Fantasy Football Week 3 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em Running Backs: Veteran sleepers rise amid rookie struggles
Running backs you want in Week 3 lineups and those you should avoid
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1 min read
The rookie running backs were supposed to be stars through two weeks of the season. Instead, many Fantasy managers are hitting the panic button heading into Week 3, especially for guys like Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson, and RJ Harvey.
Now, the entire class hasn't been a disaster. While the top guys have struggled, we've seen flashes of production from Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Bhayshul Tuten, Dylan Sampson, Quinshon Judkins, and Cam Skattebo. And even Jeanty and Henderson had productive outings in Week 1.
They just haven't been dominant yet, and Fantasy managers are frustrated. So what should we do with these guys in Week 3?
I'm still starting Jeanty as a No. 2 running back in all leagues, and hopefully he'll produce at Washington. Hampton (vs. DEN) and Henderson (vs. PIT) are flex options at best, and you'll read below why Rhamondre Stevenson is the New England running back to trust this week.
Harvey (at LAC) has to be kept on your bench -- don't drop him yet -- because of J.K. Dobbins, who is worth using as a flex this week. And I like Croskey-Merritt (vs. LV) and even Tuten (vs. HOU) as sleepers in Week 3.
In Cleveland, you probably want to sit Judkins and Sampson given their matchup against Green Bay. But Judkins looks like he could be a starting Fantasy option sooner rather than later.
The only rookie running back of prominence that I would give up on now is Kaleb Johnson. He's struggling in the early part of his rookie campaign, and Jaylen Warren is the best Steelers running back heading into Week 3 at New England.
RBs to Start
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Etienne is going to share touches with Bhayshul Tuten, who is worth using as a sleeper in deeper leagues, but I like Etienne as a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all formats. He's scored at least 16.9 PPR points in each of his first two games against Carolina and Cincinnati, and he has at least 16 total touches in each outing, with five total receptions. The Texans have allowed three running backs to score at least 13.9 PPR points through two games, and Bucky Irving and Rachaad White just combined for eight receptions for 51 yards on eight targets against Houston in Week 2.
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In Week 1, Williams scored two rushing touchdowns at Philadelphia to boost his Fantasy production to 20.4 PPR points, and he added 15 carries for 54 yards and two catches for 10 yards on three targets. He then had a monster game in Week 2 against the Giants with 18 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown and six catches for 33 yards on seven targets, so Williams might be for real. This week, he's facing a Bears defense that has allowed three running backs to score at least 13.1 PPR points through two games, and Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for 23 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns in Week 2. Williams should be considered a solid No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues.
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Warren took off as a pass catcher in Week 2 against Seattle with four receptions for 86 yards on four targets. He now has six catches for 108 yards and a touchdown on six targets in two games with Aaron Rodgers, and Warren's role in the passing game could be vital this week at New England. The Patriots struggled to contain De'Von Achane in Week 2 when he had eight catches for 92 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets, and Warren will hopefully continue to be a reliable weapon out of the backfield for Rodgers in this game. I also like that Warren had 14 carries for 48 yards against the Seahawks, and Warren is worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues for Week 3.
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Swift didn't have a dominant outing in Week 2 at Detroit, but he scored 13.9 PPR points with 12 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown and three catches for 6 yards on three targets. It's great that he has eight targets in two games under Ben Johnson, but I'd love to see more than 18 receiving yards on six catches. This week, you can consider Swift a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues. The Cowboys have allowed each of the two featured running backs against them to score at least 13.9 PPR points, with Saquon Barkley in Week 1 and Cam Skattebo in Week 2. Swift should once again get at least 15 total touches in the game, and hopefully, he'll find the end zone for the second week in a row.
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Hopefully, what we saw in Week 2 at Pittsburgh is the Walker we'll get for the rest of the season, when he had 13 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 13 yards on one target. It was much better than Week 1 against San Francisco when he was limited to 10 carries for 20 yards and three catches for 4 yards and got outplayed by Zach Charbonnet. Now, Charbonnet still played more snaps than Walker against the Steelers, which is something to monitor, but both running backs can have success in Week 3 against the Saints. New Orleans is allowing 4.7 yards per carry in two games against the Cardinals and 49ers, and James Conner and Christian McCaffrey each scored at least 14.4 PPR points. Walker should be considered a No. 2 running back in all leagues, and Charbonnet is a flex.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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This will be Washington's first game without Austin Ekeler (Achilles), and hopefully, it means a significant increase in touches for Croskey-Merritt. He looked great in Week 1 against the Giants with 10 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown, but he was negated at Green Bay in Week 2 with four carries for 17 yards. The key will be his role in the passing game since he has two targets and no catches on the season, and we'll see what Washington does with Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. The Raiders so far have been solid against the run in matchups against New England and the Chargers, and Jayden Daniels (knee) might be out this week for the Commanders. But I'm willing to gamble on Croskey-Merritt as a flex in all leagues with Ekeler now out for the season.
