Early Week 13 Fantasy RB Rankings PPR: Running back tiers and lineup tips on who to start, best sleepers, streamers

Tim Heaney

Early Week 13 Fantasy RB Rankings PPR: Running back tiers and lineup tips on who to start, best sleepers, streamers image

Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

As is the case with a Thanksgiving table, fantasy football managers will have plenty of choices for their Week 13 running back lineup spots.

No NFL teams have a bye, giving fantasy players all active running backs from which to construct a winning squad.

Let's dig in to slotting many of these names to make important start-sit decisions with AllSportsPeople' Week 13 fantasy RB rankings.

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Fantasy Week 13 RB Rankings: Start 'em, sit 'em lineup tips for running backs this week

Please note these RB rankings reflect point-per-reception (PPR) scoring, with 0.1 point for every rushing or receiving yard and 6 points for every touchdown.

↕️ Week 13 Fantasy Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | PK | Flex

RkTrNameTMOPPWeek 13 Value
11Christian McCaffreySF@CLEElite RB1
21Jahmyr GibbsDETGBElite RB1
32Jonathan TaylorINDHOUElite RB1
42De'Von AchaneMIANOElite RB1
52James CookBUF@PITRB1
63TreVeyon HendersonNENYGRB1
73Kyren WilliamsLAR@CARRB1
83Derrick HenryBALCINRB1
93Breece HallNYJATLRB1
104Bijan RobinsonATL@NYJRB1
114Saquon BarkleyPHICHIRB1
125Bam KnightARI@TBRB1/RB2
135RJ HarveyDEN@WASRB1/RB2
145Sean TuckerTBARIRB1/RB2
156Kenneth WalkerSEAMINStrong RB2
166Quinshon JudkinsCLESFStrong RB2
176Ashton JeantyLV@LACStrong RB2
186Rico DowdleCARLARStrong RB2
197Javonte WilliamsDALKCRB2
207Chase BrownCIN@BALRB2
217Emanuel WilsonGB@DETRB2
227Travis EtienneJAX@TENRB2
237Kareem HuntKC@DALRB2
248Woody MarksHOU@INDRB2/Flex
258Kenneth GainwellPITBUFRB2/Flex
268Jaylen WarrenPITBUFRB2/Flex
278Kimani VidalLACLVRB2/Flex
288Kyle MonangaiCHI@PHIRB2/Flex
298Devin NealNO@MIARB2/Flex
309Rhamondre StevensonNENYGStrong Flex
319Michael CarterARI@TBStrong Flex
329Nick ChubbHOU@INDStrong Flex
339D'Andre SwiftCHI@PHIStrong Flex
3410Rachaad WhiteTBARIFlex
3510David MontgomeryDETGBFlex
3610Tyler AllgeierATL@NYJFlex
3710Zach CharbonnetSEAMINFlex
3810Dylan SampsonCLESFFlex
3910Tyjae SpearsTENJAXFlex
4010Aaron JonesMIN@SEAFlex
4110Tyrone TracyNYG@NEFlex
4211Blake CorumLAR@CARFlex/Bench
4311Jerome FordCLESFFlex/Bench
4412Tony PollardTENJAXFlex/Bench
4512Jordan MasonMIN@SEAFlex/Bench
4612Bhayshul TutenJAX@TENFlex/Bench
4712Devin SingletaryNYG@NEFlex/Bench
4812Brashard SmithKC@DALFlex/Bench
4912Chris RodriguezWASDENFlex/Bench
      
5013Jaleel McLaughlinDEN@WASBench
5113Keaton MitchellBALCINBench
5213Justice HillBALCINBench
5313Brian RobinsonSF@CLEBench
5413Raheem MostertLV@LACBench
5513Chuba HubbardCARLARBench
5613Ollie GordonMIANOBench
5713Chris BrooksGB@DETBench
5813Ty JohnsonBUF@PITBench
5913Jacory Croskey-MerrittWASDENBench
6014Terrell JenningsNENYGBench
6114Isaiah DavisNYJATLBench
6214Jaret PattersonLACLVBench
6314George HolaniSEAMINBench
6414Ameer AbdullahINDHOUBench
6514Tyler GoodsonINDHOUBench
6614Will ShipleyPHICHIBench
6714Jaylen WrightMIANOBench
6814Malik DavisDALKCBench
6914Hunter LuepkeDALKCBench
7014LeQuint AllenJAX@TENBench
7114Clyde Edwards-HelaireKC@DALBench
7214Jeremy McNicholsWASDENBench
7315Ray DavisBUF@PITBench
7415Brittain BrownCHI@PHIBench
7515Trayveon WilliamsLACLVBench
7615Amar JohnsonLACLVBench
7715Kaleb JohnsonPITBUFBench
7815D'Ernest JohnsonNENYGBench
7915Adam PrenticeDEN@WASBench
8015British BrooksHOU@INDBench
8116Patrick RicardBALCINBench
8216Sione VakiDETGBBench
8316Tank BigsbyPHICHIBench
8416Trevor EtienneCARLARBench
8516Travis HomerCHI@PHIBench
8616Alec IngoldMIANOBench
8716Julius ChestnutTENJAXBench
8816Kendall MiltonCIN@BALBench
      
