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NFL RB Power Rankings: Every Week 8 Starting Running Back From Worst to First
NFL RB Power Rankings: Every Week 8 Starting Running Back From Worst to First
As NFL depth charts continue to shuffle and player performances fluctuate, we examine the changing dynamic at the running back position across the NFL.
Our Week 8 starting running back power rankings evaluate every backfield, blending real NFL analysis and fantasy football outlooks for the upcoming slate of games.
No. 26 - Woody Marks, Houston Texans
Marks has taken over as the Texans’ running back, but it hasn’t exactly been an appealing sight. He has just 39 rushing yards on 17 carries over his last two games, and he only salvaged his Week 7 fantasy performance by scoring a touchdown. The rookie isn’t a very trustworthy fantasy option heading into a clash with the 49ers.
No. 25 - Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers’ interest in adding another running back has been well-documented. As they peruse the open market and wait for Omarion Hampton (ankle) to recover, they continue to lean on Vidal. He struggled in Week 7 but bounced back on Thursday night with 23 carries, 117 rushing yards, and a touchdown.
No. 24 - Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans
Pollard was one of the highest-volume workhorses at the start of the season, but Tyjae Spears’ return has drastically altered the dynamic of this backfield. Pollard has just 16 carries over his last two games. It’s hard to trust a low-efficiency running back handling roughly half of the snaps in one of the NFL’s worst offenses.
No. 23 - Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
Pacheco seems to have turned a corner and could be a potential riser in next week’s power rankings. He has 4.1 yards per carry this season and scored a touchdown while handling a season-high 15 rushing attempts last week. He could feast against a below-average Commanders defense in Week 8.
No. 22 - Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
Hubbard signed an extension with Carolina last offseason, but he has quickly slipped out of the workhorse role and into a committee with Rico Dowdle. Hubbard earned the start in Week 7 and played 54 percent of the snaps, but Dowdle was the more effective running back with 18 touches and 96 scrimmage yards. We’d rather start Dowdle over Hubbard against the Bills this Sunday.
No. 21 - Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings
Jones returned from a hamstring injury in Week 8 and immediately led the backfield in volume. He played 53 percent of the snaps while Jordan Mason saw his snap share drop to 35 percent. The veteran running back mustered just 15 rushing yards on five carries, but he could take a step forward if J.J. McCarthy is reinstated as the starting quarterback in Week 9.
No. 20 - Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders
Croskey-Merritt remains the primary ball-carrier in a timeshare with Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez. He has played fewer than 50 percent of the offensive snaps in all but one game this season. The rookie has struggled with ball security and isn’t a featured pass catcher, but he runs the ball well and shows burst on the ground. Unfortunately, a negative game script in Week 8 will work against him.
No. 19 - Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
Every week, we hear that Tre’Veyon Henderson is going to get more touches. And every week, Stevenson maintains control of the lead-back role in New England. In fact, his role only seems to be growing after he handled a season-high 75 percent snap share and 18 rushing attempts last Sunday. His efficiency could be scaled back this week against a strong Browns run defense.
No. 18 - Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Brown had his best game of the season in Week 7, rushing for a season-high 108 rushing yards. He carried the ball 11 times, which isn’t a very high mark, but it does represent his highest total since Week 2. Things are trending up for Brown and the Bengals’ offense as a whole now that Joe Flacco is quarterbacking the unit. The 25-year-old running back is in a great position to bounce back against a struggling Jets team.
No. 17 - Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
An expected split between Warren and Kenneth Gainwell in Week 7 ultimately turned into a heavy dose of Warren. He had his best fantasy performance of the season, totaling 127 rushing and 31 receiving yards. As long as Warren remains the workhorse running back in Pittsburgh, he’s not only a top-18 starting running back, but he’s trending up, too.
No. 16 - J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos
Dobbins has a firm hold of the lead-back role in Denver, fending off rookie RJ Harvey. The 26-year-old isn’t much of a pass catcher, but he’s been effective on the ground with 5.0 yards per carry. The Broncos like to throw the ball, so Dobbins’ volume hasn’t been super high. However, when he has the ball in his hands, he’s a threat to make something happen.
No. 15 - Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
Kamara’s workload and productivity have both declined over the last few weeks, but he could bounce back in Week 8 with Kendre Miller (knee) done for the year and no longer a threat to steal his touches. The veteran dual-threat back has maintained a sizable role in the passing game, especially with New Orleans frequently throwing the football while playing from behind.
No. 14 - D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
Swift has been a pleasant surprise, taking advantage of his lead-back role in a Ben Johnson-led offense. The 26-year-old is the overall RB12 in PPR leagues, totaling 419 rushing yards, 166 receiving yards, and four touchdowns so far. Fantasy managers should be excited about Swift’s ceiling this week against a Ravens defense that has struggled to contain the run.
