When considering who to start at running back on your Fantasy team, first you need to know who is available. Injuries always play a huge role at the position, but that has been taken to an extreme so far in 2020. Here are the injuries we're monitoring for Week 5, along with some notes on their chances of playing in Week 5 from Wednesday's edition of the Fantasy Football Today Newsletter.
First up, the big ones: Nick Chubb (knee) and Austin Ekeler (hamstring) are both heading for IR — you'll see their replacements later in this column. We've also got Leonard Fournette (ankle) and LeSean McCoy (ankle) both looking pretty unlikely for Thursday's game against the Bears, while Carlos Hyde (shoulder) could miss another game.
On the good news side of things, Le'Veon Bell (hamstring) should be back from IR this week, while Raheem Mostert (knee), Zack Moss (toe), Phillip Lindsay (toe), and Cam Akers (ribs) could all return from multi-week absences, complicating their backfield situations.
We'll have to monitor these situations for the rest of the week to see who will be in and out, but as of now, that's where injuries stand. To find out who should be in your starting lineup at running back, Jamey's Start 'Em & Sit 'Em calls are here to help.
More Week 5 Fantasy Prep: Starts & Sits, Sleepers & Risks | QB Start 'Em & Sit 'Em | RB Start 'Em & Sit 'Em | WR Start 'Em & Sit 'Em | Waiver Wire | QB Preview | RB Preview | WR Preview | TE Preview | Trade Values | Cut List
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
Start 'Em
Projections powered by
Sportsline
This is the moment you've been waiting for with Hunt now that Nick Chubb (knee) is out. We'll see how much Hunt shares the ball with D'Ernest Johnson, but Hunt should be looking at a heavy workload against the Colts. He comes into Week 5 averaging 16.5 PPR points for the season when he was mostly playing in tandem with Chubb, so the ceiling could be fantastic for Hunt now. And even though the Colts run defense has been stout, they could be down linebackers Darius Leonard (groin) and Bobby Okereke (thumb) this week.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Davis' window as the starting running back for the Panthers is shrinking with Christian McCaffrey (ankle) possibly coming back in Week 6. But in Week 5, Davis should continue to dominate touches and remains a must-start running back in all leagues. He's averaged 21.5 PPR points in two starts, and he should stay hot against the Falcons, who have already allowed four running backs to score at least 19 PPR points this season. Atlanta is second in the NFL with 34 receptions allowed to running backs, which bodes well for Davis since he has 21 catches in the past three weeks.
| ||||||||||||||||||
James Robinson continues to be one of the best stories of the 2020 season, and he should have another strong performance this week. He had a "down" game in Week 4 at Cincinnati with 14 PPR points, which ended a two-game streak of scoring at least 20 PPR points. But he still managed 17 carries for 75 yards, along with four catches for 32 yards on four targets, and he now has 13 catches for 133 yards on 14 targets in his past three games. He should do well again in Week 5 against the Texans, who have already allowed a running back to score in every game this season. And three running backs (Clyde Edwards-Helaire, James Conner and Dalvin Cook) have rushed for at least 109 yards against them, too.
| ||||||||||||||||||
We'll see if Zack Moss (toe) is able to play this week after missing the past two games, but Singletary should still be started in all leagues even if Moss is active. In his past two games without Moss, Singletary has averaged 17.0 PPR points, and he even scored his first touchdown this year in Week 4 at Las Vegas. He has nine catches for 71 yards on 11 targets in the past two games also, and Tennessee has allowed a running back to score at least 17 PPR points in each of their three games this year against Melvin Gordon, Robinson and Cook.
| ||||||||||||||||||
The Patriots should have a big advantage in this game at home as 10-point favorites, which should mean plenty of action on the ground for Harris, who just had 17 carries for 100 yards in his season debut in Week 4 against Kansas City. If he gets close to that same workload this week then he should be fantastic. I'd love to see Harris get more work in the passing game, but that's not likely to happen with James White (who is a borderline starter in PPR). And Rex Burkhead will also get work this week. But I expect Harris to finish as a top-20 running back this week in all formats after the way he played against the Chiefs.
| ||||||||||||||||||
We're going through every matchup on the schedule for Week 5 on the Fantasy Football Today podcast. Subscribe at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts:
Sleepers
Projections powered by
Sportsline
He's more a starter than a sleeper, but you have to be impressed by the way Gibson has played the past three games with at least 12 PPR points in each outing. While it's great that he's scored a touchdown in each of the past three weeks, the best part of his performance is his continued uptick in the passing game with seven catches for 93 yards on eight targets in the past two games. He should be considered a top-20 running back in all leagues.
| ||||||||||||||||||
With Austin Ekeler (hamstring) out, we'll see how the Chargers use Kelley and Justin Jackson. Both fall into the sleeper category, but I'll give Kelley the nod this week. He's struggled the past two games with only 17 carries for 50 yards, as well as five catches for 35 yards on five targets, and he's lost two fumbles. But I expect him to get the most touches against the Saints and is worth using as a flex. New Orleans also has allowed a running back to score in three games in a row.
