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Fantasy Football Buy Low: Running Back Breakout Candidates for Week 8

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Fantasy Football Buy Low: Running Back Breakout Candidates for Week 8

Whether you're deciding who to start in season-long, who to roster in NFL DFS, or which NFL prop bets to consider on FanDuel Sportsbook, there are still plenty of ways to buy low on players poised to bounce back from disappointing outings.

While looking ahead at the games across the NFL, which running backs should we buy low on ahead of this week?

All fantasy football projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research, and NFL odds references are to FanDuel Sportsbook. Statistics mentioned are via NextGenStats or Pro Football Focus unless stated otherwise.

Running Backs to Buy Low in Fantasy Football

James Cook, Bills

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Oct 26 5:01pm UTCMore odds in Sportsbook

James Cook picked back up from where he left off in the 2024 campaign by scoring 18-plus fantasy points in each of his first four starts in 2025. However, Cook cooled off by supplying fewer than nine fantasy points in back-to-back outings before the Buffalo Bills' bye week, which interestingly came in two consecutive losses.

Across the first four weeks, Cook handled an elite workload, earning 25.3 adjusted opportunities (carries plus 2x targets) per game and a 58.6% red-zone rushing share while logging 122.5 scrimmage yards per game. But over his last two outings, Cook has questionably gotten only 16 touches per game (zero receptions) despite the Bills' offense looking out of sorts against the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons.

While the Carolina Panthers have admittedly been a better run defense this season than last (ninth in schedule-adjusted run defense), head coach Sean McDermott revealed that he spoke to offensive coordinator Joe Brady about utilizing Cook more moving forward, so I'm expecting plenty of usage from Cook out of the team's bye week.

Derrick Henry, Ravens

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Total Match Points

Oct 26 5:01pm UTCMore odds in Sportsbook

Another star running back who is coming out of their respective team's bye week and has a chance to bounce back is Derrick Henry. The outlook on Henry looked extremely bright to begin his sophomore campaign with the Baltimore Ravens, gashing the Bills' defense for 182 scrimmage yards and 2 touchdowns while finishing Week 1 as the RB1 in half-PPR formats with 28.7 fantasy points.

Along with ball security issues and Lamar Jackson missing time with a hamstring injury, Henry has fallen all the way down to RB20 in fantasy points per game while scoring fewer than 10 points in three of his last five starts. Although it'd certainly give Henry a massive boost if Lamar gets back on the field, I'm expecting the Ravens to get back to leaning on Henry and the ground game in a favorable matchup at home versus the Chicago Bears in Week 8.

Even though the Bears have improved to 7th in schedule-adjusted run defense, they are coughing up the 3rd-most yards per attempt (5.32), 7th-most rushing yards over expected per attempt (0.80), and 12th-most explosive runs (runs of 10-plus yards; 17) to running backs this season.

Jordan Mason, Vikings

Any Time Touchdown Scorer
Jordan Mason

Aaron Jones is set to be activated from injured reserve soon, but Jordan Mason has done enough to be the starting back for the Minnesota Vikings for the rest of the season. Although Jones had his 21-day practice window opened and has a chance to return on Thursday night from the hamstring injury he suffered in Week 2, Mason has tallied 70.5 rushing yards per game and 0.88 rushing yards over expected per attempt on a 67.4% snap rate, 50.6% route rate, 73.3% red-zone rushing share, and 15.0 carries per game in the four contests sans Jones.

Even amid injuries to Minnesota's offensive line and a change at quarterback, Mason has been an effective runner, and he registered a season-high 76.1% snap rate and 56.5% route rate in Week 7 -- the Vikings' first game out of their bye week. After accruing 23.6 fantasy points in his first game in relief of Jones back in Week 3, Mason has posted fewer than 12 points in each of his last three outings.

The good news is that Mason will take on a Los Angeles Chargers team that is 31st in schedule-adjusted run defense and has allowed three consecutive running backs (Jonathan Taylor, De'Von Achane, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt) to tally 130-plus scrimmage yards and multiple touchdowns.


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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

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