Backup running backs were extremely successful in Week 4, and several could play prominent roles again in Week 5. Let's see which backup running backs you can trust as Fantasy starters for this week.
In Week 4, Kyle Monangai (No. 4 with 28 PPR points), Emanuel Wilson (No. 6 with 27 PPR points), Brian Robinson Jr. (No. 8 with 25.7 PPR points), Alvin Kamara (No. 9 with 22.8 PPR points), RJ Harvey (No. 10 with 19.3 PPR points) and Ollie Gordon II (No. 16 with 18 PPR points) all finished as top-20 running backs. Wilson, Kamara, and Gordon were injury replacements, while Monangai, Harvey, and Robinson just had standout games.
For Week 5, we could see other backup running backs in prominent roles, including TreVeyon Henderson, Tyler Allgeier, and Will Shipley. Rhamondre Stevenson (leg) and Jeremiyah Love (ankle) are dealing with injuries, while Saquon Barkley (hamstring) and Tank Bigsby (abdomen) are out.
As you'll read below, I'm excited to see what Henderson can do if Stevenson is out for Week 5 against Las Vegas, and he would be a must-start Fantasy running back. And Allgeier would be a flex if Love is out against Detroit.
Shipley makes me nervous, given all the injuries in Philadelphia. And I'm not excited about Kamara and Gordon having strong encore performances in Week 5, but both should be considered flex options.
I do expect Wilson to have a dominant game for Seattle against San Francisco. And Harvey is worth using as at least a flex option against the Chargers given his role in the passing game.
Robinson is worth using as a flex against Baltimore since he has four touchdowns in his past two games. I also like other backup running backs as at least flex options in Braelon Allen, Keaton Mitchell, Woody Marks and potentially Austin Ekeler. Monangai (thumb) would also be at least a flex option if he plays against Green Bay.
RBs to Start
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SEA
Seattle
• #23
Age: 27 • Experience: 4 yrs.
Joe Mixon ended up not signing in Seattle, and Zach Charbonnet (knee) isn't going to play in Week 5. It will be Wilson's backfield again, and he was awesome in Week 4 against the Chargers with 21 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown and three catches for 39 yards and a touchdown on four targets for 27 PPR points. He now has 10 games in his career with double digits in carries, and he has scored at least 11.7 PPR points in seven of those outings. The 49ers are No. 8 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and a running back has scored at least 12.3 PPR points in every game this season.
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CLE
Cleveland
• #10
Age: 22 • Experience: 2 yrs.
Judkins had his best game of the season in Week 4 against Pittsburgh with 21.6 PPR points. He had 17 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown and six catches for 43 yards on seven targets, and I hope he continues to be heavily involved in the passing game. He now has two games in his past three outings with at least five catches and five targets, and that will enhance his Fantasy production since he's averaging just 3.0 yards per carry. He has a great matchup in Week 5 at the Jets, who have allowed 69.4 PPR points in the past two games against Jahmyr Gibbs and Kyle Monangai. Judkins should be considered a solid No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues.
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NYJ
N.Y. Jets
Age: 22 • Experience: 3 yrs.
It was an ugly game for the Jets in Week 4 at the Bears, and New York ran just 32 plays and had the ball for only 17 minutes and 15 seconds. The positive for Allen was he was the only running back to touch the ball in the first game without Breece Hall (quadriceps) with 14 carries for 59 yards and two catches for 8 yards on two targets. Allen should dominate work again in Week 5 against Cleveland, and he's worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues. The Browns have yet to allow a running back to score a touchdown this season, but Bucky Irving, Chuba Hubbard and Jaylen Warren have each scored at least 13 PPR points in each of the past three games.
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RJ Harvey
RB
DEN
Denver
• #12
Age: 25 • Experience: 2 yrs.
Harvey's work in the passing game has been excellent in the past two outings against the Rams and 49ers, and he should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy running back in PPR in Week 5 against the Chargers. He should be at least a flex in all formats, and he has 16 catches for 109 yards on 17 targets in his past two games, as well as nine carries for 31 yards. Ideally, Harvey will start getting more carries as well since he looked more explosive than J.K. Dobbins in Week 4 against San Francisco. The Chargers have allowed a running back to score at least 5.5 PPR points with just their receiving totals alone in each of their past three games against Ashton Jeanty, Ty Johnson and Emanuel Wilson, and Harvey should follow suit in Week 5.
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NE
New England
• #32
Age: 23 • Experience: 2 yrs.
I'm speculating with this post that Henderson will be the primary running back for New England in Week 5 against Las Vegas since Rhamondre Stevenson (leg) left late in Week 4 against Buffalo and didn't practice Wednesday. Mike Vrabel said Stevenson still has a chance to play against the Raiders, but if he's out then Henderson would be a must-start running back in all leagues. Stevenson missed three games in 2025, and Henderson averaged 24.3 PPR points over that span, including two outings with at least 28 PPR points. Las Vegas has allowed two running backs to score at least 19.5 PPR points this season with Omarion Hampton in Week 2 and Kenneth Walker III in Week 4, and Henderson has the potential to be a top-10 Fantasy running back in all leagues if Stevenson is out.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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LAC
L.A. Chargers
• #34
Age: 24 • Experience: 4 yrs.
