line on a team with a talented rookie quarterback who's been effective when throwing the ball. Pierce often isn't a factor because the Texans have to throw the ball. In Week 4, he got the carries--24--but he only gained 81 yards on that.

28. Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns

After Nick Chubb went down with a season-ending injury in Week 2, Ford answered the call to the tune of 125 total yards and a TD in a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. His production did come back to Earth in a brutal Week 3 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, though he handled the bulk of Cleveland's offensive shares in front of recent signee Kareem Hunt. In Week 4, he only gained 26 yards on nine carries.

29. Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos

The Broncos have been content to ease Williams back in after he suffered a season-ending injury in 2022. The 23-year-old is yet to see more than 13 carries in a game this season, as he's shared work with veteran Samaje Perine. He gained zero yards on two carries in Week 4.

 

The 'Tweeners

30.  Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Bucs

After a rookie year spent eating into former Bucs RB Leonard Fournette's workload, Rachaad White has this Tampa Bay backfield all to himself this year. The usage has been elite to this point, but can he do anything with it? It looks like he can't. He's just not the most talented running back.

 

Injuries, Committees, and Other Things

31. Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens backfield is confusing at times. J.K. Dobbins went down. Justice Hill sometimes ends up being used as the featured back. But Edwards has started two straight games and carried the ball over 10 times in both. He's averaging 4.4 yards per carry. He isn't much used in the passing game. His two catches in Week 4 were his first two of the season.

32. Joshua Kelley, Los Angeles Chargers

While he put forth some nice production in the season opener with Austin Ekeler, Kelley has practically been a zero in Ekeler's absence. He was just meh in Week 4, with 65 yards on 17 carries. The Chargers are on bye in Week 5, and Ekeler might be back in Week 6, but it's too early to look forward to that matchup.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Griffin Conine

To Have Shoulder Surgery On Tuesday
Luke Keaschall

Twins Prospect Luke Keaschall Suffers Broken Forearm
Logan Gilbert

Leaves Friday's Start With Forearm Tightness

Vikings Select Tai Felton To Finish Day 2

Seahawks Select Quarterback Jalen Milroe With The 92nd Pick Overall

Browns Select Dillon Gabriel 94th Overall

Packers Pick Savion Williams At No. 87 overall

Steelers Snag Kaleb Johnson In Round 3

Broncos Select Wide Receiver Pat Bryant With The 74th Overall Pick

Texans Select Jaylin Noel With 79th Pick

Lions Select Wide Receiver Isaac TeSlaa With The 70th Overall Pick
Jack Leiter

To Start On Sunday

Patriots Add Wide Receiver Kyle Williams In Round 3

Browns Draft Harold Fannin Jr. With 67th Pick
Garrett Mitchell

Makes Early Exit
Luke Keaschall

Removed Early On Friday
Blake Snell

Likely Avoids Major Injury
Cole Ragans

Dealing With Mild Groin Strain

Broncos Add RJ Harvey To Backfield With 60th Pick

Raiders Select Jack Bech With 58th Pick

Chargers Add Wide Receiver Tre Harris In Round 2
Detroit Lions

Lions Acquire 57th Pick From Broncos

Seahawks Draft Elijah Arroyo 50th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Acquire 51st Pick From Broncos
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Snag Will Johnson At No. 47

Jets Add A Pass-Catcher With Mason Taylor At No. 42

Rams Select Terrance Ferguson With 46th Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Acquire 48th Pick From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

Saints Snag Tyler Shough At No. 40
Brenton Doyle

Out For Personal Reasons On Friday
Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
Aaron Ekblad

Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
Max Scherzer

Takes Positive Step On Friday
Aleksander Barkov

Questionable For Saturday
Gabriel Landeskog

Set For Larger Role In Game 4
Calvin Pickard

To Start Game 3 For Oilers
Randy Arozarena

Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
MLB

Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
Patrik Laine

A Game-Time Decision Friday
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Salvador Perez

Sitting Out For First Time This Season
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
Brendan Donovan

Back In Action On Friday
Jimmy Butler III

Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
Coby Mayo

Getting On A Roll At Triple-A
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF