Believe it or not, there's a running back in the top 10 for touches in Week 5 that was only on 0.2 percent of all fantasy rosters on NFL.com before Sunday. I think more fantasy football owners had Prince Fielder on their roster before this guy. One running back who was also on this week's list will probably lose his job soon, and yet another might have gone from your bench to a No. 2 play going forward. It's all here as we look at the list of the running backs with the most touches this week.
Analysis
» Go get Jackie Battle. No one has him, and even though K.C. is on a bye this week, Todd Haley loves him and there's really no one else you can give the ball to on the Chiefs. Neither Thomas Jones nor Dexter McCluster can take on a heavy load. Battle is the only guy on the roster who can. He's your No. 1 running back pickup of the week, maybe of the year because of his potential to be a bell cow the rest of the season. I'd even look to trade with the team who has the No. 1 waiver spot this week. ...
» Don't expect Fred Jackson to fall off the top of this list anytime soon. He is a top five fantasy running back and he stays that way the rest of the season. Don't trade him thinking he's going to fall off a cliff. ...
» The "Law Firm" exposed a Jets defense that's just awful against the run, but at least for now he seems to have held off Stevan Ridley, so be comfortable putting him in a flex or even as a weaker No. 2. ...
» How many more weeks will the Jets give Shonn Greene to break through? Bottom line is he's never done it for them and if you can't run against New England, who can you run against? He got in the end zone and with his 83 yards rushing (on 21 carries) I'd try to sell Greene right now. In another couple of weeks it'll be L.T. and possibly Joe McKnight getting more carries. I can't keep putting him in my lineup when he gets the chances and can't produce -- you saw what happened to Tim Hightower, who was in the same situation. Greene is a week or so away from that. ...
» Guess who's crept into the top 10 for the season overall in touches? Willis McGahee, with 96. But like Greene, I would try to sell McGahee right now. More Tim Tebow means less rushing attempts, so there's that, and McGahee also won't be able to shoulder a heavy workload as the season goes on because it's been four years since he's had that kind of responsibility and he'll wear down. ...
» Who are the running backs catching the most passes out of the backfield so far in 2011? Darren Sproles with 31, Mike Tolbert is second with 27. That's what's keeping them as decent flex plays in most leagues. Tolbert should be okay after the bye (concussion) but watch out -- Ryan Mathews is even cutting into that production with 20 catches. I'd try to sell as high as I could on Tolbert.
See Jason Smith on NFL Fantasy Live, airing Sundays at 11:30 a.m. ET on the Red Zone Channel, and Tuesday-Friday on NFL Network at 2 p.m. ET and 12 a.m. ET/9 p.m. PT. He writes Fantasy and other NFL pith on NFL.com daily. Talk to him on Twitter @howaboutafresca. He only asks you never bring up when the Jets play poorly.