RB Touches and Efficiency Breakdown - Week 8 Preview

by Kyle Richardson 10/27/18 6:18 PM Follow Kyle

Another week and more injuries at running back. For this week’s article, I’m going to focus on backfields that have had injuries or guys currently banged up and what value can be found in their replacements. Will they just be a bye-week fill in or will some of these newly crowned starters be viable starters the rest of the season.

This article is all about watching how a backfield is being used for every team. Snap counts are very useful, but I want to know what a player is doing when he has the ball in his hands. Anytime a running back gets a touch, what is being done with that touch?

Watching a trend with touches for running backs will not only let us know their usage for any given week or period, but how effective they are with the ball. High volume plus high effectiveness is always the best outcome. High volume with low effectiveness can be great and low volume with high effectiveness can be streaky at times. Let’s dive into our Week 8 preview.

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RB Touches and Efficiency Breakdown

Week 7 Report

Teams	Car	Rec	Total Touches	Total Yards	Yards Per Touch	%RB Touches	Week 1%	Week 2%	Week 3%	Week 4%	Week 5%	Week 6%	Week 7%
Arizona Cardinals
David Johnson	14	3	17	70	4.1	68%	64%	70%	76%	86%	95%	95%	68%
Yearly Total	106	20	126	503	4	79%
Chase Edmunds	5	3	8	21	2.6	32%	36%	30%	24%	14%	5%	5%	32%
Yearly Total	20	13	33	103	3.1	21%
Atlanta Falcons
Devonta Freeman	0	0	0	0	0	0%	47%	0%	0%	0%	43%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	14	5	19	91	4.8	11%
Tevin Coleman	11	2	13	82	6.3	59%	53%	69%	77%	63%	39%	46%	59%
Yearly Total	82	15	97	447	4.6	58%
Ito Smith	7	2	9	45	5	41%	0%	31%	23%	37%	17%	54%	41%
Yearly Total	39	11	50	213	4.3	30%
Baltimore Ravens
Keneth Dixon	0	0	0	0	0	0%	43%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	13	0	13	44	3.4	7%
Javorius Allen	3	3	6	24	4	27%	30%	48%	30%	46%	50%	12%	27%
Yearly Total	38	27	65	270	4.2	34%
Alex Collins	11	3	14	48	3.4	64%	27%	52%	70%	46%	46%	58%	64%
Yearly Total	87	12	99	396	4	52%
Gus Edwards	2	0	2	0	0	9%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	30%	9%
Yearly Total	12	0	12	42	3.5	6%
De'Lance Turner	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%	0%	0%	8%	4%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	1	2	3	21	7	2%
Buffalo Bills
LeSean McCoy	2	0	2	1	0.5	7%	47%	65%	0%	57%	65%	73%	7%
Yearly Total	63	13	76	331	4.4	42%
Marcus Murphy	4	5	9	70	7.8	30%	35%	20%	28%	0%	0%	0%	30%
Yearly Total	21	7	28	148	5.3	16%
Chris Ivory	16	3	19	106	5.6	63%	18%	15%	72%	43%	35%	27%	63%
Yearly Total	67	8	75	339	4.5	42%
Carolina Panthers
Christian McCaffrey	7	6	13	100	7.7	100%	67%	88%	88%	0%	81%	100%	100%
Yearly Total	78	40	118	687	5.8	86%
CJ Anderson	0	0	0	0	0	0%	29%	12%	9%	0%	15%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	16	1	17	108	6.4	12%
Alex Armah	0	0	0	0	0	0%	4%	0%	3%	0%	4%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	3	0	3	6	2	2%
Chicago Bears
Jordan Howard	12	1	13	48	3.7	48%	71%	77%	76%	34%	0%	48%	48%
Yearly Total	90	11	101	398	3.9	59%
Tarik Cohen	6	8	14	83	5.9	52%	29%	23%	24%	63%	0%	41%	52%
Yearly Total	38	29	67	512	7.6	39%
Benny Cunningham	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%	0%	0%	3%	0%	10%	0%
Yearly Total	4	0	4	8	2	2%
Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Mixon	13	3	16	51	3.2	80%	92%	69%	0%	0%	93%	100%	80%
Yearly Total	84	16	100	486	4.9	62%
Giovani Bernard	0	0	0	0	0	0%	8%	31%	100%	73%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	34	14	48	237	4.9	30%
Mark Walton	4	0	4	10	2.5	20%	0%	0%	0%	27%	7%	0%	20%
Yearly Total	9	4	13	50	3.8	8%
Cleveland Browns
Carlos Hyde	0	0	0	0	0	0%	79%	71%	81%	71%	65%	61%	0%
Yearly Total	114	4	118	397	3.4	63%
Duke Johnson	1	4	5	19	3.8	22%	21%	21%	13%	19%	23%	26%	22%
Yearly Total	20	18	38	293	7.7	20%
Nick Chubb	18	0	18	80	4.4	78%	0%	8%	6%	10%	12%	13%	78%
Yearly Total	31	0	31	232	7.5	17%
Dallas Cowboys
Ezekiel Elliott	15	2	17	42	2.5	100%	95%	88%	83%	78%	87%	76%	100%
Yearly Total	132	25	157	794	5.1	85%
Rod Smith	0	0	0	0	0	0%	5%	0%	0%	19%	10%	15%	0%
Yearly Total	15	1	16	41	2.6	9%
Tavon Austin	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%	12%	17%	3%	3%	9%	0%
Yearly Total	5	7	12	184	15.3	6%
Denver Broncos
Phillip Lindsay	14	1	15	96	6.4	52%	47%	56%	14%	58%	54%	43%	52%
Yearly Total	75	15	90	546	6.1	46%
Royce Freeman	13	0	13	37	2.8	45%	42%	30%	48%	33%	29%	39%	45%
Yearly Total	71	4	75	333	4.4	38%
Devontae Booker	0	1	1	-1	-1	3%	11%	11%	34%	8%	18%	17%	3%
Yearly Total	13	16	29	175	6	15%
Andy Janovich	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%	4%	3%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	1	1	2	13	6.5	1%
Detroit Lions
Theo Riddick	0	0	0	0	0	0%	5%	29%	8%	23%	16%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	8	23	31	168	5.4	18%
Kerryon Johnson	19	2	21	149	7.1	12%	5%	42%	46%	45%	45%	0%	12%
Yearly Total	69	15	84	503	6	47%
LeGarrette Blount	10	0	10	50	5	6%	2%	29%	46%	32%	39%	0%	6%
Yearly Total	57	3	60	194	3.2	34%
Ameer Abdullah	1	1	2	13	6.5	1%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	1%
Yearly Total	1	1	2	13	6.5	1%
Green Bay Packers
Jamaal Williams	Bye						12%	76%	29%	37%	36%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	53	7	60	234	3.9	50%
Ty Montgomery	Bye						4%	24%	42%	23%	23%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	20	13	33	244	7.4	27%
Aaron Jones	Bye						0%	0%	29%	40%	41%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	24	4	28	188	6.7	23%
Houston Texans
Lamar Miller	22	1	23	99	4.3	74%	81%	70%	75%	52%	0%	65%	74%
Yearly Total	95	11	106	449	4.2	59%
Alfred Blue	8	0	8	28	3.5	26%	19%	30%	25%	48%	100%	35%	26%
Yearly Total	64	11	75	310	4.1	41%
Indianapolis Colts
Jordan Wilkins	6	1	7	54	7.7	21%	59%	43%	44%	35%	27%	0%	21%
Yearly Total	50	10	60	262	4.4	32%
Nyheim Hines	5	1	6	42	7	18%	41%	18%	56%	57%	73%	22%	18%
Yearly Total	41	32	73	344	4.7	39%
Marlon Mack	19	2	21	159	7.6	62%	0%	39%	0%	0%	0%	57%	62%
Yearly Total	41	4	45	288	6.4	24%
Robert Turbin	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	22%	0%
Yearly Total	4	1	5	13	2.6	3%
Jeremy McNichols	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%	0%	0%	9%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	2	0	2	4	2	1%
Jacksonville Jaguars
T. J. Yeldon	12	5	17	68	4	89%	57%	55%	62%	58%	86%	65%	89%
Yearly Total	79	30	109	590	5.4	66%
Leonard Fournette	0	0	0	0	0	0%	40%	0%	0%	33%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	20	4	24	90	3.8	14%
Corey Grant	0	0	0	0	0	0%	3%	45%	33%	8%	5%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	13	9	22	107	4.9	13%
