Fantasy Football Week 8 Running Back Start/Sit: Rico Dowdle, Jacory Croskey-Merritt and More

Welcome to Week 8's fantasy football start/sit breakdown for the running back position! 

As always, I'd like to start with a quick look back at last week's results. This week, we can summarize those results in a single sentence: not a single one of the six core players I featured in last week's article scored more than 11 half-PPR points.

That means my start picks were bad (with the exception of Woody Marks, who finished as the RB17 with those aforementioned 11 points), but my sit picks were good (with the exception of Tony Pollard's RB22/9.1-point finish).  

This week, there are a whopping six teams on bye, so standards will be even lower than usual. In fact, we can do some quick math: with 26 teams in action, that means in a standard 12-team fantasy league, there are only two “extra” starting NFL RBs.

Given that running backs probably aren't evenly distributed, there will be many managers picking between two ugly committee or straight-up backup options at running back this week. With that in mind, let's get started. 

For more help with your toughest Week 8 start/sit decisions, check out FantasySP's NFL Start/Sit tool!

Running Backs to Start Week 8

Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers

One of the big questions coming into Week 7 was how the Panthers would split their backfield between Chuba Hubbard, the team's Week 1 starter returning from injury, and Dowdle, fresh off back-to-back games of over 200 scrimmage yards.

Unfortunately, Carolina's decision-makers picked the least fantasy-friendly option possible. Hubbard and Dowdle alternated drives, literally exactly.

Hubbard got the start, and he recorded touches on the Panthers' first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and 11th drives. Dowdle touched the ball on drives two, six, eight, and 10. Neither back touched the ball on the Panthers' brief fourth drive … but I went back and checked, and Dowdle was on the field for all four snaps (including one negated by penalty). 

So if they're alternating drives, and Hubbard gets the first one, why am I recommending Dowdle? Simple: Dowdle has been the more efficient player this season. Even last week, he averaged 4.6 yards per attempt to 2.2 for Hubbard.

Hubbard is also a viable play, but I expect Dowdle to make more of his 50% (or 45%) share of the pie. There's also a chance that Carolina's coaches change their approach, which would likely favor Dowdle as the more recent hot hand. Especially in a matchup with a Bills' defense that allows the sixth-most points to opposing RBs, that makes him an appealing option. 

Woody Marks, Houston Texans

Marks was probably my best pick last week, but it wasn't exactly pretty. The Texans' offense as a whole could barely move the ball against Seattle, especially on the ground. Marks saved his fantasy day with a late touchdown reception, without which he would have scored 4.1 half-PPR points.

However, the rookie's usage was once again solid. He played 61% of the Texans' snaps, saw twice as many carries as Nick Chubb, and even saw a healthty 10% target share. His share compared to Chubb was definitely slightly inflated by the negative game script, but this was also his third straight game as the team's lead back in terms of snaps. Over those three contests, Marks has 34 carries and 11 targets to 29 and six for Chubb.

So, Marks is the Texans' RB1, and that's really what this comes down to. Houston's offense is bad, and the matchup with San Francisco is mediocre. But Marks has a three-down skillset and the slight edge to lead this backfield in touches every week. On a slate with very few options, that makes him a legit RB2 candidate. 

Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and a week with six teams on bye is certainly a desperate time. Monangai — who is still available in over 60% of leagues — fits the bill as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency starter.

The rookie's role has grown week over week, culminating in a 15-opportunity, 16.4-point game last week against the Saints. Although he was still clearly Chicago's RB2, he played only four fewer snaps than D'Andre Swift, the closest that gap has been all season.

Monangai's usage is peaking at the right time. The Bears play the Ravens this week, who have allowed the second-most points per game to running backs so far this season. That matchup also has the second-highest total of the week, so there should be production to go around.

It's certainly not a comfortable click, but I like the rookie's chances to provide a solid day to RB-needy managers this week. 

Running Backs to Sit Week 8

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

I have actually found myself in the pro-Stevenson camp so far this season (if only because I am so heavily in the anti-TreVeyon Henderson camp). And I probably will be going forward … just not this week.

Stevenson's usage is excellent: he played 77% of New England's snaps last week, handled 18 of 20 non-garbage-time carries, and saw two targets on a 64% route participation rate. But this matchup is dreadful. The Browns' defense allows the second-fewest points per game to opposing running backs, and they've bottled up everyone from Derrick Henry (2.3 points) to Josh Jacobs (9.9 points).

In fact, Jahmyr Gibbs is the only back with more than 12.1 half-PPR points against the Browns so far this season. And, despite his good usage, Stevenson is no Gibbs. He ranks near the bottom of just about any rushing efficiency metric you can find, as does every other New England running back. If you're lucky enough to have another viable option this week, leave Stevenson on the bench. 

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders

I listed Bill as a start for both of the last two weeks, and he let me down both times. That may make this pick seem like a choice made out of frustration, but there are actually a lot of things going against the rookie this week.

For one, JCM's usage isn't as elite as it briefly appeared it would be. In Week 7, he played just 52% of the Commanders' snaps and handled 72% of their RB rushes. Chris Rodriguez Jr. returned from playing just one snap in Week 6 to handle three carries, including a goal-line TD. Croskey-Merritt also remains relatively uninvolved in the passing game, seeing roughly one target per game on low route participation rates. 

Adding bad situation to disappointing usage, things don't look good for the Commanders as a whole this week. They head to Arrowhead to face the red-hot Chiefs, and they will be without starting QB Jayden Daniels.

Kansas City allows the seventh-fewest points per game to opposing RBs, and Marcus Mariota isn't exactly going to open up rushing lanes for Croskey-Merritt to exploit. Put it all together, and I recommend leaving Bill on the bench this week. 

Anyone Not Already On Your Roster

This one is a bit complicated, so bear with me. But if byes and injuries have you staring down a truly despicable running back start this week, it's probably not worth making a desperate move to upgrade.

Don't trade a valuable asset or drop a high-upside player just to increase your projection for this week by a few points. It probably won't matter anyway, so just play the best option you already have and hope for the best.

If you're still not sure what I mean, an example might make things clearer. In one of my longest-running home leagues, a combination of injuries (James Conner and Omarion Hampton) and byes (Jahmyr Gibbs and Bam Knight) means I am absolutely desperate at the RB position. The only active backs on my roster are Marks (my “RB1”), Isaiah Davis, and Brashard Smith. 

Technically, I have options to improve my chances of winning this week. I have received offers that would allow me to acquire Aaron Jones Sr. or Pollard, and there are better-projecting options like Justice Hill and Kareem Hunt available on waivers. Instead, I plan on simply rolling with Davis or Smith at RB2.

The few points of projection I'm losing aren't likely to actually impact the results of my Week 8 matchup, and they definitely won't matter going forward. But dropping or trading away a valuable piece could impact my championship chances down the line.

So this is my advice for anyone with truly nothing in their RB2 spot this week. Don't panic, and don't let desperation get the best of you. If you have to roll out a handcuff like Davis or a long-term upside bet like Smith, so be it. Maybe they surprise you with a solid outing, or maybe it simply doesn't matter what they score. Whatever happens, you'll probably regret making a big (or even small) move to replace them.