Rey Del Rio/Getty Images
Fantasy Football: Week 5 RB Rankings
Kevin Hanson joins SI for the 2019 season. His fantasy rankings have placed him in the Top 20 in each of the past two seasons among all the industry experts tracked by FantasyPros.com, and he has been in the Top 25 in six of the past eight years.
Check out more of Kevin’s rankings: QB, WR, TE, flex, DST and kicker.
RB Start of the Week: LeSean McCoy, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. IND)
Moving from the low-powered Bills offense to the high-octane Chiefs offense has done wonders for LeSean McCoy’s’ fantasy outlook.
Through the first quarter of 2019, he is the RB14 based on half-PPR scoring despite a relatively modest workload. McCoy’s workload has ranged from 11 to 14 touches per week, but he has 285 scrimmage yards, nine receptions and three total touchdowns on the season.
Scoring all three of his touchdowns in the past two weeks, McCoy is set up with a positive game script this week. The Chiefs are favored by 11 points as they host the Colts in a game featuring the week’s highest over-under (56.5) by a wide margin. No other game has a total of 50-plus in Week 5.
The Colts have allowed the second-most yards per carry (5.5) this season. Only Kansas City has allowed a higher YPC average. Meanwhile, the Colts have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, putting McCoy on the verge of being an RB1 in my Week 5 rankings.
RB Sit of the Week: Matt Breida (and Tevin Coleman), San Francisco 49ers (vs. CLE)
The San Francisco 49ers are 3-0, coming off a bye, home favorites this week and rank second in the NFL in rushing (175.0 yards per game).
So, what’s not to like? How about the team’s running backs in fantasy football this week?
Especially if Tevin Coleman (ankle) returns, it’s difficult to trust any of the team’s running backs this week. Even though Matt Breida leads the 49ers in rushing (226 yards), both Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson have scored more fantasy points than Breida.
Without Coleman, all three backs will have roles. Adding Coleman to the mix would likely make a bigger dent into Breida’s workload and production.
Given that the Browns have allowed the 10-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs this season, it’s better to look elsewhere for your RB2 or flex.
Week 5 fantasy football running back rankings (half-PPR scoring):
- RB1: Christian McCaffrey, CAR vs JAC
- RB2: Ezekiel Elliott, DAL vs GB
- RB3: Dalvin Cook, MIN @ NYG
- RB4: Alvin Kamara, NO vs TB
- RB5: David Johnson, ARI @ CIN
- RB6: Nick Chubb, CLE @ SF
- RB7: Leonard Fournette, JAC @ CAR
- RB8: Mark Ingram, BAL @ PIT
- RB9: Derrick Henry, TEN vs BUF
- RB10: Chris Carson, SEA vs LAR
- RB11: Aaron Jones, GB @ DAL
- RB12: Le'Veon Bell, NYJ @ PHI
- RB13: Joe Mixon, CIN vs ARI
- RB14: Todd Gurley, LAR @ SEA
- RB15: Marlon Mack, IND @ KC
- RB16: Austin Ekeler, LAC vs DEN
- RB17: James Conner, PIT vs BAL
- RB18: David Montgomery, CHI @ OAK
- RB19: LeSean McCoy, KC vs IND
- RB20: Melvin Gordon, LAC vs DEN
- RB21: Wayne Gallman, NYG vs MIN
- RB22: Sony Michel, NE @ WAS
- RB23: Devonta Freeman, ATL @ HOU
- RB24: Phillip Lindsay, DEN @ LAC
- RB25: James White, NE @ WAS
- RB26: Jordan Howard, PHI vs NYJ
- RB27: Josh Jacobs, OAK vs CHI
- RB28: Carlos Hyde, HOU vs ATL
- RB29: Damien Williams, KC vs IND
- RB30: Royce Freeman, DEN @ LAC
- RB31: Miles Sanders, PHI vs NYJ
- RB32: Ronald Jones II, TB @ NO
- RB33: Chris Thompson, WAS vs NE
- RB34: Frank Gore, BUF @ TEN
- RB35: Matt Breida, SF vs CLE
- RB36: Jaylen Samuels, PIT vs BAL
