The NFL trade deadline is right around the corner. That means the fantasy football trade deadline will soon follow. The eighth week of the season is already underway and everyone has a decent grasp on how their team is going to perform for the rest of the season.
In this article, we'll highlight the running backs in fantasy football that you may want to target in the coming weeks.
5. David Montgomery
Before the season began, the hype train for David Montgomery was getting overcrowded.
Then, the season began and everyone realized it wasn't going to be as perfect as it seemed. Through the first seven weeks of the season, Montgomery has failed to record more than 14 fantasy points in a single game.
Last week, he had just two carries for six yards against the New Orleans Saints. Matt Nagy refused to run the ball: just seven times compared to 54 passes. Chicago was blown out.
Nagy has to realize that his offense is better when the running game is being utilized, right? Montgomery is likely the cheapest buy-low option on here due to his lack of involvement in the Bears offense.
4. Tevin Coleman
When the San Francisco 49ers signed Tevin Coleman in the offseason, it was obvious that Kyle Shanahan had a featured role for him. Unfortunately, an injury in Week 1 prevented him from staying on the field long.
Nevertheless, since he's returned to the lineup in Week 5, Coleman has been the lead back in San Francisco. Over the past three games, he's rushed for 204 yards on 54 attempts and two touchdowns.
Matt Breida, the backup to Coleman, has received just 32 carries for 185 yards and a touchdown in that span. Therefore, it's safe to assume that it's Coleman's job to lose.
Getting the No. 1 running back in Kyle Shanahan's offense is never a bad idea.
3. Josh Jacobs
Another rookie rusher everyone was fussing about was Josh Jacobs of the Oakland Raiders. The Alabama product was expected to be a candidate for the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.
If Kyler Murray didn't exist, Jacobs would probably be the leading candidate as of right now. So, why is Jacobs on this list?
He has scored 16 or more fantasy points in three games this season. In Week 5, he was able to produce 29.3 fantasy points but he's capable of exceeding that in the future.
As good as he's been, he has yet to really take off as a pass-catcher. Expect Jon Gruden to get him more involved as a receiver, which only heightens his potential in fantasy football.
2. Todd Gurley
One of the most disappointing fantasy football performers this season has been Todd Gurley. Most people who selected him used their first-round pick to take the Los Angeles Rams running back.
But the people who chose him knew there was a risk that they were making. Since the end of last season, Gurley hasn't been the same running back he once was.
Over the course of the offseason, those doubts didn't subside. When Gurley runs the ball, you can see the same athleticism he once had, but he's no longer as confident with the ball.
As a result, his usage has taken a hit and he's no longer as effective in Sean McVay's offense. Nevertheless, the potential for him to break out later in the season is still there. In light of that, he isn't going to cost you nearly as much right now in fantasy football, compared to if he does come into form in the near future.
1. Le'Veon Bell
At the top of the buy-low list, Le'Veon Bell is the best trade option you could possibly target in fantasy football at the running back position. To begin the season, the New York Jets quickly lost Sam Darnold to an illness that kept him out for a few weeks.
As a result, Bell was unable to produce the numbers that he was accustomed to producing with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Without Darnold, the dual-threat back wasn't getting fruitful results.
Darnold finally returned in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys and the offense opened up. Furthermore, Bell's upcoming schedule is one of the most favorable ones you could have for a fantasy football running back.
From Week 8-Week 14, Bell will face the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins (twice), New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Washington Redskins. All of those teams are in the bottom-eight defenses in fantasy football points allowed to running backs.
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