1 of 5 | Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard runs against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Photo by Ian Halperin/UPI | License Photo
MIAMI, Nov. 1 (UPI) — Tony Pollard and Aaron Jones are among my five fantasy football running backs to avoid in lineups in Week 9. If you need more options for your roster, check out my top add/drops article. My Week 9 rankings for quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends also are available and will be updated throughout the week. Advertisement
Austin Ekeler, Jonathan Taylor, Breece Hall, Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley lead my Top 30 rankings, which are listed below. Alvin Kamara, Isiah Pacheco, Josh Jacobs, Raheem Mostert and Joe Mixon round out my Top 10 plays.
All of my running backs to avoid rank outside the Top 12 of my rankings. You should only bench my players to avoid if you don’t roster a higher-ranked option.
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Players from the Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers should either be benched or dropped, as those teams have Week 9 byes.
Tony Pollard
Benching Pollard comes with risk, but I would lean toward starting players on your roster with better matchups, if they are listed higher in my rankings.
The Dallas Cowboys running back, who is listed at No. 14 in my rankings, hasn’t rushed for more than 53 yards in a game since Week 3.
He failed to eclipse 64 yards from scrimmage in three of his last four games. Pollard, who also hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 1, will face the best rush defense in the NFL in Week 9, when the Cowboys travel for a road game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles allowed the fewest rushing yards and fantasy points to running backs through eight weeks. They also have yet to allow a running back to eclipse 59 rushing yards and surrendered just two total touchdowns to the position.
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Pollard should get at least 15 touches in this matchup, but I don’t anticipate much success from those opportunities. He likely needs a touchdown to pay off as an RB2.
Aaron Jones
Like Pollard, Jones reached the end zone just twice so far this season. Jones also is averaging a career-low 4.2 yards per carry and failed to eclipse 41 rushing yards through four appearances.
His Green Bay Packers will battle the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9. The Rams tied for allowing the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs so far this season. They also allowed more than 70 rushing yards to a running back just once, surrendering 116 yards and a score to Christian McCaffrey in Week 2.
Jones is my No. 16 option and could still be productive if he plays a role as a pass catcher in this game, with both teams using high-volume passing games. I would consider other options at RB2.
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Alexander Mattison
Mattison is not included in the Top 20 of my rankings. The Minnesota Vikings running back failed to eclipse 44 rushing yards in six of eight games this season. He also has yet to score a rushing touchdown.
This week, the Vikings will face the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs through eight weeks. They also didn’t allow a rushing touchdown to the position during that span.
Mattison, who needs a score to provide RB2 value, isn’t likely to get many opportunties in this matchup, as the Vikings will be playing with a backup quarterback and could struggle to move the ball offensively.
Gus Edwards
Edwards is also outside of my Top 20 for Week 9. The Baltimore Ravens veteran was the highest-scoring running back of Week 8, when he scored three touchdowns in a win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Outside of that success in the end zone, Edwards totaled 94 yards from scrimmage against one of the most generous defenses in the NFL.
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The week, the Ravens will face the Seattle Seahawks, who allowed the sixth-fewest rushing yards per game to running backs through eight weeks. Edwards is still averaging a career-low 4.1 yards per carry this season and I don’t expect his efficiency to rebound in this tough matchup.
Week 9 fantasy football running back rankings
1. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers at NYJ
2. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts at CAR
3. Breece Hall, New York Jets vs. LAC
4. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans at PIT
5. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants at LV
6. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints vs. CHI
7. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs vs. MIA
8. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders vs. NYG
9. Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins vs. KC
10. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals vs. BUF
11. Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks at BAL
12. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons vs. MIN
13. D’Andre Swift, Philadelphia Eagles vs. DAL
14. Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys at PHI
15. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots vs. WAS
16. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers vs. LAR
17. James Cook, Buffalo Bills at CIN
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18. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. TEN
19. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at HOU
20. Brian Robinson Jr., Washington Commanders at NE
21. Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals at CLE
22. Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns vs. ARI
23. Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings at ATL
24. Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens vs. SEA
25. Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts at CAR
26. Darrell Henderson Jr., Los Angeles Rams at GB
27. D’Onta Foreman, Chicago Bears at NO
28. Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. TEN
29. Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears at NO
30. Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans at PIT
NFL: Minnesota Vikings beat Green Bay Packers as Kirk Cousins leaves with injury
Pollard, Jones among 4 fantasy football running backs to avoid in Week 9
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