Kate Magdziuk shares her Week 14 running back rankings for standard scoring leagues and highlights several streaming options.
The good news is, this is the last week of the NFL season with byes. The bad news? There are six teams out of commission this week, including the Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. That’s a whole lotta starting running backs in your fantasy football lineups — and some good ones, too, considering the likes of Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry and Joe Mixon sitting among the top fantasy scorers this season.
Of course, that will force your to make some challenging lineup decisions in one of the most crucial weeks of the year — one of the final weeks (if not the last) where you’ll be able to clinch a trip to the playoffs. To help you through this shaky time, here are several running back flex plays and sleepers to consider, plus top-60 RB rankings for Week 14.
When it rains in San Francisco, apparently it pours. The team announced that they’ve lost star RB Christian McCaffrey for the remainder of the regular season with a PCL injury suffered in Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills, just as he seemed to be returning to form in his return from bilateral Achilles tendonitis. Shortly after, news broke that his backup, Jordan Mason, would also be headed to IR with a high-ankle sprain. That means the next man up is rookie RB Isaac Guerendo — a 6-foot, 221-pound RB with electric athleticism, testing in the 95th+ percental at the NFL combine with a 4.33-second 40-yard dash, 41 1⁄2 inch vertical jump and a 129-inch broad jump.
He’ll be tasked to lead the Niners backfield moving forward with little depth behind him and gets an intriguing matchup against the Bears. Chicago is allowing the sixth-highest explosive run rate in the league this year (15.2%), allowing 4.9 yards per carry (fourth-most and 3.4 yards after contact per attempt (third-most). Guerendo Fire up Guerendo in confidence for Week 14.
Rostership percentages in Yahoo! Fantasy leagues are indicated in parentheses.
The injury bug has been a brutal one in New Orleans this year, as the Saints have lost several key players in their offense — first WR Rashid Shaheed (knee), then WR Chris Olave (IR, concussion) and now TE/RB/do-it-all man Taysom Hill, who’s out for the year with an ACL injury suffered in Week 13. This team is in desperate need of some playmakers, and this week, they’ve designated second-year RB Kendre Miller for return from injured reserve from a hamstring injury — an injury for which it had been reported he did not actually need to be put on injured reserve, but the decision was made to do so by former HC Dennis Allen.
Miller has struggled to stay healthy in his short career, but there’s no doubt that he’s got the skills to make an impact if given an opportunity. He’s totaled just nine carries this year, averaging 5.8 yards per carry and a 55.6% rushing success rate per Pro-Football-Reference and could be in for a surprising increase in workload right out of the gate, as reports are it’ll be “all breaks, no gas” for the second-year RB in his return.
To be clear, Chargers rookie Kimani Vidal — while he makes an excellent stash for fantasy playoffs — is not a great play in Week 14. However, given the number of key RBs out, you may be in a position where you need to start someone — anyone — just to complete a lineup ... and I do think you could do worse than Vidal, who’s probably got the best chance of any Chargers running back to overcome the challenges that Kansas City’s defense poses against the run.
Last week, Vidal played just 26% of snaps behind starter Gus Edwards but saw just two fewer carries (4 total), totaling 20 yards on those carries (even if 16 of them did come on one play — but hey, he could be in for an increased role another week out from J.K. Dobbins’ injury — a total bowling ball of a back who has proven himself capable of a full workload coming out of Troy.
