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Below are the top running back takeaways from Week 5 that could have a significant impact on fantasy points in Week 6 and beyond.
Michael Carter is the new lead back in theArizona Cardinals‘ backfield
Fantasy managers were quick to grab Cardinals’ third-string running back Emari Demercado with both James Conner and Trey Benson on injured reserve (IR) headed into Week 5. It turns out that Michael Carter is actually the next man up in Arizona. Carter led the backfield with 18 carries and 23 touches, while playing on 57.4% of the Cardinals’ offensive snaps in Week 5. Even though Demercado led the team with 81 rushing yards, he only had three carries in the game, and on his great 71-yard rush, he fumbled the ball before the goal line while celebrating too early. His head Coach, Jonathan Gannon, was rightfully beyond upset with Demarcado after that mistake, and he could be in the dog house entering this week’s game.
It wasn’t surprising that Carter led the backfield in carries, as his skillset is better suited to carry a larger workload than Demarcado, but it was surprising to see Carter get five of the six running-back targets for the team in Week 5. Plus, he was utilized around the goal line, playing on three of the four team’s snaps inside their opponent’s five-yard line.
Carter’s volume should remain steady while Benson is out for at least the Cardinals’ next three games. He should be considered is a low-end RB2 fantasy start during that span.
Upcoming matchups: atColts, vs.Packers, Bye, atCowboys
Zach Charbonnet continues to be a thorn inKenneth Walker’s side
The Seattle Seahawks’ coaches have decided that they want Zach Charbonnet to be heavily involved in the offense this season, and it doesn’t look like that will change anytime soon. In the four games that Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker have played together this year, Charbonnet has played 54% of the snaps to Walker’s 42%. Walker has been far more efficient in those games, gaining 5.6 yards per carry on the ground to Charbonnet’s 2.8, but the red-zone work should be very concerning for Walker’s fantasy managers.
Charbonnet has played on 27 of the 39 red-zone snaps in his four games played this season, while getting five of the six team’s rushing attempts inside the opponent's five-yard line, including all four of the attempts inside the three-yard line. Walker has scored three rushing touchdowns on the season, but two of those came in Week 3 when Charbonnet was out with an injury, and only one touchdown came over the four games they played together.
Walker is averaging a mediocre 11.5 fantasy points per game in his games played with Charbonnet this season, while Charbonnet is doing very little with his workload and scoring just nine points per game. Both are hurting each other's fantasy value, and it will be hard to trust either one as long as both are healthy.
Upcoming matchups: atJaguars, vs.Texans, Bye, atCommanders
Jacory Croskey-Merritt finally takes control of theWashingtonCommanders‘ backfield
It took a few weeks after Austin Ekeler’s season-ending injury, but it appears the Commanders are finally trusting their rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to man their backfield. Croskey-Merritt recorded career-highs 14 carries, 111 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns and 39 receiving yards in Week 5. He played on 48% of the team’s offensive snaps last Sunday, his first time cracking 40% playing time in a game. Fellow backfield teammates Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols were limited in Week 5 to just five and two touches, respectively.
Croskey-Merritt has been very efficient with his workload in his rookie season, ranking first among all running backs in the NFL through the first five weeks with 6.6 yards per carry (min. 40 rushing attempts). He has scored a touchdown in all three games in which he saw at least eight carries. His breakout should continue over the next couple of weeks with two very favorable matchups against the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys, who are both giving up a ton of fantasy points to the running back position in 2025.
Upcoming matchups: vs.Bears, atCowboys, atChiefs
Rachaad White plays 80% of snaps withBucky Irving sidelined
With Bucky Irving inactive due to a shoulder injury, Rachaad White played on 80% of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ offensive snaps in Week 5 while getting 14 of the backfield’s 17 carries. White wasn’t very efficient as a rusher, averaging just 2.9 yards per carry against the Seattle Seahawks, but he came through with two rushing touchdowns and added another four receptions for 30 yards through the air. He played on 100% of the Buccaneers’ third-down snaps and nine of the eleven red-zone snaps in Week 5. White ended up as the RB7 for the week with 23.1 fantasy points.
Irving is expected to miss at least one more week, giving White another opportunity to help fantasy managers who snagged him off waivers. He will face the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday, who allowed Kyren Williams to score 31.1 fantasy points and Travis Etienne to score 19.5 points against them over the last two weeks.
Upcoming matchups: vs.49ers, atLions, atSaints
TreVeyon Henderson plays a career-high 50% of theNew England Patriots snaps
It has been a slow burn for fantasy managers who drafted TreVeyon Henderson this year, but remain patient. The Patriots’ early second-round pick has struggled to see the field consistently through the first five weeks, but his opportunities should rise with the season-ending ACL injury to teammate Antonio Gibson. The Patriots were annoying, utilizing a three-headed backfield with Rhamondre Stevenson, Gibson, and Henderson throughout the season, with the three splitting carries and touches almost evenly in Week 5 — Gibson already had seven touches by the time he suffered an ACL tear early in the second quarter.
Henderson ended up playing a season-high 50% of the team’s offensive snaps in Week 5, after playing on just 37% of the snaps from Weeks 1-4. Unfortunately, the higher snap share did not translate to more fantasy points, as he had just eight touches, and Stevenson secured both rushing touchdowns in the game. Hopefully, with Gibson sidelined, Henderson will continue to earn more work in the backfield. However, it might just mean more opportunities for starting running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who not only leads the team in red zone and goal-line carries this season but has also dominated third-down snaps, playing on 51 of the 77 of the Patriots' third-down attempts in 2025.
The next couple of weeks will be telling for Henderson’s fantasy outlook the rest of the season. Luckily, he will have two favorable matchups against the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans over the next two weeks to prove his worth.
Upcoming matchups: atSaints, atTitans, vs.Browns