The fantasy football trade deadline is getting closer and closer, which means you only have a few more weeks to get your roster right for the playoff race. Let’s look at the running back position to give you our top picks for who you should consider targeting and who you should consider trading away.
If you’re looking for more trade advice, head over to our Week 8 Buy Low or Sell High article, where we look at all the skill positions and players you should consider.
Top Running Backs To Buy in Your League
De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
At this point, if you haven’t traded for De’Von Achane, the discount is probably gone. But he still may be worth acquiring.
Achane looked pretty good against the Colts. With Tyler Huntley at quarterback, he carried the ball 15 times for 77 yards, while catching two of three targets for eight yards. The only thing missing was a touchdown.
Week 7 was one of the first times we have seen a healthy De'Von Achane and Raheem Mostert together.
Achane: 57% snaps, 42% atts, 68% routes, 14% targets
Mostert: 34% snaps, 31% atts, 29% routes, 0% targetsAchane the RB1 but Mostert still involved. Jaylen Wright was RB3.
— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) October 20, 2024
Tua Tagovailoa is set to return in Week 8. The offense should get back on track rather quickly.
In Weeks 1 and 2, Achane was an elite RB1, scoring 23 and 29.5 fantasy points. It’s possible his manager has forgotten what that was like.
Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
After three straight really good outings, Chase Brown had a mega dud against the Browns this week. He carried the ball 15 times for 44 yards and caught two passes for nine yards. This could be the buying opportunity you need.
Brown has taken over the lead back role in the Bengals’ backfield. It’s no longer Zack Moss’ job, as Brown out-snapped him once again.
There’s a world where Brown is an every-week RB2. It might already be here. If his manager doesn’t realize it, perhaps you can pry Brown away from him before the spike games start piling up.
Top Running Backs To Sell in Your League
Jordan Mason, RB, San Francisco 49ers
With each passing week, Jordan Mason’s value decreases, as we near Christian McCaffrey’s return. The 49ers have one more game before their bye week, and then CMC is tentatively expected to be back. The window to sell Mason is closing.
Additionally, the 49ers’ offense isn’t this fantasy-friendly juggernaut anymore. They’ve had too many injuries, including, most recently, to Brandon Aiyuk.
There may be a team out there who needs an RB1 specifically for Week 9. There may be a team willing to gamble on McCaffrey’s return not going well. If you can split Mason into two reliable starters, that should be a net win.
Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
This is a very specific sell scenario. If the managers in your league are viewing Nick Chubb as the double-digit round pick he was in fantasy drafts, of course, do not sell him. But Chubb is a name brand. All it takes is one manager, though.
The Browns are a team in disarray. Deshaun Watson is probably done for the season with a torn Achilles. While we never root for injuries, a change at QB is a good thing for the Browns’ offense. That may serve to prop up Chubb’s value.
NICK CHUBB IS BACK IN THE END ZONE ❤️
📺: #CINvsCLE on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/ryJFF8nqYe— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024
It was great to see him back, but he did not quite look like himself, which is understandable coming off the long layoff and the injury Chubb had. His debut stat line also looked better due to him falling into the end zone. But he only ran for 22 yards on 11 carries.
Chubb is going to get better. However, I don’t envision him returning to low-RB1 Chubb. If you can low-RB1/high-RB2 prices for Chubb, that’s probably better than hanging onto him.
Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
As a longtime critic of Najee Harris, it feels bad to call him a sell when he’s done so much to improve his performance and is playing the best football of his career. However, we are getting to the point in the season where it’s time to pay attention to remaining schedule, particularly in the most important weeks of the season.
Now that Jaylen Warren is back healthy, this backfield is back to being an even split. Warren actually out-snapped Harris on Sunday night.
As we well know, Warren is the primary passing down back, while also mixing in on some early downs. He even saw some goal line work. It’s hard to not think this backfield may tip more in Warren’s favor with the Steelers’ second half schedule.
The Steelers don’t have another opponent on the schedule whose run defense ranks in the bottom 10. Their fantasy playoff schedule is especially tough, with Week 16 and 17 matchups against the Ravens and Chiefs, two of the best run defenses in the league.
Coming off his two best games of the season where he finally found the end zone in each, now might be the perfect time to cash out on Harris.