• Kareem Hunt plays like it’s 2017: Hunt made his first start for the Chiefs since 2018 and immediately took on a huge workload, with his 27 carries leading all NFL players in Week 5. The veteran now looks like one of the best players in the league fantasy season.
• Bigsby tank getting closer and closer to theft Travis EtienneJob: Bigsby leads the NFL in yards per carry, yards after contact per attempt and rushing percentage in 2024. He beats his teammate. Travis Etienne Jr. This season, this could put pressure on the coaches to restore him to leadership of the team as quickly as possible.
• Unleash your benefits with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all of our seasonal fantasy tools, including weekly ratings, WR/CB Matchup Schedules, weekly forecasts, Launch and squat optimizer and much more. Register now!
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
With so many running backs sharing their backfield in today’s NFL, it’s more important than ever to figure out which players are getting the most valuable snaps and touches on their team, and who are slowly losing their workload to teammates who are outperforming them.
Here are the key takeaways from running backs through the first five weeks of the 2024 season that could have a big impact on the outcome. fantasy points in week 6 and beyond.
Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt leads the NFL with 27 carries in his first start of the season.
This is his first start for the Chiefs since 2018. Kareem Hunt had a league-high 27 carries in Week 5, the most of any Chiefs running back since Hunt himself had 29 carries in Week 16 of the 2017 season.
It is noteworthy that Isaiah Pacheco (currently on IR), who Hunt replaces, has never carried the ball more than 22 times in a game.
Hunt didn’t just take on a larger workload; he also took on the role of chief leader of the chiefs. red zone back. He accounted for 82% of the team’s running backs in Week 5, including all four. red zone the tries and single goal line will continue Monday night.
WITH Carson Steele having missed again in week five, it is clear that Hunt will remain the leader until Pacheco returns from a broken fibula. And no, there is no reason to worry. Clyde Edwards-Helairepotential impact on his return.
Upcoming matches: bye week, 49ers, Raiders
Jaguars Bigsby tank outplays, interrupts and outplays a teammate Travis Etienne Jr.
Bigsby recorded career highs in carries (13), yards (101) and rushing. touchdowns (2) in Week 5 against the Colts.
Last Sunday, the young running back completed a career-high 40% of his snaps and received 57% of the Jaguars’ rushing attempts. He played more snaps than he did as a starting Jaguars RB. Travis Etienne Jr. and beat him with a score of 13-6.
Entering the 2024 season, Bigsby had never topped 32 yards per game. However, he has now topped 70 yards in three of his first five games of the year. The Jaguars’ running back also leads the NFL in yards per carry (8.0) and in 2024 he averages an incredible 6.5 yards after contact per attempt – an average of 4 yards better. than Etienne (2.6) this season.
He’s carried the ball just 34 times this season, but his 18 forced missed tackles are tied for fifth in the NFL—just one missed tackle less than Derrick Henry, who carried the ball 61 more times.
Bigsby has also shown excellent rushing this season, leading all league runners with a 76 percent breakaway percentage, while Etienne has a measly 18 percent breakout percentage. Kenneth Walker III (54.5%) and Derrick Henry (52.9%) are the only defenders with 30 or more carries to have a breakout percentage of 50% or higher.
After the game, head coach Doug Pederson noted that Etienne’s reduced role was due to a shoulder injury, stating, “Travis is our guy. Tank played a good game. That’s just how games work.” Despite Pederson’s comments, if Etienne doesn’t improve his game quickly, it could become increasingly difficult for the Jaguars coaching staff to justify removing Bigsby from a larger role.
Upcoming matches: on the Bears, vs. the Patriots, vs. the Packers
Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle gets 64.5% team carries in week 5
Rico Dowdle Week 5 posted career highs in a number of metrics, including carries (20), yards (87), rushing rate (50%) and rushing percentage (65%).
Last Sunday, he led the Cowboys with two carries in the red zone and had the team’s only goal-line carry, but failed to get into the end zone. While he has yet to record a rushing touchdown this season, he has caught a touchdown in each of the last two games, becoming the first Cowboys running back to do so since Robert Thomas in 2000.
Despite his increased workload, I remain cautious about relying on him in fantasy lineups going forward. He has yet to show much explosiveness: He has no carries of 15-plus yards and averages just 2.5 yards after contact per attempt, ranking fifth among 28 running backs with 50 or more carries. He also hasn’t cemented himself as a third-downer, as he played just three snaps in Week 5, with cornerback Hunter Luepke seeing most of those opportunities.
The upcoming schedule further tempers expectations as Dowdle faces a strong Lions defense next week followed by the Cowboys’ bye week.
Upcoming matches: vs. Lions, bye to 49ers
Tyrone Tracy The junior gets 18 carries and plays on 62% of the Giants’ snaps with Devin Singletary relegated to the background
Tyrone Tracy Junior flied out in his first NFL start with Devin Singletary (groin) aside. He played 62% of the Giants’ offensive snaps and outplayed a teammate on the baseline. Eric Gray 18-4. Tracy took full advantage of his opportunities in Week 5, gaining 129 yards and averaging 7.2 yards per carry.
Prior to the injury, Singletary had his worst game as a Giant, averaging just 1.7 yards per carry on 14 attempts in Week 4. Tracy has been much more efficient this season, averaging 5.3 yards per 30 carries compared to 3.9 yards per 56 carries.
Tracy already has more carries of 20-plus yards than Singletary has in a season. Additionally, both Singletary and Gray have lost two goals this year, and Tracy has yet to put the ball on the ground.
If Tracy can prove his reliability and continues to show excellent playmaking ability, he could retain a larger role in the Giants’ backfield even when Singletary returns healthy.
Upcoming games: vs. Bengals, vs. Eagles at Steelers
49ers RB Jordan Masonworkload decreases in week five
Jordan Mason in Week 5, he had his season-low carries (14) and snap percentage (64%). His team carry share also dropped to 54%, down from the 71% he held in Weeks 1-4. Reserve RB Isaac Gerendo took five carries, including two decisive ones red zone Mason’s attempts in this game. Mason’s struggles were compounded by a costly fumble in the fourth quarter with just over six minutes remaining in the game and the 49ers leading 23-21 deep in Cardinals territory. The turnover allowed the Cardinals to control the clock and kick the game-winning field goal, sealing the loss to the 49ers.
Mason will remain the 49ers’ workhorse moving forward as long as Christian McCaffrey is aloof, but it fantasy The production seems to live or die by the rushing touchdown as he has yet to earn a role in the passing game. Mason saw just one target in Week 5 and was on the field for just three of the 49ers’ 12 third-down games.
Mason should have an effective day on the field in Week 6 against a weak Seahawks defense, but it may be time to trade Mason now while his value is still a top-five RB.
Upcoming matches: at Seahawks, vs. Chiefs, vs. Cowboys
Leave a comment