Fantasy Football Week 10 Running Back Preview: Jaylen Warren and Rachaad White could be league-winners

This week has been an interesting one at the running back position, and few things have been as interesting as what's coming out of Pittsburgh and Tampa. Mike Tomlin talked extensively about Jaylen Warren, how he needs to get more opportunities, and could even earn a feature role. In Tampa, the coaches didn't have much to say about the running back room, but beat writer Greg Auman speculated that by the end of the year the lead job could belong to Rachaad White.

• Week 10 Previews: QB | WR | TE

There are similarities and differences in these situations. The similarities are more obvious; these are offenses that are struggling badly and the running backs are not living up to expectations. Both Najee Harris and Leonard Fournette are averaging 3.3 yards per carry and they've scored a combined three rushing touchdowns.

The biggest difference is that Warren has looked electric with the ball in his hands while White has been even less efficient as a rusher. Also, Tom Brady plays for one of these teams and may have more to say about who is protecting him than Kenny Pickett does. 

Both of these backup running backs are must-stash players who are desperation flexes in Week 10 on the hope that his chatter turns into more opportunities. But I strongly prefer Warren as a stash, and I strongly prefer Fournette over Harris as a Week 10 starter.

Now let's get to the rest of the Week 10 RB Preview:

Week 10 RB Preview

Who's Out

Numbers to Know

Matchups That Matter

Waiver Wire Targets

DFS Plays

Projections

RB Preview

Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play in Week 10 at this time. Here's what it means:

Deon Jackson RB

NYG N.Y. Giants • #34
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.

We currently project Jordan Wilkins as the lead running back in Indianapolis for Week 10.

J.D. McKissic RB

WAS Washington • #23
Age: 30 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Antonio Gibson should continue to see a big role in the passing game

RB Preview

Numbers to know

• 2 -- Joe Mixon (3.0) and Jamaal Williams (2.38) are the only players in the league averaging over two touches inside the 10-yard line per game. 
  
• 27 -- Jeff Wilson saw 27 snaps in Week 9 to Raheem Mostert's 24. He also out-touched Mostert 12 to 9. 
  
• 92 -- A.J. Dillon played 92% of the snaps after Aaron Jones left. 
  
• 465 -- Rushing yards for Travis Etienne since Week 6, tops in the league. He also leads the NFL in missed tackles during that span and ranks second with 6.1 yards per carry. 
  
• 17% -- Snap share for Clyde Edwards-Helaire in Week 9. Jerick McKinnon played 62% of the snaps while Isiah Pacheco played 22% of the snaps. 
  
• 24 -- Leonard Fournette has not topped 24 rushing yards since Week 6. Rachaad White continues to eat into his workload as well.
  

RB Preview

Matchups that matter

Matchups that Matter

David Montgomery RB

DET Detroit • #5
Age: 26 • Experience: 6 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

OPP VS RB 20th

PROJ PTS 12.3

RB RNK 22nd

YTD Stats
RUYDS 397	REC 14	REYDS 143	TD 2	FPTS/G 9.8

Jamaal Williams RB

NO New Orleans • #30
Age: 29 • Experience: 8 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ CHI CHI -3 O/U 48.5

OPP VS RB 29th

PROJ PTS 11.6

RB RNK 18th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 545	REC 9	REYDS 57	TD 8	FPTS/G 14.7

Tony Pollard RB

TEN Tennessee • #20
Age: 27 • Experience: 6 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ GB DAL -5 O/U 43

OPP VS RB 18th

PROJ PTS 15.6

RB RNK 12th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 506	REC 12	REYDS 121	TD 5	FPTS/G 13.1

Antonio Gibson RB

NE New England • #24
Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ PHI PHI -11 O/U 44.5

OPP VS RB 10th

PROJ PTS 7.2

RB RNK 21st

YTD Stats
RUYDS 328	REC 31	REYDS 239	TD 4	FPTS/G 12.4

RB Preview

Waiver Wire Targets

Week 10 Adds (RB Preview)

Latavius Murray RB

BUF Buffalo • #28
Age: 34 • Experience: 11 year

Weekly Breakdown

@ TEN TEN -2.5 O/U 36.5

OPP VS RB 3rd

RB RNK 29th

ROSTERED 48%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 193	REC 5	REYDS 18	TD 3	FPTS/G 11.1

Murray has scored a touchdown in three of four games with the Broncos, and I don't believe Chase Edmonds is a threat to that role. There isn't a running back on the waiver wire I want to start this week, but Murray is the closest.

