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
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 2 Running Backs: Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds

Hey guys, for those of you that don't know me I'm Rek. Until the fantasy football season started, I had been writing MLB and fantasy baseball content for RotoBaller. Now I'll also be writing a weekly fantasy football column focusing on running backs who are not as widely owned as they should be, and I think these are running backs that you should either pick up or trade for.

Hopefully these running backs will help you hurdle over your opponents.  Yes, I make dad puns. No, that won't change over the course of the season.

With that stated, let's get started!

Editor's Note: Discover RotoBaller’s top Fantasy Football Sleepers to gain an edge in your drafts. Our free who to draft tool and expert picks spotlight undervalued players, breakout candidates, and late-round gems for all league formats.

 

Editor’s Note: be sure to bookmark our awesome fantasy football waiver wire pickups list, which is a daily updated list of waiver wire adds and players to pickup for all NFL positions.

 

Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

James Starks (RB, GB) - 15% owned in Fleaflicker

In case you missed it, the Seahawks looked every bit the champion they were last year. The Packers meanwhile looked like they forgot to unpack the box marked "mid-season form required to beat the Sawhawks". One bright note for the Packers was that Eddie Lacy looked like he was running with authority - or at least he did until he had to leave the game due to a concussion.

Enter James Starks who had 7 carries, 37 yards, a 5.3 average of yards per carry and generally looked pretty good on his cuts. Add in the fact that Starks had two receptions for 11 yards, and that last year he also rushed on average for 5.5 yards per carry, and you're looking at a nice sleeper in PPR leagues.

Don't get me wrong, Eddie Lacy is the man in Green Bay. But he's had two concussions in the two years he's been in the league. Starks is one injury away from being the lead back on an Aaron Rodgers led offense, and is easily worth a roster spot on your bench in deep leagues. Rush to make the add managers.

 

Mark Ingram (RB, NO) - 67% owned in Fleaflicker

By Executive Office of the President [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsOne of the most exciting games of the week, the Saints-Falcons matchup lived up to its shootout hype. However, not all of the scoring plays in this one came off the arms of the two very good quarterbacks who were facing each other. Many pundits had Mark Ingram dubbed as a breakout candidate this year, despite the 3-man committee he finds himself in with the Saints backfield.

Well, in the first game of the season all he did was rush 13 times for 60 yards and 2 TDs. Ingram has never impressed with his career 4.1 yards per carry, and this game wasn't much different with only 4.6 yards per carry - but that's enough of a difference to be encouraging.

Ingram looked quick in the pre-season, and he looked fairly quick in this game as well. Another reason to be optimistic is that Drew Brees should make rushing for TDs a breeze for Ingram. Keep him stashed on your bench or as your FLEX in case he proves he is the breakout candidate he has the talent to emerge into.

 

Chris Ivory (RB, NYJ) - 57% owned in Fleaflicker

I've been talking Chris Ivory up all pre-season, and today he did not disappoint me. Sure Chris Johnson or "CJ2k" looked explosive catching passes for the Jets, and also running out of the backfield, but that didn't stop Chris Ivory from having a big day. Personally, I don't think a brick wall could stop Chris Ivory from having a big day.

Chris Ivory rushed 10 times for 102 yards, a TD, 10.2 yards per carry, and this beautiful TD run for 71 yards. Long term, Chris Ivory has a chance of being the lead back if anything happens to CJ2k - although it should be noted that Ivory himself can be fairly fragile. He is also bigger than CJ which means that the Jets are best served by using him as the goal line and power back. He is a suitable RB2/RB3 or FLEX in deeper leagues. Personally, I traded Jarret Boykin in my dynasty league for him and I'm thrilled.

 

Justin Forsett (RB, BAL) - 3% owned in Fleaflicker

Remember when this game was supposed to be Bernard Pierce's party? Well, no one told Pierce. He fumbled, and found himself on the bench. Enter the journeyman Forsett who rushed 11 times for 70 yards, a TD, and 6.4 yards per carry. Forsett and new offense coordinator Gary Kubiak have some history together from their shared time with the Texans, which means that Forsett is comfortable with Kubiak's offensive schemes.

For his career, Forsett gains 4.9 yards per carry and 7.4 yards per reception. These two stats combined can make him a great FLEX play in PPR leagues as long as Ray Rice is still suspended and Pierce finds himself in the dog house (probably for this next week only). Based on the current 3% ownership, not many foresaw this great game for Forsett. But as long as the opportunities present themselves, he should continue to be solid for the Ravens, and you should consider grabbing him off the waiver wire.

 

Other Running Back Options: Terrance West (51% owned), Isaiah Crowell (5%), Carlos Hyde (69% owned), Shonn Greene (59% owned)

 

I hope these guys help you in your matchup next week and going forward for the season. As always, I'd love to hear from you on twitter @RekedFantasy. Until next week RotoBallers!

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Najee Harris

Likely to Miss Time at Start of Training Camp
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Collin Morikawa

Misses The Cut at Genesis Scottish Open
Hideki Matsuyama

Finishes Tied For 13th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Brooks Koepka

Finishes Tied For 32nd at LIV Andalucia
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For 34th at Genesis Scottish Open
Jason Day

Misses The Cut at John Deere Classic
Ludvig Aberg

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Cam Taylor-Britt

has Benefited From Addition of Al Golden
Rome Odunze

Could Take Off in Year 2
RJ Harvey

to Get "Significant" Work in Broncos' Passing Game
Jackson Powers-Johnson

More Comfortable Heading into Year 2
Luke McCaffrey

In Line for Larger Role?
Braelon Allen

Jets Viewing Braelon Allen as Long-Term Starter?
Joel Embiid

Participating in Partial Basketball Activities
Victor Wembanyama

Officially Cleared to Return After Blood-Clot Recovery
Mike Williams

Heading to PUP List
Garrett Wilson

Lands Historic Deal
Colston Loveland

Shoulder "Good" After Surgery
New York Jets

Jets Pushing Sauce Gardner to Strive for Perfection
Xavier Worthy

Chiefs to Open Up Offense in 2025
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Stefon Diggs

Likely to Begin Camp Working on the Side
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Xavier Legette

Should be More Productive
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Cole Bishop

has Good Shot to Win a Starting Job
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Nate Wiggins

Ravens Think Nate Wiggins has Star Potential
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Quinshon Judkins

More Details Emerge on Quinshon Judkins' Arrest
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kaden Elliss

Could be Atlanta's Most Impactful Pass-Rusher
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Darius Robinson

Ready to Make his Mark in 2025?
Jauan Jennings

Expected to Report for Training Camp
Trey Smith

the Only Player Still on the Franchise Tag
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Cooper Flagg

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
LeBron James

Hasn't Requested a Trade
Memphis Grizzlies

Cole Anthony, Grizzlies Agree to Contract Buyout
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF