Fantasy Football Trade Value Chart Week 5: Running Backs

RSJ’s Jackson Barrett created a value-based drafting Excel tool to create the preseason values for this Fantasy Football Trade Value Chart. The tool uses the FantasyPros consensus projections to assign values based on a 12-team, full PPR league.

Each week throughout the season, these values will be altered to reflect the player’s value for the rest of the season. Changes made to player’s value will be based on FantasyPros Rest of Season ECR, results from the season thus far, and The Wolf’s Rest of Season Rankings. But for the most part, the below values should generally reflect consensus rankings. The values provided also allow for comparing player values across positions, not just within one positional group.

For more information on how to make successful deals, check out our strategies for negotiating trades.

Be sure to tune back each week throughout the season. We’ll be adjusting the chart, discussing risers & fallers, and pinpointing trade targets.

The trade value chart for each position is linked below.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Trade Value Chart: Running Backs

Running Back Riser

The ageists must bow to King Henry. He took a look at your so-called “age cliff” and decided to turn around and walk it back a few years. 30-year-old running backs that weigh 250 pounds aren’t supposed to move like this.

The film shows that Derrick Henry hasn’t lost a step and the analytics show the same. Henry is second among qualified rushers in rush yards over expectation per attempt. The veteran also has the third-highest explosive rush rate of any running back.

If there’s one drawback to Henry’s game it’s that he’s highly game-script dependent. In Baltimore’s only extended comeback effort of the year (Week 1), Henry played less than 50 percent of snaps and scored a season-low 10.6 fantasy points. Thankfully, Baltimore looks like they’ll be playing with a lead quite often. Henry should see steady rushing work and is an elite fantasy option at running back.

Running Back Faller

Last week, Bijan Robinson was the RB3 on our chart, but he wasn’t valued far behind Saquon Barkley and Breece Hall. After another troublesome performance, the gap between Robinson and the top RBs is growing.

Robinson came into Week 4 averaging a disappointing 15.2 PPG. It was more of the same last Sunday with Robinson scoring 11.4 PPR points.

The only thing propping up Robinson’s fantasy value was his strong role within Atlanta’s offense which included rushing work, a steady dose of targets, and goal line opportunities. The split in Atlanta’s backfield was uncomfortably tight last week. Robinson played 36 snaps and saw 11 opportunities while Tyler Allgeier played 21 snaps and saw 10 opportunities.

If this sort of usage persists in the future weeks, Robinson’s value will continue to tank. He requires an elite workload to hang around with the big dogs.

Running Back Trade Target

J.K. Dobbins was our trade target last week and the buying window remains open heading into Week 5. Dobbins has struggled in consecutive weeks, but he is completely taking over the Los Angeles backfield.

Across the last two weeks, Dobbins has played 68 percent and been responsible for 78 percent of the backfield opportunities. He ranks 18th in expected fantasy points per game in this two-game stretch.

When looking for reliable RB2 production, you’re often looking to nail down a player with a strong role while riding the wave of up and down production. Dobbins is just this. Gus Edwards is a complete dustball and this is Dobbins’ backfield to lose. He will have better days ahead and will certainly benefit from the return of Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater in the coming weeks.

Tier 1: The Elites

Tier 2: RB1 Options

Tier 3: RB2 Options

Tier 4: Matchup-Based Starters

Tier 5: Bench Assets and Handcuffs