With Week 8 of the NFL and Fantasy Football season already here, fantasy managers are scrambling to mend their starting lineups during another frantic bye week across the league. The Cardinals, Lions, Jaguars, Raiders, Rams, and Seahawks will all be off, leaving some serious fantasy gaps with critical players absent. We'll be taking a look at all the running back streaming options for Fantasy Football Week 8.
Aside from key players like Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs, Raiders' Ashton Jeanty, and Rams' Kyren Williams absent this week, Week 7 saw a number of key injuries at the position. Bears' D'Andre Swift is ‘questionable,' but likely to make the start. Jets' RB Breece Hall also carries an injury designation, but practiced fully on Friday. Saints' Kendre Miller officially hit IR this week and Tampa Bay's Bucky Irving continues to miss practice.
Still, the season must go on and fantasy managers are hard-pressed to find replacements for an already volatile position. Still, the RB slot is one of the most important in all of fantasy, so here are some streaming options to help you get through this week.
All players are available in at least 50% of ESPN fantasy leagues
Fantasy Football Week 8 Streamers – Running Back
Kyle Monangai, RB (CHI) – Rostered in 36.6% of leagues
Bruising RB2 Kyle Monangai had the best game of his young career in the Chicago Bears' Week 7 win over the Saints, carrying the ball 13 times for 81 yards and a touchdown. He also hauled in two passes and turned in a very solid 17.3 fantasy points as lead back D'Andre Swift rested throughout the fourth quarter.
While D'Andre Swift fully retains his role here, he is listed as ‘questionable' and was limited in practice this week. If head coach Ben Johnson decides to err on the side of caution, we could see Monangai receive an increased workload in relief. Ben Johnson was fruitful with using both of his running backs while with the Detroit Lions, so Monangai could emerge as a potential FLEX option.
Tyjae Spears, RB (TEN) – Rostered in 35% of leagues
After missing the first four weeks due to injury, Tyjae Spears hasn't been able to make a big impact with the limited ceiling of this Titans' offense. Lead back Tony Pollard has had a firm grip on the starting role, but it's worth noting that Week 7 saw his fewest total in carries at just six. While the Titans were trailing and had to resort to their passing game, it was alarming to see Pollard with such decreased opportunities.
This could open the door for Spears to make an impact, posting five carries and three receptions in his last game. Furthermore, Tony Pollard managers should certainly stash him as an emergency policy or if he's somehow able to emerge as a passing option.
Justice Hill, RB (BAL) – Rostered in 24.2% of leagues
With the Baltimore Ravens coming off their Week 7 bye and quarterback Lamar Jackson likely returning to action, the 1-5 Baltimore Ravens certainly have a great deal to prove in their game against the Chicago Bears. If Jackson is able to make the start, the Ravens should be in a solid position to win this game if their defense can hold up. However, they may need to get creative with some of their offensive weapons like running back Justice Hill.
Derrick Henry has had his struggles this season and the change of pace when Justice Hill is in the game becomes apparent with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Hill has notched 5 receptions on two occasions this season and saw a season-high 6 carries in Week 6 against the Rams. Don't be at all surprised if Justice Hill sees some additional work in the backfield providing Lamar Jackson an outlet against the Bears' pass rush.
Isaiah Davis, RB (NYJ) – Rostered in 7.7% of leagues
While Isaiah Davis may not be a viable option to plug into your starting lineup during Week 8, he's certainly a solid insurance policy for all Breece Hall managers who may be concerned about his availability. Hall should be fine to make the start after practicing fully on Friday, but there's still a small chance he may see a decreased workload due to the nagging injury.
If Hall misses the game, Davis would immediately be in-line for a full workload and with all the quarterback troubles the Jets have seen this season, they'll certainly be leaning on the run game to try and get them their first win of the season. Even with Hall starting, there's a solid chance Davis sees some work in order to keep their lead back fresh when it matters.
