You would think after two months of football that we wouldn't have to go over so many backfields on a week-to-week basis. But many teams are still splitting up the work and there are always injuries in fantasy football that thrust players into more prominent roles.
We're going to see some of that after Week 8.
The New York Giants lost rookie RB Cam Skattebo to a dislocated ankle on Sunday vs. the Eagles and he was taken to a hospital for further evaluation. We don't have a concrete timeline for his return, but we can safely assume he'll miss action. That saw Tyrone Tracy Jr. return to the lead back role for the G-Men in a blowout loss to Philly. It wasn't the type of production we would have liked (53 total yards) but Tracy finished with double-digit touches (12). Devin Singletary may also be involved but expect Tracy to be the primary back and return RB2/flex value in most formats while Skattebo is out.
With that, let's look at some other key backfield splits from Week 8 and what to make of them for fantasy football.
New England Patriots
Just when we thought this backfield had been decided, they pull us back in. After Week 7, we had pretty much written off rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson and handed the Pats' RB1 crown to Rhamondre Stevenson for the rest of the season.
Not so fast! In Week 8 vs. the Browns, Henderson flipped the committee on its head and now things are back to being wide open. Or, at the very least, Henderson got himself back in the fantasy conversation.
The rookie finished with a team-high 75 rushing yards on 10 carries, his long run being 27 yards. He showed the type of explosiveness that we saw (and got excited about) during the preseason. We had seen flashes in the previous weeks this season but nothing consistent. This felt more consistent. And in a tough-ish matchup vs. the Browns defense. Stevenson had more touches at 15 but only totaled 49 yards. The veteran did get a few targets and one catch.
Henderson is back in the fold and if a manager dropped him in your league, he's worth targeting off the wire. Can you pick him up and instantly plug him into a lineup? Not necessarily; depends how desperate you are. However, we do see rookies get better as the season progresses. Perhaps Henderson will get there. Stevenson remains a risky RB2/solid flex option who should continue to see 10-15 touches per game.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers did not play competitive football in a 40-9 loss at home to the Bills. That plays a factor in how we view this backfield this week. But we saw a lot of the same despite a negative game script for the backs. We saw close to a split in terms of rushes for Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard on Sunday, with Dowdle getting eight and Hubbard reaching 12. But again, it was Dowdle who was more effective with 54 yards (6.8 ypc) while Hubbard had just 34 yards (2.8 ypc), though he found the end zone for his first TD of the season.
After a second week of this split, it really just confirms what we already knew. The Panthers are fine using both backs and Hubbard isn't going away simply because Dowdle has been more impactful when running the ball. Hubbard was targeted in the passing game, but it's difficult to rely on an offense led by Andy Dalton. Getting Bryce Young back will provide a slight bump. There will also be better matchups in the future.
Both Dowdle and Hubbard remain flex options that will likely be volatile moving forward. Because of how good Dowdle looks, you almost can't leave him out of a lineup in case he explodes. Hubbard could also have his injury pop back up. But we know Hubbard's status with the franchise means he will stay involved. This will cap both players' ceilings, but at least you know the floor is OK; not ideal, but despite the fantasy horrors, we persist.
Cleveland Browns
This is an interesting situation after rookie RB Quinshon Judkins left due to a shoulder injury vs. the Pats in Week 8. Now, the Browns were trailing big in the second half when the team announced the injury, so take that info with a grain of salt. It could have been a situation where, if the game were competitive, Judkins would be in there. It's still worth noting, though it's tough to gather any additional info on how this backfield might look with Judkins out. All we have is how the backfield was deployed earlier in the season. Plus, the Browns are going into their bye week in Week 9, so that extra time to rest should heal Judkins up.
Judkins finished with nine carries for 19 yards and three catches for -2 yards vs. New England. Jerome Ford had one catch for negative yardage. Dylan Sampson was heavily involved in the passing game with five catches on six targets for 29 yards. Sampson also had three carries but was stuffed for no yards.
If Judkins were to miss any time or be limited at all, it would seem Sampson is the one who would get an uptick in usage. The Browns could also split Sampson and Ford up since both have been used in the passing game. With Judkins out in Week 1, Sampson had 20 touches. He would be the RB to target off the waiver wire, while Ford also wouldn't be a bad add (just in case) in deeper formats.
Houston Texans
You almost wish you could ask DeMeco Ryans or the Texans' coaching staff after the game why they aren't just leading the backfield with rookie Woody Marks. It makes no sense as to why veteran Nick Chubb continues to eat up carries, but such is life. Marks had been quiet after that Week 4 breakout when he had 25.9 fantasy points on 100+ total yards and two TDs. But on Sunday vs. the Niners, he eclipsed 100 total yards for the second time this season, finishing with 111 (four catches) for 13.1 FP.
Still, Chubb outtouched Marks, 19-15, in the win over San Francisco. It's not feasible for Marks to get all those rushes (17) and see upward of 25-30 touches. But Chubb averaged 3.3 yards per carry and entered the week averaging 4.2 ypc on the season. Marks also just passes the eye test for a starting RB. He was making plays all over the field, including a 50-yard catch and run. Something's gotta give here.
My feeling is Marks will eventually take this backfield over but we also thought that would happen after Week 4. So Chubb will likely still eat into carries and vulture some TDs. Plus, while C.J. Stroud looked good vs. a depleted 49ers defense, he hasn't been consistent overall. If the offense continues to be stagnant, that doesn't bode well for either back being a weekly play. For now, both are considered risky flex options, but Marks does have matchup-tilting upside.
New York Jets
The Jets finally got in the win column in Week 8 vs. the Bengals. The game surprisingly turned into one of the more exciting/fantasy-friendly of the early window. Whatever adjustments or fire that was lit under Justin Fields worked. The run game also dominated with 37 attempts for 254 yards and two TDs. Breece Hall turned in his best game of the season with 18 carries for 133 yards and two TDs while adding two catches for 14 yards (31.86 fantasy points). But backup Isaiah Davis was also heavily involved with 12 total touches (five catches) for 109 yards, also adding a 2-point conversion for 16.2 FP.
With all the trade rumors swirling around Hall — it still feels like a stretch the Jets deal him — it makes Davis a very appealing stash for the second half of the fantasy season. We just saw Davis be productive even with Hall leading the way. Clearly, Davis is talented and is getting involved in the offense. If this Hall trade actually happens, Davis would become an RB2 the rest of the season. Braelon Allen may return some time in December but you'd think the season is completely lost by then. Stash Davis if you have the space and if a Hall deal goes down, reap the benefits.
