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Week 5 Running Back Preview: Jahmyr Gibbs Leads The Way

Top Fantasy RBs for Week 5

Here are the top Week 5 running backs, with usage and matchup takeaways powering our Week 5 RB rankings. 

Minnesota Vikings vs. Cleveland Browns

In London

Quinshon Judkins, Browns

Since Week 3, Judkins has dominated playing time and touches in Cleveland. He's taken 87% of the Browns' rushes and has an 8% target share. Judkins is averaging 88 rushing yards in those two games and has scored in both. The Browns are turning to third-round rookie QB Dillon Gabriel this week, so expect Judkins to be the focal point of the Browns' offense. He's a strong RB2 with top-10 upside in London. 

Jordan Mason, Vikings

Mason is still the focal point of Minnesota's backfield, but he was bottled up in Pittsburgh last week. He averaged just 3.6 yards per carry against the Steelers and will find things even more difficult in Week 5, facing an elite Cleveland run defense. The Browns allow a league-low 70.3 rushing yards per game. Additionally, Mason is ceding passing-down work to Zavier Scott. He will earn enough touches to justify a start, but expectations should be lowered for Mason in Week 5. 

Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens

Derrick Henry, Ravens 

Henry has struggled this season with the Ravens' defense getting the team behind often. Over the past three weeks, Henry has been RB39 in PPR. Justice Hill is getting snaps due to his pass-catching. If the Ravens get ahead, Henry should be a high-end RB1. If they get behind, he could disappoint again. Take the risk and start him.

Jo’Quavious Marks, Texans

Marks has become the starting RB for the Texans, passing Chubb. The pass catching ability for Marks makes  He had 21 touches for 119 yards and 2 TDs last week and will continue to get a majority of backfield touches. Trust Marks as an RB2 this week.

Nick Chubb, Texans

Chubb has fallen behind Woody Marks and appears set to get even less snaps as time goes on. There is always a chance for an easy TD if the Texans are at the goal line, but HC DeMeco Ryans appears set to give Marks more touches. The Ravens have struggled against the run, but Chubb is only a low-end RB3 this week. 

Justice Hill, Ravens

Hill has gotten more usage recently with the Ravens being down in recent games. He has at least three catches in each of the last three games and sprang loose for two TDs last week against the Chiefs. With Lamar Jackson out, it could mean more Hill if the Ravens get behind. He is a fine PPR RB3 with upside.

Miami Dolphins at Carolina Panthers

De’Von Achane, Dolphins

Achane enters Week 5 with a healthy 22% target share. Now, with Tyreek Hill out, that number could tick up. A struggling Panthers defense isn’t a barrier to RB1 production.

Rico Dowdle, Panthers

The Panthers are expected to be without Chuba Hubbard (calf) for Sunday’s matchup vs. Miami. He’s consistently seen between 33-37% of Carolina’s rush attempts alongside Hubbard over the past three weeks. Now, that number should clear 50%, with Trevor Etienne mixing in as the No. 2. The Miami matchup really boosts Dowdle’s appeal as an RB2 option. They’ve allowed the second-highest yards before contact per attempt league-wide (2.13).

Las Vegas at Indianapolis Colts

Jonathan Taylor, Colts

Taylor might look like he has a TD problem, given that all of his ground scoring so far this season has been condensed to the Week 3 Tennessee trip. But more will come for a guy who sits fifth in expected PPR points per game. The offense is strong, and Daniel Jones has restored Taylor’s receiving value. His 3.3 receptions per outing so far sit 0.8 higher than his previous best and 2.0 ahead of last year’s average.

Ashton Jeanty, Raiders

Jeanty’s big Week 4 breakthrough makes him even easier to start. A Colts D that ranks just 17th in run-defense DVOA doesn’t harm that outlook. We’ll see, though, how losing LT Kolton Miller will affect the run game.

New York Giants at New Orleans Saints

Cam Skattebo, Giants

Skattebo ranks fifth among RBs in expected PPR points per game and 13th in actual points over the last two weeks. With WR Malik Nabers gone, expect Skattebo to be the focal point of the Giants offense on Sunday. He draws a Saints squad that sits 17th in our Run Defense Power Rankings and 15th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs.

Alvin Kamara, Saints

While his target volume has been up and down, Kamara has carried 15+ times in three straight and is averaging 16.3 carries per game on the season. Expect another healthy workload on Sunday against a Giants squad that sits dead last in both our Run Defense Power Rankings and adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs.

Kendre Miller, Saints

Miller set season highs last week with 11 carries and 65 yards in a run-heavy game plan from the Saints. Expect a similar attack this weekend against the Giants, who rank dead last in both our Run Defense Power Rankings and adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs. With four teams on bye, you could do worse than Miller as a Week 5 spot starter.

Devin Singletary, Giants

Even as the No. 2 RB over the last two weeks, Singletary has totaled just 11 carries with 0 targets. Even desperate fantasy teams should be able to do better.

Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets

Breece Hall, Jets

RB Braelon Allen's absence should mean a boost in early-down snaps and carries for Hall, who's averaging 4.6 yards per carry through four games. He gets a tasty Week 5 matchup against the Cowboys' 31st-ranked RB defense. Dallas has allowed four RB rushing TDs, plus the fourth most receptions to the position.

Javonte Williams, Cowboys

Williams has finished as a top-15 PPR RB in all four weeks to open the season. Only four other RBs (Christian McCaffrey, James Cook, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs) have done that. Williams is in a nice spot this weekend with his Cowboys 2.5-point favorites with a 25-point implied total against a middling Jets run defense.

Isaiah Davis, Jets

RB Braelon Allen's absence should mean a little more early-down work for Davis, in addition to his typical third-down duties. It probably won't be enough to make him a reliable fantasy play, although Sunday's plus matchup with the Cowboys boosts Davis' efficiency upside.

Denver Broncos at Philadelphia Eagles

Saquon Barkley, Eagles

Barkley has balanced lagging rush efficiency by scoring in three of four weeks and getting a receiving boost. His 3.5 receptions per game through four weeks sit 1.4 ahead of his 2024 average. Denver arrives with a defense that can challenge the run and pass, but volume should keep Barkley a safe play. He has garnered at least 22 touches in every game.

J.K. Dobbins, Broncos

Dobbins’ 100-yard game against the Bengals helped obscure that he ceded more work to rookie RJ Harvey than in any previous game. Harvey’s 5-1 target lead in that game could prove particularly damaging if it continues. Expect another work split this week against what’s been a middling Philly defense in a matchup that finds the host favored by just 3.5 points. Dobbins continues to present upside but resides near the bottom of RB2 territory this week for that lost-work risk.

RJ Harvey, Broncos

Harvey garnered a near-even work split with J.K. Dobbins in Week 4 after trailing well behind the veteran through the first three games. His performance gave no reason for Denver to scale that back. And if Denver trails on the road at Philly, we might even see Harvey extend the receiving lead he took last week. For now, though, there remains enough work uncertainty to keep the rookie outside of the top 24.

Tennessee Titans at Arizona Cardinals

Tony Pollard, Titans

Pollard continues to lead all RBs with an 89% snap rate and 86% rush share. However, Tyjae Spears is eligible to return and has been practicing. That would reduce Pollard's dominance, but Pollard remains a solid RB2 facing an Arizona defense that has allowed the eighth-most PPR points to RBs. Expect the Titans to continue to feature their ground game and for Pollard to see a healthy dose of touches against a vulnerable opponent, even if Spears is active. 

Tyjae Spears, Titans

After missing four games, Spears has returned to practice and could play as early as Week 5 in Arizona. Last season, Spears was heavily involved. He was in on 43% of Tennessee's snaps, took 32% of the carries, and had a 10% target share. We could see a ramp-up period, but Spears will immediately be on the flex radar when he's activated, especially in weeks impacted by byes. 

Michael Carter, Cardinals

Now down to their third RB, there is some speculation that the Arizona Cardinals will turn to Michael Carter to carry the load in Week 5. Carter had that role to conclude the 2024 season. In two starts, Carter averaged 70 scrimmage yards and scored a TD. Teammate Emari Demercado will also be involved as a change-of-pace and third-down specialist, but Carter looks like a decent RB3/flex play based on volume and an excellent matchup against a Titans' defense allowing 29.5 adjusted PPR points to opposing RBs, which is the fourth-most.  

Emari Demercado, Cardinals

Fantasy managers who acquired Emari Demercado off the waiver wire this week will want to get him into lineups against the Titans. Tennessee has surrendered the fourth-most PPR points to RBs. Michael Carter will also be involved, but Demercado is listed higher on the team's depth chart. Demercado has seen action in three games and posted a 16% route rate, so he may factor in more as a change-of-pace option. View both Cardinals' backs as solid fantasy options this week in an ideal matchup at home, where the Cardinals are projected to score the fifth-most points (25.5) in Week 5.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Seattle Seahawks

Rachaad White, Buccaneers

With Bucky Irving out, White has the opportunity to be an RB1 this week. The Bucs love using the RB in the passing game, and White’s strengths lie in his pass-catching. The Seahawks haven’t allowed a rushing TD to an RB yet, but they are allowing the most receiving PPR points per game to RBs. Start White with confidence. 

Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks

With Zach Charbonnet back last week, the Seahawks RBs were split again. Walker was the best runner going for 110 total yards on 20 touches, but Charbonnet was the red zone back with all 7 RB red zone touches in the game. This split makes both low-end RB2s with Walker likely to get some catches and Charbonnet the best bet for a score. 

Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks

With Charbonnet back last week, the Seahawks RBs were split again. The good news for Charbonnet was that he had all 7 red zone RB touches while Kenneth Walker had none. But Charbonnet only has two targets for the entire season. This split makes both low-end RB2s with Walker likely to get some catches and Charbonnet the best bet for a score. 

