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.
- Current RK: Team Ranking in Expected High-Leverage Opportunity PPR Points
- 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
Seahawks
Seattle has enjoyed two strong HLO weeks in a row, and this aligns with Kenneth Walker Jr.'s Week 11 injury to fuel Zach Charbonnet as a workhorse profile for Week 12 (and future weeks Walker misses). Charbonnet rarely left the field in Walker's absence, and Seattle's two straight top-10 weekly finishes of late point to a high floor with an RB1 ceiling for Charbonnet as the new starter.
Lions
Of 10 games this season, Detroit has seven weeks as a top-10 HLO offense. No team has more, even those without a bye week yet. David Montgomery being back softens the elite upside of Montgomery or Jahmyr Gibbs, but both can hit RB1 weeks simultaneously with their combination of receiving (Gibbs) and goal-line (Montgomery) prowess. If either misses time down the stretch, the other can win fantasy leagues. If the perfect storm of both missing time occurs, Craig Reynolds can do a Tim Hightower or Damien Williams impression and earn a fantasy championship for teams.
Buccaneers
Tampa Bay has enjoyed its three best HLO weeks over the past month, improving from a basement-dweller in season-long HLO to 24th overall. They were 30th over the opening month of the season as a point of comparison. Rachaad White has been one of the stronger workhorse profiles in terms of route and rushing market share utilization in recent weeks, and Chase Edmonds has solidified the RB2 role after Ke'Shawn Vaughn and Sean Tucker offered minimal confidence during Edmonds' absence.