Week 12 is a weird one for running backs on bye. On the one hand, we're avoiding the headaches of the Chiefs and Cardinals backfields, two situations that have burned plenty of Fantasy players this season, most recently in Week 11. On the other hand, with the Vikings and Chargers on bye, we're also missing three must-start backs in Dalvin Cook, Austin Ekeler, and Melvin Gordon. It's not the worst week of byes we've had to deal with — it's tough at quarterback this week — but it still complicates things in the final week of byes.
What really makes Week 12 tough to navigate at running back, however, is situations like the Buccaneers, Steelers, Dolphins, Eagles, Lions, Patriots, and 49ers, where it just isn't clear in any given week who, if anyone, you can trust. Chances are, you'll have to trust at least one player from those backfields, and that might not be a full list of the teams with questions among their running backs. The elite running backs have been pretty great this season, but as injuries pile up, it gets tougher to trust the rest of the position every week.
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It's going to be tough to figure out how to handle the running back position this week, but we can help. We've got Jamey Eisenberg's Start and Sit calls right here to help you make the right calls, plus Heath Cummings' running back preview has projections, matchups that matter, numbers to know, and more as you prepare to set your lineup. It's going to be a tough week at running back, but we're here to make sure you're setting a winning lineup for Week 12.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
Start 'Em
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Lindsay is due for a big game, and it could easily come this week against Buffalo. While the Bills defense has been great overall this year, they have struggled against the run. Buffalo has allowed a running back to score or gain at least 120 total yards in every game this season. Lindsay has at least 75 total yards in three games in a row, but he has only one touchdown over that span. Lindsay will continue to share touches with Royce Freeman, who should be considered a sleeper this week, but he saw a larger share of the work last and has the chance to be a top-10 running back in Week 12.
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Singletary was good in Week 11 at Miami, but I had much higher expectations for him as the Start of the Week. He had 15 carries for 75 yards but failed to score a touchdown and had just one catch for 4 yards on one target. I'm sticking with him again this week against the Broncos, who have allowed six touchdowns to running backs in five road games this year, including two in a row at Indianapolis in Week 8 and at Minnesota in Week 11. This also could be a big game catching the ball for Singletary since Denver has allowed 24 receptions to running backs in the past four games, and Singletary had 10 catches in his three previous outings prior to Week 11.
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I'm excited about Samuels if James Conner (shoulder) is out as expected, even though Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey (suspension) won't be on the field. Samuels had a fun game against Cincinnati the first time these teams met in Week 4 when he was the trigger man for the Wildcat. He finished with 10 carries for 26 yards and a touchdown, as well as eight catches for 57 yards. He's now had four games this season with at least 10 total touches, and he has at least 14 PPR points in three of them. The Steelers could lean heavily on Samuels this week with Conner, JuJu Smith-Schuster (concussion/knee), and Diontae Johnson (concussion) all banged up. Benny Snell could also help Samuels in the ground game, and I like Snell as a sleeper this week. The Bengals have allowed a running back to score or gain at least 120 total yards in every game this season.
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Nick Chubb is a must-start running back this week against the Dolphins, but I also like Hunt as a low-end starter in all leagues, especially PPR. In two games back from his eight-game suspension to open the year, he has at least 11 PPR points in each game, including 13 catches for 90 yards on 17 targets. He's yet to find the end zone, but that could change this week against the Dolphins, especially if the Browns are playing with a lead at home. Five running backs against Miami this season have also scored at least seven PPR points with just their receiving totals alone, which bodes well for Hunt in that format.
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If there's a week to buy back into Montgomery, it's here against the Giants. The Bears are at home and facing a Giants run defense that has allowed a running back to score or gain at least 100 total yards in five of their past six games. The quarterback situation could be messy for Chicago depending on what happens with Mitchell Trubisky (hip), but I expect Montgomery to get a heavy workload this week (he's had at least 17 total touches in four games in a row). Tarik Cohen should also be considered a starter in PPR and a flex in non-PPR leagues, but I expect Montgomery to be at least a top-20 running back in all formats.
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Sleepers
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Scarbrough is the new lead running back in Detroit after he had 14 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown in Week 11 against Dallas. His 14 carries were the most for a Lions running back since Kerryon Johnson had 26 in Week 4. Now, it's the Lions, and they'll still continue to give touches to J.D. McKissic, especially in the passing game, as well as Ty Johnson. And Scarbrough didn't have a catch or target against the Cowboys. But the matchup against Washington is great in Week 12 since the Redskins have allowed a running back to score in four of the past five games.
