For those of you with fantasy football matchups this week, it is crucial to know what players are the preferable starts. Here are my Week 18 rankings for the running back position.
Which RBs Should You Start in Fantasy Football?
1) Rachaad White | TB (at CAR)
2) Travis Etienne Jr. | JAX (at TEN)
3) Breece Hall | NYJ (at NE)
4) Jahmyr Gibbs | DET (vs. MIN)
5) Saquon Barkley | NYG (vs. PHI)
6) Jonathan Taylor | IND (vs. HOU)
7) Kenneth Walker III | SEA (at ARI)
8) James Cook | BUF (at MIA)
9) Bijan Robinson | ATL (at NO)
10) Tony Pollard | DAL (at WAS)
11) Zamir White | LV (vs. DEN)
12) Aaron Jones | GB (vs. CHI)
13) De’Von Achane | MIA (vs. BUF)
14) Raheem Mostert | MIA (vs. BUF)
15) James Conner | ARI (vs. SEA)
16) Joe Mixon | CIN (vs. CLE)
17) David Montgomery | DET (vs. MIN)
18) Ezekiel Elliott | NE (vs. NYJ)
19) D’Andre Swift | PHI (vs. NYG)
20) Ty Chandler | MIN (at DET)
21) Derrick Henry | TEN (vs. JAX)
22) Khalil Herbert | CHI (at GB)
23) Pierre Strong Jr. | CLE (at CIN)
24) Austin Ekeler | LAC (vs. KC)
25) Devin Singletary | HOU (at IND)
26) Jamaal Williams | NO (vs. ATL)
27) Javonte Williams | DEN (at LV)
28) Chuba Hubbard | CAR (vs. TB)
29) Jaylen Warren | PIT (at BAL)
30) Najee Harris | PIT (at BAL)
31) Tyjae Spears | TEN (vs. JAX)
32) Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS (vs. DAL)
33) Elijah Mitchell | SF (vs. LAR)
34) Jordan Mason | SF (vs. LAR)
35) Ronnie Rivers | LAR (at SF)
36) Antonio Gibson | WAS (vs. DAL)
37) Chase Brown | CIN (vs. CLE)
38) Roschon Johnson | CHI (at GB)
39) Tyler Allgeier | ATL (at NO)
40) Zach Charbonnet | SEA (at ARI)
41) Kenneth Gainwell | PHI (vs. NYG)
42) La’Mical Perine | KC (at LAC)
43) Melvin Gordon III | BAL (vs. PIT)
44) AJ Dillon | GB (vs. CHI)
45) Alexander Mattison | MIN (at DET)
46) Ameer Abdullah | LV (vs. DEN)
47) Dameon Pierce | HOU (at IND)
48) Jeff Wilson Jr. | MIA (vs. BUF)
49) Samaje Perine | DEN (at LV)
50) Miles Sanders | CAR (vs. TB)
51) Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN (at LV)
52) Cordarrelle Patterson | ATL (at NO)
53) Emari Demercado | ARI (vs. SEA)
54) D’Ernest Johnson | JAX (at TEN)
55) Isaiah Spiller | LAC (vs. KC)
56) Chase Edmonds | TB (at CAR)
57) Kevin Harris | NE (vs. NYJ)
58) Matt Breida | NYG (vs. PHI)
59) Israel Abanikanda | NYJ (at NE)
60) Latavius Murray | BUF (at MIA)
61) Joshua Kelley | LAC (vs. KC)
62) Trey Sermon | IND (vs. HOU)
63) Deneric Prince | KC (at LAC)
64) Tyler Goodson | IND (vs. HOU)
65) Boston Scott | PHI (vs. NYG)
66) Dare Ogunbowale | HOU (at IND)
67) Patrick Taylor Jr. | GB (vs. CHI)
68) Michael Carter | ARI (vs. SEA)
69) Kyle Juszczyk | SF (vs. LAR)
70) Royce Freeman | LAR (at SF)
71) Deuce Vaughn | DAL (at WAS)
72) Alec Ingold | MIA (vs. BUF)
73) Tank Bigsby | JAX (at TEN)
74) Derrick Gore | WAS (vs. DAL)
75) Patrick Ricard | BAL (vs. PIT)
76) Raheem Blackshear | CAR (vs. TB)
77) Ty Johnson | BUF (at MIA)
78) Kene Nwangwu | MIN (at DET)
79) Hunter Luepke | DAL (at WAS)
80) C.J. Ham | MIN (at DET)
81) Trayveon Williams | CIN (vs. CLE)
82) Leonard Fournette | BUF (at MIA)
83) Eric Gray | NYG (vs. PHI)
84) DeeJay Dallas | SEA (at ARI)
85) Chris Brooks | MIA (vs. BUF)
86) Michael Burton | DEN (at LV)
87) Brandon Bolden | LV (vs. DEN)
88) Malik Davis | DAL (at WAS)
89) Craig Reynolds | DET (vs. MIN)
90) Khari Blasingame | CHI (at GB)
Top RBs To Start in Week 18
Pierre Strong Jr., RB, Cleveland Browns (at CIN)
Before Sunday’s slate of games, Ian Rapoport reported that the Cleveland Browns intended to rest starters if their Week 18 game did not matter.
Cleveland is now locked into the fifth seed, so I fully expect them to rest not only Jerome Ford but Kareem Hunt as well. That would position Pierre Strong Jr. to operate as the feature back.
MORE: Katz’s Week 18 Rankings — QB | WR | TE | K | DST
This is a great spot for Strong against a Cincinnati Bengals run defense that can’t stop anyone. Somehow, they’re only allowing the 17th-most fantasy points per game to running backs.
However, over the past month, they’ve struggled and allowed Ty Chandler and Isiah Pacheco to go for over 130 yards against them. Pierre is a strong play this week — sorry, couldn’t help myself.
Jordan Mason or Elijah Mitchell, RB, San Francisco 49ers (vs. LAR)
Christian McCaffrey has already been ruled out for Week 18 due to a calf strain, but let’s be honest — he was never playing in this game anyway. With the NFC’s top seed locked up, we won’t see Brock Purdy, and we likely won’t see Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, or any of the San Francisco 49ers starters for much of the game.
I think the 49ers will opt to rest Elijah Mitchell as well, but we’ll get more clarity on that situation as the game nears. Whether it’s Mitchell or Jordan Mason, San Francisco’s RB will be worth starting against a Los Angeles Rams team that will also likely be resting starters.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!