Man, if you’re feeling the fantasy football struggle at running back right now, you are NOT alone. Through just three weeks of the season, we’ve only seen 35 instances of a running back hitting 15 PPR points. Think about that for a second! Last year, that number was 46 by this point. It’s a full-on drought, and it feels like it’s getting worse, especially with backfields across the league, including our own Seattle, just not delivering.
The RB Drought Is Real, and It’s Everywhere
The struggle is real, folks. Backfields are a mess right now. We’ve got changes happening in Miami, New Orleans, and with the Jets, and then there are the ones that are just straight-up disappointing everyone who drafted their guys. Yeah, I’m looking at Cleveland, Tennessee, and, no sugarcoating it, our own Seattle backfield has been a letdown too. If you blew a chunk of your FAB on some dude like Ollie Gordon hoping to fix things, you know the pain. It’s time to get aggressive and make a trade, because waiting it out isn’t working.
Your Pricey Buy-Low RBs Who Could Save Your Season
Alright, so who do you even target when everyone’s scrambling? Let’s talk about the big guns first, the ones that are gonna cost you, but might just be worth it if you’re in dire need. Chase Brown in Cincy, for starters. Yeah, he’s totally underwhelmed through three weeks, I get it. But this dude is the unquestioned lead back in a powerhouse Bengals offense. He’s got 49 attempts for 197 yards and a touchdown, no fumbles, and with their defense stepping up, he’s gonna see a favorable game script every single week. You’re paying big for him, probably second-round value, maybe even first, but you’re buying into that volume.
Then there’s Saquon Barkley over in Philly. Still looks good with the ball, rocking 34 attempts for 174 yards, though he’s yet to find the end zone and has no fumbles. The problem is he’s just not getting it enough, and Jalen Hurts is a goal-line vulture, no doubt. The Philly offense hasn’t really clicked like we thought it would early on, and that means Barkley could be relied on more and more. You’re looking at giving up at least second-round value for him, but the workload could eventually be there.
Deeper Dives and High-Risk, High-Reward Plays
For the shrewd fantasy manager, you gotta look at the Minnesota Vikings backfield with Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones. Mason’s currently on the shelf, which is a bummer, but he’s got 15 attempts for 59 yards and a touchdown already this season. Jones’ value is sitting pretty high, too, with 52 attempts, 203 yards, and a touchdown. But seriously, go look at the Vikings schedule. Try to find their tough matchups for the rest of the season. Think about that offensive line too. The cost to get Jones and/or Mason could be worth it when you factor in that schedule and O-line.
So, with Week 4 upon us, it’s crunch time. Are you gonna sit back and watch your fantasy season evaporate, or are you gonna get on the phones, make some moves, and try to snag one of these guys? Check those Week 4 rankings, make those tough start/sit calls, and go find that RB production to keep your season alive!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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