Top 10 Running Back Studs - Best Fantasy Football RB Performances from Week 6

October 17, 2022

Running back rankings for half-PPR fantasy points scored in Week 6. Kyle reacts to the best fantasy football RB performances and projects them moving forward.

Week 6 of the NFL continued to surprise as the No. 1 RB on the week likely wasn't even on many fantasy rosters just two weeks ago. Rhamondre Stevenson had a monster performance against the Browns on Sunday and tied for the top spot on the week. Cam Akers was left out of the Rams lineup on Sunday and could be headed for a new home. Is it possible we might see Christian McCaffrey traded soon as well?

2022 continues to be the down year of the fantasy running back. Excluding MNF, just two RBs went over 20 fantasy points in half PPR formats for Week 6. While some familiar faces popped back into the top 10, the RB10 on the week had just 15.1 fantasy points. Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker III look like they could be mainstays in the RB top 10 for years to come. Could we be seeing a changing of the guard with how well the rookie RBs including Dameon Pierce have been playing so far this season?

Here are the Top 10 running back from Week 6 (excluding MNF) based on fantasy points scored in half-PPR formats. Make sure to bookmark our live fantasy football scoreboard so you can see all the live scoring and top fantasy football performances each week, during the games, and afterward as well.

Top 10 Running Backs - Fantasy Football Week 6

Here are the top 10 running back from Week 6 of the NFL season in half-PPR scoring:

T-1. Rhamondre Stevenson

A player many had as their top running back of the week in DFS, Stevenson did anything but disappoint against the Browns' defense on Sunday. Cleveland has played against the likes of Mayfield, Flacco, Trubsky, Mariota, Zappe in 5 of their 6 games and the Browns are just a disappointing 2-4. Before the game, their defense ranked 29th in yards allowed, 27th in points, and 32nd in opposing rushing yards, and fantasy players against Joe Woods' defense are becoming must-starts every week.

Damien Harris tweaked his hamstring last week, which opened up the door for Stevenson to have himself a big game. The bruising tailback rushed 19 times for 76 yards and 2 TDs while catching 4 passes for 15 yards. Rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe threw for 309 and the Patriots have scratched and clawed their way back to 3-3 and quarterback Mac Jones is expected to return soon. Stevenson has looked as good as many fantasy managers who drafted him had hoped, but we know how difficult Bill Belichick and the Patriots can be when it comes to running backs for fantasy purposes.

In the next 3 weeks, the Pats play the Bears, Jets, and Colts before heading into a bye. Given how we know hamstring injuries can be re-aggravated, it is not likely Damien Harris makes it back into the lineup until after the bye week when they play the Vikings on Thanksgiving night. We should be viewing Stevenson as a Top 10 RB over the next three weeks and he is making the case to be the Pats' starting RB for 2023 and beyond as Harris is a free agent heading into the offseason.

T-1. Deon Jackson

With Jonathan Taylor and Ny'Heim Hines sidelined for Week 6's contest, the undrafted rookie from Duke saw plenty of work on Sunday where he touched the ball 22 times and played 67 percent of the Colts' offensive snaps in a 34-27 thriller against the rival Jacksonville Jaguars. It wasn't exactly pretty on the stat sheet, but Jackson rushed 12 times for 42 yards and a TD while he caught all 10 of his targets for 79 yards, which would have likely gone to Hines had he played.

Credit to embattled head coach Frank Reich who has brought the team back from adversity and has them atop of the AFC South with a 3-2-1 record. The Colts' offense has looked anything but pleasing from an aesthetical perspective, but you have to admire their grit and determination to continue the fight. The Colts play the Titans next Sunday followed by the Commanders and Patriots. Deon Jackson is worth a stash in deeper leagues and in dynasty, but he doesn't have much fantasy value going forward this season as long as Taylor and Hines are healthy. Be sure to keep the status of Taylor and Hines on your radar this week.

3. Christian McCaffrey

Even with his team severely outnumbered on Sunday in what was a must-win for their opponents, Christian McCaffrey flashed his usual brilliance after rushing 13 times for 69 yards while catching 7 passes for 89 yards. While he didn't find the end zone, CMC still finished as a top 3 RB on the week. He is such a cheat code for fantasy due to his incredible abilities as a receiver out of the backfield.

Former head coach Matt Rhule was dismissed after the Panthers' Week 5 loss and there has been some talk of McCaffrey possibly being traded, which would likely only positively impact his fantasy value as the Panthers are currently near the bottom of the league in scoring. If you are rostering McCaffrey a trade from the Panthers should be welcomed at this point as his incredibly high snap share is the only positive that has been coming from his time in Carolina.

CMC has the highest fantasy ceiling of any running back outside of Saquon Barkley. He is in your lineup every week regardless of the matchup or situation.

