Fantasy football Week 7 RB preview: Here come Josh Jacobs and Zach Charbonnet

Both backs project for 10 to 12 touches as high-end flex options this week, but their long-term upside could reshape lineups

Oct 20, 2026 at 3:25 pm ET • 2 min read

It has been a difficult year at the running back position. Two of the teams on bye this week are part of the reason why. Omarion Hampton was supposed to be a top-12 running back but instead, he's found himself in a full-blown committee in one of the worst offenses in football. The Commanders don't have one running back on the roster averaging double-digit PPR Fantasy points. In other words, Fantasy managers won't miss them during their bye week. They will, of course, miss James Cook and Bhayshul Tuten, who are also on bye.

The story of the week is the running backs we're getting back, though, to be fair, Jordan Mason will be more of a nuisance to Aaron Jones than a help to your Fantasy teams. The other two guys we are projecting to return, Josh Jacobs and Zach Charbonnet, are more exciting for the long term. Early in the week, I am ranking Jacobs and Charbonnet as high-end flexes and projecting them to get 10-12 touches in their debut. Though I am starting to wonder if that is too low for Jacobs.

Jacobs will face the Lions in one of the highest projected scoring games of the week. Detroit has been an uneven run defense this year and an awful pass defense. James Cook and Chuba Hubbard had massive days against this defense, while the Cardinals and Jets running backs struggled. Travis Etienne was bad as a rusher but caught seven passes and scored 14 PPR Fantasy points. Because of the high total, I do think Jacobs could get into the end zone, which is why I rank him a handful of spots ahead of Charbonnet. More important for both backs is getting through the weekend healthy. For the rest of the season, I could see Jacobs as a high-end RB2 and Charbonnet as a top-24 back.

Now let's get to the rest of the Week 7 RB preview:

Week 7 RB Preview

RB Preview

Numbers to know

• 68.7% -- Rachaad White played a season-high 68.7% of the offensive snaps in Week 6. With Jacory Croskey-Merritt on injured reserve, White is a must hold through his bye.
• 16 -- After three straight games with at least 20 touches, Jaylen Warren had 16 touches in an overtime win against the Saints in Rico Dowdle's first game back. Warren is still a high-end RB2 at worst.
• 3.82 -- Bucky Irving is averaging 3.82 yards after contact per rush attempt, which trails only Bijan Robinson and Kenneth Walker at running back. Buy low, the targets should return when Baker Mayfield does.
• 27% -- Braelon Allen ranks top five amongst qualified running backs with a 27% tackle avoid rate. He's earned more touches once Breece Hall returns.
• 149 -- Kyren Williams leads all running backs with 149 routes run. He may be a top-five running back for the rest of the season with Davante Adams sidelined.
• 7 -- Ashton Jeanty has seven rush attempts inside the five. He has negative three yards and one touchdown on those carries. Everyone else with that many carries inside the five has scored at least three touchdowns.
• 64.3% -- Corey Kiner had 64.3% of the Patriots' rush attempts in the fourth quarter last week. This could be another three-man committee.
• 36 -- Woody Marks has 36 touches over his last two games. He's facing the Giants. Start him.

RB Preview

Waiver Wire Targets

Week 7 Adds (RB Preview)

CHI Chicago • #23 Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP vs NE CHI -3 O/U 50.5 OPP VS RB 17th RB RNK 33rd ROSTERED 8% YTD Stats RUYDS 73 REC 8 REYDS 75 TD 1 FPTS/G 4.5 It is a bad week on the waiver wire at running back, and full disclosure, neither Dave nor Jamey is as high as I am on Roschon Johnson this week. We are expecting another week without Kyle Monangai, which should mean Johnson is once again in a 1B role for the Bears. Johnsons has played about 40% of the offensive snaps for the Bears the past two weeks, scoring nine PPR points in Week 5 and 15.5 last week. In the same role, Kyle Monangai was averaging 14.8 PPR FPPG. The matchup against the Patriots isn't great, but the Patriots haven't been as stingy as they were last year. They are giving up 4.1 yards per carry and 19.5 PPR FPPG to running backs this season.

ARI Arizona • #20 Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP vs DEN DEN -4.5 O/U 43.5 OPP VS RB 27th RB RNK 35th ROSTERED 2% YTD Stats RUYDS 112 REC 2 REYDS 18 TD 0 FPTS/G 2.5 Knight shocked everyone by leading the Cardinals with 98 yards from scrimmage on 17 touches in Week 6. If Jeremiyah Love is out, I would expect a split between Knight and Allgeier and if Knight runs as well as he did last week, he should get the majority of the touches. I would still rather start Allgeier, but he isn't available on the waiver wire. Just watch the injury report closely because if Love returns, Knight is probably useless.

CIN Cincinnati • #34 Age: 31 • Experience: 10 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ BAL BAL -3 O/U 51 OPP VS RB 6th RB RNK 37th ROSTERED 16% YTD Stats RUYDS 110 REC 7 REYDS 61 TD 1 FPTS/G 6 We really hope Perine doesn't matter. We want a workhorse role for Perine. But Perine should be rostered in more that 16% of leagues considering he had 16 touches and scored 15.8 PPR Fantasy points in his last game. He's a low-end flex this week against the Ravens.

Stashes (RB Preview)

WAS Washington • #1
Age: 27 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP vs PHI WAS -3.5 O/U 46.5	OPP VS RB 14th	RB RNK NR	ROSTERED 64%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 145	REC 14	REYDS 83	TD 2	FPTS/G 9.8

White won't show up in the Week 7 projections because the Commanders are on bye. But check the season-long projections and make sure White is rostered in all of your leagues. He was the clear lead back for the Commanders in Week 6 and should remain in that role with Jacory Croskey-Merritt on Injured Reserve. White could be a borderline RB2 in Week 8.

RB Preview

DFS Plays

Top DFS Play

Projections powered by Sportsline

LAR L.A. Rams • #23
Age: 26 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP @ LV LAR -4 O/U 47.5	OPP VS RB 25th	PROJ PTS 19.2	RB RNK 4th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 393	REC 30	REYDS 217	TD 5	FPTS/G 19.8

Williams has 34 targets in his last four games and that role in the passing game should be secure with Davante Adams out. He's also having a great year on the ground, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and posting a 60% success rate. His salary gives you more flexibility than playing Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson and is current role I am not sure the floor or upside is much lower.

Contrarian DFS Play

Projections powered by Sportsline

MIN Minnesota • #33
Age: 31 • Experience: 10 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP vs IND MIN -6.5 O/U 41.5	OPP VS RB 26th	PROJ PTS 11.6	RB RNK 21st

YTD Stats
RUYDS 410	REC 12	REYDS 72	TD 2	FPTS/G 14

Jones was a faller in the rankings this week with the expected return of Jordan Mason. That should keep his roster rate, but I actually think he's a good value, even with Mason, at $5,900. The Colts defense is not one you have to fear, and Jones has 17 targets in his last three games, a role I don't think Mason will infringe on.

RB Preview

Heath's Projections

My full set of Week 7 Fantasy football projections for every position is now available here. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 7. Projected stats for all starting running backs will be updated throughout the week, so check back regularly.