Last week saw a bit of normalcy for pass-catching running backs, as 14 RBs received at least five targets, and aside from Derrick Henry (huh?) and maybe JaMycal Hasty, they were players you’d expect. There were a few disappointments (Nyheim Hines chief among them), but this kind of status quo made it a bit easier to put together our Week 3 fantasy RB PPR rankings.

Of course, each week brings a new set of ranking challenges, and matchups are the eternal variable. We’re still learning about run defenses, but some of the seemingly “safer” matchups go to guys who inherently move down in PPR rankings, such as Ty’Son Williams and Latavius Murray (@ Lions), Josh Jacobs (vs. Dolphins), and James Conner (@ Jaguars). At least we can give bumps to Jacobs’ and Conner’s pass-catching teammates, Kenyan Drake and Chase Edmonds, but neither has established themselves as TD threats, so they’re merely flex plays, at best.

WEEK 3 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

Among the usual PPR risers, Devin Singletary (vs. Washington), Myles Gaskin (@ Raiders), James White (vs. Saints), and Mike Davis/Cordarrelle Patterson (@ Giants) are either coming off good games or have solid matchups, so they should once again be in play as RB2s or flexes. Patterson is especially interesting after his breakout two-TD game against a tough Bucs defense. Hines (@ Titans) also has a good matchup, but after just two touches and 22 total yards, he’s a risky start. Chances are, he’ll bounce back with a vintage five- or six-catch game, but do you really want to bet on that in your flex spot?

WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

J.D. McKissic (@ Bills) is another classic PPR back who had a big Week 2, but he did virtually all of his damage late in the second and fourth quarters last week. If he doesn’t get that cheap production again, will he be useless like he was in Week 1? That’s the only thing stopping us from ranking him as a flex, but if you feel confident, then by all means use him. 

We’re giving one more chance to Clyde Edwards-Helaire (vs. Chargers) in the top 25, but that’s largely because of the matchup. He’s disappointed two weeks in a row and didn’t even see a target last week. The days of thinking he would be a PPR monster are over, but he’s due to improve after an embarrassing start to the season. The same is true for Saquon Barkley (vs. Falcons), who gets extra rest and a favorable matchup in what should be a breakout Week 3.

We’re monitoring several injury situations, including Jacobs (foot) and Darrell Henderson (ribs), and we’re also doing our best to figure out committee situations with the Jets, Broncos, Bucs, and … Cowboys? Yes, Tony Pollard is suddenly in play as a strong flex after outshining Ezekiel Elliott early in the season. We still have Zeke (vs. Eagles) ranked noticeably higher, but Pollard clearly isn’t going away. The same is true for Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon (vs. Jets) in Denver. We’ll continue ranking the rookie higher as long as his carries are on par with Gordon, but the veteran has roughly the same value most weeks. Against the Jets, they can both be used, but we don’t like any of the Jets’ RBs against the Broncos. We also don’t like Ronald Jones Jr., as he seems to be playing second fiddle to Leonard Fournette (@ Rams), who’s a better PPR play anyway.

Overall, the PPR aspect doesn’t change up the top of the RB rankings too much, at least in terms of names. The order is different, but the studs are the studs. As soon as you get past the top 16 or so, things become murkier. A few catches can really affect things. Of course, matchups and scoring opportunities remain king, even in PPR, so until we see a bigger body of consistent-reception work, we won’t react too strongly to a couple of particularly good or bad weeks in the receiving game.

Note: We’ll be updating these RB PPR rankings as needed throughout the week. so check back for the latest changes.

Fantasy RB PPR Rankings Week 3: Who to start at running back

Rankings are based on full-point PPR scoring