INJ--Josh JacobsGB@DET 
INJ--Bucky IrvingTBARI 
INJ--Alvin KamaraNO@MIA 
INJ--Isiah PachecoKC@DAL 
INJ--Emari DemercadoARI@TB 
INJ--Samaje PerineCIN@BAL 
OUT--Tahj BrooksCIN@BAL 
IR-R--Omarion HamptonLACLV 
IR-R--Trey BensonARI@TB 
IR-R--Nyheim HinesLACLV 
IR-R--Hassan HaskinsLACLV 
IR--J.K. DobbinsDEN@WAS 
SUSP--Josh WilliamsTBARI 

🦃 PLAY ON TURKEY DAY: Fantasy Thanksgiving Player Rankings | Thanksgiving Start 'Em Sit 'Em

Which fantasy running backs have a Week 13 bye?

No NFL teams have a Week 13 bye, so fantasy managers have every active running back at their disposal.

➕ Best fantasy RB pickups this week: Week 13 waiver wire

Which RB injuries are affecting Week 13 fantasy rankings?

Josh Jacobs missed Week 12, but the Packers calmly relied on Emanuel Wilson, who filled in seamlessly and exploded for 125 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. The latter is the direct handcuff but could provide flex value if Jacobs returns on Thanksgiving.

A few more potential returns from long-injured backs loom over player values in this all-important week:

  • Bucky Irving (shoulder/foot) is set to practice all week and, if he's deemed healthy by end of Friday, should return to the Buccaneers lineup in Week 13. Sean Tucker could still serve as a flex play with everyone healthy, but his upside would take a major hit.
  • The Cardinals may activate Trey Benson (knee), which jeopardizes the future value of Bam Knight, Michael Carter, and the also injured Emari Demercado. Benson probably won't act as the majority back out of the gate but should occupy the heavy majority of touches out of the backfield.
  • Updates early in the week are quiet on the Chargers' Omarion Hampton (ankle), but many estimations soon after his Week 5 high-ankle sprain pointed to Week 13 as a possible target to come back. Kimani Vidal's value remains directly tied to Hampton's status, so make backup plans if you're relying on Vidal as an every-week flex.

Meanwhile, heed these updates around the league, as well:

  • Alvin Kamara is undergoing an MRI on his knee and remains uncertain for the Saints' upcoming game and beyond. Devin Neal remains one of the top waiver-wire pickups for Week 13 for the speculation of a major workload in Kamara's absence.
  • Isiah Pacheco (knee) has missed the past three games, which sandwiched the Chiefs' Week 10 bye, but Kareem Hunt looks to have recaptured the lead in this backfield. Kansas City may relegate a healthy Pacheco to understudy duty.

👮 Protect your backfield: RB handcuff rankings, depth charts

Who are the best Week 13 fantasy running backs?

TreVeyon Henderson has cemented his spot as an RB1 the rest of the way, pending matchups, having dominated the Patriots snap count 65% to 31% in Week 12 over a returning Rhamondre Stevenson. The Giants just let every-week starter Jahmyr Gibbs have one of the best fantasy performances of all time, making Henderson a top-10 fantasy name this coming week.

De'Von Achane and a newly crowned Broncos RB1 RJ Harvey resurface from bye as lineup bedrocks.

Which RB fantasy sleepers should I start in Week 13?

With all teams on the field, the threshold for labeling and starting a fantasy sleeper becomes much tougher to establish.

The Giants' gap-laden run defense could allow the Pats' Stevenson to produce flex-worthy numbers in backup work to Henderson.

Let's talk about a few more matchup and snap count bumps:

  • If you're hurt by injuries, go back to Woody Marks against the Colts. His shifty style could replicate Kareem Hunt's gashing of Indy.
  • Though it appears Quinshon Judkins is OK after trips back-and-forth into the medical tent Sunday, Dylan Sampson could see more work than usual as backup so the Browns can keep both healthy. Shedeur Sanders fed Sampson a screen pass that the rookie back took the house -- a fine reminder that the Tennessee alum can break off a big play at will.
  • As a top waiver-wire pickup, Neal also gets a vulnerable Dolphins defense. A 15-touch day could help him sneak into fantasy RB1 territory.

Who are the biggest RB bust candidates for fantasy Week 13?

While it's tough to recommend benching any touch hogs, Rico Dowdle's matchup with the Rams provides a tough wall to barge through, hence why he's placed in the confirmed RB2 tiers. 

Kyle Monangai and D'Andre Swift are best left for flex duty, even with Monangai's recent momentum. Chicago could find themselves tilting back toward Swift if they need to keep up with the Eagles' offense through the air. 

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