RADIO
Matt's running back (RB) fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks for Week 7 of 2026. His RB lineups advice for Week 7 fantasy football start/sit decisions.
Bucky Irving's Week 7 fantasy production should look a lot more like his Week 5 explosion than last week's frustrating performance. Don't let 46 rushing yards against Pittsburgh fool you. Irving's workload is trending in the right direction, his snap share is climbing, and a date with a Carolina Panthers defense that surrenders 23.3 fantasy points per game to running backs sets him up for a serious bounce-back. He's a prime candidate to remind fantasy managers why they trusted him in the first place.
But we're not just talking about the obvious starts this week. I've got a spicy sit recommendation that might make Jonathan Taylor managers want to throw something at their screens. The Colts' superstar has been a fantasy wrecking ball, but Minnesota's defense is a different animal, and the matchup demands a closer look.
Let's break down the running backs ready to deliver, the stars worth tempering expectations on, and the Week 7 decisions that could swing your fantasy matchup.
Bookmark our updated and revamped fantasy football rankings portal for all league formats!PPR rankings | Half-PPR rankings | Standard rankings | Rookie rankings | Superflex rankings | Dynasty rankings | Who To Start? | Injuries | Matchup Ratings | Strength of Schedule
Week 7 - Potential Fantasy Football Booms
Bucky Irving - RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are allowing 23.3 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs this season, putting Irving in a prime position for a huge Week 7 bounce-back.
Against the Steelers last week, the production wasn’t great: 46 rushing yards, but the volume was something fantasy managers should be getting excited about. Forget the lack of efficiency; 19 carries and two receptions is something you can work with in a favorable matchup. Irving's 85% snap share, 76% rush share, and nearly 64% route share in Week 6 were all season highs.
Bucky Irving out and running!
@TBvsDAL on Prime Video
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/tLym5RtEYd— NFL (@NFL) October 9, 2026
Irving is only a couple of weeks removed from that 21-carry, 165-yard rushing performance against the Cowboys, which showed that with the volume, he can capitalize on matchups against inferior run defenses like the one he faces this week in the Panthers.
Of Note: Irving received an inside-the-10 opportunity in the recent usage split, while Sean Tucker’s quad injury could keep him from reclaiming short-yardage and goal-line work. That would materially raise Irving’s touchdown equity. Tampa Bay described Irving as explosive and emphasized getting him into space and to the second level, which shows that they are willing to commit to him and the run game moving forward.
Last week, Dameon Pierce dropped 15 fantasy points playing behind a makeshift Eagles offensive line. Pierce's production should be Irving's floor this week.
Aaron Jones Sr. - RB, Minnesota Vikings vs Indianapolis Colts
Jordan Mason is expected back now that the Vikings return from their bye, but that shouldn’t stop you from plugging Aaron Jones into your lineups this week against the Indianapolis Colts. Indianapolis is allowing 22.0 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, the sixth-most this season.
Aaron Jones runs it in and puts the Vikings out in front 🔥
@MINvsNO on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/O0wqkr3LTP— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2026
In five contests, Jones has run for 410 yards and added 12 receptions for 72 yards. That puts him at 96.4 scrimmage yards per game and 14 fantasy points per game, which ranks him RB18. Not bad for a back drafted as an RB3 or flex option in April.
Mason’s return will hurt Jones’ value somewhat, but the matchup against the Colts is too good to ignore. Expect Jones to remain the featured back, at least this week, as Mason gets acclimated to the Vikings' offense again, which has been performing well lately.
Jones has recorded 10 or more fantasy points in all five contests this season and 14 or more in each of the last three games. Start Jones over fringe RB2s and most flex options, especially in PPR. I’d bench him only for a clearly safer back with a locked-in workload. If Mason is fully active and Jones is listed as limited, downgrade Jones toward the RB3/flex range.
Kyren Williams - RB, Los Angeles Rams at Las Vegas Raiders
When a running back casually drops the “I couldn't tell you, bro, probably because I'm not out there.” Line after being asked why the energy has been up and down from drive to drive, you have to think the squeaky wheel is about to get greased.
While Williams saw a 19% target share and a snap share north of 70%, Williams saw the lowest rush share since Week 2 at 50%. Once again, fantasy managers are being threatened with more Blake Corum, which has the opposite effect of more cowbell.
This isn't the split Williams managers signed up for, but it's the one Corum managers have been hoping for the last two seasons. In that Week 6 contest, the breakdown was as follows. Williams: 71% snaps, 10 carries, 18 routes, six targets (67 yds), while Corum saw 29% snaps, nine carries, five routes, and two targets (60 yds, TD).
