FantasyPros Fantasy Football Podcast

Week 8 Buy Low + Sell High Running Back Targets (Ep. 1788)

Date: October 22, 2025
Hosts: Ryan Warmley & Andrew Erickson
Theme: Deep-dive analysis into running back buy/sell/hold targets for Week 8: actionable fantasy football advice, trade strategy insights, and player breakdowns.

Episode Overview

Ryan Warmley and Andrew Erickson examine which NFL running backs are the best "buy low" and "sell high" targets heading into Week 8. They assess recent performances, discuss trade values, and provide practical guidance for fantasy managers navigating injuries, workload shifts, and upcoming schedule difficulties. The episode also features rapid-fire buy/sell/hold trios, helping listeners evaluate tricky running back situations and maximize team value.

Monday Night Football Recap & Quick Hits (00:31–12:50)

Seahawks vs. Texans

• Texans Offense Struggles:

  • C.J. Stroud’s strong performances in previous weeks credited to facing "beat up Ravens and Titans defenses"; Seattle game exposed the offense’s limitations.
  • Andrew Erickson:

    "That Texans offense, that's what it is. It's a fiasco." (01:25)

  • Nico Collins exit (concussion)—keep an eye on his status.
  • Top fill-in pickup: Jalen Noel, who had season highs even before Collins' injury (02:56).
  • Dalton Schultz emerges as a strong streaming option at TE, especially with a favorable matchup against the 49ers' new TE-friendly defense (03:33).

    "He can go out, command targets when there's a depleted wide receiver room. So I do like Schultz as a streaming tight end this week." – Andrew Erickson (03:44)

• Texans Run Game:

  • Woody Marks inefficient (15 yards on 10 carries). Ranked last in NFL rushing success rate; offensive line woes blamed (04:12). Salvaging value via red zone and passing work, but rushing outlook grim, especially vs. 49ers (04:41).

• Seahawks Backfield:

  • Zach Charbonnet continues to outscore Kenneth Walker; gets goal line work.

    "Charbonnet has outscored Walker in five of the six games that they've both played this season." – Ryan Warmley (06:01)

  • Erickson insists Walker remains the better talent but acknowledges the frustrating 50/50 committee:

    "It's just a 50/50 committee. Charbonnet is the favorite guy in the red zone ... but if you're gonna make me pick one, I'm still going to go with Walker because I think that he's the better, more explosive, more efficient running back." (06:28–07:38)

Tampa Bay at Detroit

• Lions:

  • Jameer Gibbs impresses with a 78-yard TD, showing eye-popping speed (07:59).
  • Amon-Ra St. Brown dominates target share.
  • Laporta quiet, rest of offense as expected.

• Buccaneers:

  • Rashad White quiet; Mike Evans suffers a likely serious collarbone injury.
  • Egbuka benefits, becomes target leader and a recommended hold with WR1 upside (11:02).

    "I expect him to be a top 12 fantasy wide receiver rest of season." – Andrew Erickson (11:32)

  • Cade Otton becomes stream-worthy TE in Evans' absence (10:51–11:04).
  • Evans worth holding only if you have IR space or a strong record.

Week 8 Running Back Buy & Sell Targets

Running Backs to Buy

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders (13:09)

• Case for Buy:
  • Still lead back, efficient on limited opportunities. Favorable remaining schedule.

    "JCM is their biggest playmaker right now … I like buying him on the dip, especially because it's coming off a bad game." – Andrew Erickson (13:23)

  • Commanders may lean heavily on run with QB injuries and WR uncertainty.
• Concern: Hasn't been an RB2 except for one blow-up week.
• Price: Can likely acquire very cheaply.

  "It's really more about the price. You can probably get him for very little because the stock has fallen so far." – Andrew Erickson (15:53)

Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals (17:11)

• Case for Buy:

  • Bengals have #1 ROS and fantasy playoff schedule for RBs. Flacco’s QB play boosting offense and O-line.
  • Recent games: Burst, efficiency (notably vs. Pittsburgh—100+ yards after contact).

    "If I could flip Ramandre Stevenson for Chase Brown, I'm doing that in a second." – Andrew Erickson (20:41)

  • Brown not quite RB2 in ECR, but both hosts would rank/buy him as one.

• Trading Targets:

  • Both hosts would give up Montgomery, Dobbins, Panthers RBs, Kamara, or Stevenson for Brown (21:09).

Running Backs to Sell

Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints (26:08)

• Why Sell:
  • Miller injury will artificially boost perceived value, but real production has lagged.

