2024 Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings: RB

Bijan Robinson gears up for a great matchup, De’Von Achane hopes Tua Tagovailoa’s return is the cure for what’s ailed him, and Chase Brown looks to complete his takeover of the Bengals’ backfield.

Other positions: Quarterback | Receiver | Tight End/Kickers/Defense

Week 8 Running Backs

RB Notes: RT @TweetsFromEverySeason Derrick Henry has 206 more yards rushing than any other player. … Saquon Barkley is a distant 26th in running back receiving yards. That’s going to make it impossible to keep up with the Henrys for the top spot. … Joe Mixon is averaging over 100 yards rushing per game even if you include his injury-marred Week 2. The Texans’ intent has been crystal clear, while the Colts are a smash spot for any opposing runner. … Braelon Allen has fallen under 20 percent of the Jets’ offensive snaps each of the past two weeks. That has coincided with Breece Hall rolling up 310 yards from scrimmage. Although Allen could find himself on the field more in Week 8 with the Jets operating as touchdown road favorites, the Patriots’ everything-funnel defense should keep Hall piping hot. … The Bijan Robinson panic is disappearing just as quickly as it appeared. He has 248 yards from scrimmage over the past two weeks despite vastly different game scripts. For Week 8 he finds himself as the road favorite against a Bucs D coughing up more than five yards per carry. With Tampa injury shell-shocked, there could be enough garbage time here for Tyler Allgeier to double last week’s 23 percent snap share, but Robinson’s usage is no longer a concern, if it ever was.

If this is Jordan Mason’s last start — Christian McCaffrey has a decent shot at returning following the 49ers’ Week 9 bye — he should go out in style with the 49ers’ suddenly receiver-deficient offense likely to go run heavy vs. the Cowboys’ awful ground defense. Even with all the injuries, the Niners are comfortable home favorites. … Kenneth Walker hasn’t really put it all together over the past three weeks: Because he hasn’t had to. He has either been catching passes or scoring touchdowns. Maybe he can finally toss a complete game vs. a Bills defense surrendering the second most RB fantasy points. … Jahmyr Gibbs would have had a claim to RB1 overall status had David Montgomery missed time with his knee injury. As it is, he’s still a strong RB1 with the Lions mammoth 11-point home favorites against Tennessee. Although Montgomery isn’t even on the injury report, Detroit could end up taking it easier on its 1B back in a game that could get put away early. … Hurting for efficiency as the Rams welcome the return of Cooper Kupp, Kyren Williams’ entire Week 8 case against the Vikings’ elite defense is his raw overall touches and touchdown potential.

Kareem Hunt’s workload and production continues to speak for itself, if not his efficiency. That won’t matter with the Chiefs serving as 10-point favorites in Las Vegas, Nevada against a bad Raiders run defense. … D’Andre Swift entered the Bears’ bye week in the midst of probably the best three-game stretch of his career. He has quietly pushed into the higher-end RB2 ranks in terms of average PPR points. The home underdog Commanders’ defensive deficiency is on the ground, where they caught up 4.9 yards per tote. … Jonathan Taylor (ankle) appears poised to return from his three-game absence. Will he be greeted by a committee? The Colts seemed to take their time with his return, though neither Tyler Goodson nor Trey Sermon had success during his absence. I’m fine with Taylor on the RB1/2 borderline vs. a disappointing Texans team that couldn’t put Indy away in Week 1. … Part of me wonders if Aaron Jones might have his workload dialed back on the short week after he surprisingly dominated the Vikings’ Week 7 backfield despite being listed with a hamstring injury, but the Rams are too good of a matchup for such concerns. Only the Colts and Panthers are surrendering more weekly rushing yards.

James Cook hasn’t reached 60 percent of the Bills’ snaps since Week 1, though his usage picked up where it left off upon his Week 7 return. Although he got a series to himself, Ray Davis was on the field for a modest 24 percent of the plays as the Bills went surprisingly pass-heavy. The Seahawks are a major run funnel, setting up a good spot for Cook and potential desperation FLEX status for Davis. … Josh Jacobs’ usage has been all filler, no killer, leaving him on the RB2/3 borderline in terms of average PPR points. Perhaps that will finally change vs. a really bad Jaguars defense. … Tua Tagovailoa is finally back, meaning De’Von Achane is finally back. He has 14 receptions in two games started by Tagovailoa and nine total in all contests. Jonnu Smith seems like he will probably compete for Achane’s short-area looks this time around, but the Cardinals are struggling to contain enemy rushers. … Brian Robinson seems to have moved past his knee injury. His Week 8 rankings downgrade is all about the probable quarterback downgrade. Marcus Mariota held his own against the Panthers. The Bears figure to be another story.

Severely out-touching Zack Moss, Chase Brown is also getting his snap share near 60 percent. A complete takeover of this backfield could happen any week now. Even if it doesn’t, Brown’s workloads have put him in the low-end RB2 mix. … This sets up as a better week for J.K. Dobbins with the Chargers touchdown home favorites against the backup-quarterback starting Saints. … Opposing Dobbins will be Alvin Kamara, who had by far his worst game of the season in the Saints’ Week 7 stink bomb. It didn’t help that AK was apparently playing through a broken hand. This is not a good setup, but Kamara’s high-value touches make him difficult to ever drop outside the top 20. … Javonte Williams has become one of those rankings whiplash players, but he’s basically had one bad game in the past month. With the Broncos getting 10 points at home against the ruined Panthers, this isn’t about to be the second. … Tony Pollard’s moment has come and gone. The Titans’ offense had further to fall, after all, while Tyjae Spears (hamstring) is trending toward a return to make this a committee again. … Even if Travis Etienne (hamstring) returns, I’ll keep the rankings advantage with Tank Bigsby.