Which running backs will shine in Week 9 for your fantasy football teams? We’ll take a look at all of them in our PPR rankings.
Welcome to Week 9 of the fantasy football season. We’re around halfway through the NFL season but with byes and an uneven 17 game schedule, there is no halfway point. The NFL always is out to ruin my fun! Anyway, your top PPR running back through eight games is none other than Derrick Henry. The fact he is first in PPR scoring and only has eight receptions is pretty amazing. He currently is on pace for 308 carries for 2,010 yards, 19 touchdowns and 17 receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns.
King Henry isn’t the only back putting up big numbers this season, as Alvin Kamara, Saquon Barkley, Kyren Williams, Bijan Robinson, and Breece Hall have all been worthy of their high picks this draft season. This truly has been the year of the running back for fantasy and wide receiver injuries are helping them gain the spotlight.
Week 9 running back bye weeks
Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Jordan Mason
Week 9 running back injuries
Tyrone Tracy, Giants
Tract suffered a brain injury on Monday night against the Steelers in Week 8. Due to the Monday game, he will have a shorter time period to be cleared for the Commanders in Week 9. If he can’t go, Devin Singletary would take the lead again.
Kendre Miller, Saints
Miller exited last week’s game with a hamstring injury. He has talent, but can’t stay on the field due to injuries. Dennis Allen seems to get some perverse pleasure out of relaying his disappointment in Miller’s injuries to the media, so at least this gives him something to complain about.
Jordan Mason, 49ers
The 49ers will be on bye this week, which should help Mason get healthy by Week 10, but by then he could be behind both Christian McCaffrey and Isaac Guerendo on the depth chart, as McCaffrey is expected back after the bye and Guerendo has outplayed Mason of late.
Rico Dowdle, Cowboys
Dowdle missed their game against the 49ers due to an illness, which elevated Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook. Neither did enough to move the needle, so I’d expect Dowdle to keep the job and as long as he’s over his illness, he should be ready to take on the Falcons this week.
Travis Etienne, Jaguars
Etienne was able to get in three limited practices last week, but it wasn’t enough to clear him to play. His chances should be better this week when the team heads to Philadelphia. If he does play, Tank Bigsby should remain the goal line and early down back with Etienne mixing in and taking on the receiving down role.
Jerome Ford, Browns
Ford appears close to returning, but Nick Chubb is the lead back now. Chubb isn’t setting the world on fire in his return from injury, but he should be able to hold onto the lead role without much trouble. Ford should cut into Chubb’s work a bit, but at this point, Ford doesn’t have a clear path to good usage.
Tyjae Spears, Titans
Spears got in limited practices all last week, but was unable to suit up to face the Bills. Tony Pollard has taken over the lead role and kind of run away with it, but Spears would at least cut into his work if he was healthy enough to go this week against the Patriots.
Christian McCaffrey, 49ers
McCaffrey is targeting Week 10 return coming off the team’s bye. Hopefully just one more week and he’ll be back into your fantasy lineups.
Jonathon Brooks, Panthers
The team will need to activate Brooks either this week or next. There is some chance they don’t activate him and save him for next season, but I doubt that happens. He’s been getting in limited work, but there really is no indication yet if he’ll be activated this week or next.
Week 9 running back sleepers
Devin Singletary, Giants vs. Commanders
The Giants are likely going to be without Tyrone Tracy this week, which would boost Singletary back into the lead back role. That’s the role Singletary was in when these two teams met in Week 2, and he rushed 16 times for 95 yards and a touchdown.
Chase Brown, Bengals vs. Raiders
Brown continues to lead the backfield in Cincinnati and as long as they don’t get behind big, he’s the guy now. This game sets up well for him, as the Raiders don’t have much firepower on offense and they’re not so good against the run. They’ve given up four rushing touchdowns over the last four weeks to Najee Harris, Kyren Williams, and Kareem Hunt.
