With a few more injuries to now consider, the fantasy football running back crop has left many fantasy football managers in limbo ahead of Week 11 of the 2025 NFL season. But aside from the deepest available leagues, there are still a few serviceable options available late in the week.
Week 11 will force Jonathan Taylor and Alvin Kamara managers to go to Plan B, with the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints on bye. Taylor enters Week 12 as the best running back in fantasy football, thus forcing many into a predicament.
In addition to the usual absences, J.K. Dobbins joined the weekly inactive list. The veteran's status opens the door for rookie RJ Harvey to take on a featured role in what should be the best game of his young career.
Harvey has been the top Week 11 waiver wire running back pickup who should be long gone by the end of the week. Running back-needy managers looking for last-minute help will not have access to him at this point in the game.
However, the weekly slate of matchups still presents streaming potential for several unsung heroes. Fantasy football can often be a game of inches, making the right decision the difference between a win and a loss.
Nick Chubb, Houston Texans
The rise of rookie Woody Marks has shelved veteran Nick Chubb, but both players have an opportunity to shine in Week 11. Marks is the preferred option, but the difference between the two is only a handful of snaps, which is not represented in the vast difference in ownership rate between them.
The Houston Texans' backfield has a rare opportunistic matchup against the Tennessee Titans‘ pitiful run defense. Tennessee enters Week 12 allowing the ninth-most rushing yards in the league, including the eighth-most to running backs.
Marks is averaging a few more carries per game than Chubb has over the last month, but either player could blow up against the Titans' shoddy defense. Chubb has more goal-line usage on the year, which is intriguing against a Tennessee defense that has given up 12 rushing touchdowns, tied for the most in the NFL.
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
Tyler Allgeier does not get enough credit as he deserves for his work in the Atlanta Falcons' backfield. They are not Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, but Allgeier and Bijan Robinson should be viewed on a similar plane by fantasy football managers.
As Robinson's backup, Allgeier can be a wild card in fantasy. He should swing toward the positive side in Week 12 against the Carolina Panthers, who have allowed the 11th-most rushing yards to running backs on the year. Carolina also ranks below average in fantasy points allowed and rushing touchdowns to the position.
Everything aligns for another big day from Robinson, but Allgeier has been sneaking in more goal-line work recently. The BYU alum is coming off a two-touchdown performance in Week 10 and has three touchdowns over the last three weeks.
Allgeier's usage has been inconsistent, but he is coming off an 11-carry performance against the New Orleans Saints. Expect something similar in Week 12, making him a stream-worthy fantasy football running back in NFL Week 11.
Chris Rodriguez Jr., Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders' backfield has been a mess that only got more complicated with Jayden Daniels' dislocated elbow. Jacory Croskey-Merritt initially looked like the team's No. 1 running back, but it now appears to be Chris Rodriguez Jr.
Both players have a higher ceiling in Week 12 against the Miami Dolphins, as does Jeremy McNichols. However, recent production suggests that Rodriguez is the player worth trusting most, even though Croskey-Merritt is owned in more fantasy leagues.
One of the Commanders' running backs against the Dolphins, who have allowed the 10th-most fantasy football points to running backs entering Week 11 of the 2025 NFL season. Recent history suggests it will be Rodriguez.
Rodriguez has started the Commanders' last three games and is Kliff Kingsbury's preferred goal-line back. Of the trio of flip-flopping talent, he is most worthy of a spot start.
Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals opened Trey Benson‘s practice window, but they will not activate him for Week 11. Instead, it will be Emari Demercado receiving another start, with Bam Knight rotating in behind him.
The backfield has been a 60-40 split in favor of Demercado, with the TCU alum also proving to be the more explosive backfield threat. Demercado only received seven touches in Week 10, but he turned them into 115 scrimmage yards and 10.4 fantasy points, his best performance of the year.
Demercado's Week 10 success should lead to more opportunities in Week 11 against a softer San Francisco 49ers defense. The 49ers have been below average against running backs this season, with Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and Yetur Gross-Matos all out of the lineup.
Demercado was the Cardinals' only productive offensive player in Week 10, and he should certainly be at least on the radar of all fantasy football managers entering Week 11.
Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bucky Irving is out for another game, leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' backfield up to Rachaad White and Sean Tucker. As the bigger name, White is the player fantasy managers have defaulted to, but Tucker has slowly cut into his usage.
White started off strong in Irving's stead, but he has been largely ineffective over the last few weeks. White has averaged just 3.4 yards per carry since Week 5 and has gone over 50 rushing yards just once in that frame.
Tucker has not exactly lit it up either, but he has woken up over the Buccaneers' last two games, during which he has racked up 95 rushing yards. The third-year back is coming off an efficient 53-yard game against the New England Patriots in Week 10 that could convince Liam Coen to give him a longer look over the sluggish White.
With the Buccaneers facing a tougher matchup against the Buffalo Bills, Tucker has shown enough over his last two games to become a bigger part of the offense. Tampa Bay will need to create explosive plays to keep up with the Bills, which favors Tucker over White.
