Targets and goal-line carries are the lifeblood of quality fantasy production at running back. A starting role and high-volume carry total are nice, but when those touches happen away from the end zone, they become 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
Browns
Back-to-back weeks as an elite HLO unit have been directly tied to Dylan Sampson returning to the lineup. Quinshon Judkins' upside has taken a massive hit as Sampson siphons away most of the routes and targets of the backfield. Take note of future upside for Sampson if Judkins were to miss time later in the season, as Sampson will have more projectable upside than Judkins' current situation.
Eagles
Lost in the Eagles' disappointing season and passing game has been their five straight weeks now with a No.7 or better HLO weekly finish. Saquon Barkley has survived fantasy-wise through the stretch, and Elijah Mitchell is one of the more sneaky stash running backs with Dameon Pierce gone and only a Barkley injury in his way from being a quality streamer.
Colts
Pending a Jonathan Taylor trade, the Colts are a good situation for Seth McGowan to be fantasy viable. The Colts have been top-half in weekly HLO in all but two games this season. McGowan would move up to auto-start status, and DJ Giddens, largely forgotten since early in the 2025 season, would be back to an interesting RB2.