| ||||||||||||||||||
The last time Edmonds, who went to Fordham, played a New York team was at the Giants in Week 7 last year, and he had 27 carries for 127 yards and three touchdowns, along with two catches for 24 yards. He's not doing that with Kenyan Drake healthy, but Edmonds does have the chance to be a flex option in PPR. I'm hoping he remains a fixture in the passing game after he had five catches for 24 yards and a touchdown on six targets in Week 4 at Carolina.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Hines has combined for 16 PPR points in his past three games after scoring 26 PPR points in Week 1, but I think he can be a flex option in PPR this week. The Browns are among the league leaders in receptions allowed to running backs with 25, and five running backs already have at least three receptions against Cleveland. Jonathan Taylor will obviously factor into the passing game as well, but Hines could be more involved in the offense this week after seven catches for 48 yards on eight targets in his past two outings.
| ||||||||||||||||||
It's encouraging that Freeman had 15 total touches (four catches) in his second game with the Giants in Week 4 at the Rams. Now, hopefully he'll be more productive against the Cowboys after he managed just 68 total yards and no touchdowns. Dallas hasn't given up a lot of rushing yards to one running back this year, but the Cowboys are third in rushing yards allowed with 544. Freeman is worth using as a flex in what could be a high-scoring game.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Sit 'Em
Projections powered by
Sportsline
Henderson was a disaster last week as the Start of the Week with eight carries for 22 yards, along with one catch for 16 yards on one target. He was outplayed by Malcolm Brown, who had nine carries for 37 yards, along with five catches for 19 yards on six targets, and I would trust Brown more than Henderson this week at the Washington Football Team. However, I would try to avoid this entire backfield if Cam Akers (ribs) plays as expected. It could be a mess, and I would leave Henderson on the bench if you can.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Gaskin is worth using as a flex in PPR, and he's averaging 11.2 PPR points for the season. But he's far from a must-start option, especially in non-PPR leagues, and he's yet to score a touchdown this year. We also saw more work for Matt Breida in Week 4 against Seattle, and we'll see if the Dolphins give Breida an increased role facing his former team this week at San Francisco. The 49ers run defense is also brutal and has allowed the fewest Fantasy points this year. San Francisco also is second in fewest receptions allowed to running backs with 13, trailing only Dallas and Pittsburgh in that category.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Murray was great last week for the Saints with 14 carries for 64 yards and two touchdowns, along with one catch for 19 yards on two targets at Detroit. But don't go chasing that production and expect similar results this week at home against the Chargers. In three games prior to Week 4, Murray had combined for 14 PPR points. And he's facing a Chargers defense this week that has yet to allow a rushing touchdown to a running back, including matchups with Joe Mixon, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Mike Davis and Ronald Jones. Alvin Kamara should be great against this defense, but Murray is likely to struggle, especially if he doesn't score. Keep him reserved in all leagues.
| ||||||||||||||||||
It's hard to bench Montgomery in all leagues given his role for the Bears, especially since his work in the passing game is on the rise with Tarik Cohen (ACL) out. He had six targets in Week 4 against the Colts, and he's had at least three targets in every game this season. Still, this is not a good matchup for him against the Buccaneers, who are among the league leaders in fewest rushing yards allowed with 182 through three games. Montgomery will likely need to score to help his Fantasy production this week, but he's yet to find the end zone on the ground this season. He's more of a bust alert than a complete sit this week, but I would try to avoid Montgomery if possible in all leagues.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Bell is expected to return in Week 5 against the Cardinals after being out for the past three games with a hamstring injury. It's great to have Bell back, but I don't want to start him yet, even in PPR. Joe Flacco will start for the Jets with Sam Darnold (shoulder) out, and we'll see if the Jets give Bell a heavy workload or ease him back in. Frank Gore also could still get touches, and I'd like to give Bell one week to shake off the rust. Hopefully, he'll be fine for the rest of the year and can be a serviceable No. 2 running back in all leagues.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Bust Alert
Projections powered by
Sportsline
We're expecting Phillip Lindsay (toe) to return this week following a three-game absence, and Gordon should go back to sharing touches. Gordon has been great this year with at least 14 PPR points in three of four games, and he just had his best outing of the season in Week 4 at the Jets with 23 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns, along with two catches for 11 yards. But he could be in trouble at New England, especially if backup quarterback Brett Rypien starts again for Drew Lock (shoulder). And the Patriots haven't allowed a rushing touchdown since Week 1, including matchups with Chris Carson, Josh Jacobs and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. I'm fine with Gordon as a low-end starter in all leagues, but I'd lower expectations for him given the matchup, along with Lindsay's return.
| ||||||||||||||||||
So who should you start and sit this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 5 rankings for every position, plus see which QB is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that out-performed experts big-time last season.
