Fantasy Football Tricky Backfields: Hassan Haskins vs. Kimani Vidal, Kareem Hunt vs. Isiah Pacheco and More

As we get ready to kick off week 6 of the NFL regular season, I wanted to break down some of the convoluted backfields around the league.

Today, we'll discuss the backfields for the Patriots, Texans, Chiefs, Chargers, Commanders, Saints, Seahawks and Cardinals.

Check out fantasy football leaders all season on FantasySP!

Patriots Backfield

For New England, Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are left after the season-ending injury to Antonio Gibson.

Stevenson leads the backfield with 51 touches so far, while Henderson has 47. Stevenson has played 171 snaps to just 123 for Henderson.

Stevenson has averaged 3.7 yards per carry, while Henderson is at 3.8. Both guys have been involved in the passing game, but Stevenson has 64 more yards on two less catches, and with an extra touchdown, he's been the better fantasy asset so far.

Stevenson had nine touches in week 5, while Henderson finished with eight. Gibson had seven, so his absence will help each back get an extra touch or two a game now.

For now, Stevenson looks like the best fantasy option, but I still have Henderson eventually taking over the backfield lead. 

A pretty favorable test against the Saints is a chance to start Stevenson or Henderson for week 6 in standard leagues. Both are better deep-league assets, but in a pinch, both could start in standard leagues.

Texans Backfield

Houston is on a bye this coming week, so we won't get any answers on the leader in the backfield until at least week 7.

Nick Chubb has led the way so far, but Woody Marks erupted a couple weeks ago. Last week, Chubb had 11 touches to just seven for Marks in another lopsided game. 

Chubb has 65 touches over 145 offensive snaps played so far, while Marks is at 42 touches over 117 snaps. Chubbs averages 4.3 yards a carry, while Marks is at 3.8.

The rookie Marks makes up the difference in the running game with better marks as a pass catcher. He has 50 more yards and a score on one less reception.

I really have no idea who the lead back is right now. In the right matchups, both Chubb and Marks could be starting in standard leagues. Otherwise, they are probably better deep-league assets until a leader repeatedly steps up.

I like Marks earning that honor as the season goes on, but the Texans might be content to keep splitting the backfield between Chubb and Marks. Things could get really complicated if Joe Mixon is ever cleared to return too, but we'll cross that bridge if it ever happens.

Chiefs Backfield

Kareem Hunt, Isiah Pacheco and Brashard Smith have all factored in for the Chiefs over the past several weeks.

Hunt is the top fantasy asset so far, but that's only because he's scored three touchdowns. He has 49 touches over 132 snaps, averaging 3.8 yards a carry and adding 44 yards on six receptions.

Pacheco has 48 touches over 173 snaps, averaging 4.2 yards a carry, but still not scoring on the ground. He's added 46 yards and a touchdown on nine receptions.

Smith has 14 touches over 46 snaps played. He's averaged 3.5 yards on eight carries, while adding 59 receiving yards on six receptions.

Hunt has dominated the snaps/touches in the red zone, so he's the best fantasy asset in a really complicated backfield. Pacheco usually gets enough touches to contribute something, but it just hasn't happened.

Hunt is a standard league option, but really only in great matchups where the Chiefs are going to score several times. I like him and Pacheco as deep-league options better, while Smith hasn't done quite enough to start in any leagues yet.

This is a backfield to watch every week, as a leader could eventually emerge. A tough test against the Lions in week 6 means I'm trying to stay away from Hunt and Pacheco in standard leagues, and it drops their stock in deeper leagues - I'd avoid Smith in the tougher matchup as well.

Chargers Backfield

The Los Angeles backfield is in question because of injuries to Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris.

Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal seem like the next guys in line for work. Haskins has six touches over 28 snaps this season, rushing five times for 13 yards and adding a two-yard reception on his lone target. Vidal has five touches over 16 snaps, rushing four times for 18 yards and catching a one-yard pass on his only target.

All their touches came in week 5 after the injury to Hampton. Most are saying Haskins is the lead back, but I think the backfield snaps and touches will be pretty evenly split between him and Vidal.

