X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Running Backs Sending Out Warning Signals Going Into Week 7

It's no secret that the running back position has been a roller coaster ride thus far. That shouldn't even come as a real surprise anymore as it seems like we go through this every year between highly valued backs falling off and fresh faces breaking out.

Taking that idea one step further, it also feels like we've discussed virtually top tier rusher so far. That means we'll have to dive even further down the list to look at some players that should have been dependable second fiddles for fantasy teams but simply aren't producing.

You'll also likely notice that the "Updates From Last Week" section is a bit meatier than usual given how wonky things have been as of late. Hopefully that's somewhat of an anomaly but nevertheless, let's keep on rolling with this week's running backs.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Running Backs Sending Out Warning Signals

Eddie Lacy – RB, GB

Here's a name that kind of ended up on this list out of nowhere. Unless you're an Eddie Lacy owner with a losing record, he's basically been flying under the radar as a disappointing running back this year. I surprised myself when I started looking at some names this week and realized that not only is Lacy just 25th in rushing yards this year, but he also has just one rushing touchdown. That puts him tied for 38th in fantasy scoring among running backs, tied with Lamar Miller. So, strangely, here we are heading into Week 7 finally talking about Lacy's lack of production.

The most head-scratching part about Lacy landing on this week's Warning Signals is the fact that it's right after a game in which head coach Mike McCarthy stated he was "banged up." That'd be fine if it weren't for the fact that Lacy wasn't listed on the injury report. The Packers gave James Starks the start out of the backfield, and health aside, Starks looked like the better runner on Sunday. That's a huge problem someone who was presumed to be at full strength, especially for a guy that was drafted so highly.

Sunday's game essentially makes James Starks this week's top waiver add of the week, even with Green Bay heading into a bye. As it pertains to Lacy, his lack of production and the breakout performance from Starks is enough for me to view this as a potential timeshare. I wouldn't fully bail on Lacy just yet so you should still start him if you own him. Just monitor this situation accordingly as the two backs move forward. Lastly, some might view Lacy as a perfect buy-low candidate but honestly, with the Packers now saying they're going to ride the "hot hand" approach at the position, I think that'd be far too bold of a move to make. We're going to have to wait this one out a bit.

Alfred Morris – RB, WAS

Typically I would address a situation like this by listing the entire team's backfield but the problem with that approach is the fact that Matt Jones didn't even play this week. Alfred Morris should have had a solid game even against the New York Jets given that he'd be the primary back with Jones out. 11 rushes for 21 yards just isn't going to get it done as an RB2, especially considering the circumstances.

We're looking at a rare one-and-done analysis of a running back here as I honestly believe you can safely drop Alfred Morris without any major repercussions. He's yet to score a touchdown so far this season and outside of a big Week 1 with 121 yards, he hasn't even been all that dependable in terms of overall production. Besides, Matt Jones has actually looked like the more productive back when healthy anyway. At best, this is a timeshare when all guys are back to full strength. If I'm going to pick one Washington back to own it's Matt Jones given the upside. Sorry Alfred, it's been real, but your run as a dependable RB2 is officially over.

Carlos Hyde – RB, SF

I know we talked about Carlos Hyde once before so I apologize for the somewhat wishy-washy stance on the guy. The fact is, he's been so inconsistent this year that analyzing a player of his caliber is extremely different. Now, that's no excuse for not taking a hard stance on him going forward so here it is; you can forget about Carlos Hyde's dominant Week 1 outing and pencil him in as a low-end RB2 for the year. He simply hasn't been consistent enough to rely on as anything more than that as evidenced by him following up his great game in Week 5 with another clunker on Sunday.

I also understand the mindset that with so many backs off to worse starts than Hyde that it may be difficult to bench him. I'm by no means saying you should take him out of your lineup, just that he's turned into this polarizing player who people either view as top-10 potential or a flash in the pan. The reality is that he's neither. He's somewhere in the middle of those two viewpoints in that he'll have some other big outings at some point down the line while also stumbling around for some clunkers. That's OK for your RB2 as long as you aren't depending on him for more than that.

 

Updates From Last Week

Like I said earlier, this section is deeper than usual so here it goes...

