Backfield Usage Trends After Week 4

Quick summary

• Saquon Barkley (hamstring) left after 2 carries and Tank Bigsby (core muscle) is headed to IR, so Will Shipley is Philadelphia's only healthy back on the 53-man roster.
• Kyle Monangai ran 30 times for 146 yards and 2 TDs after D'Andre Swift's third-quarter fumble, and Swift's carry share fell from 67% to 31%.
• Omarion Hampton dropped to 38% of carries, behind Keaton Mitchell's 42%, and Jim Harbaugh called it a three-back rotation.
• Jadarian Price (chest) is on IR, and Emanuel Wilson took 75% of Seattle's carries with 2 TDs.
• Braelon Allen had all 14 Jets RB carries and 30 of 32 snaps with Breece Hall (quad) still week-to-week.
• Jeremiyah Love fell from 91% to 64% of carries after aggravating his ankle, and Tyler Allgeier out-snapped him 36 to 30.
• Rachaad White (shoulder) sat, and Washington split 18 RB carries four ways; Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran 9 times for 15 yards.
• Kyren Williams played 83% of snaps with 13 targets, and Kenneth Walker III took 100% of Kansas City's RB carries for 177 yards.

Spotlight teams

Eagles: Barkley hurt, Bigsby gone, Shipley by default

Saquon Barkley hurt his hamstring on his second carry, and Tank Bigsby is going to IR. If Barkley misses Week 5 in London, Will Shipley is the lead back.

• Week 1: Barkley had 15 of 18 RB carries (83%) and 71% of snaps. He also missed most of Week 2 with a stinger.
• Barkley was ruled out before overtime. Ian Rapoport reports it isn't believed to be serious, and Nick Sirianni said he'd "have more answers" Wednesday.
• Bigsby hurt his core muscle late in the game and needs surgery; the reported timeline is six weeks or less. Dameon Pierce is on the practice squad.
• Shipley already handles passing downs: 51% of snaps in Week 2, when Barkley was out. He ran 6 times for 23 yards in Week 4.

Verdict: If Barkley sits, Shipley is a volume flex by default, and Pierce is the likely call-up. Barkley is week-to-week until Wednesday's update.

Bears: Monangai's big day came after a Swift fumble

Swift led the backfield for three weeks. In Week 4 he lost a fumble in the third quarter and didn't return, and Monangai finished with 30 carries.

• Week 1: Swift 18 carries (64%), Monangai 10 (36%). Swift had 64% of carries through Week 3 and 52% after Week 4.
• Swift lost the fumble at Chicago's 28. Asked if Swift was benched or hurt, Ben Johnson said "No, nothing like that." No injury was reported.
• Monangai had 6 of the team's 9 goal-line carries; Swift was stuffed on both of his. Monangai hurt his right thumb late, and Johnson called it "a day-to-day deal."
• This was an extreme script: 49 RB carries on 93 snaps, with a 42:45 to 17:15 time-of-possession edge. Tyson Bagent starts again at Green Bay while Caleb Williams (hamstring) sits.

Verdict: One fumble game doesn't make Monangai the starter, but he has earned goal-line looks. Treat both as flex plays until Week 5 shows the split.

Chargers: a three-way committee, by choice

Last week we said Hampton still ran the room. That's no longer true: he had his fewest carries of the season, and Harbaugh says the rotation is intentional.

• Week 1: Hampton 12 carries (75%), 58% of snaps. His season carry share is 64%, down from 74% through Week 3.
• Harbaugh: "all three running backs are playing good." He denied it's tied to Hampton's Week 2 fumble. No Hampton injury was reported.
• Hampton still has the goal line: the only RB goal-line carry in Week 4, which he scored on from 2 yards. Vidal caught a 9-yard TD and had all 3 two-minute snaps.
• Mitchell ran for 39 yards on 10 carries with 6 targets. The line lost Joe Alt, Trevor Penning and Rashawn Slater to injuries during the game.

Seahawks: Wilson's backfield while Price is on IR

Jadarian Price re-aggravated his chest injury in practice and went on IR, and Emanuel Wilson took over.

