• 49ers‘ Patrick Taylor Jr. is the next man up if Isaac Guerendo is inactive on TNF: The starting running back for Kyle Shanahan’s offense will be used heavily — it doesn’t matter who that player is or how much prior NFL success that player holds.
• Zach Charbonnet has top-five upside in any week Kenneth Walker III is sidelined: Charbonnet has put up 18, 26 and 38 fantasy points in his three games played without Walker in 2024. Last week, with Walker out with a calf injury, he put up a career-high 193 scrimmage yards and added two touchdowns on the ground.
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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
With so many split backfields in today’s NFL, it is more important than ever to figure out which players are receiving the most valuable snaps and touches and which teams utilize a workhorse back when injuries occur.
Here are the latest top running back takeaways that could majorly impact points in the fantasy playoffs.
“Next man up” is 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan’s philosophy
The 49ers could be turning to their fifth-string running back this weekend — but whoever starts in San Francisco’s backfield is sure to be heavily utilized. With Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell on IR to start the season, third-stringer Jordan Mason handled the bulk of snaps and touches from Weeks 1-8. After the Week 9 bye, McCaffrey returned and reclaimed his workhorse role, leaving Mason sidelined.
Fast forward to last weekend, and the 49ers turned to fourth-string rookie Isaac Guerendo, with McCaffrey and Mason both landing on IR after Week 13. Guerendo impressed in his first start, racking up 158 yards and two touchdowns on 17 touches.
Unfortunately, injuries continue to plague the 49ers backfield. Guerendo suffered a foot sprain late in the game, potentially sidelining him for the 49ers’ Thursday night matchup against the Rams. If Guerendo can’t go, Patrick Taylor Jr. is next in line and could see 15-20 touches in Week 15.
Don’t drop Guerendo from your fantasy roster just yet — his injury is reportedly minor, and there’s a good chance he will return for Week 16 after the 49ers’ mini-bye.
Upcoming matchups: vs. Rams, at Dolphins, vs. Lions
Seahawks Zach Charbonnet puts up 193 yards in Week 14 with Kenneth Walker III sidelined
Whenever Kenneth Walker III cannot play, Zach Charbonnet steps up as a workhorse. In the three games Walker missed this season (Weeks 2, 3 and 14), Charbonnet played 87% of the Seahawks’ offensive snaps, averaging 23 touches and 123 yards per game while scoring five touchdowns. During those weeks, he ranked third among all NFL running backs in red-zone carries (13) and goal-line carries (6).
With Walker sidelined by a calf injury last weekend, Charbonnet delivered career-highs in rushing attempts (22), receptions (7), rushing yards (134) and receiving yards (59). He also tied his career high with two rushing touchdowns. Fantasy managers who trusted him were rewarded with 38 fantasy points — nearly 12 more than any other running back scored in Week 14.
Charbonnet has now posted 18, 26 and 38 fantasy points in his three starts in 2024. With his combination of workload and talent, he has the potential to finish as a top-five fantasy running back any week, regardless of the matchup.
Upcoming matchups: vs. Packers, vs. Vikings, at Bears
Jets Rookie RBs Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis split work with Breece Hall out
With Breece Hall inactive due to a knee injury, the Jets turned to rookie running backs Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis in Week 14. Allen got the start, but he and Davis split the workload evenly — Allen played 37 snaps, while Davis played 36. Allen totaled 15 touches (11 carries, four receptions) for 81 yards, while Davis had 14 touches (10 carries, three receptions) for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Davis out-snapped Allen in the red zone 8-4, but Allen received two red-zone carries compared to Davis’ one — a 17-yard touchdown run. Unfortunately, the Jets didn’t have any goal-line rushing attempts in Week 14, leaving their short-yardage preference unclear if Hall misses more time.
If Hall remains out, predicting which back will perform better for fantasy purposes could be tricky. However, the Jets have a favorable schedule ahead. They face the Jaguars in Week 15 and the Bills in Week 17, teams that have allowed the second- and third-most fantasy points to running backs this season. Their toughest remaining matchup is against the Rams in Week 16, who are middle of the pack against fantasy backs but have allowed the seventh-most yards per carry to the position.
Upcoming matchups: at Jaguars, vs. Rams, at Bills
Rachaad White is back to seeing a heavy workload with Bucky Irving banged up
The emergence of rookie Bucky Irving had reduced Rachaad White’s role, but his workload spiked in Week 14 after Irving exited in the first half with a back injury. White played 76% of the Buccaneers’ offensive snaps and handled 19 touches. He took advantage of a soft matchup against the Raiders, racking up 90 yards and a touchdown on the ground, along with 19 yards and another touchdown through the air. White dominated red-zone and third-down snaps and touches in the Buccaneers’ backfield.
Surprisingly, third-string RB Sean Tucker, who has flashed potential when given opportunities, saw only three touches despite Irving’s early exit. If Irving is inactive for Week 15, Tucker should see a larger role in the game plan.
This week’s matchup against the Chargers will be tough for whichever Buccaneers running back gets the workload. However, the following two games against the Cowboys and Panthers present favorable opportunities for fantasy production in the backfield.
Upcoming matchups: at Chargers, at Cowboys, vs. Panthers
Jonathan Taylor’s TD production is bound to regress positively after the Colts’ bye
Taylor’s 81 carries from Weeks 10-13 ranked second in the NFL, behind only Saquon Barkley (89). He was one of just three players with 75 or more carries in that span — the others, Barkley and Joe Mixon, scored five rushing touchdowns, while Taylor had none.
Despite the lack of touchdowns, Taylor has seen a significant workload. He led the NFL in red-zone carries during Weeks 10-13, with Mixon (20) and Josh Jacobs (18) ranking second and third. Both Mixon and Jacobs scored at least four rushing touchdowns on those opportunities.
Taylor’s touchdown luck is bound to improve. He has scored a touchdown on just 2.7% of his carries this season, compared to 4.3% over his first four NFL seasons (2020-2023).
The Colts face the Broncos’ stingy run defense in Week 15, but Taylor’s schedule lightens up afterward. In Week 16, he takes on the Titans, who have allowed the second-most touchdowns to running backs in 2024. He finishes the fantasy season in Week 17 with a prime matchup against the Giants’ porous run defense. Fantasy managers who stayed patient with Taylor should be rewarded in the playoffs.
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