Brandon Wilds	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%	0%	5%	0%	10%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	3	0	3	11	3.7	2%
Jamaal Charles	1	1	2	4	2	11%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	35%	11%
Yearly Total	6	2	8	14	1.8	5%
Carlos Hyde	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%
Yearly Total	0	0	0	0	0	0%
David Williams	1	0	1	2	2	1%	0%
Yearly Total	1	0	1	2	2	1%
Kansas City Chiefs
Kareem Hunt	15	5	20	141	7.1	65%	80%	95%	86%	92%	88%	75%	65%
Yearly Total	118	15	133	768	5.8	82%
Spencer Ware	8	3	11	89	8.1	35%	20%	5%	14%	8%	8%	20%	35%
Yearly Total	18	9	27	195	7.2	17%
Damien Williams	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	4%	5%	0%
Yearly Total	2	0	2	2	1	1%
Los Angeles Chargers
Melvin Gordon	0	0	0	0	0	0%	71%	52%	71%	69%	77%	65%	0%
Yearly Total	91	30	121	745	6.2	61%
Austin Ekeler	12	5	17	68	4	85%	29%	48%	29%	31%	23%	23%	85%
Yearly Total	53	19	72	538	7.5	36%
Justin Jackson	2	1	3	14	4.7	15%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	13%	15%
Yearly Total	5	2	7	26	3.7	4%
Los Angeles Rams
Todd Gurley	15	4	19	86	4.5	58%	100%	65%	85%	100%	100%	86%	58%
Yearly Total	144	25	169	956	5.7	82%
Malcom Brown	13	1	14	71	5.1	42%	0%	35%	15%	0%	0%	14%	42%
Yearly Total	35	1	36	183	5.1	18%
Miami Dolphins
Kenyan Drake	6	4	10	87	8.7	48%	65%	60%	54%	22%	50%	52%	48%
Yearly Total	58	25	83	442	5.3	51%
Frank Gore	10	1	11	33	3	52%	35%	40%	46%	72%	46%	48%	52%
Yearly Total	72	5	77	389	5.1	48%
Kalen Ballage	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%	0%	0%	6%	4%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	2	0	2	5	2.5	1%
Minnesota Vikings
Dalvin Cook	0	0	0	0	0	0%	67%	76%	0%	67%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	36	9	45	205	4.6	31%
Latavius Murray	15	2	17	83	4.9	77%	33%	24%	70%	27%	68%	93%	77%
Yearly Total	69	12	81	407	5	57%
Mike Boone	4	0	4	4	1	18%	0%	0%	30%	0%	5%	4%	18%
Yearly Total	8	1	9	36	4	6%
Roc Thomas	1	0	1	23	23	5%	0%	0%	0%	7%	26%	4%	5%
Yearly Total	7	1	8	37	4.6	6%
New England Patriots
Rex Burkhead	0	0	0	0	0	0%	58%	21%	8%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	24	3	27	117	4.3	12%
James White	11	8	19	97	5.1	56%	27%	39%	29%	39%	39%	29%	56%
Yearly Total	40	45	85	569	6.7	37%
Sony Michel	4	1	5	35	7	15%	0%	39%	63%	61%	61%	63%	15%
Yearly Total	95	4	99	453	4.6	43%
Jeremy Hill	0	0	0	0	0	0%	15%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	4	1	5	31	6.2	2%
Kenjon Barner	10	0	10	36	3.6	29%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	8%	29%
Yearly Total	13	0	13	52	4	6%
New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara	17	2	19	75	3.9	11%	10%	68%	86%	83%	33%	0%	11%
Yearly Total	79	40	119	725	6.1	68%
Mike Gillislee	0	0	0	0	0	0%	2%	29%	8%	10%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	16	1	17	52	3.1	10%
Jonathan Williams	0	0	0	0	0	0%	1%	4%	6%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	3	1	4	1	0.3	2%
Mark Ingram	12	2	14	42	3	8%	0%	0%	0%	0%	67%	0%	8%
Yearly Total	28	4	32	115	3.6	18%
Dwayne Washington	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%	0%	0%	7%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	2	0	2	2	1	1%
New York Giants
Saquon Barkley	14	9	23	94	4.1	96%	80%	93%	73%	76%	100%	79%	96%
Yearly Total	98	49	147	905	6.2	84%
Jonathan Stewart	0	0	0	0	0	0%	8%	0%	7%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	4	0	4	16	4	2%
Wayne Gallman	0	0	0	0	0	0%	12%	7%	20%	24%	0%	21%	0%
