• Kareem Hunt is playing like it’s 2017: Hunt made his first start for the Chiefs since 2018 and instantly took on a huge workload, with his 27 carries the most among all players in the NFL in Week 5. The veteran now looks like one of the best waiver wire pickups of the fantasy season.
• Tank Bigsby is inching closer and closer to stealing Travis Etienne’s job: Bigsby leads the NFL in yards per carry, yards after contact per attempt and breakaway percentage in 2024. He is outplaying teammate Travis Etienne Jr. this season, which could put pressure on the coaches to make him the team’s lead back sooner rather than later.
• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!
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 five weeks of the 2024 season that could greatly impact fantasy points in Week 6 and beyond.
Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt leads the NFL with 27 carries in his first start of the season
In his first start with the Chiefs since 2018, Kareem Hunt handled a league-high 27 carries in Week 5—the most by any Chiefs running back since Hunt himself logged 29 carries in Week 16 of the 2017 season.
Notably, Isiah Pacheco (currently on IR), whom Hunt is replacing, has never carried the ball more than 22 times in a game.
Hunt didn’t just take on a heavy workload; he also assumed the role of the Chiefs’ primary red-zone back. He accounted for 82% of the team's running back carries in Week 5, including all four red-zone attempts and the lone goal-line carry on Monday night.
With Carson Steele fumbling once again in Week 5, it’s clear that Hunt will remain the lead back until Pacheco returns from his broken fibula. And no, there’s little reason to worry about Clyde Edwards-Helaire‘s potential impact upon his return.
Upcoming matchups: bye week, at 49ers, at Raiders
Jaguars Tank Bigsby out-snaps, out-touches, and out-produces teammate Travis Etienne Jr.
Bigsby recorded career-highs in carries (13), rush yards (101) and rushing touchdowns (2) in Week 5 against the Colts.
The young running back played a career-high 40% of offensive snaps and got 57% of the Jaguars’ rushing attempts last Sunday. He played more snaps than starting Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr. and out-carried him 13-6.
Entering the 2024 season, Bigsby had never topped 32 rushing yards in a game. However, he has now surpassed 70 rushing yards in three of his first five games of the year. The Jaguars back also leads the NFL in yards per carry (8.0) and averages an incredible 6.5 yards after contact per attempt in 2024 — an average that is 4 yards better than Etienne's (2.6) this season.
He has carried the ball only 34 times this season, but his 18 forced missed tackles are tied for fifth-most in the NFL — only one missed tackle fewer than Derrick Henry, who has run the ball 61 more times.
Bigsby has also shown great burst this season, leading all running backs across the league with a 76% breakaway percentage, while Etienne has a measly 18 breakaway percentage. Kenneth Walker III (54.5%) and Derrick Henry (52.9%) are the only other backs with 30 or more carries to have a 50% or higher breakaway rate.
After the game, head coach Doug Pederson noted that Etienne's reduced role was due to a shoulder injury, stating, “Travis is our guy. Tank had a good game. That’s just the way games go.” Despite Pederson’s comments, if Etienne doesn't improve his play quickly, it may become increasingly difficult for the Jaguars' coaching staff to justify keeping Bigsby out of a larger role.
Upcoming matchups: at Bears, vs Patriots, vs Packers
Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle gets 64.5% of the team carries in Week 5
Rico Dowdle marked career-highs in a number of metrics in Week 5, including carries (20), rush yards (87), snap rate (50%) and rushing share (65%).
Last Sunday, he led the Cowboys with two red-zone carries and got the team’s only goal-line carry, but he failed to get into the end zone. While he has yet to record a rushing touchdown this season, he has caught a touchdown pass in each of the last two games—becoming the first Cowboys running back to do so since Robert Thomas in 2000.
Despite his increased workload, I remain cautious about relying on him in fantasy lineups moving forward. He has yet to show much explosiveness, with zero carries of 15-plus yards and an average of just 2.5 yards after contact per attempt, ranking fifth-worst among 28 running backs with 50 or more carries. Additionally, he hasn't locked down the third-down role, as he played only three third-down snaps in Week 5, with fullback Hunter Luepke seeing most of those opportunities.
The upcoming schedule further tempers expectations, as Dowdle faces a strong Lions run defense next, followed by a Cowboys bye week.
Upcoming matchups: vs. Lions, bye week, at 49ers
Tyrone Tracy Jr. gets 18 carries and plays on 62% of the Giants snaps with Devin Singletary sidelined
Tyrone Tracy Jr. balled out in his first NFL start with Devin Singletary (groin) sidelined. He played 62% of the Giants' offensive snaps and out-carried backfield teammate Eric Gray 18-4. Tracy took full advantage of his opportunities in Week 5, putting up 129 rushing yards and averaging 7.2 yards per carry.
Before his injury, Singletary had his worst game as a Giant, averaging just 1.7 yards per carry on 14 attempts in Week 4. Tracy has been far more efficient this season, averaging 5.3 yards on 30 carries compared to Singletary’s 3.9 on 56 carries.
Tracy already has more carries of 20-plus yards than Singletary has on the season. Plus, both Singletary and Gray have lost two fumbles apiece this year, while Tracy has yet to put the ball on the ground.
If Tracy can prove reliable and continue to show great play-making ability, he may keep a large role in the Giants' backfield even when Singletary is back healthy.
Upcoming matchups: vs. Bengals, vs. Eagles, at Steelers
49ers RB Jordan Mason’s workload decreases in Week 5
Jordan Mason had a season-low in carries (14) and offensive snap share (64%) in Week 5. His share of team carries also dipped to 54%, down from the 71% he held over Weeks 1-4. Backup RB Isaac Guerendo took five carries, including two crucial red zone attempts, from Mason in this game. Mason's struggles were compounded by a costly fumble in the fourth quarter with just over six minutes remaining and the 49ers leading 23-21 deep in Cardinals territory. That turnover allowed the Cardinals to control the clock and drive down for a game-winning field goal, sealing the 49ers' loss.
Mason will remain the 49ers' workhorse back moving forward as long as Christian McCaffrey is sidelined, but his fantasy production seems to live or die on getting a rushing touchdown, as he has still not earned a role in the passing game. Mason saw only one target in Week 5 and was on the field for just three of the 49ers' 12 third-down plays.
Mason should have an efficient day on the ground in Week 6 against the weak Seahawks run defense, but it may be time to trade Mason now while his value is still sitting at top-five RB status.
Upcoming matchups: at Seahawks, vs. Chiefs, vs. Cowboys
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.