Getty Christian McCaffrey is expected to miss an extended period of time.
Welcome to our Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings for Week 3 of the 2020 NFL regular season. In this week’s column, we discuss the fallout of Saquon Barkley’s devastating knee injury and Christian McCaffrey’s ankle injury.
* If you’re looking for more information on how to best set your lineup this coming week check out our Week 3 RB Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em.
Reminder: These rankings are based on full-PPR scoring formats.
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Running Back Outlook Week 3
ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported that all-world fantasy option, Christian McCaffrey, is expected to be sidelined multiple weeks after sustaining an ankle injury in Week 2’s loss to the Buccaneers. A crushing blow for Carolina, and just as much so for fantasy owners. Veteran Mike Davis (RB33) is the next man up in the Panthers backfield, but has carried the ball just one time for one yard this season. The only other running back on the roster at the moment is Trenton Cannon, who has not taken a handoff since 2018.
In fact, Curtis Samuel may prove to see the largest uptick in production from CMC’s absence. Samuel has been pushed aside for Robby Anderson in the passing game, but did receive four carries in Week 2, averaging 6.5 ypc. A former running back/wide receiver hybrid at Ohio State, Samuel offers the most similar skillset to McCaffrey on the Panthers roster, albeit to a far lesser degree. Still, there’s enough upside there to warrant an add.
Don’t look now, but the Jaguars’ decision to move on from Leonard Fournette doesn’t appear as idiotic as it once did. James Robinson (RB17) ranks seventh in the NFL in rushing, thanks to a healthy 5.1 yards per carry average, third-most amongst running backs with at least 30 carries. Robinson faces off with a Dolphins defense this week who has allowed eight rushers to average 4.4-plus ypc over their first two weeks of play.
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Week 3 Fantasy Rankings: Running Back
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- Matchup: Great l Avg l Tough
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# Running Backs TEAM Opp. 1
Ezekiel Elliott DAL @ SEA
2
Alvin Kamara NO vs. GB
3
Josh Jacobs LV @ NE
4
Austin Ekeler LAC vs. CAR
5
Derrick Henry TEN @ MIN
6
Jonathan Taylor IND vs. NYJ
7
Dalvin Cook MIN vs. TEN
8
Chris Carson SEA vs. DAL
9
Miles Sanders PHI vs. CIN
10
C, Edwards-Helaire KC @ BAL
11
Kenyan Drake ARI vs. DET
12
Joe Mixon CIN @ PHI
13
Aaron Jones GB @ NO
14
Nick Chubb CLE vs. WAS
15
James Conner PIT vs. HOU
16
David Montgomery CHI @ ATL
17
James Robinson JAC vs. MIA
18
Raheem Mostert SF INJ @ NYG
19
Leonard Fournette TB @ DEN
20
Melvin Gordon DEN vs. TB
21
Kareem Hunt CLE vs. WAS
22
David Johnson HOU @ PIT
23
Todd Gurley ATL vs. CHI
24
Mark Ingram II BAL vs. KC
25
Devin Singletary BUF vs. LAR
26
Jerick McKinnon SF @ NYG
27
Ronald Jones II TB @ DEN
28
Dion Lewis NYG vs. SF
29
James White NE pers. vs. LV
30
Darrell Henderson LAR @ BUF
31
Myles Gaskin MIA @ JAC
32
Frank Gore NYJ @ IND
33
Mike Davis CAR @ LAC
34
Malcolm Brown LAR @ BUF
35
Wayne Gallman NYG vs. SF
36
D’Andre Swift DET @ ARI
37
Nyheim Hines IND vs. NYJ
38
J.K. Dobbins BAL vs. KC
39
Antonio Gibson WAS @ CLE
40
Joshua Kelley LAC vs. CAR
41
Phillip Lindsay DEN INJ vs. TB
42
Sony Michel NE vs. LV
43
Tevin Coleman SF INJ @ NYG
44
Rex Burkhead NE vs. LV
45
Benny Snell Jr. PIT vs. HOU
46
Adrian Peterson DET @ ARI
47
Zack Moss BUF vs. LAR
48
Latavius Murray NO vs. GB
49
Cam Akers LAR INJ @ BUF
50
Tarik Cohen CHI @ ATL
51
Chase Edmonds ARI vs. DET
52
Duke Johnson HOU INJ @ PIT
53
Jordan Howard MIA @ JAC
54
Boston Scott PHI vs. CIN
55
Jordan Wilkins IND vs. NYJ
56
Chris Thompson JAC vs. MIA
57
Kerryon Johnson DET @ ARI
58
Alexander Mattison MIN vs. TEN
59
Royce Freeman DEN vs. TB
60
Jamaal Williams GB @ NO
61
Devontae Booker LV @ NE
62
Giovani Bernard CIN @ PHI
63
Kalen Ballage NYJ @ IND
64
Carlos Hyde SEA vs. DAL
65
Peyton Barber WAS @ CLE
66
La’Mical Perine NYJ @ IND
67
Matt Breida MIA @ JAC
68
A.J. Dillon GB @ NO
69
Tony Pollard DAL @ SEA
70
Brian Hill ATL vs. CHI
71
Patrick Laird MIA @ JAC
72
Tyler Ervin GB INJ @ NO
73
Corey Clement PHI vs. CIN
74
Kyle Juszczyk SF @ NYG
75
J.J. Taylor NE vs. LV
76
LeSean McCoy TB @ DEN
77
Jalen Richard LV @ NE
78
Darrynton Evans TEN @ MIN
79
Justin Jackson LAC vs. CAR
80
Travis Homer SEA vs. DAL
81
Josh Adams NYJ @ IND
82
Jaylen Samuels PIT vs. HOU
83
Gus Edwards BAL vs. KC
84
Ito Smith ATL vs. CHI
- *Check out our Week 3 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Ems to further optimize your lineups
- Start-Sit [QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | DEF | Ks]