No. 13 - Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
White will earn his fourth consecutive start with Bucky Irving (foot, shoulder) sidelined once again. The 26-year-old is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry as the starter, but he’s carved out a very significant role in the passing game with 11 catches during the three-game span. White played an NFL-most 90 percent of the offensive snaps in Week 7, and he should maintain a similar high-volume role in a very favorable matchup against the Saints this Sunday.
No. 12 - Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
Skattebo has maintained the lead-back role even after Tyrone Tracy Jr. returned from injury. The rookie is the overall RB8 in PPR leagues so far, and he has averaged 22 touches per contest over his last four games. He scored three touchdowns on 19 carries against the Eagles two weeks ago, sparking plenty of optimism about his outlook for Week 8 against the same Philadelphia squad.
No. 11 - Breece Hall, New York Jets
Hall’s upside continues to be on display, but his talent has been wasted so far this season in a historically bad Jets offense. He has 4.53 yards per carry and is still looking for his first touchdown of the year. His scoreless streak may continue in Week 8 against the Bengals, regardless of whether the Jets start Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor at quarterback. Perhaps the only way for Hall to reach his full potential would be a trade to a contender.
No. 10 - Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys
Williams is enjoying a career resurgence in Dallas, ranking as the overall RB6 in PPR leagues. He’s averaging a phenomenal 5.33 yards per carry and has already scored a career-high seven touchdowns through just seven weeks. Williams has full control of the lead-back role in Dallas, fending off rookie Jaydon Blue. He’ll look to build on his strong 2025 campaign in a revenge game scenario against the Broncos this week.
No. 9 - Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
Henry endured a rough stretch of games earlier in the season, but he seemed to turn a corner with 24 carries and 122 rushing yards in Week 6. The whole Ravens’ offense is trending in the right direction with Lamar Jackson (hamstring) expected back this week. That’s good news for Henry, who will benefit from his quarterback’s return and should rank as a solid RB1 in fantasy football.
No. 8 - Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
All those offseason fears about Barkley regressing have come to fruition. The Eagles’ running back has seen his volume and efficiency decline significantly. Some of this can be attributed to Philadelphia’s offensive struggles, but a lot of it falls back on Barkley, whose legs may not be as fresh after handling 378 touches last year. His upside keeps him at No. 8 for now, but a subpar outing against the Giants could drop him outside the top 10.
No. 7 - Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns
Judkins has been even better than advertised, ranking as the overall RB15 in PPR leagues. He’s averaging 88.2 scrimmage yards and 0.8 touchdowns per game, which are impressive numbers for a running back in a struggling Browns offense. He’s coming off a three-touchdown performance against the Dolphins, but could take a step back against a much stronger Patriots run defense in Week 8.
No. 6 - De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
Achane has been the lone bright spot in Miami’s otherwise abysmal offense. He’s the overall RB5 in PPR leagues so far, amassing 472 rushing yards, 32 catches, 211 receiving yards, and six total touchdowns. He has proven that he can power through difficult matchups, which is a good sign for his Week 8 outlook against a strong Falcons run defense.
No. 5 - James Cook, Buffalo Bills
Last week’s bye came at a great time for Cook, who had 4.3 yards per carry, zero receptions, and zero touchdowns over his two previous outings. The rejuvenated 26-year-old has a great chance to get back on track this week against the Panthers. We fully expect Cook to return to his pre-Week 5 form, which saw him average 122.5 scrimmage yards and 1.3 touchdowns per game.
No. 4 - Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
Jacobs has been impressive through his first six games this season, ranking as the overall RB7 in PPR leagues despite having his Week 7 workload reduced due to illness and injury. He’s primed to feast against a Steelers defense that most recently surrendered 108 rushing yards (9.8 YPC) to Chase Brown.
No. 3 - Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Taylor has drastically exceeded expectations so far, totaling 697 rushing yards, 185 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns while ranking as the overall RB2 in PPR leagues. He has been a massive end-zone threat, scoring three touchdowns in three different games. Taylor has shown that he can thrive regardless of matchup, but we’re still extra excited to watch him feast this week against a subpar Titans run defense.
No. 2 - Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Robinson has been excellent this season, as expected. He ranks as the overall RB3 in PPR leagues with 524 rushing yards, 390 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. The 23-year-old carries the Falcons’ offense, though we’d like to see him accrue some more trips to the end zone. That could happen this week against the Dolphins, who have been poor against the run and surrendered three touchdowns to Quinshon Judkins last week.
No. 1 - Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
McCaffrey was a somewhat risky pick in the first round of fantasy drafts this year, but he has erased any sort of skepticism with his elite start to the season. He is the overall RB1 with a heavy involvement in the passing game so far (53 catches, 516 receiving yards). As long as the 29-year-old stays healthy, he’s the heavy favorite to finish 2025 as the top non-quarterback fantasy scorer.
