Hayden Winks releases Week 3 running back rankings and projections
Fantasy analyst Hayden Winks posted his Week 3 running back blueprint, highlighting top players, projected yardage and match-up factors.
Hayden Winks, author of the weekly "Blueprint" column, published his running back rankings for Week 3, noting that the list is based on film study, charts and projected total yards. He cautioned readers that rankings may shift through Sunday morning and that his full positional rankings remain available.
Jahmyr Gibbs tops the list with a projected 124.5 total yards against the New York Jets, despite Detroit’s offensive line injuries. Kenneth Walker follows with 112.5 yards at Miami, benefiting from a high usage rate and a young Dolphins defense. Bijan Robinson is projected for 123.5 yards at Green Bay, with the Packers’ defense showing improvement under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
Christian McCaffrey is listed at 98.5 yards versus Arizona, emphasizing his goal-line touches and target share. Derrick Henry appears at 106.5 yards against Dallas, noting the Cowboys’ missing linebackers and potential impact of left tackle Ronnie Stanley’s health.
Other notable mentions include James Cook (97.5 yards vs. L.A. Chargers), Jonathan Taylor (97.5 yards vs. Houston), and Ashton Jeanty (90.5 yards at New Orleans), each with brief context on usage, injuries and defensive match-ups.
Winks also highlighted several lower-tier backs as potential value picks, such as Chase Brown (89.5 yards at Pittsburgh) and Breece Hall (82.5 yards at Detroit), and discussed injury concerns for players like Saquon Barkley and Travis Etienne Jr.
The column concludes with a reminder to monitor updates throughout the week, as player status and match-up dynamics can affect fantasy outputs.