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 are nice, but occurring away from the end zone makes those touches empty-calorie opportunities. In short, they do not mean much. However, being a starter and a high-volume back generally points to more targets and goal-line chances, which can lead to high-scoring fantasy plays. This weekly feature analyzes all 32 NFL depth charts for underrated and overrated running backs.
Note: See the table of all teams' HLO rankings at the bottom of this article.
The Good
Falcons
Bijan Robinson is one of the few league-winning candidates at the running back position, and his recent escalation has been aided by their best six-week stretch of the season in HLO. Atlanta has been the top HLO team over the past two weeks, with Robinson as the RB1 overall in the fantasy playoffs. Atlanta is up to No. 5 in seasonal HLO, blending elite talent with strong optimization.
Rams
The Rams' most recent three weeks have included multiple strong finishes and mark their best three-week span of the season. This has fueled their rise all the way to 17th overall on the season, and they are still vibrantly No.1 in goal-line carries for the position. Blake Corum has been a flex option despite Kyren Williams not missing any games. With fantasy championships on the line this week, the Rams' optimization of the running back position is peaking at the right time.