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Zach analyzes the top fantasy football RB committees, looking for fantasy football RB breakouts heading into Week 8 (2026). Read his key takeaways about five RB committees.
Bye week season continues with four more teams getting a break in Week 8, while injuries also continue to mount, leaving many fantasy managers short-handed, especially in the backfield. All experienced fantasy managers know how important depth is, especially at running back. Thankfully, multiple players are sharing the workload in many teams' backfields, providing plenty of options to consider.
To help in preparation for the 14 games on the scoreboard in Week 8, let's take a look at how five key backfield situations with upside are playing out. Matchups, game flow, and injuries can impact who plays each week and for how long, with coaches always looking for a "hot hand" to ride. If you're also looking to add a running back who is trending up to your fantasy roster, check out the latest from each of these committees headed into Week 8.
What can we learn from the work distribution in Week 7, and how does it change our projections going forward? What follows are my breakdowns of the backfields in Minnesota, New England, Cleveland, Denver, and Green Bay. We've got lots to get to, so let's jump in!
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Vikings Committee: Jordan Mason's Return; Aaron Jones Sr.'s Exit
The Vikings are the NFL's last remaining undefeated team, relying on an elite defense and a sufficient offense. At the start of the year, the offense blended together Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason, but after just one week, Mason landed on IR with a small fracture in his thumb that required surgery.
Mason was activated from IR after the team's Week 6 bye week, and he stepped right back into a meaningful role, especially since Jones left the game with a knee injury in the fourth quarter. Jones' left knee injury is an MCL sprain that he previously sustained in Week 2, but is not expected to be significant, according to coach Kevin O'Connell.
If Jones misses any time, Mason will take over a huge workload and be a great option right away, including in Week 8 against the Lions. Mason played 64% of snaps in his return and took 15 carries for a solid 68 rushing yards but didn't catch either of his two targets. He isn't typically as involved in the passing game as Jones, so the team could rotate in a little more of DeeJay Dallas or Demond Claiborne if Jones misses a game or two.
Mason is a strong FLEX play regardless of Jones' status, and he'll be an RB2 with much more upside if Jones is out.
Barring an injury, I don't think the Vikings need to trade for a running back this year.
Not sure people realize how good Jordan Mason is. Career 5.0 YPC. Last year, among RBs with 100+ carries, he was 9th/49 in yards after contact per attempt. https://t.co/FmAbQrQazY
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) October 20, 2026
Jones had eight carries for 26 yards and just one catch for no yards. If he doesn't miss time, he is still a hard option to trust with Mason taking such a large portion of the work. At less than 100%, Jones is a high-risk FLEX play if available against the Lions in Week 8.
Patriots Committee: Rhamondre Stevenson Runnin' Good
The Patriots' offense had another strong showing in their Thursday Night Football loss to the Bears, 30-24. The ground game struggled to get much going, but Rhamondre Stevenson still had a big game. He only ran for 22 rushing yards on his six carries, but he went off for 93 receiving yards on his five catches, including a buzzer-beating touchdown at the end of the first half.
RHAMONDRE STEVENSON‼️
📺 Prime Video https://t.co/heXDiTFnzW
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 23, 2026
Stevenson played 69% of snaps and continues to be the primary fantasy option in New England, especially if he can get more production in the passing game. TreVeyon Henderson is playing through an ankle issue and logged 24% of snaps, while Corey Kiner picked up 11% of snaps. Henderson ran for only nine yards on his three carries and added 14 yards on his two receptions, while Kiner ran for 13 yards on his four carries.
As a team, the Patriots only had 17 carries compared to 31 passing plays, as the game script forced them to throw more as they tried to rally from behind. This week against the Dolphins, the Patriots are more likely to play from ahead, which should give them more opportunities to run the ball and lean more heavily on their three backs.
Stevenson is a solid RB2 at this point, while Henderson is a deep-league FLEX play with home run potential. If both those options are healthy, Kiner isn't likely to get enough work to be a fantasy play outside of extremely deep leagues. He is a grinder who can help kill the clock, but he doesn't add much in terms of PPR production, giving him a very low floor, even in a favorable matchup like this week's against the Dolphins.
Browns Committee: The Browns are Back in Town
The Browns lost Dylan Sampson to a knee injury in Week 1, and he landed on IR before he had a catch or a carry in the regular season. Raheim Sanders stepped up before sustaining a hip injury that landed him on IR after Week 5. At the time of their injuries, both of those backs were the primary backup behind Quinshon Judkins in the Browns' backfield.
