Updated Week 3 Fantasy RB Rankings: Who to start, best sleepers, top streamers for PPR running backs

Tim Heaney

Updated Week 3 Fantasy RB Rankings: Who to start, best sleepers, top streamers for PPR running backs image

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Most fantasy football players are going to start their typical big names in Week 3, barring any injury or matchup concerns.

While a few top-25 names pose danger heading into the latest fantasy weekend, we'll break down reasons for concern and whether they should be removed from your lineup.

Keep scrolling for our Week 3 fantasy RB rankings to help firm up your starters.

FANTASY WEEK 3 RANKINGS: QB | ​​RB | WR | TE | D/ST | PK | ​​Half-PPR Cheat Sheet

Week 3 RB Rankings: PPR running backs to start, sit this week

RkTrRunning backsTMOPPWk 3 Value
11Jahmyr GibbsDET@BALElite RB1
21Bijan RobinsonATL@CARElite RB1
31James CookBUFMIAElite RB1
42Christian McCaffreySFARIRB1
52Jonathan TaylorIND@TENRB1
62Saquon BarkleyPHILARRB1
72Derrick HenryBALDETRB1
83Alvin KamaraNO@SEARB1/RB2
93De'Von AchaneMIA@BUFRB1/RB2
103Bucky IrvingTBNYJRB1/RB2
113Jordan MasonMINCINRB1/RB2
123Kenneth Walker IIISEANORB1/RB2
133Josh JacobsGB@CLERB1/RB2
144Ashton JeantyLV@WASRB2RB1/RB2
154Travis EtienneJAXHOURB1/RB2
164Javonte WilliamsDAL@CHIStrong RB2
174Chase BrownCIN@MINStrong RB2
184Breece HallNYJ@TBStrong RB2
194Isiah PachecoKC@NYGStrong RB2
205Chuba HubbardCARATLRB2
215Jaylen WarrenPIT@NERB2
225D'Andre SwiftCHIDALRB2
235James ConnerARI@SFRB2
245Nick ChubbHOU@JAXRB2
255Kyren WilliamsLAR@PHIRB2
265Tony PollardTENINDRB2
276JK DobbinsDEN@LACRB2/Flex
286David MontgomeryDET@BALRB2/Flex
296Rhamondre StevensonNEPITRB2/Flex
306Quinshon JudkinsCLEGBRB2/Flex
316Jacory Croskey-MerrittWASLVRB2/Flex
326Omarion HamptonLACDENRB2/Flex
336Cam SkatteboNYGKCRB2/Flex
347Bhayshul TutenJAXHOUFlex
357RJ HarveyDEN@LACFlex
367Dylan SampsonCLEGBFlex
377Tyrone TracyNYGKCFlex
387TreVeyon HendersonNEPITFlex
397Woody MarksHOU@JAXFlex
408Ollie GordonMIA@BUFFlex/Bench
418Najee HarrisLACDENFlex/Bench
428Kenneth GainwellPIT@NEFlex/Bench
438Miles SandersDAL@CHIFlex/Bench
448Kyle MonangaiCHIDALFlex/Bench
458Rachaad WhiteTBNYJFlex/Bench
469Tyler AllgeierATL@CARFlex/Bench
479Braelon AllenNYJ@TBFlex/Bench
489Justice HillBALDETFlex/Bench
499Brian Robinson Jr.SFARIFlex/Bench
509Kareem HuntKC@NYGFlex/Bench
519Dylan LaubeLV@WASFlex/Bench
5210Devin SingletaryNYGKCBench
5310AJ DillonPHILARBench
5410Ray DavisBUFMIABench
5510Jerome FordCLEGBBench
5610Blake CorumLAR@PHIBench
5710Trevor EtienneCARATLBench
5810Zavier ScottMIN@CINBench
5910Jaydon BlueDAL@CHIBench
6011Kendre MillerNO@SEABench
6111Jaylen WrightMIA@BUFBench
6211Jeremy McNicholsWASLVBench
6311Zamir WhiteLV@WASBench
6411Samaje PerineCIN@MINBench
6511Tank BigsbyPHILARBench
6611Isaiah DavisNYJ@TBBench
6711Rasheen AliBALDETBench
6812Emanuel WilsonGB@CLEBench
6912Roschon JohnsonCHIDALBench
7012Raheim SandersCLEGBBench
7112Kaleb JohnsonPIT@NEBench
7212Julius ChestnutTENINDBench
7312Brashard SmithKC@NYGBench
7412LeQuint AllenJAXHOUBench
7512DJ GiddensIND@TENBench
7612Chris RodriguezWASLVBench
7712Isaac GuerendoSFARIBench
7812Tahj BrooksCIN@MINBench
7913Dare OgunbowaleHOU@JAXBench
8013Devin NealNO@SEABench
8113Tyler BadieDEN@LACBench
8213Ty ChandlerMIN@CINBench
8313Ty JohnsonBUFMIABench
8413Damien MartinezSEANOBench
8513Hunter LuepkeDAL@CHIBench
8613Raheem MostertLV@WASBench
8713Sean TuckerTBNYJBench
8813Dameon PierceHOU@JAXBench
8913Ulysses BentlyIND@TENBench
9013Craig ReynoldsDET@BALBench
      
DBT--Zach CharbonnetSEANODBT
OUT--Will ShipleyPHILAROUT
IR-R--Aaron JonesMINCINIR-R
IR--Austin EkelerWASLVIR

FANTASY LINEUP TIPS: Week 3 Start-Sit | Week 3 Sleepers | Week 3 Busts | Week 3 Waiver Wire

Who are the best running backs in fantasy Week 3?

Familiar names occupy the top tiers, with a special matchup boost going to Alvin Kamara against the Seattle Seahawks.

With the Aaron Jones hamstring injury muddying his immediate availability, Jordan Mason would benefit from more work and a favorable matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, who have allowed the second-most PPR points per game to running backs across the first two weeks (29.4).

NEW - FANTASY TOOLS: NFL Player Stats | NFL Transactions | NFL Depth Charts | Fantasy Injury Reports

Which RB sleepers should I start in Week 3?

The New York Giants' defensive front offers Isiah Pacheco room to run, and despite the Kansas City Chiefs' ground struggles, the between-the-tackles specialist lines up as a volume fantasy RB2, perhaps if the Chiefs can get into "run out the clock" mode.

Emerging No. 2 backs from the AFC South are cementing themselves as weekly flex plays -- and they play each other this week.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have No. 1 back Travis Etienne, but Bhayshul Tuten is going to carve out a weekly role, including red-zone touches, and the Houston Texans have been a sieve against running backs so far.

The flip side of this matchup offers another rookie in Woody Marks, who's nudging past Dare Ogunbowale and Dameon Pierce on the depth chart -- finally. The Jags could let him gather plenty of fantasy points if he can scrape together 10 touches.

Tim Heaney

Tim Heaney joined The Sporting News in 2025 as Fantasy Football Editor. For nearly 20 years, the FSWA award winner has created fantasy NFL and MLB rankings, podcasts, and analysis for sites including ESPN, USA Today/Sports Weekly, KFFL, RotoWire, and RotoBaller. The Boston University alum hopes he’s helped a few followers win their leagues, even when he’s a year too early on breakout players.