Jeremy Hill – RB, CIN

This will be the last time I mention Jeremy Hill in this list, especially since I've already owned up and admitted I was wrong about him in last week's piece. Hill received the bulk of the work out of the Cincinnati backfield on Sunday so I still think he's the back you'd rather own. Again, this is going to remain a timeshare between him and Giovani Bernard with Hill having the edge. As long as you understand that as it pertains to both guys we're good to let this discussion be for the rest of the season.

C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman – RBs, DEN

Last week I had mentioned that the excellent matchup against a shoddy Cleveland run defense would be the perfect opportunity for Ronnie Hillman to outperform C.J. Anderson and that's exactly what happened. Hillman finished with 20 rushes for 111 yards as compared to Anderson's outing of 13 for 41. That's all I needed to see to officially rank Hillman ahead of Anderson for the rest of the year although I'd like to see Hillman string together a few solid weeks before calling him an automatic every week starter. The Browns are in fact terrible against the run so perhaps this is a one week wonder but either way, Anderson's days as a starter are now over so I can't even argue with you if you wanted to drop him entirely.

Melvin Gordon – RB, SD

I don't really having anything new to say about Melvin Gordon aside from mentioning that he was benched due to fumbling issues. That makes Branden Oliver an interesting speculative add going forward in the event that this team turns into a split backfield between the two. Chances are if you drafted Melvin Gordon as your RB2 you spent a pretty penny on him so I'm sure it's hard for you to bench him barring a hot pickup on the waiver wire. For me, I'll take my chances on someone else as my starter. I don't think there's any way you can drop Gordon, however. He's still worth hanging onto since the only other key player in this backfield, Danny Woodhead, is primarily used as a pass-catching back. Who knows, maybe Gordon will turn it around in the second half of the year but until that happens, he's not worth anything more than a bench stash at this point.

Lamar Miller – RB, MIA

The Dolphins were on a bye in Week 5 so Week 6 gave the Dolphins some extra time to adjust to the coaching change. The team had come out and said they would like to re-emphasize the ground game and that's exactly what they did. After seeing Lamar Miller go off for 113 yards and a touchdown, I think he's right back in the top-12 fantasy running back discussion. I'm a firm believer that this coaching change has replenished his fantasy value so breathe easy if you own Lamar Miller.

The Entire Detroit Lions Backfield – RBs, DET

This doesn't appear to be getting better any time soon folks so you can safely drop any and all Detroit running backs. If you're in a deeper league in need of a Hail Mary at the position, Ameer Abdullah is still the guy I prefer but in a 10 or 12-team league I can't imagine you have enough roster spots to consider holding onto him much longer.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Zach Hyman

Misses Start of Training Camp
Nick Paul

Out Until November
Kris Letang

Cleared for Training Camp
David Pastrnak

Out for Start of Training Camp
Matthew Tkachuk

Expected to Be Out Until December
NBA

Trevelin Queen Joins Chinese Team
Damian Lillard

Not Rushing His Return
NBA

Keon Johnson Waived by Nets
Justin Verlander

Plans to Pitch in 2026
Junior Caminero

Day-to-Day With Back Tightness
Will Smith

Won't Return When First Eligible
Tyler Soderstrom

Returns to A's Lineup
Tyler Warren

Sidelined on Wednesday with Toe Injury
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable for Week 3 Against Buffalo
Joe Burrow

Bengals Not Closing the Door on Joe Burrow Returning This Year
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Play Against Missouri?
Kyle Tucker

Progress has "Plateaued"
Isaac Paredes

has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
CFB

Kaidon Salter Expected To Start for Colorado on Saturday
Willson Contreras

Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Justin Fields

Ruled Out for Week 3 Due to Concussion
Jayden Reed

Out Indefinitely After Foot and Shoulder Surgery
Washington Commanders

Preston Smith Signs With Commanders
Trey Jemison III

Joins Knicks on Two-Way Contract
Kevin McCullar Jr.