| # | Player (team) | Matchup | ECR | vs. ECR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saquon Barkley (PHI) | vs. CAR | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | De'Von Achane (MIA) | vs. NYJ | 3 | +1 |
| 3 | Alvin Kamara (NO) | at NYG | 2 | -1 |
| 4 | Bijan Robinson (ATL) | at MIN | 4 | 0 |
| 5 | Chase Brown (CIN) | at DAL | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | Kyren Williams (LAR) | vs. BUF | 7 | +1 |
| 7 | Bucky Irving (TB) | vs. LV | 10 | +3 |
| 8 | Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) | vs. GB | 6 | -2 |
| 9 | Josh Jacobs (GB) | at DET | 8 | -1 |
| 10 | David Montgomery (DET) | vs. GB | 9 | -1 |
| 11 | Kenneth Walker III (SEA) | at ARI | 11 | 0 |
| 12 | James Cook (BUF) | at LAR | 12 | 0 |
| 13 | James Conner (ARI) | vs. SEA | 14 | +1 |
| 14 | Isaac Guerendo (SF) | vs. CHI | 22 | +8 |
| 15 | Breece Hall (NYJ) | at MIA | 13 | -2 |
| 16 | Tony Pollard (TEN) | vs. JAC | 15 | -1 |
| 17 | Tyrone Tracy Jr. (NYG) | vs. NO | 16 | -1 |
| 18 | Najee Harris (PIT) | vs. CLE | 18 | 0 |
| 19 | Rico Dowdle (DAL) | vs. CIN | 17 | -2 |
| 20 | Nick Chubb (CLE) | at PIT | 21 | +1 |
| 21 | Chuba Hubbard (CAR) | at PHI | 20 | -1 |
| 22 | D'Andre Swift (CHI) | at SF | 23 | +1 |
| 23 | Aaron Jones Sr. (MIN) | vs. ATL | 19 | -4 |
| 24 | Isiah Pacheco (KC) | vs. LAC | 24 | 0 |
| 25 | Rachaad White (TB) | vs. LV | 25 | 0 |
| 26 | Gus Edwards (LAC) | at KC | 26 | 0 |
| 27 | Travis Etienne Jr. (JAC) | at TEN | 27 | 0 |
| 28 | Kareem Hunt (KC) | vs. LAC | 28 | 0 |
| 29 | Jaylen Warren (PIT) | vs. CLE | 29 | 0 |
| 30 | Tank Bigsby (JAC) | at TEN | 30 | 0 |
| 31 | Cam Akers (MIN) | vs. ATL | 32 | +1 |
| 32 | Jonathon Brooks (CAR) | at PHI | 36 | +4 |
| 33 | Zach Charbonnet (SEA) | at ARI | 31 | -2 |
| 34 | Tyler Allgeier (ATL) | at MIN | 33 | -1 |
| 35 | Kimani Vidal (LAC) | at KC | 35 | 0 |
| 36 | Trey Benson (ARI) | vs. SEA | 40 | +4 |
| 37 | Ameer Abdullah (LV) | at TB | 34 | -3 |
| 38 | Ray Davis (BUF) | at LAR | 38 | 0 |
| 39 | Jerome Ford (CLE) | at PIT | 39 | 0 |
| 40 | Blake Corum (LAR) | vs. BUF | 43 | +3 |
| 41 | Braelon Allen (NYJ) | at MIA | 37 | -4 |
| 42 | Devin Singletary (NYG) | vs. NO | 41 | -1 |
| 43 | Raheem Mostert (MIA) | vs. NYJ | 45 | +2 |
| 44 | Sincere McCormick (LV) | at TB | 44 | 0 |
| 45 | Tyjae Spears (TEN) | vs. JAC | 42 | -3 |
| 46 | Ezekiel Elliott (DAL) | vs. CIN | 48 | +2 |
| 47 | Roschon Johnson (CHI) | at SF | 47 | 0 |
| 48 | Kenneth Gainwell (PHI) | vs. CAR | 46 | -2 |
| 49 | Emanuel Wilson (GB) | at DET | 50 | +1 |
| 50 | Jaylen Wright (MIA) | vs. NYJ | 49 | -1 |
| 51 | Samaje Perine (KC) | vs. LAC | 53 | +2 |
| 52 | Sean Tucker (TB) | vs. LV | 51 | -1 |
| 53 | Chris Brooks (GB) | at DET | 52 | -1 |
| 54 | Alexander Mattison (LV) | at TB | 54 | 0 |
| 55 | Hassan Haskins (LAC) | at KC | 56 | +1 |
| 56 | Khalil Herbert (CIN) | at DAL | 55 | -1 |
| 57 | Jamaal Williams (NO) | at NYG | 59 | +2 |
| 58 | Ty Johnson (BUF) | at LAR | 58 | 0 |
| 59 | Emari Demercado (ARI) | vs. SEA | 57 | -2 |
| 60 | Isaiah Davis (NYJ) | at MIA | 67 | +7 |
Kate Magdziuk is an editor and contributor for Yahoo Fantasy and co-host of the Locked On Dynasty Football podcast. She is also the managing editor for Behind The Steel Curtain, SB Nation’s exclusive Pittsburgh Steelers blog. Her previous bylines include Pro Football Focus, NBC Sports Rotoworld and 4for4 Football, among others.