Sean Tucker, Buccaneers

Tucker will get more work with Bucky Irving out. He’s only had one carry all season, but may be used as a between-the-tackles option in this game. The Seahawks haven’t allowed a rushing TD to a RB yet, but they are allowing the most receiving PPR points per game to RBs. That makes Rachaad White the best start and Tucker just a high-end RB4 this week.

Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals

Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions

Gibbs’ early-season reception pace puts him at 85, a number that’d easily mark a career high. Perhaps it slows, but his 19% target share is a sizable upgrade on 2024 (13%). Regardless, Gibbs should deliver through the air and on the ground against a floundering Bengals squad. They sit seventh in rushing yards per game allowed.

David Montgomery, Lions

Montgomery’s rushing share (38%) is down slightly from 2024. But he's delivered improved volume -- 5.7 YPC -- driven by a huge Week 3 at Baltimore. The veteran remains a poor bet for receiving numbers. Still, there’s clear TD upside here with the Lions implied for a slate-high 30 points.

Chase Brown, Bengals

Brown hits Week 5 with a lowly 2.3 yards per carry, including only one run of 10+ yards all season. A poor O-line and even worse QB play sans Joe Burrow hasn’t helped. Neither will a matchup with a Lions squad that ranks fourth in run stuff rate and second in stacked box rate, per Next Gen Stats.

Washington Commanders at Los Angeles Chargers

Omarion Hampton, Chargers

In his first game without Najee Harris, Hampton played a massive 88% snap rate. He was the only Chargers' RB to earn a carry or target in New York, where he turned 17 touches into 165 yards and a TD. Expect Hampton's usage to remain huge at home against a Washington defense that just allowed Atlanta's RBs to rack up 232 total yards of offense. Hampton is a high-end starter with weekly No. 1 overall RB potential. 

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders

The Commanders are committed to a three-man committee. Jacory Croskey-Merritt leads the way. Last week, he tied for the lead with 20 snaps and led the backfield with 9 touches. The positive was that the rookie caught both of his targets and remains an option in short-yardage. Croskey-Merritt is the best bet in this rotation, but will continue to play a limited number of snaps against a Cardinals' defense that allows the eighth-most adjusted PPR points to RBs. View him as a low-end RB3/flex option in a good matchup. 

Chris Rodriguez, Commanders

Rodriguez matched Jacory Croskey-Merritt in snaps last week (20) and led Washington's backfield committee with 59 rushing yards. However, 48 of those yards came on one long run, and Rodriguez has yet to be targeted in the passing game. Arizona has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to RBs, so Rodriguez has some modest appeal as a flex option on the off chance he punches in a short-yardage TD. 

Jeremy McNichols, Commanders

Last week, McNichols played one fewer snap (19) than Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez. However, McNichols only touched the ball 3 times. McNichols has not topped 4 carries in any game and has a single reception all season. The playing time is fine, but his lack of touches makes McNichols a mere desperation flex play as a bye-week replacement. 

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills

James Cook, Bills

Cook had 25 touches for 135 yards and a TD last week. He continues getting bellcow work with at least 18 touches in each game this season. With efficiency and volume, Cook is a high-end RB1 this week.

TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots

The Patriots' RBs are tough to rely on. Henderson was second in touches with 9 last week, but he only had one of the Patriots' touches inside the 10-yard line. Henderson’s role didn’t increase, playing only 30.6% of snaps. His PPR appeal is there, but we will have to wait for a Henderson breakout. Trust him as only an RB3 this week.

Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots

Stevenson led the Patriots with 10 touches, but the three-way split at RB has killed most of his value. Stevenson had one touch at the goal line and played the most snaps, but he hasn’t been a great receiver so far this year. Don’t trust Stevenson as more than an RB3 this week. 

Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars

Travis Etienne, Jaguars

Etienne enters the weekend with 120+ yards in two of four games and TDs in three straight. He's garnering just a 6% target share but remains the clear lead back with 62% of the rush attempts. While Etienne’s downgraded a bit vs. a solid Chiefs run defense, the Jaguar remains in the RB2 mix.

Bhashyul Tuten, Jaguars

Tuten is working through a shoulder injury that’s unlikely to keep him out of Sunday’s game. Just note that he wore a non-contact jersey at practice, per beat writer Michael DiRocco. We still love the talent here. But Tuten is primarily a handcuff for now, as long as Travis Etienne continues to see his current level of work.

Kareem Hunt, Chiefs

Hunt has led or tied for the team lead in RB carries in back-to-back weeks. Still, he’s underwhelmed from an efficiency standpoint, while the emergence of Brashard Smith threatens the veteran’s workload. Hunt remains just a flex option.

Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs

Pacheco delivered his first TD of the season in last Sunday’s win over Baltimore. However, he tallied only 7 carries and watched rookie Brashard Smith add some much-needed backfield speed. Pacheco’s workload remains shaky, making him a risky flex option.

Next Up

Week 5 Matchups That Matter: Fireworks From The Jets Offense?!

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Jody Smith, Analyst

Jody Smith has been playing fantasy football for over 30 years, the last 15 as an analyst, writer, and editor. Jody's rankings have been among the most consistent, placing him inside the top-10 in multi-year accuracy.