2024 Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings: RB

Alvin Kamara welcomes Derek Carr back to the fold for the Saints, De’Von Achane licks his chips for a supposed good field game in the Bills and Bigsby tank he fights a comeback Travis Etienne for touches.

Other positions: Quarterback | Receiver | Tight End/Kickers/Defense

Week 9 Running Backs

RB notes: Both mammoth favorites at home for Week 9, neither back seriously threatens Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry at the top right now. We’ll give Barkley the edge over a worse defense (JAX) in a game that should be higher than BAL/DEN. … How he did Kyren Williams fare in Puka Nacua and the return of Cooper Kupp? A 28-touchdown season. Perhaps the superstar’s widenings will eventually affect his handles, but for now we’ll operate under the assumption that their rising tide lifts his landing boat. Oh, and Seattle has a five-run defense down the stretch. … Speaking of awful run defense, Cowboys. Producing massive fantasy lines of late – he’s the RB2 in PPR scoring average over the last three weeks – Sesame Robinson could finish as the RB1 overall in the week’s highest total contest. The Cowboys are allowing the fourth-most fantasy RB points and the second-most weekly yards. … RB1 in the last three weeks? Mr. Joseph Mixonthough the Jets aren’t a very appealing matchup on a short week. Overall play volume and points could both be lacking in a game that limps to a 42.5 total.

Although he reached 10 touches each time in the process, David Montgomery has not exceeded 13 hands at any time in the last month. Its use seems limited with Jahmyr Gibbs getting the ball a bit more often and generating more explosive gains. The Packers haven’t been an unforgettable place for opposing running backs, but the Lions will undoubtedly be run-focused on the road compared to a team that will likely be without its starting quarterback. … Finally returned to the future 2023 for De’Von Achane in Week 8, while Week 9 opponent Buffalo surrenders the second-most points to fantasy RBs. You know Achane is boom or bust. He has a good chance to collect some booms this week. … Breece HallHis “limited” usage in Week 8 — he still touched the ball 17 times — was one of the big mysteries Sunday, but don’t expect a repeat mistake against a Texans defense that is better attacked on the ground than through the air. … Fantasy managers continue to predict the first five days for Kenneth Walker who is not doing well. Emphasis on “not really,” at least until Week 8. There, Walker fell to RB38 status. There should be better days ahead of a mediocre Rams D round.

James Cook he’s already in the red 10 carries of his 2023 total (31). Despite Ray DavisWith a strong role game, Cook gets a lot more work in the scoring zone with Josh Allen dialing back. Six-point home favorites with a total of nearly 50, expect plenty of Week 9 red zone handles for the Bills. … Josh Jacobs promises to play through ankle injury. With Malik Willis likely to be under center, expect a massive commitment from Jacobs, provided his sprain is of the “low” variety. … The RB3 with average PPR points over the last five weeks, D’Andre Swift he didn’t just bounce back from his awful start, he leveled up. Coughing up the seventh-most yards, the Cardinals look like a soft matchup for one of the league’s top rushers. … Backup quarters almost killed Alvin Kamara in fantasy, but it’s only stronger now ahead of a Sunday matchup with a Panthers run defense that surrenders the most fantasy points to RBs. Kamara will pound this awful defense. … The Colts remain one of three defenses allowing more than 150 yards on a weekly basis. Inserting Joe Flacco under center could change that — the Colts will possess the ball more than they have — but it’s still a great spot for a snap. Aaron Jones.

Jonathan Taylor has been in top form whenever healthy this season. Hopefully the difficulty of his matchup with the Vikings is somewhat offset by a better overall offensive environment for the Colts with Joe Flacco under center. … Exceeding 20 means three consecutive weeks, Kareem Hunt is a massive favorite at home Monday night against a Bucs D that allows over five yards per carry. … Chase Brown seems to have settled in the 12-15 touch range with limited production. Not great, though the Raiders loom as a higher touch spot that offers a touch ceiling. Zack Moss stubbornly clings to the ranks of FLEX for the last breath. … Javonte Williams it’s back on the water, and the Ravens’ elite is shaping up to be a nightmare matchup, with the Broncos serving as huge road dogs. … Jonathan Brooks (knee) is finally back for the Panthers. The last player worth evaluating for Carolina this season, Brooks won’t immediately claim the touchdown advantage Chuba Hubbardbut he could make it impossible for Hubbard to post RB2 numbers, especially since the Panthers are big home underdogs against a still-solid Saints defense. As for Brooks, you want him on your bench. It’s not on your list yet.

Travis Etienne returns from shoulder injury. What could it mean for Bigsby tank? Maybe less than you think, as the Jags are dealing with widespread injury carnage and the fact that the Eagles are probably better probed on the ground than through the air. I’ll leave Bigsby on the RB2/3 border, while classifying Etienne in the “Ekeler zone” as a likely change of pace. A wild card is whether the Jags want to show Etienne up for a potential trade. Then all bets are off. … Tyrone Tracy emerged as a full-blown star, but has no chance of getting concussion clearance in a short week. That leaves the discoloration Devin Singletary as an uninspiring touch-based RB3. … It seems that Rico Dowdle’Absent Week 9 with an illness was legitimate, as opposed to a “gentleman’s healthy scratch,” but the reasons to start him get less by the week. Week 9 managers looking for a desperate FLEX can at least point to the week’s leading game total in DAL/ATL. … It’s a good week for emergency spaces struggling for stand-alone value. Each of Tyler Allgeier, Braelon Allen and Emanuel Wilson they could see a lot more volume than usual with their offenses in places that require more run game volume.