Fantasy Football Week 5 RB Rankings

Jonathan Taylor injured his ankle after an unproductive game in week 4 and could very well miss Thursday night's game against the Broncos. Can Taylor and Steelers RB Najee Harris be trusted despite mediocre starts to the season?

We are virtually a quarter into the NFL season and although there are many more weeks for preseason heavyweights to break out, time is running out for those late-round sleepers to come to fruition and produce at a high level. Travis Etienne Jr. is running out of time to impress Doug Pederson and the Jaguars staff, and Cam Akers' inconsistencies and fumbles could cost him a starting job if he doesn't turn it around.

One of my favorite preseason picks, Javonte Williams, has fallen victim to awful playcalling from his head coach Nathaniel Hackett, not to mention he could now miss multiple weeks due to a knee injury that he sustained in the Broncos' 32-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Sleeper pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire has benefited from genius playcalling by Chiefs head coach Andy Reid whereas other sleeper picks such as Kareem Hunt and Rhamondre Stevenson are too inconsistent to gauge how valuable they actually are yet. Time will tell, but for now here are my RB rankings for this weekend.

1. Austin Ekeler - Chargers vs. Browns

Austin Ekeler exploded for 35 fantasy points after recording 3 total touchdowns against the Texans last weekend. Ekeler has been a force in the passing attack so far this season, but this performance solidified his continued dominance as a dual-threat back. The Browns have a good defense, but with Jonathan Taylor's lack of production, and Christian McCaffrey facing off against a stout 49ers defensive line, Ekeler may be the best bet to produce at a high level.