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Week 6 Running Back Preview: What Can Dowdle Do vs. Dallas?

Top Fantasy RBs for Week 6

Here are the top Week 6 running backs, with usage and matchup details that drive their positioning in the Week 6 RB rankings. 

Denver Broncos vs. New York Jets

In London

Breece Hall, Jets

Hall comes off his best fantasy performance of the season against a shaky Dallas defense. He'll find the going tougher in Week 6 against a Denver defense that has only allowed one RB to surpass 60 rushing yards. The Broncos have also only allowed 16 RB receptions this season, which is tied for third-lowest. Hall will get opportunities, but he is firmly in the RB2 range in Week 6. 

Isaiah Davis, Jets

In his first game as New York's No. 2 back, Davis played a season-high 44% of the Jets' snaps. However, he was used more in the passing game than anticipated. He reeled in 3-of-4 targets for 28 yards but was limited to a single carry. Game script in a blowout loss was probably a factor in that usage. Expect more rushing attempts moving forward, but the Jets are, once again, sizable underdogs. Davis should be viewed as a low-end flex option in deeper leagues. 

J.K. Dobbins, Broncos

Dobbins remains the focal point of the Broncos' backfield. He's played 51% of Denver's snaps, but taken 62% of the carries. More importantly, Dobbins gets the majority of the short-yardage looks. His 4 scores are the only rushing TDs a Denver RB has scored this season. This week, the Broncos are a TD favorite against a Jets team that has allowed 4 RB rushing scores in their last 4 games. Dobbins is a strong RB2 with a good chance of seeing plenty of red-zone snaps. 

R.J. Harvey, Broncos

So much for that expanded role after a strong showing in Denver's blowout of Cincinnati in Week 4. Last week, Harvey fell back to a 21%  snap share with 4 carries and 3 targets. He's gotten 7 or fewer touches in 4 of Denver's 5 games. Hard to view him as anything more than a deep league flex option until that usage improves. 

Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens

Kyren Williams, Rams

Williams had a spectacular game against the 49ers with 22 touches for 131 yards and 2 TDs. His 91% snap count was the most of the season so far. The reason for the high snap count was Blake Corum fumbling early in the game. The Ravens have allowed 37+ points in four of their five games this season. If Williams gets the same usage, he should smash once again.

Derrick Henry, Ravens

Henry ran the ball 15 times for 33 yards and a TD last week, now his second straight single-digit PPR performance. Without Lamar Jackson, the Ravens offense doesn’t have the firepower to provide Henry with many scoring opportunities. He didn’t record a catch in the game, giving him an even lower floor in PPR. It’s tough to bench Henry, but he is a low-end RB2 this week with the Ravens as major underdogs.

Justice Hill, Ravens

Just a week after a two-TD performance, Hill had a dud with only one carry and one catch against the Texans. The Ravens were down big for the entire game, and Hill still didn’t get the usage to be consistent. Missing Lamar Jackson certainly affected his output. There is always a chance that Hill can gather receptions if the Ravens get down in this game, but it isn’t worth relying on. He is a high-end RB4 at best.

Blake Corum, Rams

Corum fumbled early against the 49ers and was sent to the bench. His 9% snap count was the lowest of the year for him and should be a red flag going forward. The one positive for this match-up is that the Ravens have allowed 37+ points in four of their five games this season, so Corum could get some garbage time touches if the Rams get ahead. Even so, keep him on the bench this week.

Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers

Javonte Williams, Cowboys

Williams slots third among RBs in rushing yards. He’s among the league leaders in yards per carry (5.7) and rushing TDs (5) as well. As a bonus, Williams now draws a strong scoring matchup against Carolina. The Cowboys are implied for 26.25 points.

Rico Dowdle, Panthers

After sitting out Week 5, Chuba Hubbard (calf) missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Dowdle went off without Hubbard last Sunday, and he’ll project for another 15+ touches should Hubbard remain out. Dallas enters having allowed 21 rushes of 10+ yards – the third-highest figure league-wide. Opposing lead backs have also reached 14 PPR points against Dallas in all but one game.

