Click for The Sporting News' fantasy running back Week 17 rankings for the first week of the fantasy playoffs. Find the best RB starters and top sleepers at the position.
Early Week 17 Fantasy RB Rankings PPR: Fantasy championship start-sit running back tiers, best sleepers and streamers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
We've reached championship week in most fantasy football leagues. Did your running backs help you, or did you advance in spite of them?
Either way, those competing for their fantasy trophy must finish strong, continuing to track the injuries, risers, fallers, and depth chart changes in NFL team backfields.
Keep scrolling to help set your lineup with our start-sit RB rankings tips for Week 17.
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Fantasy Week 17 RB Rankings: Start 'em, sit 'em lineup tips for PPR running backs this week
Please note these RB rankings reflect point-per-reception (PPR) scoring, with 0.1 point for every rushing or receiving yard and 6 points for every touchdown.
↕️ Fantasy Rankings for Week 17
| Rk | Tr | Name | TM | OPP | Week 17 Value |
| 1 | 1 | Bijan Robinson | ATL | LAR | Elite RB1 |
| 2 | 1 | James Cook | BUF | PHI | Elite RB1 |
| 3 | 1 | De'Von Achane | MIA | TB | Elite RB1 |
| 4 | 2 | Jahmyr Gibbs | DET | @MIN | Elite RB1 |
| 5 | 2 | Christian McCaffrey | SF | CHI | Elite RB1 |
| 6 | 3 | Chase Brown | CIN | ARI | RB1 |
| 7 | 3 | Saquon Barkley | PHI | @BUF | RB1 |
| 8 | 3 | RJ Harvey | DEN | @KC | RB1 |
| 9 | 3 | Josh Jacobs | GB | BAL | RB1 |
| 10 | 4 | Jonathan Taylor | IND | JAX | RB1/RB2 |
| 11 | 4 | Derrick Henry | BAL | @GB | RB1/RB2 |
| 12 | 4 | Travis Etienne | JAX | @IND | RB1/RB2 |
| 13 | 4 | Kyren Williams | LAR | @ATL | RB1/RB2 |
| 14 | 5 | Breece Hall | NYJ | NE | Strong RB2 |
| 15 | 5 | Javonte Williams | DAL | @WAS | Strong RB2 |
| 16 | 5 | Tyrone Tracy | NYG | @LV | Strong RB2 |
| 17 | 6 | Omarion Hampton | LAC | HOU | RB2 |
| 18 | 6 | Ashton Jeanty | LV | NYG | RB2 |
| 19 | 7 | Rhamondre Stevenson | NE | @NYJ | RB2 |
| 20 | 7 | Kenneth Gainwell | PIT | @CLE | RB2 |
| 21 | 7 | Jaylen Warren | PIT | @CLE | RB2 |
| 22 | 7 | Aaron Jones | MIN | DET | RB2 |
| 23 | 8 | Chris Rodriguez | WAS | DAL | RB2 |
| 24 | 8 | Bucky Irving | TB | @MIA | RB2 |
| 25 | 8 | D'Andre Swift | CHI | @SF | RB2 |
| 26 | 8 | Tony Pollard | TEN | NO | RB2 |
| 27 | 9 | Kareem Hunt | KC | DEN | RB2/Flex |
| 28 | 9 | Blake Corum | LAR | @ATL | RB2/Flex |
| 29 | 9 | Kenneth Walker | SEA | @CAR | RB2/Flex |
| 30 | 9 | Rico Dowdle | CAR | SEA | RB2/Flex |
| 31 | 10 | Michael Carter | ARI | @CIN | Strong Flex |
| 32 | 10 | Raheim Sanders | CLE | PIT | Strong Flex |
| 33 | 10 | Zach Charbonnet | SEA | @CAR | Strong Flex |
| 34 | 11 | Tyjae Spears | TEN | NO | Flex |
| 35 | 11 | Kyle Monangai | CHI | @SF | Flex |
| 36 | 11 | Chuba Hubbard | CAR | SEA | Flex |
| 37 | 11 | Isiah Pacheco | KC | DEN | Flex |
| 38 | 12 | David Montgomery | DET | @MIN | Flex |
| 39 | 12 | Audric Estime | NO | @TEN | Flex |
