Week 5 Fantasy Football RB Snap & Touch Report: Will Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne Continue to Share Jaguars' Backfield?

Morgan takes a look at important usage numbers for fantasy football running backs coming out of Week 5.

Another NFL week has passed, meaning it’s time to go over each backfield again. 

Here’s the story from after week 4.  We’ll skip the Lions, Chargers, Eagles and Titans as they were on bye weeks. The Chiefs, Rams, Dolphins and Vikings are on byes this coming week.

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Patriots

Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson each played 28 snaps in week 5. Stevenson dominated the touches, getting 16 to just seven for Gibson, and he was the far better fantasy performer.

Jacoby Brissett is out as the Pats’ starting QB, and fantasy owners of Stevenson and Gibson are hoping Drake Maye can open things up for the two backs.

Jets

Breece Hall played 53 snaps to just 19 for backup Braelon Allen, but Hall had just 12 touches. Allen got six touches. Neither were good fantasy options.

New York fired Robert Saleh this week, so it will be interesting to see if Hall is more involved than he has been to this point of the season.

Bills

James Cook got 22 of the backfield’s 26 touches in week 5. He played 36 snaps, while Ty Johnson was on the field for 21 snaps (three touches).

This is still Cook’s backfield, but Johnson and Ray Davis are both valuable handcuffs in case Cook were to ever go down.

Dolphins

De'Von Achane went down with an injury in week 5, allowing Raheem Mostert and Jaylen Wright to lead the backfield. Mostert played 44 snaps and got 21 touches, while Wright was at 25 snaps and 13 touches.

We’ll have to reassess the backfield when the Dolphins get back from their bye week.

Ravens

Justice Hill led the Baltimore backfield with 41 snaps played, but he only got six touches. Derrick Henry played 39 snaps and easily led the way with 16 touches.

Keep playing Henry every week, and try to avoid playing Hill after seeing what happened in week 5.

Steelers

Najee Harris dominated the backfield with Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson both out with injuries. Harris had 16 touches across 43 snaps, and will remain the workhorse if Warren and Patterson remain out in week 6.

Bengals

Zack Moss played 45 snaps for Cincy, while Chase Brown was at 22 snaps. Brown had 15 touches to just 12 for Moss though, and Brown was the better fantasy asset because of a receiving touchdown.

The backfield remains pretty split, making it difficult to start either guy in standard leagues unless the defensive matchup is super favorable. They are both solid deep league starting options.

Browns

The Cleveland backfield was pretty split again in week 5. Jerome Ford got 12 touches across 36 snaps, while D'Onta Foreman was at 10 touches across 21 snaps. 

The return of Nick Chubb will make the backfield breakdown that much more of a mystery, making them all better deep league options.

Texans

With Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce out again, Dare Ogunbowale was the leader in the backfield. Ogunbowale had 21 touches across 46 snaps, while Cam Akers saw just 22 snaps and got 11 touches.

This backfield will look different when Mixon and Pierce are back, but if they are both out in week 6 again, Ogunbowale looks like the best fantasy option.

Colts

With normal workhorse Jonathan Taylor out with an injury, Trey Sermon got 16 touches across 41 snaps in week 5. Tyler Goodson got eight touches across 29 snaps.

Expect a similar breakdown in week 6 unless Taylor is back - Taylor would be the only back worth playing if he’s healthy.

Jaguars

Tank Bigsby played 23 snaps to 22 for Travis Etienne. Bigsby was also far more efficient with his 14 touches, while Etienne did most of his damage as a pass catcher across 12 touches.

Etienne is dealing with an injury, and at least until that’s in the past, expect the two backs to split the backfield. Bigsby was a major waiver target this week, and is probably going to be starting in most leagues in week 6.

Broncos

Javonte Williams led the Denver backfield with 18 touches across 40 snaps. Jaleel McLaughlin had nine touches across 23 snaps.

Williams is the clear leader in the backfield right now, but because he’s losing a good amount of touches to McLaughlin, Williams’ start decision still comes down to the defense he’s facing. 

Chiefs

Kareem Hunt dominated the backfield work in KC, getting 28 touches across 53 snaps. Carson Steele had five touches across 16 snaps, while Samaje Perine had one touch across 21 snaps.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire could return after the bye, but this is likely Hunt’s backfield until Isiah Pacheco returns.

