Week 9 of the NFL season is right around the corner, which means it’s time to start setting your fantasy football lineups. Deciphering matchups and figuring out who to start can be hard, so to help you out, I’m going to be ranking the top 20 running backs based on how I think they’ll perform in Week 9.

Honorable Mentions

Before we start, here are 10 running backs that just missed out on the top 20 that are viable starting options in Week 9.

• Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks
• Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks
• Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders
• Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars
• David Montgomery, Detroit Lions
• JK Dobbins, Denver Broncos
• Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
• Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers
• Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings
• Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans

20. Woody Marks, Houston Texans

Matchup: Denver Broncos

Kicking off our list at No. 20 is Woody Marks. The rookie has played very well in recent weeks, but I absolutely hate this matchup against the Denver Broncos, who are one of the best run defenses in the league. He’d be higher if it weren’t for that, but his receiving upside keeps him in the top 20.

19. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers

Matchup: Green Bay Packers

It’s hard to decipher which Carolina Panthers running back is going to get the bulk of the work, but last week it was Chuba Hubbard, so I’m going with him this week as well. The matchup isn’t great, but Carolina is going to run the football no matter what, so as long as Hubbard sees 10+ carries, he could have a decent game. Plus, he’s good for a couple of catches a game, which helps.

18. Bam Knight, Arizona Cardinals

Matchup: Dallas Cowboys

As much as I don’t like the Arizona Cardinals’ backfield with all their injuries, I think Bam Knight has top 10 upside this week because of his matchup. Dallas has the worst run defense in football, and we’ve seen many running backs have big games against them. As long as Knight continues to be RB1, he should have a big day on Monday night.

17. Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers

Matchup: Indianapolis Colts

Jaylen Warren has been a very efficient runner in recent weeks, but he hasn’t received the amount of carries you want from an RB1 or RB2 in fantasy. However, I think the Pittsburgh Steelers know they got away from the run too often last week, and will try to right that wrong by establishing it early against Indy. He also has receiving upside, which is always a plus. It also feels like he’s due for a touchdown since he hasn’t had one since Week 1.

16. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

Matchup: Atlanta Falcons

The New England Patriots went up big last week, which allowed them to play their rookie TreVeyon Henderson more. That cut into Rhamondre Stevenson’s carries, and Henderson’s fumble on the goal line certainly won’t help his chances to get more snaps this week. Stevenson should be the featured back this week, and Atlanta’s run defense has been below average.

15. Tyrone Tracy, New York Giants

Matchup: San Francisco 49ers

I feel bad for Cam Skattebo, but with him likely out for the season, it’s Tyrone Tracy’s opportunity to show he can still shine. Tracy saw 13 carries last week after Skattebo exited the game, so he should be in for a pretty heavy workload. San Fran’s run defense isn’t bad, but it’s not great either. If Tracy can get into the end zone, he should easily be a top 15 back in fantasy this week.

14. Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders

Matchup: Jacksonville Jaguars

Ashton Jeanty has proven he’s a top 10 talent in the league, but he’s running behind one of the worst offensive lines in football. He has been very up and down this year, but he’s always a threat to score 20+. I don’t hate his matchup this week, but I also don’t love it, so No. 14 feels just about right for Jeanty this week.

13. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals

Matchup: Chicago Bears

As a Chase Brown owner, I wanted to put him higher than No. 13, but with Joe Flacco potentially missing this week’s game, I’m a bit scared for his fantasy output. In games without Flacco or Joe Burrow, Brown averaged nine points per game. He’s been averaging 15.3 since Flacco got to town, so if Flacco is good to go, he’d be in the top 10. But with Flacco’s status in question, I’m playing it safe.

12. Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers

Matchup: Tennessee Titans

It’s very rare that a backup actually lives up to the expectations his predecessor set, but Kimani Vidal is doing just that. He’s scored 19+ in two of his three games as a starter, and with a very easy matchup this week, he should be able to score a solid 15+ points. He probably should be higher, but I just trust some of these established guys over him.

11. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams

Matchup: New Orleans Saints

Kyren Williams and the Los Angeles Rams are coming off a bye and get to play one of the worst teams in the league. They should have a field day against this New Orleans defense. Williams is capable of having a big day on the ground, but his receiving upside is what puts him so high on this list.

10. Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys

Matchup: Arizona Cardinals

Javonte Williams has been one of the season’s biggest surprises. He has revitalized his career in Dallas, and now he gets to face a pretty average run defense in Arizona. There’s no reason he shouldn’t score 15+ fantasy points this week.

9. D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears

Matchup: Cincinnati Bengals

D’Andre Swift is still the RB1 in Chicago, no matter the pressure Kyle Monangai applies. He has been as consistent as they come, and this week he faces the Cincinnati Bengals, who have given up the most points to opposing running backs this season. Barring something unforeseen, this should be an easy 15+ point game for Swift.

8. James Cook, Buffalo Bills

Matchup: Kansas City Chiefs

James Cook is coming off of arguably the best game of his career, and while I think he’ll still be a very viable option in fantasy this week, I hate his matchup. The Kansas City Chiefs have one of the best run defenses in football, but Cook should still be able to find success on the ground and through the air. I just like some matchups a tad more.

7. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Matchup: New England Patriots

I’m not worried about Bijan Robinson himself; I’m worried about the Atlanta Falcons’ offense. They’ve been all out of sorts the last two weeks, but Robinson is still averaging around 13 points per game. He’s going to need to be a factor this week if they want to win, so I believe they’ll feed him early and often to try and get him going.

6. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

Matchup: Miami Dolphins

I love Derrick Henry’s matchup this week. The Miami Dolphins’ defense is hot garbage, and they’re allowing over 26.9 points per game to opposing running backs. Henry hasn’t been great this year, but with Lamar Jackson back, defenses can’t load the box as often, so it should open things up for Henry.

5. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers

Matchup: Carolina Panthers

Another great running back with a great matchup is Josh Jacobs, who faces a subpar Carolina Panthers defense this weekend. Jacobs hasn’t been all that efficient this year, but he’s been a touchdown machine, rushing for nine touchdowns in seven games. There’s no reason he can’t hit pay dirt at least once or twice on Sunday.

4. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

Matchup: Minnesota Vikings

Jahmyr Gibbs hasn’t been as good as he was last season, but he’s still RB6 on the year and is coming off his best game of the season. Dan Campbell keeps saying they want to get David Montgomery more involved, but it hasn’t happened yet, so I’m going to keep riding with Gibbs as a top-five back each week until Montgomery really cuts into his touches.

3. DeVon Achane, Miami Dolphins

Matchup: Baltimore Ravens

I talked about how much I loved Derrick Henry’s matchup for Thursday, but I love DeVon Achane’s more. The Baltimore Ravens have one of the worst run defenses in football, and Achane is RB3 on the year despite the Dolphins’ struggles. His receiving upside makes him a slightly more desirable option than Henry this week, but expect both backs to have big nights.

2. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

Matchup: New York Giants

I know Christian McCaffrey is coming off his worst week of the season, but this guy is a machine. He’s averaging 17.5 carries and seven receptions a game, so while his production was down last week, I’m sure the San Francisco 49ers are going to make sure he’s heavily involved this week.

1. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers

There’s really no competition for the top spot right now, which is crazy considering how good McCaffrey has been this year. Jonathan Taylor is just on a different planet than everyone else right now, and nobody has figured out how to stop him. Until someone figures out the formula, he’s going to be RB1 every single week.