- RB37: Tarik Cohen, CHI @ OAK
- RB38: Duke Johnson, HOU vs ATL
- RB39: Adrian Peterson, WAS vs NE
- RB40: Peyton Barber, TB @ NO
- RB41: Rashaad Penny, SEA vs LAR
- RB42: Giovani Bernard, CIN vs ARI
- RB43: Nyheim Hines, IND @ KC
- RB44: Devin Singletary, BUF @ TEN
- RB45: Malcolm Brown, LAR @ SEA
- RB46: Raheem Mostert, SF vs CLE
- RB47: Tevin Coleman, SF vs CLE
- RB48: Latavius Murray, NO vs TB
- RB49: Darrel Williams, KC vs IND
- RB50: Ito Smith, ATL @ HOU
- RB51: Gus Edwards, BAL @ PIT
- RB52: Dion Lewis, TEN vs BUF
- RB53: Alexander Mattison, MIN @ NYG
- RB54: C.J. Prosise, SEA vs LAR
- RB55: Dexter Williams, GB @ DAL
- RB56: Jordan Wilkins, IND @ KC
- RB57: Tony Pollard, DAL vs GB
- RB58: Darren Sproles, PHI vs NYJ
- RB59: Jalen Richard, OAK vs CHI
- RB60: Dare Ogunbowale, TB @ NO
- RB61: Chase Edmonds, ARI @ CIN
- RB62: T.J. Yeldon, BUF @ TEN
- RB63: Justice Hill, BAL @ PIT
- RB64: Mike Davis, CHI @ OAK
- RB65: Damien Harris, NE @ WAS
Week 5 fantasy football running back rankings (non-PPR scoring):
- RB1: Ezekiel Elliott, DAL vs GB
- RB2: Christian McCaffrey, CAR vs JAC
- RB3: Dalvin Cook, MIN @ NYG
- RB4: Alvin Kamara, NO vs TB
- RB5: Nick Chubb, CLE @ SF
- RB6: Derrick Henry, TEN vs BUF
- RB7: David Johnson, ARI @ CIN
- RB8: Mark Ingram, BAL @ PIT
- RB9: Leonard Fournette, JAC @ CAR
- RB10: Chris Carson, SEA vs LAR
- RB11: Aaron Jones, GB @ DAL
- RB12: Marlon Mack, IND @ KC
- RB13: Todd Gurley, LAR @ SEA
- RB14: Joe Mixon, CIN vs ARI
- RB15: Le'Veon Bell, NYJ @ PHI
- RB16: James Conner, PIT vs BAL
- RB17: David Montgomery, CHI @ OAK
- RB18: Sony Michel, NE @ WAS
- RB19: Austin Ekeler, LAC vs DEN
- RB20: Melvin Gordon, LAC vs DEN
- RB21: LeSean McCoy, KC vs IND
- RB22: Wayne Gallman, NYG vs MIN
- RB23: Phillip Lindsay, DEN @ LAC
- RB24: Devonta Freeman, ATL @ HOU
- RB25: Jordan Howard, PHI vs NYJ
- RB26: Carlos Hyde, HOU vs ATL
- RB27: Royce Freeman, DEN @ LAC
- RB28: Josh Jacobs, OAK vs CHI
- RB29: Damien Williams, KC vs IND
- RB30: James White, NE @ WAS
- RB31: Miles Sanders, PHI vs NYJ
- RB32: Ronald Jones II, TB @ NO
- RB33: Frank Gore, BUF @ TEN
- RB34: Matt Breida, SF vs CLE
- RB35: Chris Thompson, WAS vs NE
- RB36: Jaylen Samuels, PIT vs BAL
- RB37: Adrian Peterson, WAS vs NE
- RB38: Duke Johnson, HOU vs ATL
- RB39: Peyton Barber, TB @ NO
- RB40: Rashaad Penny, SEA vs LAR
- RB41: Tarik Cohen, CHI @ OAK
- RB42: Devin Singletary, BUF @ TEN
- RB43: Malcolm Brown, LAR @ SEA
- RB44: Gus Edwards, BAL @ PIT
- RB45: Tevin Coleman, SF vs CLE
- RB46: Raheem Mostert, SF vs CLE
- RB47: Latavius Murray, NO vs TB
- RB48: Giovani Bernard, CIN vs ARI
- RB49: Darrel Williams, KC vs IND
- RB50: Nyheim Hines, IND @ KC
- RB51: Ito Smith, ATL @ HOU
- RB52: Jordan Wilkins, IND @ KC
- RB53: Alexander Mattison, MIN @ NYG
- RB54: Dexter Williams, GB @ DAL
- RB55: Dion Lewis, TEN vs BUF
- RB56: Tony Pollard, DAL vs GB
- RB57: C.J. Prosise, SEA vs LAR
- RB58: Jeff Wilson, SF vs CLE
- RB59: Darren Sproles, PHI vs NYJ
- RB60: Chase Edmonds, ARI @ CIN
- RB61: Dare Ogunbowale, TB @ NO
- RB62: Damien Harris, NE @ WAS
- RB63: T.J. Yeldon, BUF @ TEN
- RB64: Mike Davis, CHI @ OAK
- RB65: Justice Hill, BAL @ PIT
Looking for an edge? Check out the Fantasy Assistant from FullTime Fantasy. Sync with your league, and this premium tool offers personalized waiver advice, team analysis, projections, optimal lineups and trade suggestions. Lose Saquon Barkley this week? Fantasy Assistant can automatically help you pick the best replacement. Join now for a free seven-day trial. Use promo code sifantasy for 30% off your first month or year.