Raiders

Zamir White was out with an injury, so Alexander Mattison (17 touches across 40 snaps) and Ameer Abdullah (eight touches across 31 snaps) split the backfield work.

There seems to be a lot of changes happening in Las Vegas, and until we have a better idea of the backfield distribution, none of the three backs are good fantasy options.

Cowboys

Rico Dowdle got 22 of the 31 backfield touches in week 5, so this is his backfield now. He played 38 snaps and is a pretty solid starting option in all formats.

Ezekiel Elliott got six touches across 23 snaps. He’s off the fantasy radar in standard leagues unless Dowdle gets injured, and he’s just a handcuff option in deeper leagues, not a starting asset.

Giants

Devin Singletary missed week 5 with an injury, and Tyrone Tracy Jr. took full advantage. He got 19 touches across 45 snaps and had 130 total yards. He’ll lead the backfield again if Singletary misses more time.

I’ll be curious to see the backfield breakdown when Singletary is back. I think Tracy might still get a good amount of touches, making Singletary a worse fantasy asset.

Commanders

Austin Ekeler returned in week 5, and the Commanders’ backfield turned into a mess. Ekeler got eight touches across 33 snaps, Brian Robinson Jr. had seven touches across 23 snaps and Jeremy McNichols had seven touches across 15 snaps.

Ekeler had the best day in terms of yardage, while Robinson scored twice and McNichols once to also be good/decent fantasy options. After that outing, it’s going to be hard to be confident starting any of those three in a standard league, but they are definitely deep league starting options.

Vikings

Aaron Jones got hurt in week 5, allowing Ty Chandler to lead the backfield. Chandler had 16 touches across 46 snaps and should lead the way if Jones misses time.

Myles Gaskin will serve as the backup, but likely won’t get enough work to be worthy of a starting spot in any leagues.

Packers

Josh Jacobs dominated the backfield touches in week 5, getting 20 across 40 snaps. Emanuel Wilson had seven touches across 15 snaps.

Jacobs is the only one worth starting in any leagues, and on his big workload alone, probably can be started regardless of the matchup.

Bears

D'Andre Swift got 23 touches across 50 snaps, dominating the backfield for a second straight week. Roschon Johnson had a couple short TD runs to look like a better contributor than he was - he got 10 touches across 23 snaps.

Swift is the back to start in standard leagues, and I think you can start him regardless of the matchup again. Johnson is a deep league option, but that’s only because he’s scored a few touchdowns this season, making him a risky play.

Falcons

Bijan Robinson had 15 touches across 58 snaps, while Tyler Allgeier had nine touches across 31 snaps back on Thursday night.

Robinson is still a good starting option despite a slower start to his season. Allgeier is a starting option in deeper setups.

Buccaneers

Rachaad White and Bucky Irving split the workload on Thursday night. White had 13 touches across 34 snaps, while Irving was at 11 touches across 23 snaps.

White was the better fantasy performer in a game in which neither back scored. They remain flex options in standard leagues, while being good deep league starters.

Panthers

Chuba Hubbard led the backfield again, getting 17 touches across 39 snaps. Miles Sanders only got four touches across 23 snaps.

Jonathon Brooks could throw a wrench in Hubbard’s workload when he’s ready to go, so keep an eye on the rookie’s status.

Saints

Alvin Kamara continues to dominate the backfield, getting 17 touches across 47 snaps. Keep starting him every week.

Kendre Miller could factor in a bit when he’s ready.

Rams

Kyren Williams got 23 touches across 67 snaps, showing he’s a must-start fantasy player.

Blake Corum had six touches across 11 snaps, but is just a handcuff to Williams at this point.

Seahawks

Kenneth Walker had 12 touches across 39 snaps in week 5. Zach Charbonnet had five touches across 21 snaps.

This is Walker’s backfield again, while Charbonnet goes back to being a handcuff.

49ers

Jordan Mason dominated the backfield again, getting 15 of the 20 touches in week 5. He played 41 snaps to just nine for Isaac Guerendo.

Mason remains a must-start fantasy player with Christian McCaffrey out.

Cardinals

James Conner got 21 of the team’s 22 backfield touches in week 5, and that big workload alone is enough to start him pretty confidently. He played 46 snaps to just 13 for Emari Demercado, who is just a handcuff.

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