So why Williams this week if the splits are dangerously close? Beyond the frustration Williams shared with the media after the game, the matchup against the Raiders can certainly make a running back feel good about himself. Heading into this contest, the Raiders are allowing 21.7 fantasy points per game to the position, the seventh-most, which should bode well for Williams as he looks to reassert himself as an RB1 this week.
Week 7 - Potential Fantasy Football Busts
Jonathan Taylor - RB, Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings
This is perhaps a bit of a hot take, but Taylor is a sit for me this week- well, at least a temper your expectations candidate. Taylor enters the contest against the Vikings as the RB4 this season, averaging 19.8 fantasy points per game and having produced four games with 20 or more fantasy points.
So why sit Taylor? While he has 20-plus fantasy points on four occasions, he has also failed to finish top 12 on two occasions and faces a Vikings defense that is yielding a league-low 10.6 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. Minnesota is allowing just 86.6 rushing yards per game this season, the fifth-fewest, along with two rushing scores; only the Browns have allowed fewer rushing touchdowns.
It's also a little-known fact that before last week, Taylor had been averaging 3.9 yards per carry. Taylor has never finished below 4.3 yards per carry. It may be something, or it may not. You be the judge. He has the third-highest yards before contact per attempt of his career but the worst yards after contact per carry of his career at only 1.67.
Taylor can certainly be the outlier for fantasy backs against Minnesota, but they held Irving and D'Andre Swift to fewer than 50 rushing yards, so they have found ways to contain some good running backs early on.
Minnesota is no joke on defense, ranking in the top three in points per game allowed (12.8), touchdowns allowed (five), opponents' third-down percentage (22.1%), and opponent red zone percentage (27.3), while also forcing 10 takeaways and 17 sacks.
Tony Pollard - RB, Tennessee Titans vs Cleveland Browns
While the low implied total could keep the game script neutral, Tony Pollard's upside is limited. While Cleveland has allowed 112.3 rushing yards per game this season, they are the definition of a bend, but do not break run defense. Thanks to that single rushing score, the Browns have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the position, conceding 14.2 per game.
First down and more for Tony Pollard!
TENvsIND on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/Oa9kQ7EL5Q— NFL (@NFL) October 18, 2026
That’s not great news, since Pollard has only one path to fantasy relevance: his receiving involvement is thin. Pollard has only four receptions on 10 targets over six games, and Tyjae Spears continues to handle most of the third-down and two-minute work. That limits Pollard’s comeback value if Tennessee trails.
Pollard's recent fantasy output has been modest. In the latest game, he had 19 carries for 76 yards but no receptions or touchdown, finishing with 7.6 PPR points. He has scored only once this season. If that’s not enough of a red flag, the backfield is still split. Pollard leads the rushing work, but his latest usage was only a 56% opportunity share, with limited third-down and inside-the-10 involvement.
Chuba Hubbard - RB, Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay has disrespected running backs all season. Only the Jacksonville Jaguars allow fewer rushing yards per game than the 75.5 rushing yards the Jaguars allow. That rushing futility comes with fantasy dominance, as the Buccaneers allow the sixth-fewest fantasy points at 14.4 per contest.
It’s hard to sit Hubbard in a game script that should stay positive or neutral at worst. Still, the Buccaneers have done a good job limiting running back efficiency this season, which creates volatility as Hubbard's path to a successful fantasy outing comes down to whether he can find the end zone.
That is entirely possible, as no other Panthers back has carried the ball inside the 10-yard line since Jonathon Brooks got injured. The volume will be there; the opportunities should present themselves, but Tampa is as good as any in the league against the run, which is concerning.
Who Should I Draft Fantasy Football Tool
Read more about the free Who Should I Draft tool here.
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to draft...
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Draft? button to see who the recommended draft picks are based on fantasy football rankings, projections, and more.
Improvements For Who Should I Draft? You may have noticed our Who Should I Draft? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your 2026 fantasy football drafts. You'll see NFL player tiles with bye weeks, stats, and projections, ADPs, strength of schedule, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their preseason fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research and updates them constantly throughout the preseason. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Draft
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Draft tool for 2026 drafts for Bucky Irving, Aaron Jones Sr., Kyren Williams, Jonathan Taylor, Tony Pollard, and Chuba Hubbard:
More Fantasy Football Analysis
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