• Week 1: Price 10 carries (50%), Holani 8, Wilson 2. Price was ruled out Oct. 2 and placed on IR Oct. 3, so he misses at least four games. Mike Macdonald: "By no means is this JD's fault."
• Wilson ran 21 times for 81 yards with 4 targets and 2 TDs. He has 6 of the team's 10 RB goal-line carries this season.
• George Holani is the passing-down back: 22 snaps and 2 of 3 third-down touches.
• Zach Charbonnet's PUP practice window opened Oct. 1. Macdonald says he won't play Week 5 vs. San Francisco; Seattle has until Oct. 21 to activate him.
• Seattle is signing Joe Mixon to the practice squad after working him out Monday. He hasn't played since January 2025 because of a foot injury. Macdonald: "We need running backs."

Verdict: Wilson is a volume RB2 for the next few weeks. Charbonnet is the threat later in October.

Jets: Allen had all of it

We projected about 70% for Braelon Allen. He got every RB carry and nearly every snap. The limit is how little the offense ran.

• Week 1: Hall 22 carries (69%), Allen 10 (31%).
• The Jets ran 32 plays and had the ball for 17:15. Isaiah Davis played 2 snaps.
• Allen ran for 59 yards (4.2 per carry) and caught 2 passes for 8. There were no Jets goal-line carries.
• Hall is still week-to-week, with his Week 5 status vs. Cleveland to be determined.

Verdict: Allen is a full-time back while Hall sits, so he's a volume RB2 in a normal game script.

Cardinals: Love still leads, but the ankle is a factor

Love's Week 3 takeover didn't fully hold. He aggravated his preseason high-ankle sprain, and Allgeier played more snaps.

• Week 1: Love 11 carries (39%), Allgeier 17 (61%). Love's season share is 62%.
• Love stayed in the game and said the ankle "was not bothering him"; the team is managing it. He also said: "Body sometimes is down, sometimes it's tired."
• Allgeier had the only goal-line carry and scored. He was on the field for the final drive because of his pass protection.
• Love ran for 63 yards (4.5 per carry) but had only 1 target. Allgeier ran for 42 on 8.

Verdict: Love is still an RB2, but plan on something closer to 65/35 than last week's 91% while the ankle is managed.

Dolphins: Gordon leads, Wright is back as the No. 2

Ollie Gordon II is still the lead back. Jaylen Wright returned from his foot and stinger injuries and took about a third of the work.

• Miami ran just 39 offensive snaps in a 15-10 loss.
• Gordon ran for 100 yards, with a 53-yard run and a 12-yard TD. Wright had 7 yards on 5 carries.
• Jeff Hafley said before the game: "They're all going to have their roles."

Verdict: Gordon is an RB2 on efficiency and role, not volume. Wright is a stash who could narrow the gap.

Saints: Kamara leads a thin share of a small pie

Travis Etienne is on IR. Alvin Kamara led the backfield, but only 16 RB carries in a blowout loss left little for anyone.

• Etienne went on IR Oct. 1 with the hamstring, so he misses at least four games. Kellen Moore: "Travis will be time loss with the hammy."
• Kamara had both goal-line carries and scored twice, with 7 targets (5 catches, 35 yards). He left briefly with a knee injury and returned.
• Rookie CJ Donaldson matched Kamara's 28 snaps, with 2 targets and 2 two-minute snaps. Kendre Miller ran for 9 yards on 6 carries.

Verdict: Kamara is a PPR flex with goal-line equity. Watch Donaldson's snaps; Miller is droppable.

Commanders: four backs, no answer

Rachaad White (shoulder) missed the game in London. Washington spread 18 RB carries over four backs, and none ran well.

• JCM ran for 15 yards on 9 carries, after 36 on 19 in Week 3. He did catch 2 passes for 35 yards on 4 targets.
• Austin Ekeler, re-signed Sept. 29 after his 2025 Achilles tear, played 17 snaps and ran for 29 yards on 4 carries. Craig Reynolds had 2 carries.
• Dan Quinn said White "should" practice this week.

Verdict: JCM is a low-floor flex until his efficiency improves. If White returns, expect the Week 3 two-man split, with Ekeler as a third.

Packers: Lloyd back on top, and still nothing to trust

MarShawn Lloyd led the backfield in snaps for the first time since Week 1, but fumbles and a Brooks injury shaped the day.

