Getty Damien Harris #37 of the New England Patriots.
Welcome to our Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings for Week 5 of the 2020 NFL regular season. In this week’s column, we discuss the fallout from the likely loss of Austin Ekeler from our lineups as well as the emergence of Damien Harris. Plus, Kareem Hunt rises up the ranks due to Nick Chubb’s injury, while Joe Mixon may be in for a rough week.
* If you’re looking for more information on how to best set your lineup this coming week check out our Week 5 RB Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em.
Reminder: These rankings are based on full-PPR scoring formats.
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Running Back Outlook Week 5
It is believed Austin Ekeler will be on the mend for “several weeks,” meaning the majority ownership of the Chargers’ backfield shifts to Joshua Kelley (RB18). Kelley did little this past Sunday to excite fantasy owners. However, the UCLA product had averaged 4.4 yards per carry on 35 carries heading into Week 4. In Week 5 Kelley gets a plus-matchup against a Saints defense who has allowed five total touchdowns to the RB positions since Week 2.
Joe Mixon (RB27) fantasy owners are riding high after the Bengals running back totaled three touchdowns and topped 150 yards rushing in Week 4. Still, his three games prior he averaged just 3.13 yards per carry and totaled zero touchdowns. A Week 5 matchup against a Baltimore defense that has allowed just one rushing touchdown all season and no more than 60 rushing yards since Week 2 leaves much to be desired.
While the Patriots struggled mightily without Cam Newton on Monday, Damien Harris (RB26) certainly made his presence felt in his season debut. With Sony Michel landing on IR, the former Alabama standout manned the lead-back role for New England, collecting 100 rushing yards on 17 attempts.
His opponents this coming weekend, the Broncos, have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to the position this year. However, they’ve struggled defending the run more than meets the eye. Matchups against a crapshoot Bucs and Jets backfield have vastly skewed the numbers of a defense who allowed a 100-yard rusher in back-to-back weeks to open the season.
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Week 5 Fantasy Rankings: Running Back
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- Matchup: Great l Avg l Tough
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# Running Backs TEAM Opp. 1
Alvin Kamara NO vs. LAC
2
Ezekiel Elliott DAL vs. NYG
3
Chris Carson SEA vs. MIN
4
Dalvin Cook MIN @ SEA
5
Austin Ekeler LAC INJ @ NO
6
Derrick Henry TEN vs. BUF
7
Josh Jacobs LV @ KC
8
James Conner PIT vs. PHI
9
James Robinson JAC @ HOU
10
Nick Chubb CLE INJ vs. IND
11
C, Edwards-Helaire KC vs. LV
12
Devin Singletary BUF @ TEN
13
Mike Davis CAR @ ATL
14
Jonathan Taylor IND @ CLE
15
Kenyan Drake ARI @ NYJ
16
Kareem Hunt CLE vs. IND
17
Melvin Gordon DEN @ NE
18
Joshua Kelley LAC @ NO
19
Miles Sanders PHI @ PIT
20
Darrell Henderson LAR @ WAS
21
Raheem Mostert SF INJ vs. MIA
22
David Johnson HOU vs. JAC
23
Jerick McKinnon SF vs. MIA
24
Todd Gurley ATL vs. CAR
25
Myles Gaskin MIA @ SF
26
Damien Harris NE vs. DEN
27
Antonio Gibson WAS vs. LAR
28
Joe Mixon CIN @ BAL
29
Mark Ingram II BAL vs. CIN
30
Le’Veon Bell NYJ INJ vs. ARI
31
James White NE vs. DEN
32
Ronald Jones II TB @ CHI
33
David Montgomery CHI vs. TB
34
Devonta Freeman NYG @ DAL
35
Nyheim Hines IND @ CLE
36
Rex Burkhead NE vs. DEN
37
Frank Gore NYJ vs. ARI
38
Malcolm Brown LAR @ WAS
39
Chase Edmonds ARI @ NYJ
40
Latavius Murray NO vs. LAC
41
D’Ernest Johnson CLE vs. IND
42
J.K. Dobbins BAL vs. CIN
43
Phillip Lindsay DEN INJ @ NE
44
Duke Johnson HOU vs. JAC
45
Justin Jackson LAC @ NO
46
Reggie Bonnafon CAR @ ATL
47
Leonard Fournette TB INJ @ CHI
48
Zack Moss BUF INJ @ TEN
49
Wayne Gallman NYG @ DAL
50
Carlos Hyde SEA vs. MIN
51
Cam Akers LAR INJ @ WAS
52
Alexander Mattison MIN @ SEA
53
Jeff Wilson Jr. SF vs. MIA
54
Benny Snell Jr. PIT vs. PHI
55
Travis Homer SEA vs. MIN
56
Dion Lewis NYG @ DAL
57
Chris Thompson JAC @ HOU
58
Anthony McFarland PIT vs. PHI
59
Brian Hill ATL vs. CAR
60
Jordan Howard MIA @ SF
61
Tony Pollard DAL vs. NYG
62
Kalen Ballage NYJ vs. ARI
63
Ke’Shawn Vaughn TB @ CHI
64
Giovani Bernard CIN @ BAL
65
Royce Freeman DEN @ NE
66
La’Mical Perine NYJ vs. ARI
67
LeSean McCoy TB INJ @ CHI
68
DeeJay Dallas SEA vs. MIN
69
Boston Scott PHI @ PIT
70
JD McKissic WAS vs. LAR
71
Jordan Wilkins IND @ CLE
72
Dontrell Hillard CLE vs. IND
73
Devontae Booker LV @ KC
74
Peyton Barber WAS vs. LAR
75
Jalen Richard LV @ KC
76
Gus Edwards BAL vs. CIN
77
Matt Breida MIA @ SF
78
J.J. Taylor NE vs. DEN
79
Patrick Laird MIA @ SF
80
Corey Clement PHI @ PIT
81
Kyle Juszczyk SF vs. MIA
82
Darrynton Evans TEN vs. BUF
83
Ito Smith ATL vs. CAR
- *Check out our Week 5 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Ems to further optimize your lineups
- Start-Sit [QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | DEF | Ks]