Backfield Breakdowns: Week 12

Narrowing of backfield usage has been a dominant trend over the last couple of seasons. Teams have shifted from dedicated situational committees to featuring multi-talented running backs. We have reached the point where rookies are exploding with fresh legs, while veterans struggle or fall to injury. In this stretch of the season, teams' fates are determined, and injuries shift to preservation for the future. How did the league's backfields break down following another week of action?

Backfields Worth Noting

Some backfields saw noteworthy movement in Week 11:

• Kansas City: Kareem Hunt continued as the Bellcow in Kansas City while rookie Brashard Smith has yet to grow his role with Isiah Pacheco out. Pacheco is expected back soon. 
• New England: TreVeyon Henderson has exploded over the last two weeks, forcing the issue of the workload split when Rhamondre Stevenson returns from injury. 
• Denver: J.K. Dobbins was placed on IR, putting his season in doubt. RJ Harvey took over the primary role as the Broncos diminished the roles of any secondary backs. 
• Jacksonville: Bhayshul Tuten pushed even in workshare with Travis Etienne Jr. before leaving with an injury. Tuten is expected to be ok on initial reports.
• Washington: Chris Rodriguez Jr. served as the lead back as Washington shifted away from a True Committee approach. He has been working through injury, and the Commanders have a Week 12 bye to allow him to reset.

Bellcow Backfields

• Robinson topped 100 rushing yards for the first time since Week 6 and had his first multiple-touchdown game of 2025. He is on pace for 1,331 rushing yards and 860 receiving yards. Only Marshall Faulk, Steven Jackson, Le'Veon Bell, and Christian McCaffrey have topped 1,300 rushing yards and 800 receiving yards. Allgeier continued sniping touchdowns, but his role was otherwise minimal. Their Week 12 opponent, New Orleans, has the fourth-best rush EPA, and the Falcons were decimated by injury in Week 11, losing quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and star receiver Drake London, putting Robinson squarely in the crosshairs. 

• Cook is second in rushing at 968, trailing Jonathan Taylor by 171 yards. He is closer to RB6 Derrick Henry's 807 yards than Taylor's 1,139. Cook had five touchdowns through the first four games. He scored in just one of the next five games before breaking through in Week 11. Johnson broke out on a long catch and run, but little has changed with his dedicated passing role. The Bills face a brutal Texans defense in Week 12 that leads the NFL in defensive EPA at -.14. The Rams are next at -.10. 

• Dowdle has 158 touches since emerging against Miami in Week 5. Jonathan Taylor and Christian McCaffrey are the only other players to top 150 touches in a seven-game span in 2025. He has 927 scrimmage yards over that stretch, becoming the fifth player in Panthers history to accumulate 900 yards in a seven-game stretch. Hubbard looked more explosive in Week 11, recovering from the injury that granted Dowdle his opportunity, though he is firmly locked into a backup role. The Panthers travel to San Francisco to face a league-average run defense in Week 12.

• Brown has topped 100 scrimmage yards in four straight games, one away from a Bengals team record he shares with four other players. He has 14 receptions over the last two weeks. He is overall RB13 in the six games since Joe Flacco stepped in at quarterback. Brooks stepped in as the primary backup with Samaje Perine out due to injury. The Bengals play a Patriots defense that has been the best in the NFL against the run.

• The Browns were able to hang close enough to the Ravens to keep Judkins involved and avoid shifting to their dedicated passing-down backs. As discussed last week, Judkins' efficiency has cratered, and he is above 4.0 yards per carry in just one game since Week 3.  He has scored in just one of his last six games, a three-touchdown outburst against Miami, and has eight total receiving yards over his previous five games. There is still ample opportunity to hit 100+ yards and multiple touchdowns. Still, the overall offensive environment has been poor and is unlikely to improve if Shedeur Sanders steps in at quarterback. The Browns face the Raiders in a race to the bottom Week 12 game, but Judkins should still be considered a low-end RB2 in the matchup. 

• Williams has proven to be one of the best summer values in fantasy football throughout the season. He has topped 83 scrimmage yards in seven of ten games and is trending to 1,375 rushing yards. He did not score in the past two weeks, and his pass game role has evaporated; those factors combine for minor disappointment given the rest of his production and his offensive environment. Davis is the backup we want, and redraft leagues should have moved on from Jaydon Blue by now. Davis is likely available in many deep leagues, and given the injuries around the NFL this weekend should slide through waivers at a discount. Dallas next faces a Philadelphia defense that has come on strong. 

• The Hunt Bellcow Reign of Terror continued. We all wanted to see Smith bust free as a difference maker in the backfield, but with Isiah Pacheco out, his role has slid back, and Mitchell was utilized nearly as much in Week 11. Pacheco is expected back as early as Week 12 against a league-average Colts defense. Hunt has touchdowns in three straight games and has scored seven times over his last eight games. His 62 scrimmage yards against Denver were a season high, and he has not topped one reception since Week 1, making him a touchdown-dependent low-end RB2 or high-end flex while Pacheco remains out. When Pacheco returns, expect the Chiefs to work back to their near-even split, which has seen the committee lead shift hands throughout the season. Smith has flashed in moments, but given the split without Pacheco, it is difficult to imagine him becoming fantasy relevant in the next six weeks, outside of injuries. The Chiefs' pursuit of Breece Hall at the trade deadline is noteworthy to Smith's future outlook. The 2026 free agent class is loaded with running backs like Hall, Ken Walker III, and Travis Etienne Jr. Smith could still develop, but viewing him as anything more than a backup with a potential gadget role is getting aggressive.  