    "I think Alvin Kamara would be a sell high for me. And it's a weird scenario of sell high because you're not selling high off a performance … it's a narrative." – Andrew Erickson (27:58)

  • Usage boost? Yes, but minimal actual fantasy gain, especially with difficult schedule ahead.
  • Only 1 TD on year. RB32 in actual points/game.
• Estimated Value: Not likely to get Ash Genti or similarly hot RB one-for-one. Use Kamara as a package chip.
• Acceptable Returns: Would move Kamara for Chase Brown, J.K. Dobbins, Kenneth Walker, DeAndre Swift, or Marion Hampton, especially if you have a strong record and can wait for Hampton (31:10–31:34).

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots (31:53)

• Why Sell:

  • Classic "sell high" window after strong outing; history of crashing after one good game.
  • Touch share unreliable, schedule about to get tough; Mike Vrabel’s usage comment = shaky role security.

    "Just, I just kinda want to wipe my hands clean of any risk of that even happening … if you can get something back decent for it." – Andrew Erickson (35:43)

• Buy Targets: Same as above. Move Stevenson for Chase Brown or Jacory Croskey-Merritt (33:26).

• Market Value: Still some name recognition/volume juice, but ceiling is low—even great games lack explosion (36:50).

Buy, Sell, or Hold: RB Trio Rapid-Fire (37:12–45:47)

Trio 1: Cam Scataboo, Quinshon Judkins, Breece Hall (37:12)

• Sell: Judkins—just faced the Dolphins, value at a high, schedule tough, possible suspension looming. (39:46)
• Buy: Scataboo—unstoppable, even in "tough" schedule spots, consensus RB1 type.
• Hold: Hall—jets offense is a 'dumpster fire,' but value could surge if traded. Lowest cost of the trio.

Trio 2: Jalen Warren, DeAndre Swift, Travis Etienne (40:44)

• Sell: Etienne—classic hot start, now regressing and splitting touches, rough schedule; wait a week if possible to maximize value (41:12).
• Hold: Swift—good usage, strong upcoming matchups, but playoff schedule dicey.
• Buy: Warren—metrics, usage could rise; Steelers have a soft schedule after Packers.

Trio 3: Jordan Mason, Rico Dowdle, David Montgomery (45:08)

• Buy: Mason—potential for big short-term value with Jones absent or limited, soft opponent in Chargers.
• Hold: Dowdle—if he gets opportunity, could overtake Hubbard, but uncertain.
• Sell: Montgomery—no role unless injury ahead; Gibbs is the guy in Detroit now.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "That Texans offense, that's what it is. It's a fiasco." – Andrew Erickson (01:25)
• "He can go out, command targets when there's a depleted wide receiver room. So I do like Schultz as a streaming tight end this week." – Andrew Erickson (03:44)
• "Charbonnet has outscored Walker in five of the six games that they've both played this season." – Ryan Warmley (06:01)
• "I expect [Egbuka] to be a top 12 fantasy wide receiver rest of season." – Andrew Erickson (11:32)
• "It's just a 50/50 committee. Charbonnet is the favorite guy in the red zone … but if you're gonna make me pick one, I'm still going to go with Walker." – Andrew Erickson (06:28–07:38)
• On Jacory Croskey-Merritt: "We're trying to buy good running backs when their value is depressed." – Andrew Erickson (15:36)
• On trades: "If I could flip Ramandre Stevenson for Chase Brown, I'm doing that in a second." – Andrew Erickson (20:41)
• On Kamara: "It’s a narrative driven sell—not performance driven … I just don’t think anyone goes to the moon on the Saints." – Andrew Erickson (27:58)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Seahawks–Texans Recap: 00:31–07:56
• Tampa Bay–Detroit Recap: 07:59–12:50
• Buy: Jacory Croskey-Merritt: 13:09–16:44
• Buy: Chase Brown: 17:11–23:49
• Sell: Alvin Kamara: 26:08–31:34
• Sell: Rhamondre Stevenson: 31:53–36:50
• Buy/Sell/Hold Trios: 37:12–45:47
• Notable trade values (Chase Brown vs. others): 20:41–23:22

Summary

This episode is a must-listen for fantasy managers looking to navigate running back volatility and make smart trades before Week 8. The hosts blend metrics, eye test, schedule analysis, and game script speculation to guide listeners through actionable trade moves—distilling complex running back situations into clear "buy," "sell," and "hold" recommendations with a focus on maximizing both short and long-term value.