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Dobbins is off to a great start with the Broncos, and he should be considered at least a flex option in Week 3 at the Chargers. Through two games against the Titans and Colts, Dobbins has 30 carries for 139 yards and two touchdowns, and three catches for 14 yards on four targets. He scored at least 14.8 PPR points in each outing. The Chargers run defense has been tough so far this season in matchups against the Chiefs and Raiders, but this should be the best offensive line Los Angeles has seen to date. We thought this would be RJ Harvey performing this way in Denver's backfield, and maybe that will happen soon. For Week 3, you can rely on Dobbins, who gets a revenge game against his former team
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Stevenson was a standout Fantasy option in Week 2 at Miami with 21.2 PPR points, and we'll see if he can have another quality outing in Week 3 against Pittsburgh. He's worth using as a flex option in all leagues, and you should trust him over TreVeyon Henderson right now based on how the Patriots are using both running backs. Against the Dolphins, Stevenson had 11 carries for 54 yards and five catches for 88 yards on five targets. This week, Stevenson faces a Steelers defense that has been destroyed by Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker III in consecutive games, as each running back scored at least 16.5 PPR points. Hopefully, Stevenson can follow suit in Week 3.
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Pacheco has struggled through two games this season with 15 carries for 47 yards and three catches for 10 yards on five targets, but the Chiefs have faced the Chargers and Eagles, which are tough matchups. Along with that, Kansas City was trailing in those games, and the Chiefs should have an easier time in Week 3 at the Giants. Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Javonte Williams have each rushed for at least 82 yards and a touchdown against the Giants in two games, and I like Pacheco as a flex option in this matchup.
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RBs to Sit
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Montgomery had one of his usual, productive games in Week 2 against Chicago with 11 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 4 yards on one target. The week before at Green Bay, Montgomery failed to score a touchdown but compiled 42 total yards with 11 carries and four catches. It will all come down to him falling into the end zone this week at Baltimore, and the Ravens have allowed one rushing touchdown so far to James Cook in Week 1. If the Lions are trailing in this game, then maybe Montgomery will be involved in the passing game again like he was against the Packers, but this isn't a spot to trust Montgomery. I'm still starting Jahmyr Gibbs in all leagues, but Montgomery is a flex option at best.
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We can put Cam Skattebo here also, since I don't love the Giants backfield in this matchup against the Chiefs, and we'll see who leads the Giants in playing time in Week 3. In Week 1 at Washington, it was Tracy at 74 percent, but he managed just 35 total yards on 12 total touches, including two catches. In Week 2 at Dallas, Tracy played 42 percent of the snaps and finished with five carries for 15 yards and four catches for 36 yards on five targets. Skattebo, meanwhile, had a standout game against the Cowboys on 52 percent of the snaps with 11 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown and two catches for 14 yards on three targets. It's tough to run on Kansas City, and the Chiefs should be able to contain Tracy and Skattebo in this game. I like Skattebo better than Tracy in Week 3, but both Giants running backs are flex options at best in the majority of leagues.
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Judkins looked good in his NFL debut in Week 2 at Baltimore with 10 carries for 61 yards and three catches for 10 yards on three targets. He did that with no training camp and minimal practice prior to facing the Ravens, and he should continue to improve as the season goes on. But I would only consider him a flex option at best in Week 3 against Green Bay. The Packers so far have limited the backfields for Detroit and Washington to 32 carries for 78 yards and no touchdowns. Now is not the time to throw Judkins into your lineup in most leagues, but that could happen sooner rather than later based on what he showed us in Week 2.
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Chubb was headed for an awful game in Week 2 against Tampa Bay before he scored on a 25-yard run late in the fourth quarter. Prior to that, he had 11 carries for 18 yards and two catches for 29 yards on two targets. In Week 1 at the Rams, Chubb had 13 carries for 60 yards and no catches on one target. We'll see if Woody Marks starts to get more work in Houston, and I would only use Chubb as a flex option in the majority of leagues in Week 3. Jacksonville has actually been solid against the run so far this season in holding Chuba Hubbard and Chase Brown to a combined 32 carries for 104 yards and no touchdowns. Hubbard found success in the passing game with three catches for 32 yards and a touchdown on five targets, but you can't expect that from Chubb against the Jaguars.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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I hope this isn't a bust alert for the season since Hampton has been a disappointment thus far through two games. He combined for 23 carries for 72 yards and no touchdowns and three catches for 14 yards on four targets in two outings against the Chiefs and Raiders. Along with that, Najee Harris increased his workload in Game 2, and Hampton had a botched handoff late in the game against Las Vegas, which led to a fumble. Jonathan Taylor abused the Broncos in Week 2 for 29.5 PPR points, but Tony Pollard only managed 9.9 PPR points against Denver in Week 1. It's hard to expect a big game from Hampton right now, and he's only worth using as a flex option at best in the majority of leagues.
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