4. Kenyan Drake

Oh, J.K. Dobbins, where art thou? On Sunday, Dobbins had just 7 carries for 15 yards and Kenyan Drake became the star of the Ravens' running game rushing 10 times for 119 yards and a TD while catching 1 pass for 8 yards. The Ravens' offense has been sputtering a little bit in recent weeks and their record has now fallen to 3-3. What's concerning is how Dobbins played just 26 percent of the team's offensive snaps on Sunday.

Dobbins was held out of the second half of the contest as his knee tightened up. While his limited usage so far this season has been incredibly frustrating to fantasy managers, it's easy to forget just how devastating of a knee injury Dobbins suffered last season as it was reported that he tore his ACL, MCL, and PCL. We honestly can't blame the Ravens for being overcautious with his usage so far this season even if it hasn't been great for fantasy. Baltimore needs him healthy come December and they look to make another playoff push.

Drake had a 30-yard touchdown run in the second quarter of the contest and looked good on Sunday. While he did have a good game, we need to see more from Drake before he is regularly in your lineups. However, the Ravens play a Browns defense that has been gashed on the ground so far this season. If Dobbins were to miss time, Drake would be in your lineups without question.

T-5. Breece Hall

An incredible talent who keeps getting better each week, Breece Hall is about to win plenty of fantasy managers leagues this year, Hall has completely taken over the Jets backfield in recent weeks and is one of the most enjoyable running backs to watch in recent memory. On Sunday, Hall rushed 20 times for 116 yards and a TD while having 2 short receptions for a total of 5 yards. In the last 3 games, Hall has also played over 67 percent of the team's offensive snaps after largely playing less than Michael Carter in the first 3 games of the season.

Hall is the RB5 on the season in half-PPR formats and the RB9 in half-PPR formats on a point-per-game basis as sometimes overall fantasy rankings can be misleading for players who have missed time with injuries. The second-round rookie running back went over 100 yards for the first time this season as the Jets defeated the Packers 27-10. Hall has been just as effective through the air so far this season as he has 19 receptions for 218 yards and a TD. As we know, the guaranteed receiving work is what separates the truly elite fantasy running backs from the good ones. Since Hall is receiving the majority of the snaps and seeing the receiving work he has a much safer weekly floor due to being game-script-proof.

He is an early Rookie of the Year candidate and Jets fans everywhere have to be thrilled with their 4-2 start to the season. One thing about this Jets offense is that General Manager Joe Douglas has stocked it with such a cavalcade of serious weaponry it would probably make a rural Montana militia blush. If Zach Wilson can continue to develop and not turn the ball over this Jets offense is going to be a difficult one to stop. Breece Hall should be viewed as an RB1 and arguably a top-5 RB for the rest of the season.

T-5. Leonard Fournette

One of the most consistent fantasy players so far this season, Uncle Lenny continues to produce each week. While it hasn't always looked pretty during the game and even on the stat sheet as well, Fournette is playing the bulk of the offensive snaps and producing for fantasy in a similar fashion to Najee Harris in 2021. On Sunday, Fournette rushed 21 times for just 63 yards, but he added 6 receptions for 38 yards and a TD, which vaulted him into the top 5 on the week.

As I mentioned earlier this season, as much as people have been expecting Rachaad White to supplant Fournette, it simply hasn't happened, and in large part due to Tom Brady. While the Bucs have been struggling so far this year and currently sit at a record of 3-3, Fournette has played nearly 77 percent of the team's offensive snaps! When a running back is playing that much every week it is going to be hard for them to be a bust for fantasy just based on sheer volume alone. While the majority of the backfields in the NFL tend to feature two-backs nowadays, there are still exceptions like the one currently in Tampa.

Fournette should be viewed as a low-end RB1 and a must-start every week for your fantasy lineup. In the next three weeks, the Bucs play the Panthers, Ravens, and Rams. Be sure to keep an eye on Uncle Lenny's health as he has popped up on the injury reports a few times this season, but luckily it was nothing major. The Rachaad White takeover that many were expecting simply hasn't happened.

7. Kenneth Walker III

One of my favorite rookies heading into the 2022 season, many fantasy managers were justified in their hesitancy to draft Walker (outside of dynasty) due to Rashaad Penny coming back and the Seahawks deciding they were going to start Geno Smith at quarterback. However, the tides have certainly turned with the Seahawks sitting at 3-3 even though most Vegas sportsbooks had them projected for just 4.5 wins on the entire season. Penny also went down for the season with a devastating knee injury, so things needed to happen in order for Walker to have high fantasy value even though he is an impressive talent.

On Sunday in a win against their rival Arizona Cardinals, Walker carried the rock 21 times for 97 yards and a TD in a 19-9 victory. He was also involved in the passing game with 3 targets and caught 2 of them for 13 yards while playing 69 percent of the team's offensive snaps. Walker runs with a rare blend of power and quickness and has good vision as a runner. He is powerful enough to take on defenders and agile enough to make defenders miss with a variety of different moves in his arsenal.