We're not at the point yet where Mitchell is the best Chargers running back, but he was used that way in Week 4 at Seattle. He played more snaps than Omarion Hampton against the Seahawks (26-25), and Mitchell finished with 10 carries for 39 yards and five catches for 24 yards on six targets. He has now scored at least 11.3 PPR points in back-to-back games against the Bills and Seahawks. Mitchell's role in the passing game could expand with Ladd McConkey (foot) injured, and Mitchell is worth using as a high-end flex in all leagues in Week 5. The Broncos have allowed a running back to score at least 14.2 PPR points in every game this season, and while I still have Hampton ranked ahead of Mitchell this week, it's close between the two.
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WAS
Washington
• #30
Age: 31 • Experience: 10 yrs.
Rachaad White (shoulder) practiced Wednesday in a non-contact jersey, and we'll see if he can return in Week 5 against the Giants after missing Week 4 against the Colts in London. Ekeler made his 2026 debut against the Colts and had four carries for 29 yards and one catch for 11 yards on two targets, and he could work in tandem with Jacory Croskey-Merritt in Week 5. Jayden Daniels (elbow) being back should help the Commanders, and Croskey-Merritt might have a good outing as well. If White is out then I would use Ekeler as a flex, and the Giants have allowed Javonte Williams, Kyren Williams and Tony Pollard to each score at least 6.2 PPR points with just their receiving totals alone.
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ARI
Arizona
• #22
Age: 26 • Experience: 5 yrs.
Jeremiyah Love (ankle) might be out or limited in Week 5 against Detroit, and we'll continue to monitor his status throughout the week. Allgeier could be the primary running back for the Cardinals, and he would be at least a flex option in all leagues if Love is out. Allgeier just had eight carries for 42 yards and a touchdown and two catches for 7 yards on two targets in Week 4 at the Giants in the game where Love was injured. And the Lions have allowed Travis Etienne, James Cook and Chuba Hubbard to score at least 14.8 PPR points already this season.
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ATL
Atlanta
• #15
Age: 27 • Experience: 3 yrs.
It's time to start using Brian Robinson as a flex, even in tandem with Bijan Robinson. Brian Robinson has now scored at least 8.7 PPR points in each of his past three games against Carolina, Green Bay and New Orleans, and he has at least 10 carries in all of those outings. In his past two games against the Packers and Saints, with Michael Penix Jr. back at quarterback, Brian Robinson has 24 carries for 112 yards and four touchdowns and one catch for 5 yards on one targets. He'll likely need a touchdown to have a quality Fantasy outing against Baltimore in Week 5, but the Falcons are dominating on the ground in the past two games with Bijan and Brian. And Brian Robinson can be helpful if needed in the majority of leagues.
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Woody Marks
RB
HOU
Houston
• #4
Age: 25 • Experience: 2 yrs.
Marks has scored a touchdown in each of his past two games against Indianapolis and Dallas, and ESPN reported prior to Week 4 against the Cowboys that he should start getting more work over David Montgomery. That hasn't happened yet, but Marks did see a snap increase from Week 3 to Week 4. Marks is worth using as a flex option in tandem with Montgomery heading into Week 5 at Tennessee, and the Titans have allowed a running back to score at least 11.8 PPR points in each game this season.
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RBs to Sit
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Tony Pollard
RB
TEN
Tennessee
• #20
Age: 29 • Experience: 8 yrs.
Pollard has been great in each of the past two games against the Giants and Ravens with at least 13 PPR points in each outing. But this might be his toughest matchup to date against the Texans in Week 5. While Houston struggled in Week 4 against Javonte Williams, who scored 31.3 PPR points, the Texans have held James Cook, Chase Brown and Jonathan Taylor to 11.2 PPR points or less in every other game. Pollard combined for 16.2 PPR points in two games against Houston in 2025, and I would only use him as a flex option in the majority of leagues in Week 5.
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Alvin Kamara
RB
NO
New Orleans
• #41
Age: 31 • Experience: 10 yrs.
Kamara had an excellent Fantasy outing in Week 4 against Atlanta in the first game without Travis Etienne (hamstring) with 22.8 PPR points. He scored two rushing touchdowns, but he managed just seven carries for 23 yards and five catches for 35 yards on seven targets. The role in the passing game should continue, which makes Kamara a flex option in PPR, but he could struggle if he doesn't find the end zone. The Vikings have only allowed one rushing touchdown this season, which was against Ollie Gordon II in Week 4. Minnesota has held the Packers, Bears and Buccaneers running backs out of the end zone the rest of the season, and Kamara could have minimal production without a touchdown in Week 5.
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Will Shipley
RB
PHI
Philadelphia
• #28
Age: 24 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Shipley is expected to start for the Eagles with Saquon Barkley (hamstring) and Tank Bigsby (abdomen) out, and it's a great opportunity. But everything is falling apart for Philadelphia, especially on the offensive line, after Lane Johnson retired and Cam Jurgens was traded to Baltimore. The Jaguars are also No. 1 in fewest rushing yards allowed in the NFL, and Jonah Coleman in Week 2 is the lone running back to score a touchdown against Jacksonville. Shipley is at best a flex option in the majority of leagues.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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MIA
Miami
Age: 22 • Experience: 2 yrs.
Gordon did great in the first game without De'Von Achane in Week 4 at Minnesota with nine carries for 100 yards and a touchdown and two catches for no yards on two targets. He led the Dolphins in playing time ahead of Jaylen Wright (22-12), and Gordon will hopefully get more work in Week 5 against the Bengals. But I would only use Gordon as a flex option in the majority of leagues. Cincinnati has allowed just two touchdowns to a running back this season, which was Bucky Irving in Week 1 and Chris Rodriguez Jr. in Week 4, and Gordon will likely have a minimal stat line if he doesn't find the end zone.
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