Week 16 2024 Fantasy Football Rankings: RB

James Conner is preparing for his best setup of the season, Jonathan Taylor hopes to make amends for his terrible mistake, and Jerome Ford Nick Chubb takes over in Cleveland.

Other positions: quarterback | Recipient | Tight End/Kicker/Defense

Updated 12/20. at 7:00 p.m. ET. Kenneth Walker added.

Week 16 running backs

RB Notes: Jahmyr Gibbs joins the overall RB1 mix with David Montgomery’s injury. Gibbs has averaged 21 carries for 128 yards in the six games D-Mont has missed or not finished since 2023. The quality touches may be too many to count in Chicago. … Behind Gibbs, it’s uncertain whether Craig Reynolds or fourth-round rookie Sione Vaki will take the lead after coach Dan Campbell said both will have “expanded roles.” Even with theoretical upside, fantasy managers may ignore a hot hand backup situation. … The Packers are guaranteed to go full throttle as two-touchdown home favorites against the Saints. Emanuel Wilson And Chris Brooks Could see some remaining work but it will be difficult Josh Jacobs to finish in under 20 runs. … With Trey Benson hobbling at the ankles and Emari Demercado (back) on IR, a scalding hot one James Conner has an every-down smash spot against a Panthers defense that gives up the most RB fantasy points. …runs as hot as anyone in the league, Rico Dowdle can stay in the top 12 even as a home outsider. He no longer has touch competition and the Cowboys may need to increase his receiving effort against the outstanding Bucs. The ‘Boys’ have a pretty decent implied team total.

Almost without exaggeration, Jonathan Taylor made the biggest mistake a ball carrier can make in Week 15. His “Celebration Drop” just before the goal line turned the game around and more or less ended the Colts’ season. He is unlikely to be mentally well. He’s in a great fantasy position as a solid home favorite against an extremely poor Titans defense. … Joe Mixon It seems like he’s playing at around 60 percent health while the Texans’ offensive environment has somehow deteriorated after the Week 14 bye. With Houston a road dog against a run-limiting Chiefs D, Mixon’s ceiling has disappeared at the worst time for fantasy managers. … Bucky Irving (back) made it through week 15 without any further setbacks. His precarious health appears to have returned Rachaad White but on 1B status. 1A is still a great place with a team overall finish in the top five against a Cowboys run defense in the bottom five. For his part, White has regained enough touch control to check in as a strong touch-based FLEX game. … Two-touchdown road underdogs is exactly the script for the game Rhamondre Stevenson flopped all season. He doesn’t have enough pass-catching and touchdown skills to be considered a true RB2, although the position is so depleted right now that he’ll probably still slide in.

Isaac Guerendo made it through week 15 without another foot injury and had 10 days to rest. Unfortunately, he’ll face a solid Dolphins run defense in a shootout in a game where Las Vegas doesn’t expect it. That keeps him in the RB2 range instead of breaking into the top 12. No other 49ers running back saw a carry on Thursday Night Football. … Jerome FordJameis Winston’s RB2 case became much more complicated when he was benched. The Browns are now the decisive underdog and are projected to have the seventh-fewest points heading into Week 16. Frankly, it’s surprising that there are so many. The good news for Ford is that coach Kevin Stefanski never warmed to the early addition D’Onta Foremanand Ford promises a lot of passing work and high-quality ball contact. He’s probably still sneaking into the top 24… Kenneth Walker‘s (calf) return would bring back both him and him Zach Charbonnet unsafe RB2/FLEXes. Charbonnet undoubtedly deserves more work during Walker’s absence, although he appears to be a “rhythm back” who isn’t effective at anything less than full workload. He is now also struggling with an indirect problem. Walker, for his part, was already struggling before the demise and won’t suddenly return to clear-cut lead-back status. I’ll probably give Charbonnet the ranking advantage, but admit it’s more of a guess. Walker did not practice on Wednesday.

We’re getting the worst of all worlds in the Jets’ backfield Breece Hall playing with less than 100 percent, Braelon Allen Fighting a previous problem, and Isaiah Davis Blend in for critical snapshots. Allen’s status likely boosts Hall’s RB2 standing, but Hall’s floor is now scarily low. It’s at least a good matchup with a Rams defense that tends to bleed quick production. … Isiah Pacheco has yet to reach 50 percent of the Chiefs’ snaps since returning three weeks ago and has been held below 40 percent twice. Week 16 seems like a good time to change that, as the Chiefs look to get a home win against a solid Texans defense that features Patrick Mahomes playing on one leg. … The Titans suddenly seem a little more interested in taking over management Tony Pollard‘s ankle problem while Tyaje Spears Projects as a nice check-down target for reinstated QB2 Mason Rudolph. With the Titans and Colts likely to be a close affair, Pollard can remain in the lineup against a weak Colts run defense. With Tennessee lacking weapons behind inadequate No. 1 Calvin Ridley, Spears is close to the top 30.

It’s clear that the Jags’ backfield has become a free-for-all hot hand. That doesn’t help Tank Bigsby‘s hand felt cold in Week 15, with a fumble (nullified by a penalty) and a drop. Bigsby wasn’t “benched,” however Travis Etienne dominated the work afterwards. Although Raiders/Jags is planned to be a tank-friendly game script, Etienne is less likely to make a FLEX carpet move. … Tyrone Tracy is an explosive player who is part of one of the worst offenses in recent memory. His fumbling issues combined with his quarterback play make him a volatile FLEX, but in every sense of the word. Despite the ever-present downside, there is still upside potential. … Of course, it can’t be a good thing that McCormick didn’t even suffer an ankle injury Alexander Mattison Here are the key snapshots from the Raiders’ loss to the Falcons on Monday night. Ameer Abdullah took care of the work in the closing stages, and his pass catching is the only (weak) bet worth placing in this backfield. … If Alvin Kamara (Groin) sits as it probably looks, you’re hoping and praying that the Saints somehow manage to get to the Packers’ one-yard line to make it happen Kendre Miller fall into the end zone.