Running Back Matchups to Target in Week 2 (2026) - Derrick Henry, Bhayshul Tuten, and More

September 19, 2026

Thunder Dan's favorite RB matchups to exploit for Week 2 of 2026 - DFS running backs to target on DraftKings and FanDuel. These RB matchups are GPP and cash game opportunities.

The main slate of Week 2 NFL games is rapidly approaching, and it's time to start figuring out which running backs we are going to lean on this week. These might just be some of the most important decisions you make for your lineups this week! We had a nice hit last week with D'Andre Swift rolling over Carolina as one of our featured runners, and he did so at relatively low rostership in DFS contests. Bucky Irving had a nice game, too, with a score on the ground and did a lot of damage as a receiver.

I'm breaking down DVOA data, offensive line metrics, and attempting to validate some of those matchups that pop at first glance, while perhaps also unearthing some sneaky good spots at the same time. Spoiler alert - you won't find me recommending Christian McCaffrey or Bijan Robinson this week. Why? Well, because they are some of the best players in the NFL and somewhat matchup-proof at this point. It's also just lazy analysis, because you already know they are good plays. Robinson will be the chalkiest back on the slate, as we saw the Bears run over Carolina in Week 1, and McCaffrey has a good spot, but perhaps also some workload concerns as the Niners seemed content to let Kaelon Black work in early and often.

So let's dig a little deeper, shall we? My goal in this weekly article is to highlight the best matchups for running backs on Sunday's main DFS slate. But these are also running backs you should smash into your season-long lineups and great candidates for prop bets, too. Let's get to it! Here are my top four matchups for Week 2.

Week 2 Running Back Matchups

Back for Week 2, these are my "Thunder Dan Matchup Grades," which incorporate data from both Pro Football Focus and the DVOA ratings found at FTN.

Remember, we are not evaluating the backs' elusiveness, explosiveness, or ability to break tackles. We are looking at the quality of their blockers, their offensive schemes, projected role and usage, and then finally taking an educated guess on the projected game script for each back this week.

This data is fresh from Week 1 of this season only, so we have to also take it with a grain of salt. Ideally, in these first few weeks, we should look at both last year's data and this season's small sample size to see who pops when we blend the two.

Derrick Henry ($7,200 DK, $8,700 FD)

Baltimore Ravens vs. New Orleans Saints

What else is there to say about Derrick Henry at this point? He looked like a 20-something out there last week, running around and over the Colts' defense on his way to 144 yards and two touchdowns (one of those was a receiving TD - a Henry rarity!)

The offensive line was a question mark coming into the season, as Baltimore lost their center, Tyler Linderbaum, to Las Vegas in free agency. But this unit looked fantastic in Week 1, highlighted by an impressive performance from rookie guard Vega Ioane.

Vega Ioane was the closest thing I saw to a Pro-Bowler in the rookie class Week 1. A few reps he'd want back in pass pro, but sheer dominance otherwise pic.twitter.com/2cau8PLgNY

— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) September 15, 2026

Baltimore checks in with our second-best grade, with only the Kenneth Walker III-led KC rushing attack ahead of them (and the Chiefs don't play on the main DFS slate Sunday).

Baltimore ran the ball more often than any team last season, and they didn't appear to change their identity in Jesse Minter's first game at the helm either.

With Zay Flowers looking doubtful this week, the Ravens may run even more against a Saints team that allowed Jahmyr Gibbs to run for 150 yards in the opener.

I know he doesn't catch passes like CMC or Bijan, but Henry is my top play at the position on both sites (including DraftKings and their PPR scoring). Lock him into cash games and don't be afraid to eat the chalk in tournaments, too.

D'Andre Swift ($6,300 DK, $7,100 FD)

Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings

The Bears check in at 10th in the matchup grades, but we don't have Kansas City, New York (Giants), Detroit, or Indianapolis on the main slate. They are also one of the few teams that have a green shaded box all the way across the page, which means they rate above average in all the various matchup sub-categories.

I am featuring Swift here, but it goes without saying that his backfield mate, Kyle Monangai, is also viable in this matchup. We saw the latter break off a huge run to put the Panthers away late in last week's game, and he's going to be a big part of this platoon this year.

But we have to give Swift his flowers; he ran wild for 124 yards and three touchdowns in the opener as the Chicago Bears' offensive line very quickly answered any questions about whether or not they'd be able to replace Drew Dalman and Ozzy Trapilo this season.

