Fantasy RB Rankings Week 3: Who to start, sit at running back in fantasy football

They say NFL stands for "not for long," and that drifts down to fantasy football, as well. One week a running back look likes a bust; the next, he's challenging for his team lead in carries. Our Week 3 fantasy RB rankings sort through all the carnage to help you decide who to start at fantasy's most important position.

There were only two notable in-game RB injuries this week (that we know of), as Damien Harris (knee) and James Conner (ankle) both exited early. That paves the way for Rhamondre Stevenson (vs. Ravens in Week 3) and either Darrel Williams or Eno Benjamin (vs. Rams) to have more value this coming week, but obviously we'll have to wait and see on both situations. Stevenson would be a must-start if Harris is out, while the Cardinals' duo would both be risky flexes.

We'll also be on Alvin Kamara (ribs) and JK Dobbins (knee) watch this week. Both missed Week 2, and after their respective backups, Mark Ingram and Kenyan Drake, underwhelmed, we're not excited about either in Week 3. Ingram (@ Panthers) could work as a flex, but even Dobbins (@ Patriots) would only be a flex if healthy, so Drake would be a complete stayaway.

WEEK 3 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

The biggest surprises of Week 3 came in the form of big carry increases for Cam Akers (@ Cardinals), Dameon Pierce (@ Bears), Tyrion Davis-Price (@ Broncos), and Tyler Allgeier (@ Seahawks). Pierce looks like a solid standard-league flex with RB2 upside considering he received all of Houston's RB carries, but Akers, despite leading the Rams in carries, is still behind Darrell Henderson, who was much more efficient and scored L.A.'s lone rushing TD. TDP and Allgeier are still just handcuffs, but with Elijah Mitchell (knee) and Damien Williams (ribs) both out for at least the next three games, Allgeier and Davis-Price should be picked up and could eventually be worthwhile flexes. (Update: Davis-Price suffered a high-ankle sprain and miss several games, allowing Jordan Mason to take over and fill his role.)

WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

Raheem Mostert (@ Bills) was also a shock, as he seemingly took the Dolphins' backfield from Chase Edmonds. Mostert logged six more carries and the same amount of targets, so he appears to be the better play against the Bills. That doesn't mean he's anything more than a flex, but the speedster always has home-run potential. That's also true for Breece Hall (vs. Bengals), who outplayed Michael Carter last week, and Packers' backs AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones (@ Buccaneers), who have alternated better games the first two weeks. All are in play as RB2/flexes despite the tough matchups.

WEEK 3 DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings | Yahoo

Several other handcuffs remain involved enough to be flexes most weeks. Jamaal Williams (@ Vikings) is the biggest potential TD vulture of the group, as he routinely gets the Lions' goal-line carries, but Melvin Gordon (vs. 49ers), Khalil Herbert (vs. Texans), Kareem Hunt (vs. Steelers), and Tony Pollard (@ Giants) are also steady contributors behind their RB1/2 counterparts. Kenneth Walker (vs. Falcons) might ascend to that status soon, too, but it's tough to know what to make of his debut after he and Rashaad Penny combined for just 10 carries and 25 yards against the stingy 49ers' run defense. Penny (vs. Falcons) has plenty of upside, but clearly his value takes a hit after last week.

WEEK 3 DFS: Best values | Best stacks

Also taking a hit is Travis Etienne (@ Chargers). Not only does James Robinson continue to out-touch him (25 to 12 last week), but he's also greatly outproducing him (78 total yards, TD compared to 53 total yards). Etienne still has big-play potential, but he's a risky flex at this point. Ditto for J.D. McKissic (vs. Eagles), Nyheim Hines (vs. Chiefs), Edmonds (@ Bills), and definitely Rex Burkhead (@ Bears) after his Week 2 no-show.

WEEK 3 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em

As quickly as things swung for RBs in Week 2, they could swing back in Week 3, whether it's because of injury or some other reason. It's all about being vigilant and trusting the usage patterns, as matchup data only goes so far this early in the season. That's why we barely mention the stud backs in our overviews -- you already know to start them, so there's little use talking about them unless they're injured or declining in some way. We'll continue to do our best to stay on top of things and help keep your running back room in working order. 

Note: We'll be updating these RB rankings throughout the week, so check back for analysis and the latest player movement.

Week 3 fantasy RB rankings for standard leagues

Rankings based on standard, non-PPR scoring leagues

Week 3 RB fantasy projections, rankings from Draft Sharks

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