• Chase Brown is a league-winner: With Zack Moss on the sidelines, Chase Brown has played 84% of the Bengals’ offensive snaps and leads the NFL with 81 touches since Week 9.
• Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert is out of the picture: Over the Dolphins' last two games, Mostert has been on the field for just 18 snaps and has accumulated -2 rushing yards.
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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
With so many running backs splitting their backfield in today’s NFL, it is more important than ever to figure out which players are receiving the most valuable snaps and touches on their team and who is slowly losing their workload to teammates who are outproducing them.
Here are the top running back takeaways over the first 11 weeks of the 2024 season that could greatly impact fantasy points in Week 12 and beyond.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey plays a league-high 94% of snaps in Week 11
Christian McCaffrey is back in our fantasy lineups, but his production has yet to reach the elite level we’ve come to expect. Through his first two games in 2024, he’s averaging just 59 rushing yards per game and 3.7 yards per carry, a noticeable drop from his 2023 Offensive Player of the Year campaign when he averaged 91.2 rushing yards and 5.0 yards per carry.
The good news is McCaffrey remains heavily involved in the offense and continues to produce as a receiver. Since his return in Week 10, he has totaled 42 touches, including 10 receptions, while playing 115 offensive snaps—the second most among running backs in that span. In Week 11, no running back logged a higher percentage of their team’s offensive snaps than McCaffrey. As he regains his rhythm and playing speed, his production will likely return to elite form. Plus, he has a favorable upcoming schedule against the Packers, Bills, and Bears — all teams that are very beatable on the ground.
Upcoming matchups: at Packers, at Bills, vs. Bears
Bengals Chase Brown is a workhorse back and fantasy league winner
The first half of the season was a disaster for the Bengals’ backfield, with Chase Brown and Zack Moss splitting snaps and touches. However, since Moss suffered an injury before Week 9, Brown has taken over as the lead back, playing 84% of the Bengals‘ offensive snaps. He has become a workhorse, handling 86% of the team’s rushing attempts—the highest rate in the NFL during that span.
Brown leads the league with 81 scrimmage touches since Week 9 and ranks first among running backs in targets (23), receptions (19), and receiving yards (146). He has also been a fantasy standout, scoring 68 fantasy points over that stretch, trailing only Saquon Barkley and Joe Mixon among running backs.
With the Bengals returning from their Week 12 bye, Brown is positioned to be a league-winning asset for fantasy managers in the stretch run of the season.
Upcoming matchups: bye, vs. Steelers, at Cowboys, at Titans
Panthers Chuba Hubbard has played 71% of the Panthers snaps in 2024
Heading into the Panthers’ Week 11 bye, Chuba Hubbard ranked among the NFL’s most productive backs. From Weeks 3-10, he recorded the second-most scrimmage touches (171) and rushing touchdowns (6), trailing only Alvin Kamara in touches and Derrick Henry in touchdowns. This breakout stretch has made him one of the best values from the 2024 fantasy drafts. However, there are signs that Hubbard’s fantasy value could take a hit in the coming weeks.
The first is that second-round rookie Jonathon Brooks is finally expected to make his NFL debut this weekend. I do not doubt that Hubbard will remain the lead back in Carolina, but he will likely lose a solid chunk of the fantastic volume fantasy managers have become accustomed to. Plus, the Panther's upcoming schedule is most definitely not a friendly one for fantasy running backs.
Upcoming matchups: vs. Chiefs, vs. Buccaneers, at Eagles
Patriots Rhamondre Stevenson gets 20 carries for the third time in the last four games
It looked grim at the start of the season when Steveson wouldn’t stop fumbling the ball, which led to his benching for Antonio Gibson. However, things can turn around quickly in the NFL, and the Patriots have started to trust Stevenson and rely on him heavily to carry their offense over the last month. Since Week 8, Stevenson has played on 75% of their offensive snaps, with Gibson seeing the field only 15% of the time. His 207 offensive snaps since Week 8 are the third most by any running back behind only Kyren Williams and Chase Brown. During that span, Stevenson has 83 touches and 70 carries, both ninth most in the NFL since Week 8.
Not only is Stevenson logging heavy playing time, but the offense has improved with quarterback Drake Maye under center, giving him more opportunities in the red zone and near the goal line. Since Week 8, Stevenson has 18 red zone carries (tied for third-most in the NFL) and eight carries inside the 5-yard line (second-most). This kind of volume positions Stevenson for fantastic fantasy performances in the weeks ahead, especially with a favorable schedule. The Patriots' backs will face a top-10 matchup in each of their next three games.
Upcoming matchups: at Dolphins, vs. Colts, bye, at Cardinals
Dolphins Raheem Mostert struggles for the second straight week
It was fun while it lasted, but Raheem Mostert’s fantasy value appears to have vanished. Over the last two games, Mostert has managed just -2 yards on three rushing attempts while playing only 18 snaps. In Week 11, De’Von Achane logged 32 more snaps and 18 more touches than Mostert.
To make matters worse, rookie Jaylen Wright has out-snapped and out-touched Mostert as the Dolphins' secondary back in each of the last two weeks. The Dolphins seem to have moved on, leaving Mostert out of their game plan. Even if Achane were to suffer an injury, Wright would likely take over the lead role, not Mostert.
Upcoming matchups: vs. Patriots, at Packers, vs. Jets
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