Running Back Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks For Fantasy Football Week 2

Michael Fabiano | Sep 15, 2024

Need help setting your fantasy football lineups? Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in a given week for fantasy football leagues. I won’t cover the elite players like Breece Hall or Bijan Robinson, because you already know to start them! Instead, I'll examine other running backs who could exceed or fail to meet expectations based on their weekly opponent … like J.K. Dobbins in Week 1!

For your final lineup decisions, be sure to also check out my fantasy player rankings which will be updated daily! Also, subscribe to Fantasy Dirt with Lindsay Rhodes and I, as we break down all things fantasy football five days a week!

And when you're done with the running backs, make sure to check out my start 'em, sit 'em picks at each other position too: QBs | WRs | TEs | K & D/STs

Fabs’ Top 10 Running backs

1. Saquon Barkley vs. Falcons (Mon.)
2. Breece Hall at Titans
3. Bijan Robinson at Eagles (Mon.)
4. Kyren Williams at Cardinals
5. De'Vone Achane vs. Bills (Thur.)
6. Jordan Mason at Vikings
7. Jonathan Taylor at Packers
8. Isiah Pacheco vs. Bengals
9. Joe Mixon vs. Bears
10. Jahmyr Gibbs vs. Buccaneers

Complete Week 2 running back rankings can be found here.

Week 2 Start ‘Em: Running backs

Start of the Week

Isiah Pacheco vs. Bengals (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Isiah Pacheco was solid for fantasy fans in the opener, scoring a touchdown and 15.8 fantasy points. He also accounted for 89% of the Kansas City Chiefs' backfield touches.  So, we’ll forgive his three-yards-per rush average in the game. I like him against the Cincinnati Bengals, who just allowed 120 rushing yards, 4.8 yards per rush and 21.6 points to Rhamondre Stevenson. Keep Pacheco in lineups as a No. 1 runner.

Start ‘Em

Rhamondre Stevenson vs. Seahawks (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Speaking of Stevenson, he saw 51 snaps, 28 touches and worked as a true featured back in the New England Patriots’ Week 1 win over the Bengals. If that sort of volume continues, he should produce another nice stat line against the Seattle Seahawks. Their defense has struggled to stop running backs, allowing 21 total touchdowns and the sixth-most fantasy points to the position since last year.  

Devin Singletary at Commanders (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Devin Singletary didn’t put up a great stat line last week, scoring just 9.2 points in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The good news is that he was on the field for 50 snaps, and he had 14 touches. No other New York Giants back had more than three. So, there were some positives from the game. I’d flex him in a game against the Washington Commanders, who have allowed the fourth-most points to visiting backs since 2023.

J.K. Dobbins at Panthers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Dobbins was one of last week’s biggest stars (and he came out of nowhere), as he rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries. He looked explosive too, which was surprising coming off both knee and Achilles injuries in the last two years. He’s now on the flex radar against the Carolina Panthers, who have allowed the fifth-most PPR points to enemy running backs since last season.

Najee Harris at Broncos (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Najee Harris didn’t score a lot of fantasy points in the opener, but he did see far more snaps and touches than Jaylen Warren. Whether or not that is the norm remains to be seen, but this week’s matchup against the Denver Broncos makes him a nice flex option. Since last season, no defense in the NFL has allowed more fantasy points to running backs. As a result, I’d give Harris a roll of the dice this week.

RBs With Good Matchups

• Jordan Mason at Vikings (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Zach Charbonnet at Patriots (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Jerome Ford at Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Week 2 Sit ‘Em: Running backs

Sit of the Week

Zamir White at Ravens (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Zamir White’s usage was concerning in the first week, as he played fewer snaps and scored fewer points than Alexander Mattison. He also put up an average of just 3.4 yards per rush, which is worrisome for fantasy fans. Next up is a date with the Baltimore Ravens, who have allowed just 19.8 points per game to backs since the start of last season. Game script could also be an issue, so I’d fade White to black.

Sit ‘Em

Rachaad White at Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Rachaad White is hard to sit in PPR leagues, but I would beware him in standard leagues against the Detroit Lions. Their defense, which just held Kyren Williams to 2.8 yards per rush in Week 1, has allowed the third-fewest rushing yards to opposing running backs at Ford Field since last season. Rookie Bucky Irving looked better as a runner in the opener too, so White will struggle if you’re not getting PPR points.

D’Andre Swift at Texans (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): D'Andre Swift recorded a five-point stinker in the Week 1 opener, and he saw just 10 touches in the game.  That is a cause for concern, as is this week’s matchup against the Houston Texans. Their defense has allowed an average of just 73.6 rushing yards per game to visiting backs dating back to last season, and it held Jonathan Taylor to just three yards per rush last week. Swift is a shaky flex at best.

Javonte Williams vs. Steelers (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Javonte Williams had a great matchup in the opener, but he failed to take advantage with a mere 3.3 points. More concerning is that he was out touched, 15 to 9, by Jaleel McLaughlin.  This all makes Williams a far riskier back in fantasy football, and facing the Pittsburgh Steelers makes him even less attractive. Their defense has allowed the eighth-fewest points to runners among road defenses since 2023.

Ezekiel Elliott vs. Saints (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Ezekiel Elliott scored a touchdown and a respectable 12.9 points in the opening weekend, but there was some concerning data too. He played in just 32 snaps, four more than Rico Dowdle, who also saw just three fewer touches in the Dallas backfield. This week’s matchup against the New Orleans Saints is a tough one too, as their defense has allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to runners since last year.

RBs With Bad Matchups

• Aaron Jones vs. 49ers (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Zack Moss at Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Chuba Hubbard vs. Chargers (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Now that you're all set at this position, make sure you know all the best start 'em, sit 'em picks at the other positions too:

• Quarterback
• Wide receiver
• Tight end
• Kicker & defense