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You should stick with Williams as a flex option this week against the 49ers, who have allowed a running back to score or gain at least 80 total yards in five games in a row. Aaron Jones is still the best running back for the Packers and a must-start option, but Williams has scored at least 12 PPR points in four of his past five games in a secondary role, with four receiving touchdowns over that span.
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I wouldn't be shocked if this is a breakout game for Guice, who returned from an eight-game absence with a knee injury in Week 11 against the Jets and finished with 69 total yards and a touchdown. He's still sharing work with Adrian Peterson, who can also be considered a sleeper this week, and it's a great matchup against the Lions. Detroit allows the most Fantasy points to opposing running backs, giving up 17 total touchdowns to the position this year.
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Murray is worth using as a flex option this week with the hope he finds the end zone against the Panthers, who have allowed the most touchdowns to running backs this year with 18 total. Carolina has allowed 14 of those touchdowns in the past six games – hello Alvin Kamara – and multiple running backs have scored in two of those outings over that span.
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I'll stick with Sanders this week as a low-end starter if Jordan Howard (shoulder) remains out for the Eagles. While Sanders didn't have a great game in Week 11 against New England with just 47 total yards on 13 total touches, he should do better with a similar workload against Seattle, especially in the passing game. Seven running backs have caught at least three passes against the Seahawks this year, and Sanders came into Week 11 with 16 catches in his previous five games.
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Sit 'Em
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Hyde's been doing a nice job lately with back-to-back games of at least 12 PPR points against Jacksonville and Baltimore. He scored against the Ravens on a 41-yard run, but I'm concerned about his production this week against the Colts. He struggled at Indianapolis in Week 7 with 12 carries for 35 yards and no catches, and he now has no receptions in four games in a row. The Colts run defense has been exceptional this season with only five total touchdowns allowed to running backs, and Trey Edmunds in Week 9 is the lone running back with more than 60 rushing yards in the past six games against Indianapolis. Duke Johnson is worth using as a flex in PPR, but I'm nervous about Hyde playing well Thursday night.
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I wouldn't be shocked if the Patriots start giving more work to Rex Burkhead with Michel struggling. And he continues to have minimal production whenever Burkhead is active. In the three games Burkhead missed this year, Michel averaged 18.7 PPR points, but he's at 6.0 PPR points per game when Burkhead is playing. He's gone three games in a row without finding the end zone, and maybe he scores here against the Cowboys, who have allowed a running back to score in back-to-back games against Minnesota and Detroit. Still, given the way Michel has played of late, he's tough to trust, and we'll see if Burkhead gets an expanded role. James White in PPR is the lone Patriots running back to rely on this week against the Cowboys.
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Hill was a huge letdown in Week 12 against Carolina with four PPR points on 15 carries for 30 yards, along with one catch for 8 yards on three targets. He had a touchdown called back by a holding penalty, but he also lost a touchdown to backup Qadree Ollison. There's a chance Devonta Freeman (foot) could return this week, although I wouldn't count on it. And Hill could have a tough time against Tampa Bay as the starter since the Buccaneers are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to running backs. They haven't allowed a rushing touchdown to a running back since Week 6 and only Christian McCaffrey and Todd Gurley have scored against them this season. Hill is a flex at best if Freeman remains out.
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Wilkins should be the lead running back for the Colts with Marlon Mack (hand) out, but it will likely be a committee with Jonathan Williams and Nyheim Hines as well. It's also a tough matchup against the Texans, who have allowed just seven total touchdowns to running backs this year. Three of those came last week at Baltimore, and Houston held the Colts' running backs, with Mack, to 56 rushing yards and 31 receiving yards in Week 7. Wilkins has yet to score this season and is limited in the passing game with four receptions on the year. And in three games without Mack in 2018, Wilkins combined for 13 PPR points. Wilkins is only worth using as a flex in non-PPR leagues, and Hines might be the best Colts running back this week in PPR.
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Bust Alert
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Jones went from playing at least 45 percent of the snaps in two games prior to Week 11 to just 31 percent against the Saints last week. He only had four carries for 13 yards against New Orleans, along with two catches for 1 yard on four targets. It's a typical situation for Jones and his Fantasy managers that every time you buy into him this year, he lets you down, whether due to his performance, game flow or Bruce Arians changing his mind with Peyton Barber. The Falcons defense has improved of late against New Orleans and Carolina, and we'll see how they do against Tampa Bay. Now, Kamara had 74 total yards in Week 10, and McCaffrey had 191 total yards in Week 11. But no one is putting Jones on that level, and he's only worth using as a flex option in Week 12.
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