Yearly Total	14	8	22	101	4.6	13%
Elijhaa Penny	1	0	1	2	2	4%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	4%
Yearly Total	1	0	1	2	2	1%
New York Jets
Bilal Powell	5	1	6	25	4.2	25%	43%	42%	44%	71%	56%	52%	25%
Yearly Total	80	11	91	453	5	47%
Isaiah Crowell	11	1	12	50	4.2	50%	33%	58%	56%	29%	44%	48%	50%
Yearly Total	81	9	90	528	5.9	46%
Trenton Cannon	2	4	6	73	12.2	25%	23%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	25%
Yearly Total	8	5	13	94	7.2	7%
Oakland Raiders
Jalen Richard s	Bye						42%	7%	16%	13%	35%	35%	0%
Yearly Total	11	31	42	285	6.8	24%
Marshawn Lynch	Bye						39%	67%	59%	72%	55%	62%	0%
Yearly Total	90	15	105	460	4.4	59%
Doug Martin	Bye						18%	27%	24%	16%	10%	4%	0%
Yearly Total	27	4	31	110	3.5	17%
Philadelphia Eagles
Jay Ajay	0	0	0	0	0	0%	52%	42%	0%	69%	60%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	45	5	50	204	4.1	29%
Darren Sproles	0	0	0	0	0	0%	31%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	5	4	9	32	3.6	5%
Corey Clement	8	2	10	22	2.2	48%	17%	58%	59%	0%	0%	42%	48%
Yearly Total	46	13	59	328	5.6	34%
Wendell Smallwood	9	2	11	37	3.4	52%	0%	0%	41%	31%	40%	58%	52%
Yearly Total	45	12	57	301	5.3	33%
Pittsburgh Steelers
James Conner	Bye						100%	87%	87%	100%	83%	96%	0%
Yearly Total	103	26	129	710	5.5	92%
Steven Ridley	Bye						0%	13%	13%	0%	17%	4%	0%
Yearly Total	10	1	11	35	3.2	8%
San Francisco 49ers
Alfred Morris	9	0	9	25	2.8	36%	50%	53%	48%	29%	58%	0%	36%
Yearly Total	71	6	77	319	4.1	41%
Matt Breida	5	0	5	15	3	20%	50%	47%	45%	71%	25%	54%	20%
Yearly Total	68	11	79	535	6.8	42%
Raheem Mostert	7	4	11	78	7.1	44%	0%	0%	7%	0%	17%	46%	44%
Yearly Total	25	6	31	182	5.9	17%
Seattle Seahawks
Rashaad Penny	Bye						52%	53%	8%	26%	0%	44%	0%
Yearly Total	38	6	44	197	4.5	26%
Chris Carson	Bye						48%	32%	92%	0%	59%	56%	0%
Yearly Total	78	6	84	413	4.9	49%
C.J. Procise	Bye						0%	16%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	0	3	3	22	7.3	2%
Mike Davis	Bye						0%	0%	0%	74%	41%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	33	6	39	199	5.1	23%
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Peyton Barber	11	0	11	30	2.7	50%	83%	65%	57%	42%	0%	100%	50%
Yearly Total	74	6	80	297	3.7	66%
Jacquizz Rodgers	3	1	4	19	4.8	18%	13%	31%	29%	0%	0%	0%	18%
Yearly Total	12	7	19	75	3.9	16%
Shaun Wilson	0	0	0	0	0	0%	4%	4%	14%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	2	2	4	24	6	3%
Ronald Jones	6	1	7	28	4	32%	0%	0%	0%	58%	0%	0%	32%
Yearly Total	16	2	18	56	3.1	15%
Tennessee Titans
Dion Lewis	13	6	19	155	8.2	56%	66%	45%	40%	57%	58%	47%	56%
Yearly Total	73	29	102	476	4.7	53%
Derrick Henry	12	2	14	65	4.6	41%	34%	55%	60%	43%	42%	53%	41%
Yearly Total	84	6	90	322	3.6	47%
David Fluellen	1	0	1	2	2	3%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	3%
Yearly Total	1	0	1	2	2	1%
Washington Redskins
Adrian Peterson	24	1	25	107	4.3	76%	67%	44%	68%	0%	25%	77%	76%
Yearly Total	101	8	109	582	5.3	60%
Chris Thompson	0	0	0	0	0	0%	26%	53%	25%	0%	58%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	23	26	49	300	6.1	27%
Rob Kelley	0	0	0	0	0	0%	7%	3%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Yearly Total	4	0	4	8	2	2%
Kapri Bibbs	2	4	6	43	7.2	18%	0%	0%	7%	0%	17%	14%	18%
Yearly Total	10	5	15	72	4.8	8%
Samaje Perine	2	0	2	2	1	6%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	9%	6%
Yearly Total	3	1	4	2	0.5	2%

Buffalo Bills

LeSean McCoy is currently in the concussion protocol and even though he’ll get an extra day to rest up since the Bills don’t play New England until Monday night, there is no guarantee he will be ready to go. The good news for the Bills, who don’t have many offensive weapons, is that Chris Ivory has been serviceable in his role this season.

After McCoy left the Bills Week 7 matchup with only two carries, Ivory stepped in with 16 carries, passing McCoy for the team lead this season. Ivory and McCoy both have a 42% touch share this season and Ivory is averaging 4.5 yards per touch compared to McCoy’s 4.4 yards per touch. The Patriots are currently giving up 19.07 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. Due to the lack of offensive weapons for the Bills, they must lean on the run game, even in a scenario where the Patriots may run away with the game. If McCoy is out and you need a running back this week, Ivory could be a flex play in PPR leagues.

Denver Broncos

Royce Freeman is going to miss some time with an ankle sprain and all of a sudden Devontae Booker has some fantasy relevance again. Phillip Lindsay has led the Broncos backfield with 46% of touches through seven weeks, so he will continue to be the lead back, but the Broncos still won’t want to increase his workload much.

Booker only has 29 touches this season, good for 15% of the touches. In that limited action though, Booker has averaged six yards per touch. The Broncos have a matchup with the Chiefs in Week 8, who is giving up 25.71 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, second worst in the league. There is a chance Booker could handle some pass-catching work in Week 8, making him a streaming option for deeper leagues. I wouldn’t fully bank on it though as it’s tough to trust a guy with less than 30 touches on the season.

Minnesota Vikings

It appears Dalvin Cook is going to be missing for a few more weeks so it’s time to fire up Latavius Murray, right? Maybe not this week. Murray averaged 4.9 yards on 17 touches last week, but this week he will be in the middle of an offensive shootout, playing a defense that can stuff the run. For as bad as the Saint have been containing opposing quarterbacks and wide receivers, they give up the third lowest points per game to running backs (12.70). If these two teams put up a lot of points, Murray probably won’t see enough volume to be a reliable play in Week 8.

New England Patriots

The promising rookie, Sony Michel, escaped disaster last week. What appeared to be a bad knee injury that could threaten his season turned out to be a scare that may only keep him out a few weeks. For the time being, Kenjon Barner will get some playing time but fantasy football owners don’t need to rush and grab him. James White will continue to be an RB2 with RB1 upside in PPR league and Barner may only see 10-15 touches a game. He would need to be extremely efficient to help return any value and it’s not worth the risk having him in your lineup. After Michel went out last week, Barner had 10 carries and 36 yards. Even if he was able to find the end zone once, those numbers won’t even be worthy in your flex. Look for higher upside options.

New York Jets

Isaiah Crowell takes over as the RB1 in New York after Bilal Powell saw his season come to an end with a neck injury. Crowell has been a roller coaster this season, but he is averaging 5.9 yards per touch, so the upside has been there every week. Unfortunately, the match with the Bears this week doesn’t look good for fantasy production. If you are in a pinch and need a guy, Crowell will see plenty of volume to potentially give you enough points to make it worthwhile. Want to get bold in PPR leagues?

Trenton Cannon had six touches for 73 yards last week and did much of his damage in the passing game. Cannon will more than likely serve as the pass-catching back again and if this game heads into a negative script for New York, Cannon could be the running back with the most points this week. If it’s a PPR league and you need a higher ceiling than what Crowell will offer, Cannon is a sneaky start for me in Week 8.

Oakland Raiders

This one is pretty cut and dry for me. Don’t trust Doug Martin. Oh, but Jon Gruden said Martin was poised to be the featured back? Yeah, that’s the same guy that traded Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper. Don’t trust him either. Play this one safe and run Jalen Richard out in PPR league. Richard has averaged 6.8 yards on 42 touches this season and has been featured the most in the passing game. Expect more of the same this Sunday.