In the next three weeks, the Seahawks play the Chargers, Giants, and Cardinals again. Walker is in your lineup every week and should be viewed as a borderline RB1 for the rest of the season. With Seattle's offense looking much better than expected, it's clear that they have no intentions of trying to tank for a high pick in the 2023 Draft and plan to finish out the season with Geno Smith. The Seahawks like the Lions, are the perfect storm for fantasy this year. Not only do they have several elite skill players and a capable quarterback on offense, but their defense is also near the bottom of the league, which has already resulted in a fair amount of shootouts so far this season. It's wheels up for Walker the rest of the way!

8. Saquon Barkley

What more can be said about the best running back in football and for fantasy right now? Every week it seems that Saquon just produces and the Giants just keep winning. Coincidence? On Sunday against the Ravens, Barkley had 22 carries for 83 yards and a TD while adding 3 receptions for a total of 12 yards on top of playing 88 percent of the team's offensive snaps.

The only thing that should have us concerned for Barkley the rest of the way is his high workload. In five of the six Giants' contests this season, Barkley has played 83 percent of the snaps and has gone over 90 percent twice. As someone who has had injury issues in the past, the Giants need to make sure they are managing his workload in order for him to remain productive all season. The only problem with that? Barkley is an unrestricted free agent after this year and there really isn't anyone else on the Giants' running back depth chart who is even remotely close to Barkley from a talent perspective. New head coach Brian Daboll has made it very clear he intends to change the culture in New York this season and he has them at 5-1 right now, which is an impressive feat.

The high workload could have an impact on Barkley as far as 2023 is concerned, but if he is on your roster now he should be viewed as the RB1 in fantasy and will more than likely help plenty of fantasy managers win a championship this year. Barkley is currently averaging 5.2 yards per carry and is simply just that good. Having him back healthy this season has been great for NFL fans everywhere.

9. Alvin Kamara

Quietly, Alvin Kamara had another solid Sunday for fantasy where he rushed 19 times for 99 yards and had 6 receptions for 25 yards. While he didn't find the end zone, it was another impressive performance from Kamara, who has only played in 4 of the 6 Saints' six games so far this season as the offense has dealt with numerous injuries all across the board that has involved Jameis Winston, Michael Thomas, and Chris Olave. What has made Kamara so great for fantasy purposes in recent years has been his incredible receiving prowess out of the backfield. That continued on Sunday as he saw 9 targets with Andy Dalton filling in for Winston and 6 the week before. Is it safe to say that Kamara is a better fantasy option with Dalton than with Winston?

Kamara slipped a little bit in fantasy drafts this summer as many were worried about his potential legal issues after Alvin allegedly assaulted a man in Las Vegas. The NFL has yet to suspend him and the matter is expected to be played out in court during the 2023 offseason. For now, Kamara appears to be hitting his stride for fantasy and the Saints' offense should be a potent one when all of their starters are back healthy and playing on Sunday.

The next three games for the Saints are as follows: the Cardinals, Raiders, and Ravens. At just 2-4 so far on the season, they are going to need to get Winston back healthy as the Saints do not have a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. We should be viewing Kamara as a must-start every week for fantasy and a player who is currently just outside the Top 5 of RBs in most rankings.

10. Ezekiel Elliott

Zeeeeeke. The long-time Cowboys running back looked spry in a 17-26 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football. Elliott carried the ball 13 times for 81 yards but found the end zone on a nice scamper where he cut outside and went over the pylon. He only had 1 reception for 5 yards. It's safe to say that Zeke's typical receiving work hasn't been there so far this season, but could things change with quarterback Dak Prescott expected back for a Week 7 contest with the Lions?

Elliott has been playing 60-plus percent of the offensive snaps so far this season and has been the clear-cut starter on the team even if backup Tony Pollard has been involved in the offense as well. What's concerning for Elliott's fantasy value has been his lack of receiving work so far this season. In the last 4 seasons he has averaged 57.5 receptions, but this year he is on pace for just 17 total receptions, which is a huge blow for his production considering that he only has 2 TDs on the season right now.

Until Dak is back, Zeke should be viewed as a low-end RB2 / high-end RB3 until he starts producing more for fantasy. However, this week's matchup is a juicy one against a struggling Lions defense that hasn't been able to stop anyone. If one of your other running backs is on a bye or is currently injured, Ezekiel is a sneaky good play in Week 7, but we should be concerned for him going forward unless Dak starts getting him more involved as a receiver.

Looking Forward

How did you fare in Week 6? It has been a tough year overall for early-drafted fantasy running backs, but the good news is many of the old familiar faces made their way back into the top 10 this week and will likely continue for the rest of the season. As we head into another week of byes, the Bills, Vikings, Eagles, and Rams will be on a bye for Week 7.

A lot can change throughout the course of the season and it's important to stay up to date on all team injury reports and news so that you can use your waivers and FAAB priority wisely. Having running back depth can be crucial for your team over the full grind of a fantasy season and we should always be looking to find value at RB whenever possible.

Are there any running backs not on this list who you expect to bounce back in Week Six? If you have any FAAB or waiver questions as well, feel free to get at me on Twitter.

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