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Knicks
Matt Ryan

Returns to Knicks on Exhibit 10 Contract
New York Knicks

Alex Len Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Expected to Take on Larger Offensive Role With Hawks
Thomas Sorber

Undergoes Surgery
Dominic Canzone

Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Cal Raleigh

Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Jayden Reed

Undergoes Clavicle and Foot Surgeries, Out for Foreseeable Future
Bo Bichette

to Miss Rest of Regular Season
Zach Neto

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hand Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Out on Tuesday, Dealing With "Significant" Ankle Sprain
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Place Aaron Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve With Hamstring Injury
CFB

Diego Pavia Refutes Report of Seeking Seventh Collegiate Season
Christian Kirk

Expected to Return in Week 3
CFB

Diego Pavia Seeking Another Year of Eligibility
Tarik Skubal

on Track to Start Thursday
CFB

Kevorian Barnes Questionable Against SMU
Bo Bichette

has Short-Term Knee Injury, Could Return for Postseason
Tosan Evbuomwan

Joins Knicks
NBA

Kai Jones Links Up With EuroLeague Team
Bismack Biyombo

Returns to Spurs
Bones Hyland

Rejoins Timberwolves
Kobe Bufkin

Moves to Brooklyn
Trey Yesavage

Sets Franchise Strikeout Record On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

To Receive MRI For Sprained Left Ankle On Tuesday
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Monday With Right-Biceps Tightness
Yordan Alvarez

Exits With Ankle Sprain
Brock Bowers

Officially Active on Monday Night
Jauan Jennings

Day-to-Day With Ankle Injury
Logan O'Hoppe

Activated Off Seven-Day Injured List
CBJ

Denton Mateychuk Dealing With Groin Issue
Bo Horvat

Fine for Training Camp
Kirby Dach

on Track to Be Ready for Opening Night
Jose Altuve

Returns Against Rangers
J.J. McCarthy

Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain
J.J. McCarthy

Likely Out for Week 3 With High-Ankle Sprain
Jean Silva

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Aaron Jones Sr.

Unlikely to Play in Week 3 Due to Hamstring Injury
Diego Lopes

Returns To The Win Column
Jayden Daniels

' Week 3 Status in Doubt
Rob Font

Outclassed In The Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
David Martinez

Wins His Second UFC Fight
Jared Gordon

Suffers Brutal TKO Loss At Noche UFC 3
Rafa Garcia

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dealing with Wrist Injury
Dustin Stoltzfus

Drops A Decision At Noche UFC 3
Kelvin Gastelum

Gets Back In The Win Column
Diego Ferreira

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Alexander Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak With A Brutal TKO
Quang Le

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Santiago Luna

Shines In His UFC Debut
Christopher Bell

Earns his First Bristol Cup Series Victory
Alex Bowman

Falls Short of Advancing Through Cup Series Playoffs
Chase Briscoe

Collects his Third Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Strong Top-Five Bristol Performance Advances him to the Playoffs
Corey Heim

Earns his First Career Cup Series Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Leads Greece to Bronze Medal
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Drops 28 Points in EuroBasket Finals
CFB

Indiana's Lee Beebe Jr. Out for Season with Knee Injury
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Named EuroBasket MVP
Bryce Eldridge

Giants to Promote Bryce Eldridge
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Progressing in Recovery
Jonathan Kuminga

Receives New Offer From Warriors
Kenneth Walker III

Bounces Back with Big Week 2 Performance
Bijan Robinson

Rushes for 143 Yards in Week 2
Justin Fields

Currently in Concussion Protocol
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Calling Around to Available Free-Agent Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow

to Undergo Surgery, Out at Least Three Months
Emil Heineman

Aiming to Take the "Next Step" This Season
Braeden Cootes

Good to Go for Camp
Ivan Fedotov

Blue Jackets Acquire Ivan Fedotov From Flyers
Quentin Grimes

Still Not Close to a New Contract Agreement
Joel Embiid

"Looking Slender, Spry and in Positive Spirits"
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Ivan Demidov

Turning Heads in Rookie Camp
NHL

Calvin de Haan Signs With Swedish Team
Samuel Girard

Skates With Non-Contact Jersey
Mackenzie Blackwood

Dealing With Injury Ahead of Training Camp
Spencer Knight

Signs Three-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Corey Perry

Out 6-8 Weeks Following Surgery
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dealing With a "Tweak"
BUF

Alexandar Georgiev Joins Sabres on One-Year Deal
Corey Perry

Injured During Pre-Camp Skate
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
CFB

Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
Jean Silva

A Favorite At Noche UFC 3
Diego Lopes

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Event
Rob Font

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
David Martinez

Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
Rafa Garcia

An Underdog At Noche UFC 3
Jared Gordon

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Kelvin Gastelum

In Dire Need Of Victory
Diego Ferreira

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP