With the fantasy football playoffs rapidly approaching — and injuries rearing their ugly heads seemingly more than ever — it has simultaneously become more challenging and more crucial to make the right start-or-sit decisions at running back. Our Week 13 fantasy RB rankings for standard leagues will help you navigate these choppy waters so you can smoothly sail through the home stretch of the season.
After a one-week hiatus, the byes are back. Only two teams — the Cardinals and the Panthers — are idle this week, so owners of Arizona’s James Conner and Carolina’s D’Onta Foreman will be unable to start those two. Playing an even more negative role this week will be injuries, which have stacked up at the RB position this season as much as we’ve ever seen.
Adding to a growing list of injured backs, Week 12 saw Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne Jr. (foot), the Jets’ Michael Carter (ankle), and New England’s Damien Harris (thigh) exit early. With Leonard Fournette (hip), Joe Mixon (concussion), and Raheem Mostert (knee) not even suiting up, there are plenty of unsettled situations to watch around the league.
WEEK 13 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
With every injury comes a new opportunity. Case in point: A hearty welcome to the top 20 to Jacksonville’s JaMycal Hasty (@ Lions in Week 13), who impressed after Etienne went down in Week 12. The former Niner is no stranger to impressing in relief efforts, and he gets a superb matchup with a Detroit D that entered Week 12 allowing the 10th-most rushing yards and fourth-most rushing TDs in the NFL. If Etienne is out, Hasty is a better start than touch-poor Lions back D’Andre Swift in that same game and about even with Jamaal Williams considering Williams’ TD upside.
WEEK 13 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Fantasy owners know that all of the top 15-20 RBs are must-starts virtually every week (yes, even the disappearing Dameon Pierce, who has a much better matchup against Cleveland this week), but most of the backs ranked in the 20s this week have bounced up, down, and all around this season. Gus Edwards (vs. Broncos) appears back to full health and should be solid against a reeling Broncos’ defense that just gave up over 100 yards to D’Onta Foreman. Brian Robinson Jr. (@ Giants) is coming off his best NFL game and should be ready to impose his power on a New York D that Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard gashed for 152 yards and a TD on the ground on Turkey Day. That’s why we like him and Antonio Gibson as at least flexes. By the way, those Cowboys are both must-starts vs. the Colts — way too much volume and talent to bench them.
Guys we would have considered questionable plays a few weeks ago have become RB2 and flex options today. Cam Akers (vs. Seahawks) has done a 360-degree as the Rams’ RB1, and he quietly tallied 4.6 yards per carry in Week 12 against the Chiefs. More important, he has a highly favorable matchup against the Seahawks’ porous run defense this week. Kyren Williams (vs. Seahawks) also has some sneaky flex upside in that matchup, too, considering he had more carries and snaps than Akers last week. Chiefs’ rookie Isiah Pacheco (@ Bengals) also looked good last week, amassing 89 scrimmage yards and a score on a whopping 23 touches. He’s a must-start even in a middling matchup this week.
Going even deeper, don’t sleep on the Jets’ Zonovan Knight (@ Vikings), who could be starting if Carter is out. There’s a chance James Robinson is active after being a healthy scratch last week, but Knight impressed with over 100 total yards, so we’re expecting him to get the bulk of the carries. It’s a tough matchup, though, so consider Knight nothing more than a flex in 12-team leagues. Ditto for Elijah Mitchell (@ Dolphins), who saw a reduction in touches last week.
Along those same lines, Cordarrelle Patterson (vs. Steelers) remains a high-ceiling player despite splitting carries with Tyler Allgeier, but we admittedly downgrade him a bit in standard formats. Latavius Murray (@ Ravens) isn’t in a committee, but he only had one good run last week. If he doesn’t break a big play or score a short TD, he could disappoint in a tough matchup against Baltimore. Similarly, Rachaad White (vs. Saints) has a brutal matchup against New Orleans, so if Fournette is back, be careful with both. The same goes for Devin Singletary (@ Patriots) facing a New England defense allowing the fewest fantasy points per game to RBs.
Kareem Hunt (@ Texans), Samaje Perine (vs. Chiefs), and possibly Darrell Henderson Jr. (@ Lions) are your best deep sleepers thanks to highly favorable matchups, but shallow leaguers don’t need to worry about them.
Note: We’ll be updating these RB rankings throughout the week, so check back for analysis and the latest player movement.
Week 13 fantasy RB rankings for standard leagues
Rankings based on standard, non-PPR scoring leagues
Rank Player
1 Nick Chubb, Browns @ Texans
2 Austin Ekeler, Chargers @ Raiders
3 Josh Jacobs, Raiders vs. Chargers
4 Derrick Henry, Titans @ Eagles
5 Joe Mixon, Bengals vs. Chiefs
6 Christian McCaffrey, 49ers vs. Dolphins
7 Saquon Barkley, Giants vs. Commanders
8 Dalvin Cook, Vikings vs. Jets
9 Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks @ Rams
10 Dameon Pierce, Texans vs. Browns
11 Aaron Jones, Packers @ Bears
12 Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots vs. Bills
13 Jonathan Taylor, Colts @ Cowboys
14 David Montgomery, Bears vs. Packers
15 JaMycal Hasty, Jaguars @ Lions
16 Alvin Kamara, Saints @ Buccaneers
17 Jamaal Williams, Lions vs. Jaguars
18 Tony Pollard, Cowboys vs. Colts
19 Miles Sanders, Eagles vs. Titans
20 Najee Harris, Steelers @ Falcons
21 Jeff Wilson Jr., Dolphins @ 49ers
22 Gus Edwards, Ravens vs. Broncos
23 Brian Robinson Jr., Commanders @ Giants
24 Cam Akers, Rams vs. Seahawks
25 Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys vs. Colts
26 Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs @ Bengals
27 Antonio Gibson, Commanders @ Giants
28 Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons vs. Steelers
29 Latavius Murray, Broncos @ Ravens
30 Rachaad White, Buccaneers vs. Saints
31 Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers vs. Saints
32 Kareem Hunt, Browns @ Texans
33 Zonovan Knight, Jets @ Vikings
34 Kyren Williams, Rams vs. Seahawks
35 Devin Singletary, Bills @ Patriots
36 Elijah Mitchell, 49ers vs. Dolphins
37 Raheem Mostert, Dolphins @ 49ers
38 D’Andre Swift, Lions vs. Jaguars
39 Tyler Allgeier, Falcons vs. Steelers
40 James Robinson, Jets @ Vikings
41 AJ Dillon, Packers @ Bears
42 Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs @ Bengals
43 Samaje Perine, Bengals vs. Chiefs
44 Jaylen Warren, Steelers @ Falcons
45 Darrell Henderson Jr., Jaguars @ Lions
46 Darrynton Evans, Bears vs. Packers
47 Deon Jackson, Colts @ Cowboys
48 Kenyan Drake, Ravens vs. Broncos
49 Dontrell Hilliard, Titans @ Eagles
50 Alexander Mattison, Vikings vs. Jets
51 James Cook, Bills @ Patriots
52 Isaiah Spiller, Chargers @ Raiders
53 Travis Homer, Seahawks @ Rams
54 Caleb Huntley, Falcons vs. Steelers
55 Marlon Mack, Broncos @ Ravens
56 Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles vs. Titans
57 Mark Ingram II, Saints @ Buccaneers
58 Matt Breida, Giants vs. Commanders
59 Justice Hill, Ravens vs. Broncos
60 Nyheim Hines, Bills @ Patriots
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