I am a fan of selecting backups. They seem like afterthought choices back in August, but a good number of those players wind up starting games, dramatically outperforming where they were selected (at least on those days).
With two weeks left, only half of the team’s in the league have had the same No. 1 running back all along. About a third of the teams have new best backs now, and another five have starters who were either suspended or injured earlier in the year.
But it has not been a great year for “handcuff” running backs. That is, most of the backups-turned-starters who have some value right now weren’t clean No. 2 backs back at the starting lineup. Alex Collins and Tion Green, for example, might be top-15 backs this week, but neither was even on an NFL roster back in early September.
Green (pictured) is a compelling option this week. He should be the featured back for Detroit, and they’re playing against an injury-riddled Cincinnati defense that’s been remarkably terrible recently.
Kerwynn Williams and Dion Lewis have been playing well, but nobody in early September could have realistically selected either of them (not with those teams being overloaded with other running backs).
Kenyan Drake and Latavius Murray have been great at times recently, but neither was even a clear backup when the season was starting.
For fantasy purposes, it underscores that the waiver wire must be utilized. In typical formats, it’s really hard to win by simply drafting a good team. You must supplement those players by also picking up a couple of key free agents during the season. And there are always plenty of those players at the running back position.
On the chart below, five of the backs have a black dot by their names. Those are guys who are No. 1 backs right now, but who missed time earlier.
Lots of depth chart changes at running back.
| NUMBER ONE RUNNING BACKS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Team | Player | Opening day |
| Ariz. | Kerwynn Williams | 3rd or 4th back |
| Atl. | • Devonta Freeman | |
| Balt. | Alex Collins | not on a team |
| Buff. | LeSean McCoy | |
| Car. | Christian McCaffrey | |
| Chi. | Jordan Howard | |
| Cin. | • Joe Mixon | |
| Clev. | Isaiah Crowell | |
| Dall. | • Ezekiel Elliott | |
| Den. | C.J. Anderson | |
| Det. | Tion Green | not on a team |
| G.B. | Jamaal Williams | backup |
| Hou. | Lamar Miller | |
| Ind. | Frank Gore | |
| Jac. | • Leonard Fournette | |
| K.C. | Kareem Hunt | |
| LAC | Melvin Gordon | |
| LAR | Todd Gurley | |
| Mia. | Kenyan Drake | 2nd or 3rd back |
| Minn. | Latavius Murray | 2nd or 3rd back |
| N.E. | Dion Lewis | 3rd or 4th back |
| N.O. | Kamara/Ingram | 3-man backfield |
| NYG | Wayne Gallman | 3rd or 4th back |
| NYJ | Powell/Forte | |
| Oak. | • Marshawn Lynch | |
| Phil. | Jay Ajayi | starter (in Miami) |
| Pitt. | LeVeon Bell | |
| S.F. | Carlos Hyde | |
| Sea. | Mike Davis | not on team |
| T.B. | Peyton Barber | 4th back |
| Tenn. | DeMarco Murray | |
| Wash. | Samaje Perine | backup |
—Ian Allan