Fantasy football rest-of-season rankings: Achane, Dobbins gain RB1 status

Each week, Eric Karabell ranks players by position based on their fantasy football value for the rest of the 2024 season. Use the information to optimize the players on your bench for their future potential or to gauge their value in trade. Eric’s top 100 can be found below the positions in this column.

Quarterback

Rankings changes: There is quite a bit of shuffling at the back end of QB1 territory, as the Vikings’ Sam Darnold, Falcons’ Kirk Cousins and Rams’ Matthew Stafford feel reliable again, while the Packers’ Jordan Love and Texans’ C.J. Stroud, curiously enough, do not.

We have a top tier of QBs four deep, then another one of four options. If the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence keeps running for touchdowns, he can return to top 10 range. Later, the Chargers’ Justin Herbert looks intriguing again, Colts veteran Joe Flacco finally disappointed fantasy managers, and it appears time to wait until next year for Bears rookie Caleb Williams.

We also may have seen the last of Cowboys starter Dak Prescott until the fantasy playoffs. Don’t all rush out to get his replacement.

Running back

Rankings changes: There is minimal activity among the top running backs, though the Dolphins’ De’Von Achane and Chargers’ J.K. Dobbins demand RB1 status, and the Titans’ Tony Pollard moves into RB2 territory. The Bengals’ Chase Brown is at least a flex option, though the team traded for Khalil Herbert with Zack Moss injured.

The Dolphins’ Raheem Mostert and Cowboys’ Rico Dowdle return for fantasy relevance, though their situations remain fluid. There remains little clarity with the Jaguars, Panthers and Raiders, making it tough to trust any options in fantasy. Finally, this is a big week for myriad hopeful Christian McCaffrey investors, as he may return from his Achilles injury and make his season debut.

Wide receiver

Rankings changes: Seahawks sophomore Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the position with 37 PPR points in Week 9, and he rises to WR2 territory, along with the Ravens’ Zay Flowers, while the Falcons’ Darnell Mooney, Chiefs’ DeAndre Hopkins, Browns’ Cedric Tillman, Raiders’ Jakobi Meyers and Colts’ Josh Downs settle nicely in the top 30. Later, check out the Rams’ Demarcus Robinson, Chargers’ Quentin Johnston, Panthers’ Xavier Legette and Titans’ Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.

More than a few formerly trusted WRs fall this week, starting with compromised Cowboy CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) and including the Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill, Bears’ DJ Moore, Cardinals’ Marvin Harrison Jr. and Colts’ Michael Pittman Jr.

Tight end

Rankings changes: The Chiefs’ Travis Kelce is back in the top spot, thanks to 24 receptions for 190 yards and a TD over the past fortnight. The Bengals’ Mike Gesicki earned top scoring honors at this position for the week, though fantasy managers cannot rely on him regularly.

More noteworthy for Week 9 were the disappointing outings of bigger names, including that of the Lions’ Sam LaPorta, Falcons’ Kyle Pitts and Ravens’ Mark Andrews, while the Vikings’ T.J. Hockenson made his season debut to little statistical fanfare, as his backup Josh Oliver delivered the big game. The Saints’ Taysom Hill forces us to pay attention to him again.