Fantasy football managers know that every lineup decision can make or break a week, and choosing the right players to start or sit is where championships are won. With the 2026 NFL season underway, matchups, stats, and trends are more important than ever. From favorable matchups and scoring trends to players you should avoid in tough spots, my weekly positional start and sit guide is built to give you an edge.
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Running Backs to Start
Emanuel Wilson SEA
Emanuel Wilson has become one of the more appealing short-term fantasy starters following Seattle’s injuries at running back, and his Week 4 performance demonstrated what he can accomplish with a featured workload. Wilson handled 21 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers while adding three receptions for 39 yards and another score. That gave him 120 scrimmage yards, two touchdowns and 27 PPR fantasy points, finishing as the RB6 for the week. More importantly, Wilson played 36 of Seattle’s 60 offensive snaps and handled 24 of the team’s 32 running back touches. With Jadarian Price on injured reserve, Wilson has a realistic opportunity to maintain a substantial workload, although Zach Charbonnet’s return to practice and the addition of Joe Mixon to the practice squad introduce some uncertainty beyond this week.
San Francisco presents an interesting matchup because the 49ers have allowed 25.6 PPR fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, including 367 rushing yards and 207 receiving yards through four games. However, their -0.06 defensive rushing EPA per play is right in the middle of the pack. That’s why Wilson’s receiving involvement is particularly encouraging. The 49ers have allowed 31 receptions to opposing running backs, creating opportunities for Wilson to remain productive even if rushing efficiency is inconsistent. He’s already handled 21 carries in two separate games this season, and Seattle has demonstrated a willingness to feature him when the backfield is depleted. Charbonnet’s practice window introduces some uncertainty, but assuming Wilson maintains his current role, I’m comfortable starting him as an RB2 with additional PPR upside.
Ollie Gordon II MIA
Ollie Gordon II is coming off his most productive performance of the season, rushing for 100 yards and a touchdown on nine carries against Minnesota in Week 4. He also caught both of his targets for zero yards, finishing with 11 touches and 100 total yards. Gordon played 56.8% of Miami’s offensive snaps and handled half of the team’s rushing attempts, suggesting his role in the backfield is expanding. Through four games, he’s rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries, averaging 5.1 yards per attempt while forcing seven missed tackles and generating 3.6 yards after contact per attempt. However, his 53-yard run accounted for more than half of last week’s rushing production, highlighting the volatility of his recent success. The increased involvement is encouraging, but I still want to see whether Miami maintains that workload with Jaylen Wright competing for opportunities.
Cincinnati presents an interesting matchup, although I wouldn’t automatically characterize the Bengals as a favorable opponent for running backs. According to Next Gen Stats cited in Cincinnati’s Week 5 scouting report, the Bengals have allowed just 2.7 yards after contact per carry, the sixth-fewest in the NFL. That suggests Gordon may have a more difficult time consistently creating additional yardage than his recent performance would indicate. However, I’m more interested in whether Miami continues giving him meaningful opportunities after he handled half of the team’s rushing attempts against Minnesota. Gordon has demonstrated the ability to turn limited touches into explosive gains, but relying on another long run isn’t a particularly dependable fantasy strategy. Miami’s offensive struggles also create concerns about negative game scripts and whether Wright could become more involved. Nevertheless, Gordon’s growing role gives him enough upside to consider as a lower-end RB2 or flex option in Week 5, particularly if his workload continues trending upward.
Kyle Monangai CHI (TBD with Injury Popup)
Kyle Monangai delivered one of the most impressive running back performances of Week 4, and the circumstances surrounding his breakout make him particularly interesting entering this divisional matchup. Monangai rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries against the Jets while adding one reception for four yards, finishing with 28 PPR fantasy points. He also forced eight missed tackles and handled 31 total touches, showing he was consistently creating additional yardage rather than simply benefiting from favorable blocking. The biggest development came after D’Andre Swift fumbled in the third quarter. Swift didn’t receive another touch for the remainder of the game, while Monangai handled 18 of his 30 carries after the turnover. That doesn’t guarantee a permanent depth-chart change, but it demonstrates that Chicago is willing to feature Monangai when he’s producing, and Swift is making mistakes.
Green Bay is one of the more appealing matchups for opposing running backs, having surrendered 29.7 PPR fantasy points per game to the position through four weeks. The Packers have allowed 455 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns to running backs, along with another receiving score. Their -0.02 defensive rushing EPA per play suggests they’ve been relatively close to league average in efficiency, but the rushing touchdowns and fantasy production allowed create significant upside. Monangai’s injury situation entering the week causes some uncertainty. Nevertheless, Monangai’s 30-carry breakout and Swift’s recent ball-security problems create a realistic opportunity for an expanded role. Assuming he’s healthy enough to maintain a meaningful workload, I’m comfortable starting Monangai as an RB2 or strong flex option.
Omarion Hampton LAC
Omarion Hampton is becoming increasingly difficult to trust as a long-term fantasy asset, but I’m willing to give him another opportunity in Week 5 because the matchup is considerably more favorable than his recent workload suggests. Hampton has handled 59 carries for 238 yards and three rushing touchdowns through four games, averaging 4.0 yards per attempt. However, his playing time has declined in three consecutive weeks, falling to just 35% of the offensive snaps against Seattle in Week 4. He finished that game with nine carries for 45 yards and a touchdown while adding two receptions for eight yards. The committee involving Keaton Mitchell and Jadarian Price remains a significant concern, but Hampton has still demonstrated encouraging individual ability. According to PFF, he’s forced 15 missed tackles while averaging 3.1 yards after contact per attempt, showing that it hasn’t all been bad for the second year running back this season.
