Fantasy Football RB Rankings Week 5: Best Starts at Running Back ...Middle East

Fantasy Football Expert Justin Edwards looks at the current Fantasy Football RB rankings and projections for Week 5.

“After a full month of NFL action, there are a number of surprises in the football landscape, and the fantasy football RB rankings are reflecting that.”

2025 Fantasy Football RB Rankings

*As always, the projections and rankings are courtesy of 4for4’s Fantasy Football Half-PPR RB rankings! 

Fantasy Football RB Rankings, Who Should I Add Off Waiver Wires:

Woody Marks (Texans) was the highest-recommended RB waiver wire pickup this week.

 Analysis

I tend to be conservative with early-season waiver aggression, but we’re tossing caution to the wind with Woody Marks. The rookie running back was a deep sleeper in August with the Joe Mixon injury fiasco, and started working his way onto the legitimate fantasy radar the last couple weeks. But it was his Week 4 breakout that solidified Marks as a high-priority add. Marks outsnapped Nick Chubb — taking 58.5% of the offensive snaps in total — and led the team with a monster 119 scrimmage yards.

He scored a pair of touchdowns, one each rushing and receiving, both from outside the 10-yard line, and saw an impressive 17 carries and five targets. He was efficient, passed the eye test with flying colors, and simply offers more in every facet of the game than Chubb does. Plus, all of this took place in a game the Texans won 26-0, leading wire to wire — the kind of game you’d expect the offense to lean on their “RB1” to grind out the clock.

It would be baffling if Houston didn’t continue shifting involvement and opportunity towards the 24-year-old out of USC, and if he secures the starting job for them, he should secure starting jobs in fantasy.

Recommendation: Should be added in all leagues

Read Matt Okada’s full Week 5 Waiver Wire Watch

Who are the best stashes from the Fantasy Football RB Rankings?

Kyle Monangai and Brashard Smith are the best running back stashes ahead of Week 5. 

Kyle Monangai, RB – Bears (9%)

Are the Bears ready to bench a sputtering D’Andre Swift? Probably not, but we could still see some changes in a number of aspects of the offense when they come out of the bye, including a potential for more work for rookie Kyle Monangai. Inefficiency has been Swift’s calling card for a handful of seasons now, and any type of spark to the running game could go a long way toward unlocking the next level for Caleb Williams.

Through four weeks, Swift ranks in the bottom-10 among 49 qualifying backs in yards created after contact (1.82 – 41st) and success rate on gap runs (42.9% – 40th), areas that the powerful Monangai could capitalize on, should he start to see more between-the-tackles looks. An immediate post-bye rookie bump could be in the cards, but take a patient approach as the team starts to ramp up its trio (Luther Burden, Colston Loveland) of young options.

Brashard Smith, RB – Chiefs (2%)

I know, I know. A Chiefs running back catches a pass, so someone puts him in an article; this seems to be the case almost regardless of position, as long as they’re tied to Patrick Mahomes. But we have truly seen some uninspiring play out of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, to the point where it’s a legitimate question as to whether or not either should be on rosters in any league depth.

Thirty-six running backs have taken at least 30 carries during the 2025 season; Pacheco (9.4% – 32nd) and Hunt (5.6% – 34th) rank in the bottom five in broken-plus-missed-tackle rate, while their respective 0.33 and 0.60 yards per route run are also doing a good job of grinding the offense to a halt. This could all be leading to more playing time for Brashard Smith, who is coming off a year-high 25.7% snap rate, and feels an awful lot like another former seventh-round pick who started to see his usage ramp up as his rookie season progressed: Isiah Pacheco.

*Read Justin Edwards’ full 9 Fantasy Football Stash Candidates Ahead of Week 5*

Who are some Week 5 Fantasy RBs to avoid?

Some players who have fallen out of the top 36 Fantasy Football RB Rankings include RJ Harvey (Broncos), Blake Corum (Rams), and Bhayshul Tuten (Jaguars).

For more advice on who to start check out 4for4’s who should I start tool.

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