Week 9 only has two teams on bye, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans, so the bye-week situation isn’t too bad for fantasy managers. However, the running back landscape continues to change, and it’s important to stay on top of those developments as we enter the second half of the season. Opportunity can change quickly at this position, and finding the next running back who can provide value before everyone else catches on is what we’re looking for. Let’s take a look at the running back situations that could give us the most bang for our buck heading into Week 9.
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Week 9 Running Back Streamers
Mike Washington Jr.
The Raiders’ backfield was one of the biggest surprises of Week 8. Washington took control of the backfield, playing 60% of the snaps and handling 25 carries for 83 yards. Meanwhile, Ashton Jeanty saw a season-low 40% snap share and just five touches.
The biggest appeal here is opportunity. If Washington continues seeing 18-25 touches per game, he immediately enters the RB2 conversation based on volume alone. The matchup against San Francisco isn’t ideal, but volume is king in fantasy football. Washington is a priority waiver add heading into Week 9.
Tyler Allgeier
Another week, another Cardinals running back situation worth discussing. Allgeier had himself a monster Week 8, turning 11 carries into 147 yards while adding five catches for 44 yards and a receiving touchdown. Arizona’s backfield took some significant hits, with Jeremiyah Love (ankle) and Bam Knight (concussion) both leaving the game with injuries. That opened the door for Allgeier to take advantage of the opportunity, and he certainly delivered.
Heading into Week 9 against Seattle, Allgeier is coming off one of the biggest fantasy performances at the running back position. The efficiency was impressive, but what matters most is whether he can maintain a meaningful workload with the injuries potentially creating more opportunities.
We shouldn’t expect another 13.4 yards per carry performance, but Allgeier has earned consideration as a streaming option. If the Cardinals continue leaning on him, there’s legitimate fantasy value here.
STASH ALERT! Jonathan Brooks
Chuba Hubbard has been fantastic this season and is looking like a potential draft-day steal. However, I’m not ready to give up on Jonathan Brooks just yet. Brooks has remained on injured reserve since September 23 while recovering from a core muscle injury suffered against Atlanta in Week 2. He was initially expected to miss six to eight weeks, so we’re approaching the window where a return could become realistic.
Before the injury, Brooks had already carved out a role, recording a 24.6% snap share and a 20.5% rush share across his first two weeks. Once he returns, he should have an opportunity to move ahead of the other depth options in Carolina and establish himself as Hubbard’s backup.
Obviously, Hubbard has done enough to maintain his role as the starter, but Brooks is a talented young running back worth stashing in deeper leagues. He could develop into an RB3/FLEX option if he gets back into the rotation, and his value would increase significantly if Hubbard ever missed time.
Week 9 Running Back Sleepers
Seth McGowan
The Jonathan Taylor trade rumors continue to heat up, and McGowan is someone fantasy managers should keep an eye on. He operated as a backup behind Taylor in Week 8, but things could look completely different if Indianapolis decides to move its starting running back before the November 10 trade deadline.
If Taylor gets traded and the Colts don’t bring back another starting-caliber running back, McGowan could find himself next in line for the starting job, with DJ Giddens potentially stepping into a change-of-pace role.
The Colts’ offense hasn’t been particularly impressive lately, but their remaining schedule is favorable for fantasy running backs.
McGowan is more of a speculative stash right now, but the upside is worth considering. If Taylor gets moved, McGowan could quickly become a high-volume option and potentially work his way into the RB3 conversation for the remainder of the season. Keep an eye on this situation heading into the trade deadline.
Kenneth Gainwell
I’m going to be honest: Gainwell has been frustrating to roster this season. However, the last two weeks have reminded us that there’s still some standalone fantasy value here.
Gainwell has put together back-to-back productive performances, but the circumstances behind those games are important. Tampa Bay’s offense leaned heavily on the running game, particularly in a rain-soaked game where Baker Mayfield did not complete a pass! Gainwell took advantage, turning 25 carries into 140 yards in one outing after previously recording 14 carries for 88 yards.
It’s encouraging to see him produce when given the opportunity, but I wouldn’t get carried away with these performances.
Still, the Buccaneers have one of the more favorable fantasy running back schedules for the second half of the season. Gainwell deserves consideration as an RB3 in deeper leagues, with considerably more upside if Bucky Irving were to miss time.
Sione Vaki
Is Vaki the running back to stash behind Jahmyr Gibbs? After eight weeks, it’s a situation worth monitoring.
Vaki recorded a season-high 11 carries for 65 yards, averaging an impressive 5.9 yards per carry, while adding a five-yard reception. It’s a small sample, but there’s enough here to make him an interesting deep-league stash.
Let’s be realistic: Vaki isn’t someone you need to rush out and add in shallow leagues. However, he’s worth keeping on your radar as insurance behind Gibbs, especially with how difficult it has been to find reliable RB3 options on the waiver wire this season.
Detroit faces Miami in Week 9, and depending on how that game plays out, there could be an opportunity for Vaki to get some additional work. I’m also curious to see whether he can develop into a bigger part of this backfield moving forward. Could this be a David Montgomery part II situation where he works in 8-10 touches a game?
For now, he’s strictly a deep-league stash, but in a season where running back depth is becoming increasingly valuable, Vaki is a name worth remembering.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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