Week 17 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings & Tiers: Studs, Sleepers, and Must-Starts (Ep. 1916)

Dec 24, 2025

Week 17 brings a thrilling breakdown of running back rankings as experts dive into the championship roster landscape. They debate surprising players like Kenneth Gainwell and analyze breakout potential for Ashton Gentry. Rhamondre Stevenson faces scrutiny regarding his role, while Breece Hall is spotlighted for exploiting a weak Patriots defense. The discussion also covers low-confidence options like David Montgomery and Audric Estime, providing listeners with essential start/sit advice to dominate their fantasy matchups!

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INSIGHT

Championship Rosters Favor Elite RBs

Championship rosters this year skew heavily toward elite running backs like Christian McCaffrey and Bijan Robinson.
Few championships include deep sleepers, meaning top-tier RBs dominate finals rosters.

ANECDOTE

James Cook Carried A League Winner

Chris Welsh shares that James Cook carried his company-league team into the championship.
He credits Cook for a late-season push that won his matchup.

ADVICE

Start Kenneth Gainwell For PPR Upside

Start Kenneth Gainwell in Week 17 if you have him because he's been heavily involved in the passing game recently.
Bet the over on his receptions given five or more catches in five of his last six games.

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Chris Welsh, Pat Fitzmaurice, and Andrew Erickson are breaking down Week 17’s biggest running back ranking differences, engaging in debates, and highlighting the expert consensus for Week 17!

Don't miss our deep-dive into this week's rankings, must-start options, and value plays to dominate your fantasy matchup!

Timestamps:

Intro - 0:00:00
RBs 1-12 - Ashton Jeanty - 0:05:30
RBs 13-24 - Omarion Hampton - 0:10:05
Rhamondre Stevenson - 0:15:06
Michael Carter - 0:18:04
Kenneth Walker - 0:21:06
BettingPros Premium - 0:23:55
RBs 25-36 - Breece Hall - 0:24:32
David Montgomery - 0:28:58
Audric Estime - 0:32:01

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