• Jeanty is in a tough spot. The Cowboys were viewed as a smash matchup in Week 11, but overhauled their defense by adding Quinnen Williams, one of the best run defensive tackles in the league. The run was not the problem; a horrid Dallas defense meant teams could throw so easily they did not need to bother with the run. Jeanty has been much better than the narrative would suggest, thanks to the Island Game Overreaction. He is RB10 overall and RB14 per game since Week 3. That said, the Raiders' run game has been noticeably worse since guard Jackson Powers-Johnson suffered a season-ending injury in Week 10.  Jeanty's remaining schedule may be the most difficult in the league, starting with Cleveland's top-tier run defense in Week 12. He sees Denver, Philadelphia, and Houston during the fantasy playoffs. Buy any perceived dip in Dynasty, but in redraft leagues, the overreaction will likely be too severe to recoup value relative to his ceiling. 

• Achane became the 19th player in NFL history with 900+ rushing yards, 50+ receptions, and 350+ receiving yards over the first 11 games of the season. He is on pace for 1,391 rushing yards, 7.7 rushing touchdowns, 84 receptions, 572 receiving yards, and six receiving touchdowns. Gordon looked recovered from his Week 9 ankle injury, reclaiming his role as the clear RB2 and pushing Wright to minimal opportunity. It was the best fantasy day of Gordon's career. The Dolphins have won three of their last four and face the Saints and Jets next. The Saints have the fifth-best defensive EPA against the run and will be fresh off a bye. 

• Jones continued his grasp on the Vikings' backfield with a season-high 19 touches. He has averaged 83 scrimmage yards per game over the last three weeks, seeing six targets in each of the previous two games. Mason scored and had his highest rushing yards since Jones returned from injury, but he had his season low in snaps and scored from outside of ten yards, with Jones getting the other three red zone opportunities. Mason is a backup or emergency play only, despite the touchdown. Jones is a solid, under-the-radar pickup for contenders in Dynasty leagues or redraft managers sorting through injuries. At RB16 over the last three weeks, there is potential for much more as the opportunity has shifted. He has a revenge game narrative against a good Green Bay defense in Week 12, though the Packers were destroyed by the Giants' running backs, suggesting this buy window is about to close. The Vikings' playoff window is favorable, with games against Dallas, the Giants, and the Lions.

• It may have taken an injury to every other available running back, but Henderson Breakout SZN is officially here. Henderson has five touchdowns in his last two games. Henderson is the first player since Jahmyr Gibbs in Week 18, 2024, to top 60 rush yards, two rushing touchdowns, five receptions, 30 receiving yards, and a receiving touchdown. He joins Edgerrin James, Terrell Davis, and Jahvid Best as one of four rookies to post that line. Billy Lott is the only other Patriot to hit that line. The Patriots play Cincinnati next, one of the worst defenses in the NFL. 

• Hall and Davis split snaps close to even in Weeks 7 and 8. Weeks 10 and 11 have shifted closer to 75-25. Hall was contained, though his 58 yards were one of the better performances this season by the best run defense in the NFL. Hall entered the game as RB2 overall in PPG since Week 8. Week 12 brings a Ravens defense that has been much better against running backs lately, though their season-long numbers are skewed from some early-season matchups. 

• Barkley did not have a huge game, though he stayed above 90 scrimmage yards for the third straight game after hitting that mark just once in the first seven weeks. He was tackled just inches short of the goal line, which resulted in a tush push touchdown for Jalen Hurts. It is a little thing, but the Eagles' backup running back shifts are the type of thing that drives someone trying to project opportunity crazy. Week 8 was Bigsby's breakout game as he topped 100 yards in relief of Barkley. The Eagles had a Week 9 bye. In Week 10, Shipley surged ahead, notching his most involvement of the season. So naturally, in Week 11, Shipley did not play, and Bigsby was the only backup. In terms of fantasy value, these shifts show that if Barkley were to miss time, both backups would be involved, and the split may be unpredictable week to week. Right tackle Lane Johnson is expected to miss multiple weeks, a significant blow to the rushing attack. The Eagles have a Dallas matchup where everyone should get right in Week 12, though the revamped Dallas defense following a busy trade deadline gave positive initial returns.

• McCaffrey continued his excellent season, joining Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk as the only players with 700 rushing and 700 receiving through the first 11 games of a season. He is two catches from becoming the fifth running back with 600 in his career. Robinson benefited from the blowout win. He is not a threat to take meaningful volume from McCaffrey if the game is close, but he has shown enough to expect him to be a fantasy starter if a spot start situation occurs. The 49ers have a Monday night revenge game against the Panthers for McCaffrey, with significant playoff implications. They follow that with a difficult Cleveland matchup before their bye week, the latest bye in the league. 

Committees With a Lead Back