• Chris Brooks started but hurt his ankle in the first half and is getting tests. That's why Lloyd took the passing downs: 5 targets and 3 third-down touches.
• Kaleb Johnson had 2 of 4 goal-line carries but lost a fumble at the 3. Lloyd also fumbled in the red zone (it went out of bounds). Matt LaFleur: "a great teacher's the bench."
• Lloyd ran for 13 yards on 7 carries. Josh Jacobs remains on the Commissioner Exempt List with no timetable.

Verdict: Still an avoid. If Brooks misses time, Lloyd is the deep PPR flex; Johnson's trend stalled.

Rams: Kyren is a three-down back again

Kyren Williams's Week 3 jump held and grew. His snap share hit 83%, and the receiving role stayed with Puka Nacua back.

• Nacua returned (9 catches, 125 yards), and Kyren still had 10 catches. Stafford threw 51 times after the Rams trailed 20-10 at half.
• Kyren had all 7 third-down touches, all 8 two-minute snaps and 2 fourth-quarter TDs. Sean McVay: "I freaking love that guy."
• Corum ran for 14 yards on 5 carries.

Verdict: Kyren is an RB1. Corum is a handcuff only.

Other backfields that moved

Raiders: Jeanty's carries dip on a bad ankle

Ashton Jeanty had 58% of carries (15 of 26), down from 79% in Week 3. His snap share fell less, from 84% to 67%.

• Jeanty has played through an ankle injury since camp and briefly pulled himself out Sunday. He ran for 58 yards (3.4 per carry) with 8 targets.
• Mike Washington Jr. had a career-high 9 carries but just 18 yards. Las Vegas had no goal-line carries.
• Klint Kubiak on the run game: "We got to find that answer."

Broncos: Harvey's passing role keeps growing

Jonah Coleman (high ankle) is on IR until at least Week 7. J.K. Dobbins's carry share fell to 55% (11 of 20), and RJ Harvey took 35%.

• Harvey had 10 targets and 45% of snaps to Dobbins's 32%. He has 17 targets in Weeks 3–4.
• Dobbins ran for 40 yards on 11 carries and still has zero TDs. Denver had no goal-line carries.

Bengals: Brown became a receiver

Chase Brown ran 9 times for 10 yards, but he played a season-high 79% of snaps and had 11 targets.

• Cincinnati ran 15 times for 23 yards, the fewest rushing yards under Zac Taylor. Joe Burrow threw 54 times.
• Ja'Marr Chase (concussion) left in the second quarter, and Tee Higgins is day-to-day with an adductor injury.

Steelers: Warren played every down

With Rico Dowdle (toe) out for a second straight game, Jaylen Warren played 70 of 72 snaps (97%).

• He had 17 of 19 RB carries (89%) for 93 yards and 6 targets. Pittsburgh still has zero goal-line carries this season.
• Mike McCarthy said Dowdle "is making progress." His Week 5 status vs. Indianapolis is unclear.

Jaguars: Tuten crossed the 55% line

Last week's marker for Bhayshul Tuten was a snap share above 55%. He hit 59%, a season high, with 74% of carries (17 of 23).

• Two Tuten TD runs were wiped out by penalties. He also had all 3 two-minute snaps.
• Chris Rodriguez Jr. scored on a 25-yard run and still has zero targets this season.

Patriots: Henderson gets carries, Stevenson gets snaps

TreVeyon Henderson had 14 carries (52%) but 37% of snaps. Rhamondre Stevenson had 13 carries and 66% of snaps.

• Stevenson had the goal-line carry and the TD, plus 5 targets. Corey Kiner didn't get a carry.
• The pair has 304 yards on 83 carries this season (3.7 per carry).

Falcons: Brian Robinson's TDs, same split

Bijan Robinson's 58% carry share and 60% snap share were season lows, but it was a 31-7 game by the third quarter.

• Bijan ran 19 times for 145 yards and 2 TDs. Brian Robinson Jr. had 14 carries and 3 TDs.
• PFF called the split consistent with the season so far.

Stable backfields, quick hits

These roles held in Week 4. Sorted by season carry share.