D'Andre Swift showing why he got that extension ‼️

CHIvsCAR on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/AiqMSBsMEJ

— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026

The Panthers were a smash matchup that we featured here last week, but the Vikings will surely be a bigger challenge. But Swift should get plenty of opportunities this week as the Bears offensive juggernaut sets their sights on their division rival at home.

Swift ran for 90 yards on 21 carries the last time he faced Minnesota, and he looked as dynamic in Week 1 as I've seen him at any point in his career thus far. The rumors out of camp were that he was in the best shape of his life, and it certainly appeared that way with how effective he was in their 59-point shellacking of Carolina.

One thing that Brian Flores' defenses have done a lot during his time in Minnesota is play a ton of Cover 2 (more than any other team), so don't be surprised if we see Swift grab a few more receptions than usual as the primary pass-catching back for Chicago, as those zone looks often lead to a lot more dump-offs in the soft flats.

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Bhayshul Tuten ($5,600 DK, $6,400 FD)

Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos

This one is arguably the sneakiest spot on the slate, as Tuten is projected for 5% rostership or less. I think he easily answered any questions about his workload in Week 1, as he out-touched Chris Rodriguez Jr. 16-6. His stat line doesn't leap off the page, but 66 yards rushing and another 22 yards receiving against a Browns defense that was a top-5 unit against the run last year has my attention.

Bhayshul Tuten (Week 1)

- 7 Runs of 15+ MPH (1st)
- 9 Missed Tackles (3rd)
- 65 Yards after Contact (10th) pic.twitter.com/JSCwyX5fRv

— Daniel Griffis (@DanDGriffis) September 16, 2026

Meanwhile, Denver got gashed by Kenneth Walker III for 173 yards in Week 1. And while Denver was a very good unit against the run last year, they certainly didn't look like it on Monday night as they were bullied by the Chiefs up front.

This is a bit of a litmus test for both sides. Are the Jags really that good, and is Denver really that bad (up front, that is, on the O-line)?

The PFF grades for the Jags' blockers were encouraging, and they have the third-best rating on the board this week (second-best on the main DFS slate).

If Tuten gets another 15-20 touches and finds the end zone this week, he's going to be a serious value in DFS. I already smashed his rushing yards prop at 49.5 yards; you should, too!

David Montgomery ($6,500 DK, $7,000 FD) 

Houston Texans vs. Cincinnati Bengals

We have to go pretty far down the list before we get to Monty, but Houston's matchup still grades out positively, despite a slightly below-average DVOA mark.

The Bengals defense benefitted a bit in Week 1 from a positive game script, as they got up early on the Bucs and then were able to create some turnovers with their pass rush. But Irving did average over five yards per carry when he did get a chance, and I am not really convinced that the Bengals, who ranked dead last against the run last year, have totally turned it around.

Make that 2️⃣ rushing TDs for David Montgomery!

BUFvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/LbxzaX23rH

— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026

Meanwhile, Monty went off for three touchdowns against Buffalo in Week 1, as it's already very clear that Houston views him as a lead back and workhorse. He was not efficient with his touches (20-60 rushing, 3-19 receiving), but it's a positive sign that the Houston O-line came away with a run-blocking grade of 63 after they were one of the worst units in the NFL last year.

This is a volume play to an extent, with Montgomery likely set to be a huge part of the attack this week, especially if Nico Collins doesn't end up going for Houston. He's still far too cheap for a 20+ touch role, and Woody Marks isn't about to steal more than maybe 25% of the touches from Monty this season.

Other Situations To Monitor

Javonte Williams is a strong back for cash contests this week, given his lack of competition for targets and touches. I think he'll be popular, and I'm fine using him as a third back in cash games behind Robinson and Henry. Dallas wants to run the ball; they just fell behind to the Giants last week.

But Williams' ability as a receiver makes him fairly "game-script-proof," and we saw Barkley break off some big runs last week against Washington, even if they did hold him out of the end zone.

Breece Hall has a nice outing in Week 1 and gets a Packers team that gave up some big gains to both Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones Sr. I think he's a compelling option for tournaments, especially if he's featured as a receiver more this week.

Ashton Jeanty was the Las Vegas offense in Week 1. It's a much tougher matchup this week against the Chargers, but his floor is high with all the targets in the passing game, which should continue for as long as Brock Bowers is out of the lineup.

Last but not least, Aaron Jones Sr. may have to handle as many touches as he can for Minnesota with Jordan Mason on IR. He's super cheap on both sites and has upside as a receiver. I don't think he's safe for cash games, but if that game with Chicago goes off, he could easily find the end zone a few times and end up in the optimal lineup!

Be greedy when others are fearful! Good luck and thanks for reading.

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