Denver is exactly the type of matchup where I’m willing to overlook some of those long-term concerns. The Broncos have allowed 27.8 PPR fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, including 454 rushing yards, 177 receiving yards, and four total touchdowns through four games. They have allowed +0.08 defensive rushing EPA per play, which is 2nd worst in the NFL. That’s particularly appealing for Hampton because he’s continued receiving valuable red-zone opportunities despite the Chargers reducing his overall workload. His 15 forced missed tackles provide another reason to believe he can capitalize on Denver’s defensive struggles without needing a massive increase in touches. I don’t suddenly expect Hampton to dominate the backfield, and the declining snap share remains a major concern for his rest-of-season outlook. However, with injuries and bye weeks limiting fantasy managers’ alternatives, this is a matchup where I’m comfortable starting him as an RB2 or flex option.
Running Backs to Sit
Will Shipley PHI
Will Shipley could see his largest workload of the season against Jacksonville, but I’m not convinced that increased opportunity will automatically translate into useful fantasy production. Saquon Barkley is dealing with a hamstring injury, while Tank Bigsby has been placed on injured reserve following core muscle surgery. That leaves Shipley with a realistic opportunity to lead Philadelphia’s backfield, although Dameon Pierce could also be involved after being promoted from the practice squad. Shipley has spent most of his NFL career operating in a complementary role, and he hasn’t established a consistent track record of producing as a featured runner. The potential increase in carries is encouraging, but his limited experience handling a substantial NFL workload makes it difficult to project the same efficiency Philadelphia typically receives from Barkley.
Jacksonville makes this an especially difficult situation for a running back whose fantasy appeal is almost entirely based on a potential increase in touches. The Jaguars have allowed only 17.8 PPR fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, including just 190 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown through four games. Their reported -0.13 defensive rushing EPA per play also indicates that opposing offenses have struggled to generate positive value on the ground. Philadelphia is coming off a game in which its offense managed only 172 total yards against the Rams, creating additional concerns about how consistently the Eagles can sustain drives. Shipley could receive enough touches to remain relevant in deeper leagues, but I don’t trust those opportunities to translate into strong production against one of the league’s more effective run defenses. He’s a desperation volume-based flex rather than someone I’m comfortable starting.
David Montgomery HOU
David Montgomery has become one of the more disappointing fantasy running backs through the opening month, especially considering how productive he was in Houston’s season opener. Montgomery scored three touchdowns in Week 1, immediately creating optimism about his role in the Texans’ offense. However, that production hasn’t carried over into the following three games. Since Week 2, Montgomery has reportedly averaged approximately 10 touches and fewer than 40 scrimmage yards per contest, while his fantasy production has fallen to roughly five PPR points per game. He’s continued playing a meaningful percentage of Houston’s offensive snaps, but the actual opportunities haven’t been nearly as valuable as that playing time suggests. His receiving involvement has also been limited, leaving him heavily dependent on rushing production and touchdowns to deliver useful fantasy performances. The Texans’ continued involvement of Woody Marks makes it even more difficult to project Montgomery for a substantial increase in touches.
Tennessee isn’t an impossible matchup for opposing running backs, but the defensive numbers aren’t favorable enough for me to overlook Montgomery’s declining production. The Titans have allowed 21.4 PPR fantasy points per game to the position, including 399 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns through four games. Their -0.07 defensive rushing EPA per play suggests they’ve been reasonably effective at limiting rushing efficiency, even though opponents have accumulated production through volume. That distinction matters for Montgomery because he hasn’t been receiving enough touches to consistently overcome inefficient rushing performances. The potential for a short-yardage touchdown is always there, but I’m not willing to chase his three-score Week 1 performance when the recent opportunity and production have been so limited. Montgomery remains a touchdown-dependent flex I’d prefer to avoid this week.
Cam Skattebo NYG
Cam Skattebo has maintained a relatively dependable workload in New York’s backfield, but his individual rushing efficiency and recent fantasy production haven’t been particularly encouraging. Through four games, Skattebo has handled 68 carries for 235 yards and one touchdown while adding eight receptions for 67 yards. He’s averaging only 3.5 yards per carry and 11.1 PPR fantasy points per game, placing him around RB24 through the opening month. Those numbers are disappointing considering he’s received at least 16 touches in every appearance. His most recent performance against Arizona was particularly frustrating, producing only 7.6 PPR points despite receiving 19 opportunities. The workload is there, but Skattebo hasn’t consistently generated explosive rushing plays or enough scoring opportunities to turn that volume into dependable RB2 production. He’s also dealing with a shoulder injury, adding another concern for a player whose value depends heavily on physical rushing volume.
Washington is a considerably more difficult rushing matchup than its overall defensive reputation might suggest. The Commanders have allowed only 16.3 PPR fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, including 294 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns through four games. Their reported -0.10 defensive rushing EPA per play also suggests they’ve been effective at preventing opponents from consistently generating positive rushing value. That’s concerning for Skattebo because he’s already averaging just 3.5 yards per carry, meaning he’ll likely need substantial volume or a touchdown to deliver a strong fantasy performance. New York also enters the matchup as a road underdog, creating the possibility of a negative game script that forces the Giants to become more aggressive through the air. Skattebo’s receiving involvement provides some protection, but averaging only two receptions per game isn’t enough to guarantee a strong PPR floor. With a difficult matchup, limited rushing efficiency, and uncertainty surrounding his shoulder, I’d prefer to sit Skattebo if I have another legitimate RB2 option.