Arizona Cardinals at Indianapolis Colts

Jonathan Taylor, Colts

Fantasy's No. 1 RB should keep rolling in Week 6. Taylor's Colts are 7-point home favorites with a big 26.75-point implied total for the Cardinals, who rank 19th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs.

Michael Carter, Cardinals

The good news: Carter controlled Arizona's backfield last week, playing 59% of the offensive snaps, handling 18 of 25 RB carries, and drawing five targets. The bad news: He mustered just 73 total yards on his 23 touches, despite a plus matchup against the Titans. Carter is in a tougher spot this weekend with his Cardinals 7-point road underdogs to the Colts' 11th-ranked RB defense. He's not an exciting fantasy play, but the role gives him a relatively high floor.

Emari Demercado, Cardinals

Demercado's role didn't change last week. He continued to play almost exclusively in passing situations -- and coughed up a brutal fumble just as he was about to cross the goal line at the end of a long run. HC Jonathan Gannon said this week that Demercado won't be punished for that gaffe, and he might play a bit more this week if the Cardinals are playing from behind the Colts. But he'd still be a desperation fantasy start.

Seattle Seahawks at Jacksonville Jaguars

Travis Etienne, Jaguars

Etienne has maintained a clear lead in backfield work. That included playing 21 more snaps than either backup in Monday night’s win over the Chiefs. This week brings to town a Seattle D that has allowed the ninth-most PPR points per game to RBs. The biggest reason has been a league-high 36 receptions allowed to the position.

Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks

Zach Charbonnet continues to limit Walker’s upside by stealing a frustrating number of touches when healthy. But Walker leads the duo in carries and receptions per game. And his yardage efficiency has been strong (5.5 yards per touch or better) in three of five games this year. Jacksonville’s defense has played the pass tougher than the run so far, which could help Seattle’s overall rushing volume this week.

Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks

Charbonnet played eight more snaps than Ken Walker last week and vultured a TD. But he also drew his fewest carries to date and trailed Walker by 50 rushing yards (and by 4.6 per carry). Charbonnet’s combo of receiving and goal-line work keeps him an option, but Walker’s the more efficient performer.

Los Angeles Chargers at Miami Dolphins

De’Von Achane, Dolphins

Among RBs, only Christian McCaffrey tops Achane in target share (22%). He should remain busy as a receiver, especially with Miami entering the weekend as home underdogs.

Hassan Haskins, Chargers

OC Greg Roman declined to name a lead back ahead of a Week 6 matchup vs. Miami. We’re guessing it’s something close to a 50/50 split, leaving Haskins with Flex value vs. a struggling Miami defense.

Kimani Vidal, Chargers

Vidal was signed off the practice squad earlier this week. He’ll help fill the void left by rookie Omarion Hampton, who averaged 17.2 touches per game. We might see a hot hand situation between Vidal and Hassan Haskins, whose size might give him the edge near the goal line. Ultimately, Vidal is a speculative Flex play vs. a Miami squad allowing 5.5 yards per carry.

New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints

Alvin Kamara, Saints 

We're seeing signs that the Saints are moving into more of a shared backfield. Kamara has seen his carries decline in each of the last four games, culminating in a season-low 8 attempts last week. He also played a season-low 54% of the Saints' snaps, while Kendre Miller out-rushed him for the first time. On a positive note, Kamara did see 6 targets last week and has back-to-back games with 4 receptions. As long as he keeps contributing in the passing game, Kamara is still on the RB2 radar against a Patriots team that had trouble stopping De'Von Achane and Jaylen Warren as pass-catchers. 

Kendre Miller, Saints 

Miller's role is growing. Last week, he out-carried Alvin Kamara for the first time, 10-8. His 42% snap share against the Giants was a season-high, and he has been more effective than Alvin Kamara as a runner. Miller only has 4 targets all season, so any production he gets will need to come on the ground. That also caps his fantasy upside on a 1-win team. View Miller as a bye-week replacement RB4/flex option in deeper leagues. 

TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots

New England's backfield will now be a two-man committee after Antonio Gibson's torn ACL. After Gibson was hurt last week, Henderson got more opportunities as a pass-catcher. He set season-high marks in snap share (50%) and route rate (53%). He's still behind Rhamondre Stevenson for carries, but Stevenson's fumbling issues open the door for Henderson to become an integral part of New England's offense. Because the Patriots have been relying more on the pass, Henderson is a solid flex option this week against a Saints' defense yielding the 11th-most adjusted PPR points to RBs. 

Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots

Stevenson cashed in a pair of short-yardage scores last week after Antonito Gibson was injured. He's now played 54% of the Patriots' snaps and commanded half of the team's short-yardage plays. Stevenson should continue to lead New England's backfield in carries, but will remain a risky bet due to 3 recent fumbles. Consider Stevenson a usable RB3 this week against a New Orleans defense allowing 23.0 adjusted PPR points per week to opposing RBs. 

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers

Quinshon Judkins, Browns

Judkins has ascended to the bellcow role for the Browns with three straight games of 19+ touches. His rushing role gives him weekly upside, making Judkins a must-start every week. The one downside is his lack of receiving in PPR leagues. That’s not enough of a deterrent, though. Start Judkins with confidence, even against a Steelers defense that has tightened up against the run in their last two games.

Jaylen Warren, Steelers

Warren missed the Steelers' last game, but he should be back after their bye week. Last time we saw him, Warren was a workhorse with 82% of RB touches. Kenneth Gainwell had a great Week 4, but Warren should still be the lead back. Even so, the Browns' run defense has allowed the lowest yards per carry to RBs in the league, so temper rushing expectations. Warren’s receiving still makes him a high-end RB3.

Kenneth Gainwell, Steelers

Gainwell had 134 total yards and 2 TDs with Jaylen Warren sidelined with an injury. The big production may make Gainwell look tempting, but he handled less than 20% of touches in Week 3. Add in the Browns having the best rush defense in the league, and Gainwell is an RB3 at best.  

Tennessee Titans at Las Vegas Raiders

Ashton Jeanty, Raiders

This is a smash spot for Jeanty. His Raiders are 4.5-point home favorites with a 23-point implied total for the Titans, who sit 27th in our Run Defense Power Rankings and 31st in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs.

Tony Pollard, Titans

Pollard predictably lost some work to RB Tyjae Spears last week, registering a season-low 72% snap rate and matching a season low with 17 opportunities (14 carries, 3 targets). That's still enough volume to keep Pollard in most fantasy lineups, though, especially in Sunday's plus matchup against the Raiders' 23rd-ranked RB defense.

Tyjae Spears, Titans

Spears played 26% of Tennessee's offensive snaps in his 2025 debut last week, finishing with four carries and 0 targets. His role could grow from there, but Spears isn't yet a realistic fantasy starter.

Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers

Josh Jacobs, Packers

Jacobs has four rushing scores and the ninth-most PPR points per game through four weeks. And Jared found this week that Green Bay might be in for even more rushing TDs the rest of the way. This year’s Packers have scored just 33.3% of their TDs on the ground, compared to 45.1% last year -- despite running at an even higher rate inside the 10-yard line this season.

Chase Brown, Bengals

It’s fair to wonder who needs a QB upgrade more in Cincinnati between Brown and WR Tee Higgins. Brown finished Week 1 as RB22 in PPR and hasn’t reached that point since. Last week at least found him at RB24, thanks almost wholly to 7 receptions. We’re not betting on Joe Flacco transforming the offense. But his lack of mobility should keep Brown a key receiving option. Brown and the Bengals will need to show there’s any rushing upside here before we can bet on it, however.

San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Christian McCaffrey, 49ers

How great has McCaffrey's volume (26 touches per week) been? If you took just his receiving numbers, McCaffrey would be the overall WR5. He has 7 more receptions than any other RB has had targets through 5 games. CMC has been elite as a receiver, but he has yet to rush for a TD and is averaging just 3.0 yards per carry. Tampa Bay allows 3.63 YPC to opposing RBs, but allowed Bijan Robinson to put up a 6/100/1 receiving line in Week 1. McCaffrey's high-volume workload keeps him atop the RB ranks, and it feels like only a matter of time before we see positive rushing TD regression.