Luckily, the Chargers' backs have a very favorable test against the Dolphins in week 6, otherwise I'd probably advise to stay away from both guys.

Haskins is a starting option in standard leagues for me, but is more of a flex-level option than a locked-in starter. Vidal is a notch below that, but probably is better utilized in deeper leagues. Honestly, I'd still prefer to start either guy in deeper leagues only.

We'll see if either guy can shed some light on the leader in the backfield, because Hampton is going to be out for a while.

Commanders Backfield

We might have gotten our answer to the Commanders' backfield in week 5, when Jacory Croskey-Merritt led the way.

He had 16 touches, easily outpacing Chris Rodriguez (5) and Jeremy McNichols (2). JCM has 48 touches on the season now, while Rodriguez has 23 and McNichols 13.

Croskey-Merritt has played 109 snaps on the season. He averages 6.6 yards a carry and has scored four touchdowns, while adding 54 receiving yards on five catches.

Rodriguez has logged 57 snaps, averaging 4.6 yards a carry, but not scoring or adding anything as a pass catcher. McNichols averages 10.2 yards over his 11 carries, and has two grabs for 12 yards across his 78 total snaps.

Croskey-Merritt is the Washington back you want, and I see him solidifying himself as the team's lead back as the weeks pass. A great matchup against the Bears is more reason to start him in all fantasy leagues this week.

Rodriguez and McNichols probably aren't going to completely disappear, but I don't see them getting enough work most weeks to be good starting options, even in deeper leagues. If there were ever a matchup to utilize them in, it's the one they have in week 6 - it might be the last time you get this chance this season, as I see JCM controlling things from here on out.

Saints Backfield

Suddenly, there's a backfield debate in New Orleans, where Alvin Kamara is the lead back, but he split the workload with Kendre Miller last week.

Kamara has 90 touches on the season over 260 snaps played, while Miller is at 42 touches over 89 snaps. Miller has 9-11 touches in three straight games, so things seem to be converting to more of a backfield split.

Kamara is averaging 3.9 yards a carry, while Miller is at 4.3 yards. Kamara only is the better fantasy asset because of his work as a pass catcher.

Taysom Hill is also back, so both backs could lose some snaps/touches moving forward.

I'm surprised Miller wasn't added in more leagues this week, because he could soon be the lead rusher in New Orleans, while Kamara fills more of a receiving back role. Both could have fantasy relevance yet on a New Orleans offense lacking playmakers, but each other's presence really caps the other's fantasy ceiling.

I'd look to sell Kamara while I could, while stashing Miller in more leagues. A brutal test against the Patriots is reason to maybe bench Kamara in standard leagues this week - both he and Miller are worth deep-league starts, even in the tougher matchup.

Seahawks Backfield

Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet are the top backs in Seattle.

Walker has 75 touches and 134 snaps across five games, while Charbonnet has 51 touches and 131 snaps played across four games.

Walker has nearly 200 more rushing yards, but each back has three rushing scores, so both are fantasy assets. Walker is the better one for now, but Charbonnet's presence definitely caps his ceiling.

A tougher test against the Jaguars in week 6 is reason to only start Walker in standard leagues, but Charbonnet remains a solid deep-league asset. An injury might be the only thing needed for some real clarity in this backfield.

Cardinals Backfield

The Arizona backfield is a lot like the Los Angeles backfield after James Conner was lost for the season and Trey Benson was lost for several weeks.

Michael Carter, Emari Demercado and Bam Knight were all involved last week. Carter had 23 touches, 73 total yards and a score to emerge as the best fantasy asset. Demercado had three touches and 81 yards, but fumbled on a bone-headed play to maybe earn a spot in the doghouse. Knight had five touches, going for 24 total yards and a score.

Carter is the guy worth starting in week 6, but a tough test against the Colts makes him a weaker fantasy option. At least start him in deeper leagues.

I'd avoided Knight or Demercado because of the tougher matchup. We'll see if the backfield continues to be led by Carter, or if Knight or Demercado create more questions going into week 7.