Jordan Wilkins RB

CLE Cleveland • #30
Age: 29 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ LV LV -6 O/U 42.5

OPP VS RB 26th

RB RNK NR

ROSTERED 3%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 13	REC 4	REYDS 15	TD 0	FPTS/G 6.8

If Jonathan Taylor and Deon Jackson remain out, we projected 15 touches for Wilkins, which could put him in the high-end flex range. I wouldn't be surprised if Wilkins split the work with Zack Moss in that situation.

Chuba Hubbard RB

CAR Carolina • #30
Age: 24 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs ATL ATL -2.5 O/U 42

OPP VS RB 23rd

RB RNK 40th

ROSTERED 67%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 97	REC 3	REYDS 11	TD 1	FPTS/G 2.5

Once Hubbard is fully recovered from his ankle injury we would expect him to split early downs with D'Onta Foreman and handle most third downs as well. He could be a high-end flex or better in full PPR in the Fantasy playoffs.

Jerick McKinnon RB

KC Kansas City • #1
Age: 32 • Experience: 10 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs JAC KC -9.5 O/U 50.5

OPP VS RB 28th

RB RNK 35th

ROSTERED 26%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 123	REC 19	REYDS 156	TD 1	FPTS/G 6.6

McKinnon is my favorite back in Kansas City, and I expect the Chiefs to turn to him more as the season goes on. They are not good at running the ball right now, so the best bet is to replace running plays with throws to McKinnon and Mecole Hardman.

Stashes (RB Preview)

Isaiah Spiller RB

LAC L.A. Chargers • #28
Age: 22 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ SF SF -7 O/U 45.5

OPP VS RB 1st

RB RNK NR

ROSTERED 14%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 24	REC 0	REYDS 0	TD 0	FPTS/G 1.5

Spiller was the No. 2 back behind Ekeler in Week 9. If he's the handcuff to Ekeler now, he needs to be rostered in close to half of leagues, if not more.

Jaylen Warren RB

PIT Pittsburgh • #30
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs NO NO -1.5 O/U 40

OPP VS RB 16th

RB RNK 33rd

ROSTERED 46%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 153	REC 12	REYDS 88	TD 0	FPTS/G 4.5

I'm not sure why Warren is still only rostered in 46% of leagues. He should be rostered in any league 10 teams or deeper, at least for this week.

RB Preview

DFS Plays

Top DFS Play

Travis Etienne RB

JAC Jacksonville • #1
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ KC KC -9.5 O/U 50.5

OPP VS RB 22nd

PROJ PTS 15.9

RB RNK 6th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 680	REC 19	REYDS 174	TD 4	FPTS/G 14.3

I'm not so sure Etienne should be RB1 regardless of price this week. The Chiefs are bad against the run and worse against pass-catching running backs. As long as Trevor Lawrence can keep from making mistakes, Etienne has as much upside as any running back on the Week 10 slate.

Contrarian DFS Play

Ezekiel Elliott RB

DAL Dallas • #15
Age: 28 • Experience: 9 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ GB DAL -5 O/U 43

OPP VS RB 18th

PROJ PTS 8.9

RB RNK NR

YTD Stats
RUYDS 443	REC 6	REYDS 32	TD 4	FPTS/G 11.2

We still aren't projecting Elliott to play, and you should definitely have a backup plan in redraft just in case. But Jerry Jones said he expects him, so we'll speculate early in the week in this space. The questionable tag and Tony Pollard's recent performance should hold down Elliott's roster rate and his overall play this season means he isn't expensive. This is a fantastic matchup; the Packers have been bad against the run and they're banged up as well. Elliott has 100-yard, two-touchdown upside if he's 100% by Sunday.

RB Preview

Heath's Projections