• Rico Dowdle is here to stay: The Carolina Panthers have won back-to-back games on the back of two monster performances from Dowdle. Bijan Robinson is the only running back averaging more yards per touch than Dowdle this season (min. 50 touches).
   
• Isiah Pacheco trending up?: Last week, Pacheco led the Kansas City Chiefs’ backfield with a season-high 12 carries and was finally much more involved in the red zone. It is perfect timing for Pacheco’s usage to be trending up, as he has a couple of juicy matchups on the schedule over the upcoming weeks.  
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Below are the top running back takeaways from Week 6 that could have a significant impact on fantasy points in Week 7 and beyond.

Kimani Vidal is the next man up for the Los Angeles Chargers 

Heading into Week 6, it was a toss-up between Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal for which would be the next man up in the Chargers’ backfield after Omarion Hampton landed on injured reserve (IR). Despite Haskins’ prior connection with head coach Jim Harbaugh dating back to his Michigan days, Vidal controlled the backfield snaps and touches last Sunday. Vidal played on 43 of the 64 offensive snaps (67%) in Week 6 while getting 21 touches in the game compared to Haskins’ seven. Vidal stole the vast majority of the valuable fantasy touches, getting four of the team’s five third-down running back carries and six of the team’s seven red zone carries. 

Not only did Vidal see higher volume than Haskins, but he was also much more efficient. Vidal recorded 124 yards on 18 carries (6.9 yards/carry) and scored a touchdown on one of his three receptions, while Haskins recorded just 14 yards on his six carries (2.3 yards/carry). Unfortunately,  Vidal will not get to face the Miami Dolphins‘ weak defense every game, so fantasy managers shouldn’t expect him to put up 20-plus fantasy points each week regularly. However, he should be considered a low-end RB2 option until Hampton returns. 

Upcoming matchups: vs. Colts, vs. Vikings, at Titans

Rico Dowdle continues to dominate in Chuba Hubbard‘s absence

While Carolina Panthers’ starting running back Chuba Hubbard has been sidelined with a calf strain, Rico Dowdle has taken full advantage to prove he is worthy of a much larger role in the offense even once Hubbard returns. Over the last two weeks, Dowdle has put up over 180 rushing and 230 scrimmage yards in both games. He has scored 66.3 fantasy points in that span, 11 more than any other running back. He has been utilized as a complete workhorse running back, as he has a league-high 60 touches over the last two weeks. He played on 88% of the team’s snaps in Week 6. 

It is unlikely that Dowdle will continue to see 25-plus touches a game once Hubbard returns to the field. However, Dowdle has been on fire, and the Panthers have won both games while leaning on him. I am not sure how the coaches don’t transition to Dowdle being the starting back with Hubbard taking on a smaller role. On the season, Dowdle (6.2) is averaging 1.5 more yards per touch than Hubbard (4.7). Dowdle’s 6.2 yards per touch is second among running backs with 50-plus touches, behind only Bijan Robinson. 

Upcoming matchups: at Jets, vs. Bills, at Packers

Cam Skattebo‘s heavy workload remains despite Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s return 

Despite Week 1 starter Tyrone Tracy Jr. back on the field after a couple weeks absence, Skattebo remained the New York Giants‘ workhorse back. Skattebo was given 21 touches in Week 6, while Tracy was limited to just four. He saw six of the Giants’ seven red-zone running back carries and played on 13 of the team’s 17 third-down snaps. Skattebo dominated the Philadelphia Eagles‘ defense, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and getting into the end zone three times. 

Since Week 3, Skattebo has played 69% of New York’s offensive snaps while averaging over 100 scrimmage yards and 20.6 fantasy points per game. On the season, Skattebo is the RB11 on average, and his success should continue as he has thoroughly earned his coaches’ trust in pivotal moments of games. Unfortunately, the Giants get a tough defensive matchup in Week 7, as they travel to face the Denver Broncos. However, Skattebo should still be started in all fantasy lineups based on expected volume. 

Upcoming matchups: at Broncos, at Eagles, vs. 49ers

TreVeyon Henderson’s playtime doesn’t budge with Antonio Gibson sidelined

Antonio Gibson is out of the equation in the New England Patriots backfield after suffering a season-ending ACL injury in Week 5, but that unfortunately did not lead to TreVeyon Henderson seeing an uptick in volume. In Week 6, Henderson was on the field for just 30.2% of the Patriots‘ offensive snaps, which is actually his lowest playtime in a game in his NFL career. He had just nine carries and one reception in the game, and did not see a single snap in the red zone last Sunday. 

Rhamondre Stevenson was the Patriots’ running back who earned more playing time with Gibson sidelined. Stevenson saw season-highs in playtime (71.4% of snaps) and rushing attempts (13) in Week 6. Stevenson’s efficiency continues to be horrendous; he averaged just 1.4 yards per carry last Sunday and is averaging a lousy 3.1 yards per carry on the season. No running back with 20-plus carries has a worse PFF run grade than Stevenson (53.2) in 2025. 

One would think that the Patriots would give their electric young running back a chance over their struggling, inefficient veteran. Still, it is taking much longer than it should for Josh McDaniels and Mike Vrabel to hand over the keys to Henderson. It might not be the worst idea to trade for Henderson on the low, as the Patriots have a juicy matchup against the Tennessee Titans‘ weak run defense in Week 7. 

Upcoming matchups: at Titans, vs. Browns, vs. Falcons

Isiah Pacheco plays on a season-high 77% of the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive snaps in Week 6 

Pacheco has been absolutely useless for fantasy this season, but fantasy managers should be hopeful that more points could be headed his way over the next few weeks. In Week 6, Pacheco played on 77% of the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive snaps and led the backfield with 12 carries, both of which were his season-highs. This was a significant increase from his 52% playing time and 7.8 carries per game that he was seeing from Weeks 1-5 this year.

The most promising part of Pacheco’s usage last Sunday night was that he saw four carries in the red zone throughout the game, after seeing just three total red zone carries from Weeks 1-5 combined. He played on nine red-zone snaps in Week 6, when he hadn’t seen more than three red-zone snaps in any game over the first five weeks. Pacheco has yet to find the end zone in 2025, but if his red-zone usage continues to trend up, he has a couple of very favorable matchups coming up on the schedule. 

Pacheco will face the Las Vegas Raiders this week, who have allowed the third-most rushing touchdowns to running backs in 2025. Then, he gets the Buffalo Bills in Week 9, and they have allowed the second-most rushing touchdowns and fourth-most yards per carry to the running back position.