While Judkins didn't end up on IR, he did miss Week 6 with an ankle injury, leaving Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin to share the work in the Browns' 13-10 win over Baltimore. In Week 7, though, order was restored to the backfield with Judkins returning and Sampson being activated from IR.
Judkins resumed his role as the primary early-down option, and he played 53% of snaps. He finished the game with two rushing touchdowns against the Titans and 17 carries for 96 rushing yards, while also adding an eight-yard reception.
Quinshon Judkins scores his second TD of the game 🗣️
CLEvsTEN on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/zPZMJdRhIF— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026
It was Judkins' best game of the season and established his role as a fantasy starter in favorable matchups, as he had against the Titans.
Sampson also had a very strong showing, playing 46% of snaps and excelling in his role in passing situations. He finished with six carries for 45 yards and added three catches on three targets for 32 receiving yards.
While it took a while for everyone to be healthy and available, the Judkins-Sampson duo was what the Browns planned on having this season, and it showed how effective it can be against the Titans.
Judkins is a strong RB2 in the next few weeks with a tough matchup against the Steelers followed by better matchups against the Saints and Texans before a Week 11 bye.
Sampson is a FLEX option in PPR leagues, and he should continue to mix in as a change-of-pace and passing-down option. In most leagues, he's a solid pickup if he is available on the waiver wire.
Broncos Committee: Triple Threat Pays Off
The Broncos added exciting rookie Jonah Coleman back to the rotation along with RJ Harvey and J.K. Dobbins. Coleman stepped up with a strong showing in Week 2, but then he spent four games on IR with an ankle injury. The three players all take away value from each other, but there is upside if the offense gets going.
In Week 7, the Broncos defeated the Cardinals convincingly, 30-16. QB Bo Nix actually led the team in rushing with 73 rushing yards thanks largely to a 62-yard touchdown run. Of the running backs, Coleman played the most snaps and led the team with nine carries for 54 yards and two catches for 15 yards.
He looked strong and ran well, and has the most upside of the three running backs.
The rookie Jonah Coleman making something out of nothing
DENvsAZ on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/wjeHrq6ZEi— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026
Harvey played 26% of snaps, while Dobbins played 23%. Harvey had three carries for six yards, but delivered a big fantasy game due to his two catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. Harvey's role as a third-down option will keep him as a FLEX option in deep leagues, especially if the game script calls for the Broncos to go pass-heavy.
Dobbins also had a touchdown, running for 23 yards on his six carries. He will be very touchdown-dependent in a reduced role, but he has found the end zone in three straight games. Dobbins does retain a little value since he's the top short-yardage option, but it's hard to rely on that going forward with his low yards-per-carry average.
All three backs do have value and should be owned in most leagues, but they are each tricky to trust in their uncertain role.
Packers Committee: Josh Jacobs' Strong Return
The Packers got Josh Jacobs back after a six-week absence on the Commissioner's Exempt list, and he stepped right into an important role, even though he did remain in a timeshare. After practicing for just a week, Jacobs played 52% of snaps against the Lions.
He wasn't quite as effective on the ground as he normally is, totaling only 36 yards on 11 rushes, but he still had a big fantasy game by catching five of his seven targets for 55 yards and this impressive touchdown in the third quarter.
Josh Jacobs gives the Packers the lead in the third quarter
GBvsDET on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/G752Vd6fFn— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026
Jacobs showed enough to be a starting option in all formats going forward as he gets up to speed, even though the Packers' run-blocking remains shaky.
When Jacobs was off the field in Week 7, MarShawn Lloyd played 36% of snaps, and Pierre Strong Jr. played 12%. Lloyd had 20 yards on his six carries and added two catches for 15 yards, while Strong did not have a catch or a carry.
The timeshare seems pretty clear going forward with Jacobs as the top option and Lloyd as a change-of-pace play. As Jacobs gets back to full speed, he'll get even more work, which will likely take any remaining value away from Lloyd and Strong, barring an injury or suspension.
Jacobs gets a great matchup in Week 8, taking on the Panthers, who have allowed the second-most fantasy points to the position this season. The run-blocking is concerning, but Jacobs showed enough spark in his return to be a good start in all formats in Week 8.
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