Raiders star Josh Jacobs' injury has further depleted the pool of viable running backs, which in most fantasy formats is already relatively thinner than wide receiver.
Jacobs looked hobbled on Monday Night Football against the Ravens, though he still managed to score two touchdowns. Thankfully, for now he's only been ruled out for a tough Week 2 matchup against the Steelers, perhaps signaling his ankle and foot ailments aren't serious enough to warrant an IR stint, which would be a minimum absence of three weeks.
In any event, Jacobs fantasy owners still have to respond, as do owners of Raheem Mostert, who announced he would undergo season-ending knee surgery earlier this week. Here's a look at some running back options who are still widely available in most leagues.
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles
The rookie running back was on the field for 25 offensive snaps (35%) in Week 1. Even in that limited action, he had nine carries and two catches on three targets, a "touch + target" rate of nearly 50%. That bodes well should his role increase, which seems possible with several previous reports from training camp and the offseason indicating coach Nick Sirianni has expressed interest in deploying Gainwell liberally. Miles Sanders is still the lead back, but he has to be kept fresh, and the multi-faceted Jalen Hurts seems to involve all of the skill players around him. Gainwell was available in more than 70% of ESPN leagues on Saturday.
Carlos Hyde, Jacksonville Jaguars
Hyde is no one's idea of a splashy add, but his fantasy value is up a tick based on his double-digit touches in Week 1. With Travis Etienne unfortunately out for the season, it leaves the bulk of the Jaguars' touches to James Robinson and Hyde. Robinson is still the better player and better own, but he's long gone in your league. Hyde's not going to win you a championship, but his role is secure and could even expand a bit in his reunion with Urban Meyer, his former coach at Ohio State.
Damien Williams, Chicago Bears
Like Hyde, Williams is more journeyman than stud at this point in his career. But he seems to have carved out a pretty substantial role playing alongside lead back David Montgomery. Williams saw 30 offensive snaps in Week 1, getting 10 touches, including six carries and four catches (on five targets). The 40 yards gained was relatively unimpressive, but the touches were encouraging, and the offense figures to see an overall boost if and when Justin Fields takes over at quarterback.
Cordarelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons
As with the others on this list, Patterson is a speculative add based on a combination of his usage and touches in Week 1. He saw 24 offensive snaps (33%) and was productive on his seven carries (54 yards) and two receptions (13 yards). Again, Mike Davis is the clear-cut lead back, but Patterson has always been dynamic with the ball in his hands, whether on offense or special teams, and there's a sense head coach Arthur Smith likes what he has in the journeyman. If the Falcons are playing from behind frequently this year, as some have predicted, that could bode well for Patterson, who is the superior pass-catcher.
Ty Johnson, New York Jets
Rookie Michael Carter and veteran journeyman Tevin Coleman are both more widely owned than Johnson, but it was the latter who had the most offensive snaps in Week 1. The touches were distributed fairly evenly, with Coleman getting the most -- all coming on nine carries -- while Johnson had four carries and three targets (two catches), and Carter had four carries and two targets (both caught). For what it's worth, Johnson saw the bulk of action during the Jets' second-half rally in Week 1, though he didn't play a big role in it. The Jets' offensive line was dreadful against the Panthers and just lost starting left tackle Mekhi Becton for multiple weeks, so Johnson is for deep leagues only, but there's hope the line might actual see a quick improvement since Becton was seemingly playing hurt and hadn't reportedly taken to the Jets' new run scheme. The Jets seem to be going with a "hot hand" approach in the backfield, and so far, no one's gotten hot, so the job would still seem to be up for grabs if anyone can seize it.
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