I get frustrated often by the recency bias in Fantasy Football. I'm not sure that's ever been true than last week when people were legitimately concerned about Travis Kelce, who remains the No. 1 tight end in Fantasy Football. But there are times were we need to quickly react to new information. And one of those times is with rookie running backs. Michael Carter is the perfect example.

The Jets came out of their bye in Week 7 and gave Carter a 72% snap share for the first time all season. Then in Week 8, he played 70% of the snaps again. That type of workload will get most running backs into the top 20 all by itself. But Carter is averaging 3.8 yards per carry and plays on one of the worst offenses in the league. I could understand if it wasn't enough to sell you.

Enter Mike White.

White has thrown 77 passes in the past two games and 32 of them (41.5%) have gone to running backs. Even Tom Brady is impressed at that rate of dump-offs. Carter actually leads the Jets in targets with White under center, with 22 in seven quarters.

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A running back playing 70% of the snaps and earning more than 10 targets per game is a must-start running back, even if it's a small sample size.

Let's get to the rest of the Week 9 RB Preview:

Week 9 RB Preview

RB Preview
Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play Week 9 at this time. Here's what it means:

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Who's Out
Projections powered by Sportsline
Derrick Henry RB
BAL Baltimore • #22
Age: 30 • Experience: 9 yrs.
Adrian Peterson and Jeremy McNichols should split touches in a very tough matchup.
James Robinson RB
NO New Orleans • #26
Age: 26 • Experience: 4 yrs.
Carlos Hyde has a very tough matchup against the Bills if Robinson does in fact miss Week 9.
Damien Williams RB
ARI Arizona • #29
Age: 32 • Experience: 9 yrs.
Khalil Herbert should remain a workhorse back with 20-plus touches against the Steelers.
RB Preview
Numbers to know
  • 450 -- Adrian Peterson needs 450 yards to pass Barry Sanders for fourth all time in rushing yards.
  • 25.6% -- Michael Carter leads the Jets with a 25% target share over their past two games.
  • 87 -- Khalil Herbert has 87 touches over his past four games. It's hard to sit him even against a tough matchup.
  • 72% -- Elijah Mitchell has accounted for 72% of the 49ers rush attempts since the bye. Only Derrick Henry and Najee Harris have a higher rate for the season.
  • 66 -- Myles Gaskin has 66 carries this season, the most for a running back without a rushing touchdown.
  • 5.2 -- The Texans have allowed 5.2 yards per carry to running backs.
  • 11 -- Mike Davis has 11 targets in the two games Calvin Ridley has missed.
RB Preview
Matchups that matter
Matchups that Matter
Projections powered by Sportsline
Myles Gaskin RB
JAC Jacksonville • #37
Age: 27 • Experience: 6 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs HOU MIA -6.5 O/U 46

OPP VS RB

25th

PROJ PTS

13.5

RB RNK

14th

YTD Stats

RUYDS

279

REC

31

REYDS

165

TD

3

FPTS/G

11.7
Carlos Hyde RB
JAC Jacksonville • #24
Age: 34 • Experience: 9 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs BUF BUF -14.5 O/U 49

OPP VS RB

1st

PROJ PTS

7.4

RB RNK

24th

YTD Stats

RUYDS

140

REC

8

REYDS

54

TD

0

FPTS/G

4.6
Chuba Hubbard RB
CAR Carolina • #30
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs NE NE -4 O/U 41

OPP VS RB

22nd

PROJ PTS

8.7

RB RNK

20th

YTD Stats

RUYDS

391

REC

18

REYDS

119

TD

2

FPTS/G

9.9
Tony Pollard RB
TEN Tennessee • #20
Age: 27 • Experience: 6 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs DEN DAL -10 O/U 49.5

OPP VS RB

13th

PROJ PTS

9.2

RB RNK

30th

YTD Stats

RUYDS

392

REC

16

REYDS

116

TD

1

FPTS/G

10.4
RB Preview
Waiver Wire Targets
Week 9 Adds
Carlos Hyde RB
JAC Jacksonville • #24
Age: 34 • Experience: 9 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs BUF BUF -14.5 O/U 48.5

OPP VS RB

1st

RB RNK

25th

ROSTERED

22%

YTD Stats

RUYDS

140

REC

8

REYDS

54

TD

0

FPTS/G

4.6
Hyde was the least popular of the waiver wire running backs this week and is still available in three-quarters of leagues. If James Robinson is out this week, Hyde may also be the highest-scoring of the waiver wire running backs.
Jordan Howard RB
NO New Orleans • #24
Age: 30 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs LAC LAC -1.5 O/U 50

OPP VS RB

21st

RB RNK

43rd

ROSTERED

32%

YTD Stats

RUYDS

57

REC

0

REYDS

0

TD

2

FPTS/G

17.7
An optimistic take on Howard would be that he takes on a larger role in his second week active. If that happens, he could be a legitimate No. 2 running back against the Chargers.
Derrick Gore RB
WAS Washington • #38
Age: 30 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs GB KC -7.5 O/U 48

OPP VS RB

20th

RB RNK

NR

ROSTERED

21%

YTD Stats

RUYDS

48

REC

1

REYDS

7

TD

1

FPTS/G

4.2
Gore's role is uncertain, but he looked a lot better running the ball than Darrel Williams. Williams isn't leaving on passing downs, so Gore is a better add in non-PPR.
Stash
Jeff Wilson RB
MIA Miami • #23
Age: 29 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs ARI SF -1 O/U 45

OPP VS RB

11th

RB RNK

NR

ROSTERED

17%
Wilson is returning to practice this week and could be ready to play in the next three weeks. Elijah Mitchell is nursing a rib injury as well.
RB Preview
DFS Plays
Top Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
Nick Chubb RB
CLE Cleveland • #24
Age: 28 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ CIN CIN -3 O/U 47

OPP VS RB

28th

PROJ PTS

12.3

RB RNK

12th

YTD Stats

RUYDS

584

REC

6

REYDS

43

TD

4

FPTS/G

15.1
Chubb is my No. 1 back this week in non and half PPR. This has been a good Bengals defense, but they got exposed a little bit last week and I love the opportunity to play an underpriced Chubb without Kareem Hunt. Expect 20-plus touches and Fantasy points.
Contrarian Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
Cordarrelle Patterson RB
PIT Pittsburgh • #84
Age: 33 • Experience: 12 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ NO NO -6 O/U 42

OPP VS RB

2nd

PROJ PTS

15

RB RNK

8th

YTD Stats

RUYDS

268

REC

32

REYDS

333

TD

7

FPTS/G

19.2
Patterson's roster rate could be held down by the Saints' exceptional run defense and the Falcons' low implied point total. But I'm not shying away from a back who has averaged 17.5 touches and 18.3 PPR Fantasy points in two games without Calvin Ridley.
RB Preview
Heath's Projections

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