Rachaad White, Buccaneers

White did an excellent job filling in for Bucky Irving last week. Against a strong Seattle defense, White played 81% of Tampa's snaps, commanded 18 touches, and scored a pair of TDs in the Buccaneers' 38-35 win. He took 14 of Tampa Bay's 18 RB carries in that game and played all the snaps in passing downs, short-yardage, and 2-minute drills. View White as an RB1 this week, facing a San Francisco defense that has given up huge fantasy outings to Travis Etienne and Kyren Williams in their last two outings. 

Sean Tucker, 49ers

Elevated into Tampa's No. 2 RB role, Tucker played 12 snaps in Seattle but was held to 3 rushing yards on his 3 carries. He did catch all 3 of his targets but mustered only 4 receiving yards. White commanded all the valuable snaps, so view Tucker as a modest RB4/flex option who could see 7-10 touches against San Francisco. But he's not a player to go out of your way to squeeze into lineups. 

Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs

Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions

Gibbs had 14 touches for 87 yards and a TD last week. David Montgomery got more work than usual, but this week should be more competitive for the Lions. Gibbs' lowest scoring PPR week still landed him as RB15. The Chiefs' run defense has been weak, giving up 4.9 yards per carry to RBs, sixth highest in the league. A high floor with an even bigger ceiling makes Gibbs a must-start this week. 

David Montgomery, Lions

Montgomery had 19 touches last week, his highest of the season. He ended up finding the end zone twice. The Chiefs' run defense has been weak, giving up 4.9 yards per carry to RBs, sixth highest in the league. If Montgomery gets enough work, he could hit RB2 numbers again this week.

Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs

The Chiefs' backfield has been a mess. Pacheco still leads the team in snaps, but he only mustered 56 total yards last week on 10 touches. He simply isn’t getting enough opportunities to be startable right now. 

Kareem Hunt, Chiefs

Hunt had 2 TDs last week, giving him a solid fantasy day, but that was only on 8 touches. He is the clear goal-line back with 6 touches this season inside the 10-yard line. Hunt is a TD-reliant RB3.

Brashard Smith, Chiefs

Smith was talked up before the last game, but his role remained unchanged, only playing six snaps in the game. He did have 3 catches and a rush, though, so when on the field, Smith does get used. Bench him for now, but he is an intriguing stash.

Buffalo Bills at Atlanta Falcons

Bijan Robinson, Falcons

Robinson’s on pace for some massive yardage totals this season: 1,334 rushing and 1,147 receiving. He should feel fresh coming off a Week 5 bye. Buffalo, meanwhile, is expected to be without LB Matt Milano.

James Cook, Bills

Cook’s earned a 70% carry share this season, well up from his 52% figure from 2024. He enters this one in excellent form and should continue his RB1 track vs. Atlanta. The Falcons rank fourth-worst in yards after contact allowed per attempt, although they’ve surrendered the third-fewest rushes of 10+ yards.

Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders

“Bill” nearly doubled his two backfield mates in playing time against the Chargers last week, falling just one short of Jeremy McNichols’ lead in pass routes (13-12), easily leading the overall work, and claiming both rushing scores. Now comes a Bears defense that ranks just 28th in rush DVOA in a game that finds Washington favored by 4.5 at home.

D’Andre Swift, Bears

HC Ben Johnson said over the bye that he doesn’t blame Swift primarily for the team’s lagging run game, instead pointing to team-wide factors. We’ll see whether a week off allows time to fix the issues. But Swift will likely need to lean more on his receiving anyway against a Washington defense that ranks fifth in rush DVOA so far.

Chris Rodriguez, Commanders

Rodriguez managed just five carries and no targets while Jacory Croskey-Merritt treated Week 5 like a breakout. C-Rod’s whopping 7 yards on those carries give the Commanders little reason to send more work his way.

Jeremy McNichols, Commanders

McNichols barely maintained a lead over Jacory Croskey-Merritt in pass routes last week (13-12) and trailed him in receiving production (2-39 to 1-16). With Washington favored by 4.5 at home this week, there’s little reason to believe McNichols plays a significant role.

Next Up

Week 6 Matchups That Matter: Breakout Spot For Tetairoa McMillan?

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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.