Free tool · Sep 15 – Sep 21

Week 2 RB start or sit

Running back start/sit calls live and die on game script. A back on a team likely to lead gets the fourth-quarter carries; a back chasing points loses them, which is why the swing column moves more here than anywhere else.

Week 2 · Sep 15 – Sep 21

Start these RBs — week 2

Biggest positive matchup swing at running back this week.

#PlayerMatchupProjSwingWhy
1Saquon BarkleyRB · PHI@ TEN20.6+2.7@ TEN grades smash spot — worth about 2.7 points above a normal week.
2Josh JacobsRB · GB@ NYJ15+1.9@ NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 1.9 points above a normal week.
3Kenneth Walker IIIRB · SEA@ ARI12.2+1.3@ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.3 points above a normal week.
4Brian Robinson Jr.RB · WAS@ DAL8.4+1.2@ DAL grades smash spot — worth about 1.2 points above a normal week.
5Christian McCaffreyRB · SFvs MIA16.3+1.1vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 1.1 points above a normal week.
6Zach CharbonnetRB · SEA@ ARI8.5+0.9@ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 0.9 points above a normal week.
7Kyren WilliamsRB · LARvs NYG14+0.8vs NYG grades good matchup — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week.
8Omarion HamptonRB · LACvs LV12.6+0.8vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week.
9James CookRB · BUFvs DET12.7+0.5vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week.
10Najee HarrisRB · LACvs LV7.9+0.5vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week.

Sit or downgrade — week 2 RBs

The schedule works against these names. Elite players still start; use this to settle close calls.

#PlayerMatchupProjSwingWhy
1Jonathan TaylorRB · IND@ KC12.8-1.7@ KC grades nightmare — about 1.7 points below a normal week.
2Tony PollardRB · TENvs PHI8.4-1.4vs PHI grades nightmare — about 1.4 points below a normal week.
3Ashton JeantyRB · LV@ LAC13.9-1.3@ LAC grades nightmare — about 1.3 points below a normal week.
4Chase BrownRB · CIN@ HOU12.2-1.2@ HOU grades nightmare — about 1.2 points below a normal week.
5Jaylen WarrenRB · PIT@ NE7.5-1.2@ NE grades nightmare — about 1.2 points below a normal week.
6De'Von AchaneRB · MIA@ SF15.1-0.9@ SF grades tough — about 0.9 points below a normal week.
7Cam SkatteboRB · NYG@ LAR7.7-0.7@ LAR grades tough — about 0.7 points below a normal week.
8Bijan RobinsonRB · ATLvs CAR18.1-0.6vs CAR grades neutral — about 0.6 points below a normal week.
9RJ HarveyRB · DENvs JAX9.6-0.6vs JAX grades nightmare — about 0.6 points below a normal week.
10Tyrone Tracy Jr.RB · NYG@ LAR7.4-0.6@ LAR grades tough — about 0.6 points below a normal week.

Week 2 RB rankings

Every running back ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.

#PlayerMatchupProjSwingWhy
1Saquon BarkleyRB · PHI@ TEN20.6+2.7@ TEN grades smash spot — worth about 2.7 points above a normal week.
2Bijan RobinsonRB · ATLvs CAR18.1-0.6vs CAR grades neutral — about 0.6 points below a normal week.
3Jahmyr GibbsRB · DET@ BUF17.40@ BUF grades tough — worth about 0 points above a normal week.
4Christian McCaffreyRB · SFvs MIA16.3+1.1vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 1.1 points above a normal week.
5De'Von AchaneRB · MIA@ SF15.1-0.9@ SF grades tough — about 0.9 points below a normal week.
6Josh JacobsRB · GB@ NYJ15+1.9@ NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 1.9 points above a normal week.
7Bucky IrvingRB · TBvs CLE14-0.2vs CLE grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week.
8Kyren WilliamsRB · LARvs NYG14+0.8vs NYG grades good matchup — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week.
9Ashton JeantyRB · LV@ LAC13.9-1.3@ LAC grades nightmare — about 1.3 points below a normal week.
10Derrick HenryRB · BALvs NO12.9+0.1vs NO grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week.
11Jonathan TaylorRB · IND@ KC12.8-1.7@ KC grades nightmare — about 1.7 points below a normal week.
12James CookRB · BUFvs DET12.7+0.5vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week.
13Omarion HamptonRB · LACvs LV12.6+0.8vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week.
14Chase BrownRB · CIN@ HOU12.2-1.2@ HOU grades nightmare — about 1.2 points below a normal week.
15Kenneth Walker IIIRB · SEA@ ARI12.2+1.3@ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.3 points above a normal week.
16Alvin KamaraRB · NO@ BAL10.9-0.4@ BAL grades neutral — about 0.4 points below a normal week.
17David MontgomeryRB · DET@ BUF10.60@ BUF grades tough — worth about 0 points above a normal week.
18RJ HarveyRB · DENvs JAX9.6-0.6vs JAX grades nightmare — about 0.6 points below a normal week.
19Aaron JonesRB · MIN@ CHI9.5+0.2@ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week.
20Isiah PachecoRB · KCvs IND9.3+0.4vs IND grades neutral — worth about 0.4 points above a normal week.
21Zach CharbonnetRB · SEA@ ARI8.5+0.9@ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 0.9 points above a normal week.
22Tony PollardRB · TENvs PHI8.4-1.4vs PHI grades nightmare — about 1.4 points below a normal week.
23Brian Robinson Jr.RB · WAS@ DAL8.4+1.2@ DAL grades smash spot — worth about 1.2 points above a normal week.
24Najee HarrisRB · LACvs LV7.9+0.5vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week.
25Cam SkatteboRB · NYG@ LAR7.7-0.7@ LAR grades tough — about 0.7 points below a normal week.
26Jaylen WarrenRB · PIT@ NE7.5-1.2@ NE grades nightmare — about 1.2 points below a normal week.
27Tyrone Tracy Jr.RB · NYG@ LAR7.4-0.6@ LAR grades tough — about 0.6 points below a normal week.

Comparing two specific names? Run them through the start/sit optimizer or check injury impact before you lock the lineup.

Week 2 RB matchup heatmap

Green is a matchup that adds points to a normal week, red is one that takes them away. The number is the average swing in points for that team's RB starters.

Biggest RB upside

  1. PHI @ TENLead option: Saquon Barkley · 20.6 pts+2.7
  2. GB @ NYJLead option: Josh Jacobs · 15 pts+1.9
  3. WAS @ DALLead option: Brian Robinson Jr. · 8.4 pts+1.2
  4. SEA @ ARILead option: Kenneth Walker III · 12.2 pts+1.1
  5. SF vs MIALead option: Christian McCaffrey · 16.3 pts+1.1

Biggest RB downside

  1. IND @ KCLead option: Jonathan Taylor · 12.8 pts-1.7
  2. TEN vs PHILead option: Tony Pollard · 8.4 pts-1.4
  3. LV @ LACLead option: Ashton Jeanty · 13.9 pts-1.3
  4. CIN @ HOULead option: Chase Brown · 12.2 pts-1.2
  5. PIT @ NELead option: Jaylen Warren · 7.5 pts-1.2

Built from the same matchup grades as the week 2 RB start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.

Other positions, week 2

Week 2 QB →Week 2 WR →Week 2 TE →Week 2 FLEX →Injury impact