Targets and goal line carries are the lifeblood of quality fantasy production for the running back position. The starting role and receiving a high volume of carries is nice, but not near the end zone makes those touches 'empty calorie' opportunities. In short, they do not mean much. However, being a starter and high-volume back generally points to receiving more targets and goal-line chances for high fantasy-scoring plays. This weekly feature analyzes all 32 NFL depth charts for underrated and overrated running backs.

• Change: Shift in Team Ranking Overall From the Previous Week
• Current RK: Team Ranking in Expected High-Leverage Opportunity PPR Points
• Last: Previous Team Ranking
• HLO: High-Leverage Opportunity Score Average Per Week
• GL: Rank in Goal-Line Carries (Inside the Five-Yard-Line)
• TGT: Rank in Team Running Back Targets

THE GOOD

Lions

Detroit has been an elite team in HLO in overall standing this season. Week 13 saw another dominant finish and their fourth straight finish in the weekly top five, 68% above their weekly average. The big difference is DAndre Swift is back. Swift finally looked like himself with explosion and usage within the offense. Swift and Justin Jackson combined for 11 targets, and Jamaal Williams, again, found the end zone with short-range opportunities on the ground. Williams feels like a risky touchdown bet on a weekly basis, but he has a vice grip on the short-yardage role for a Lions offense seeing almost a full carry more at the goal-line for running back weekly over the second-highest team in the NFL (49ers).

Jets

After three straight dud HLO games and finishing no higher than 14th since Breece Hall left the lineup in a singular game, the Jets were back to playing the hits in Week 13. Their weighted score of 25.5 was in line with their early-season scoring, where they averaged 19.6 per week for the opening month, the top mark in the NFL. The team throwing 58 passes certainly aided the 12 passes toward running backs, and the team was among the league leaders for the week with three goal-line carries. Michael Carter returning soon adds a wrinkle to the depth chart, but the Zonovan Knight and Ty Johnson-centric committee has worked well in recent weeks with Carter out. James Robinson has been a shadow devolving in importance independent of injuries ahead of him on the depth chart.

49ers

The rise of the 49ers in HLO has been directly tied to the acquisition of Christian McCaffrey, continuing in Week 13. Over the past six weeks, San Francisco has five weeks in the top 10 for HLO, and their lowest finish is 13th. McCaffrey was tied for the team lead with 10 targets against the Dolphins and the offensive design was largely unchanged with Brock Purdy in for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo. It is notable that Jordan Mason saw zero targets despite decent snaps.

THE BAD

Chargers

Austin Ekeler and fantasy teams have been spoiled with consistent HLO excellence with the Chargers. Their last time outside the top six for a week was way back in Week 5. The Chargers were outside the top 10 in Week 13, and their 10.5 HLO score was barely half of their dominant lap-the-league weekly average. It was an outlier week, but still a notable bad result for a typically strong HLO team.

Colts

Indianapolis has been strong for two months running, but the last five weeks have been a clear drop in HLO opportunities and have faded to No.10 in the overall HLO standings. Week 13 continued the trend in the blowout loss to the Cowboys with a historically poor fourth quarter. Taylor saw a handful of targets, but no goal-line looks at a touchdown and garbage time was extinguished by turnovers.

Raiders

Josh Jacobs produced a strong fantasy result anyway, but the Raiders were one of the worst HLO teams in Week 13. After finishing as the No.4 HLO team in Weeks 9-12, this week produced a weighted score of 4.5 HLO, which is just 34% of their weekly average on the season. Jacobs had just two targets and scored his touchdown from distance.

THE UGLY

Falcons

Atlanta outdid even themselves in Week 13 with the rare 0.0 HLO score, seeing zero running back targets and goal-line carries. They are No.32 on the season, dead last in targets, and even managed to create more separation between themselves and the field. Cordarrelle Patterson or Tyler Allgeier will need a strong market share majority in future weeks to have a strong predictable upside and lineup confidence.

Bears

Chicago has yet to have a top-10 weekly finish this season and has finished no higher than 18th over the past month and a half. David Montgomery has survived with a quality market share of the backfield but the target volume is anemic, with Justin Fields throwing few passes in relation to the NFL. Week 13's weighted score of 7.5 was par for the course for the Bears more than an outlier bad week.

Rams

Cam Akers found the end zone twice, but the HLO haul was a mere one running back target and one goal-line carry for the team. Kyren Williams, after eight targets over the previous three games, was a distant element of the committee and especially in his receiving role. The Rams have the lowest combination of goal-line and target rankings in the NFL, both easily in the bottom 10. With Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Allen Robinson notably out, the Rams are the most obvious NFL team just playing out the string to close the season.

THE ACTION PLAN

COLLECT

• Justin Jackson: Detroit is a strong backfield for HLO, and while D'Andre Swift's role swelled (finally) back to normal in Week 13, this is a high-volume backfield with even work for two quality fantasy options. Jackson would collect a good share of Jamaal Williams' current work.
• Joshua Kelley: The Chargers RB2 role is a valuable one for the fantasy with their elite HLO. Kelley did not lose his job when out with injury, returning to supplant Isaiah Spiller.
• Mike Boone: Boone is back healthy and the RB2 behind Latavius Murray. Chase Edmonds has yet to see much work post-trade to Denver should he get healthy.
• JaMycal Hasty, Darrell Henderson: The Travis Etienne injury scare showed the possibility of Hasty rising to a prominent fantasy option, and do not forget about Henderson's addition in recent weeks as a wildcard to close the season.
• Melvin Gordon, Ronald Jones II: Two veteran talents currently buried on a Chiefs depth chart. However, Isiah Pacheco missing time would open the door to either being a high-volume option.

FADE

• Kenyan Drake: Low rankings in goal-line and targets, would be in a committee with Justice Hill even if Gus Edwards were out.
• Matt Breida: Less of a dominant market share projection than earlier in the season with Gary Brightwell.
• Boston Scott: Kenneth Gainwell would dominate the targets, leaving goal-line-or-bust weekly outcomes for Scott should Miles Sanders miss time.

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