| 40 | 12 | Jawhar Jordan | HOU | @LAC | Flex |
| 41 | 13 | Samaje Perine | CIN | ARI | Flex/Bench |
| 42 | 13 | Emari Demercado | ARI | @CIN | Flex/Bench |
| 43 | 13 | Jacory Croskey-Merritt | WAS | DAL | Flex/Bench |
| 44 | 13 | Tyler Allgeier | ATL | LAR | Flex/Bench |
| 45 | 13 | Emanuel Wilson | GB | BAL | Flex/Bench |
| 46 | 14 | Isaiah Davis | NYJ | NE | Flex/Bench |
| 47 | 14 | Zavier Scott | MIN | DET | Flex/Bench |
| 48 | 14 | Devin Singletary | NYG | @LV | Flex/Bench |
| 49 | 14 | Jaylen Wright | MIA | TB | Flex/Bench |
| 50 | 14 | Rachaad White | TB | @MIA | Flex/Bench |
| 51 | 14 | Sean Tucker | TB | @MIA | Flex/Bench |
| 52 | 15 | Trayveon Williams | CLE | PIT | Bench |
| 53 | 15 | Malik Davis | DAL | @WAS | Bench |
| 54 | 15 | Tank Bigsby | PHI | @BUF | Bench |
| 55 | 15 | Ty Johnson | BUF | PHI | Bench |
| 56 | 15 | Ameer Abdullah | IND | JAX | Bench |
| 57 | 15 | Kimani Vidal | LAC | HOU | Bench |
| 58 | 15 | Keaton Mitchell | BAL | @GB | Bench |
| 59 | 15 | Evan Hull | NO | @TEN | Bench |
| 60 | 15 | LeQuint Allen | JAX | @IND | Bench |
| 61 | 15 | Nick Chubb | HOU | @LAC | Bench |
| 62 | 15 | Dare Ogunbowale | HOU | @LAC | Bench |
| 63 | 16 | C.J. Ham | MIN | DET | Bench |
| 64 | 16 | Hunter Luepke | DAL | @WAS | Bench |
| 65 | 16 | Jeremy McNichols | WAS | DAL | Bench |
| 66 | 16 | Ray Davis | BUF | PHI | Bench |
| 67 | 16 | Tyler Badie | DEN | @KC | Bench |
| 68 | 16 | Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN | @KC | Bench |
| 69 | 16 | Ollie Gordon | MIA | TB | Bench |
| 70 | 16 | Velus Jones | SEA | @CAR | Bench |
| 71 | 16 | Jaret Patterson | LAC | HOU | Bench |
| 72 | 16 | Ronnie Rivers | LAR | @ATL | Bench |
| 73 | 17 | Rasheen Ali | BAL | @GB | Bench |
| 74 | 17 | Andrew Beck | NYJ | NE | Bench |
| 75 | 17 | Khalil Herbert | NYJ | NE | Bench |
| 76 | 17 | Adam Prentice | DEN | @KC | Bench |
| 77 | 17 | Chris Brooks | GB | BAL | Bench |
| 78 | 17 | Raheem Mostert | LV | NYG | Bench |
| 79 | 17 | Tahj Brooks | CIN | ARI | Bench |
| 80 | 17 | Kaleb Johnson | PIT | @CLE | Bench |
| 81 | 17 | Corey Kiner | ARI | @CIN | Bench |
| 82 | 17 | Myles Gaskin | SEA | @CAR | Bench |
| 83 | 17 | Kalel Mullings | TEN | NO | Bench |
| 84 | 17 | Julius Chestnut | TEN | NO | Bench |
| 85 | 17 | Hassan Haskins | LAC | HOU | Bench |
| 86 | 17 | Dylan Laube | LV | NYG | Bench |
| 87 | 17 | Brashard Smith | KC | DEN | Bench |
| 88 | 17 | Brian Robinson | SF | CHI | Bench |
| 89 | 17 | Trevor Etienne | CAR | SEA | Bench |
| 90 | 17 | Sione Vaki | DET | @MIN | Bench |
| INJ | -- | TreVeyon Henderson | NE | @NYJ | |
| INJ | -- | Devin Neal | NO | @TEN | |
| INJ | -- | Quinshon Judkins | CLE | PIT | |
| INJ | -- | Woody Marks | HOU | @LAC | |
| INJ | -- | Dylan Sampson | CLE | PIT | |
| INJ | -- | Bhayshul Tuten | JAX | @IND | |
| INJ | -- | Jordan Mason | MIN | DET | |
| INJ | -- | Alvin Kamara | NO | @TEN | |
| IR | -- | Trey Benson | ARI | @CIN | |
| IR | -- | Bam Knight | ARI | @CIN | |
| IR | -- | Jerome Ford | CLE | PIT | |
