When the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers kick off on Thursday night there is only one running back you should feel good about starting in that game, Leonard Fournette. He is the No. 15 running back in Fantasy so far this season and the Eagles are giving up more than 160 yards per game to running backs this season. Fournette is a top-15 back in all formats for me this week and the only running back ranked in my top-24 from this game.
But that doesn't mean Fournette is the only running back you'll be starting rest of season.
While things have been sketchy for Miles Sanders so far this reason, there's reason for hope after he faces the vaunted Tampa Bay run defense. Sanders played a season-high 75% of the snaps in Week 1, has at least three catches in four of five games this season, and ranks first among running backs this season in broken tackles per rush attempt.
None of that will probably matter to you against Tampa Bay on Thursday, but after that game Sanders gets the Raiders, Lions, and Chargers in his next three games. None of them have good run defenses.
I wouldn't mind trying to buy low on Sanders before his game on Thursday, just in case he does what Myles Gaskin did to them, but I'll for sure be targeting him heading into Week 7.
PHI
Philadelphia
• #26
Age: 27
• Experience: 7 yrs.
Devontae Booker is a low-end No. 2 running back in Week 6.
RB Preview
Numbers to know
289 -- Nick Chubb leads the NFL with 289 yards after contact.
5 -- Cordarrelle Patterson has at least five catches in four straight games. He's a "buy" for me heading into his bye.
12.4 -- D'Andre Swift has scored just 12.4 PPR points in the first quarter this year. He's scored 36.1 in the fourth.
2 -- Damien Harris has two fumbles on the year. There's a low degree of certainty who will lead the Patriots backfield in Week 6.
20 -- Devonta Freeman played a season-high 20 snaps in Week 5. He's worth a speculative add, because whoever gets carries against the Chargers is likely to pop.
74% -- Zack Moss's 74% snap share in Week 5 was the highest of his career.
The waiver wire is bare now that Darrel Williams and Devontae Booker have been added just about everywhere. But Bolden should be a solid option in full PPR in a game script where the Patriots figure to be chasing the score against the Cowboys. Bolden has 14 targets over his past three games and could get a few red zone carries after Damien Harris' Week 5 fumble.
Herbert was the fourth-quarter hammer for the Bears in Week 5 and actually had more carries than Damien Williams. He probably needs an injury to Williams to be a Fantasy starter, but Williams has never held up to a 15-touch workload for very long.
The pricing this week doesn't reflect Clyde Edwards-Helaire's injury, which should make Williams pretty chalky. In cash games, I'll play him anyway, whether I do in tournaments will likely depend on who comes back from injury this week. I expect 15-plus touches in a positive game script against a Washington defense that has been pretty terrible.
Devontae Booker is the (more expensive) alternate to Williams this week. He should see a similar workload, but the matchup and game script are much worse. And as good as the Rams defense is, four running backs have scored at least 17 PPR Fantasy points against it.