| IR | -- | Terrell Jennings | NE | @NYJ | |
| IR-R | -- | Justice Hill | BAL | @GB | |
| SUSP | -- | Josh Williams | TB | @MIA |
➕ Top fantasy RB pickups this week: Week 17 waiver wire
Which top RB injuries should I know for Week 17 fantasy rankings?
Running back injuries have piled up before the most important week of the fantasy season:
- TreVeyon Henderson (head) may be the most important injury update of the week, whenever it comes. His absence would make Rhamondre Stevenson a solid RB2, if not better.
- A close second is the injury-riddled Saints backfield, who may again miss both Alvin Kamara (knee) and Devin Neal (hamstring). If both miss Week 17, as well, a messy mix of Audric Estime, Evan Hull, and tight end/QB Taysom Hill would split the touches.
- Quinshon Judkins (leg) is set to miss the rest of the season and need at least four months to recover from his broken leg. The Browns' backfield may get Dylan Sampson (hand) back from the sidelines, though, and he would be a RB2 for fantasy lineups if activated.
- Woody Marks (ankle) missed Week 16, and the value of Jawhar Jordan is directly tied to his status as long as Nick Chubb is active, as well.
- The Vikings' Jordan Mason (ankle) would open up complementary work for Zavier Scott and give Aaron Jones sturdy RB2 fantasy value.
👮 Protect your backfield: RB handcuff rankings, depth charts
Who are the best Week 17 fantasy running backs?
Since the Broncos' Week 12 bye, RJ Harvey has averaged 19.4 PPR points pre game -- ranking fifth behind only Bijan Robinson, James Cook, Chase Brown, and Jahmyr Gibbs. He firmly remains in RB1 territory against a fading Chiefs defense.
Alongside many other familiar names within the top 10-12 backs this week, Travis Etienne continues to. churn out league-winning value and should be trusted against the Colts, whose defense should remain on the field for long periods with Philip Rivers at quarterback.
Which RB fantasy sleepers should I start in Week 17?
Matchup upgrades go to:
- Rhamondre Stevenson, even if TreVeyon Henderson plays, as they'll likely both get ample work in garbage time against the Jets.
- Breece Hall versus the Patriots, as the Jets' downfield game is all but nullified with Brady Cook under center.
- The Steelers' Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren are both startable; they should break through on the Browns as they try to protect Aaron Rodgers from sack-record-seeker Myles Garrett and the Browns' tough pass defense. They'll need to make up for a likely DK Metcalf absence, too.
- Even if Dylan Sampson returns, Raheim Sanders should deliver flex value for the Browns against those Steelers, who've been a top-10 sieve on the ground for most of the fantasy season.
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Which fantasy running backs have a Week 17 bye?
The NFL no longer has bye weeks for the 2025-26 season. All active, healthy running backs are available for fantasy lineups.
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