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2026 season · Week 5 · Backup RB rotation

RB Roulette Week 5: Which Backup RB to Pick Up, and When

One bench spot, a new backup running back for every kickoff window. Add the next man up before his game, drop him after it, and if a starter goes down you already own the replacement. Below: Week 5’s picks on a timeline, the rotation by kickoff and how the picks have graded this season.

Picks by Running Back Roulette (our sister site). Get its free Wheel Watch emails before every window at runningbackroulette.com.

Do this now

Add Kenny Gainwell (TB) before Thu 8:15 PM ET, behind Bucky Irving.

Taken in your league? Try Tyler Goodson (DAL).

When to pick up each back

30 backup running backs across 6 kickoff windows, Week 5. Each row: the window to add him for (hairline, ending at his kickoff) and the hold through his game (bar).
  • Add window (ends at his kickoff)
  • Hold, not played yet

Thursday Night · Thu 8:15 PM ETAct now

  • TB
    behind Bucky Irving · 66% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Thu 8:15 PM ET · drop after ~11:30 PM
    Next
  • DAL
    behind Javonte Williams · 0% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Thu 8:15 PM ET · drop after ~11:30 PM
    Next

Sunday Morning (International) · Sun 9:30 AM ET

  • PHI
    behind Saquon Barkley · 1% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 9:30 AM ET · drop after ~12:45 PM
    Upcoming
  • JAX
    behind Bhayshul Tuten · 17% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 9:30 AM ET · drop after ~12:45 PM
    Upcoming

Sunday Early · Sun 1:00 PM ET

  • NE
    behind Rhamondre Stevenson · 89% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • HOU
    behind David Montgomery · 52% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • GB
    behind MarShawn Lloyd · 6% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • NO
    behind Alvin Kamara · 16% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • CHI
    behind D'Andre Swift · 77% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • LV
    behind Ashton Jeanty · 21% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • WAS
    behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt · 1% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • NYJ
    behind Braelon Allen · 8% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • NYG
    behind Cam Skattebo · 8% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • CLE
    behind Quinshon Judkins · 1% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • MIN
    behind Aaron Jones Sr. · 0% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • IND
    behind Jonathan Taylor · 1% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • MIA
    behind Ollie Gordon II · 25% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • PIT
    behind Jaylen Warren · 0% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • TEN
    behind Tony Pollard · 1% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming
  • CIN
    behind Chase Brown · 0% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 1:00 PM ET · drop after ~4:15 PM
    Upcoming

Sunday Late · Sun 4:05 PM ET

  • DEN
    behind J.K. Dobbins · 71% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 4:05 PM ET · drop after ~7:20 PM
    Upcoming
  • ARI
    behind Jeremiyah Love · 28% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 4:25 PM ET · drop after ~7:40 PM
    Upcoming
  • SF
    behind Christian McCaffrey · 34% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 4:25 PM ET · drop after ~7:40 PM
    Upcoming
  • LAC
    behind Omarion Hampton · 1% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 4:05 PM ET · drop after ~7:20 PM
    Upcoming
  • SEA
    behind Emanuel Wilson · 16% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 4:25 PM ET · drop after ~7:40 PM
    Upcoming
  • DET
    behind Jahmyr Gibbs · 1% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 4:25 PM ET · drop after ~7:40 PM
    Upcoming

Sunday Night · Sun 8:20 PM ET

  • ATL
    behind Bijan Robinson · 27% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 8:20 PM ET · drop after ~11:35 PM
    Upcoming
  • BAL
    behind Derrick Henry · 12% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Sun 8:20 PM ET · drop after ~11:35 PM
    Upcoming

Monday Night · Mon 8:15 PM ET

  • LAR
    behind Kyren Williams · 71% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Mon 8:15 PM ET · drop after ~11:30 PM
    Upcoming
  • BUF
    behind James Cook III · 5% rostered · 50% confidence
    Add by Mon 8:15 PM ET · drop after ~11:30 PM
    Upcoming

The rotation, by kickoff

The back to hold in each window (Running Back Roulette’s top stash), with the next-best options if he is taken.

  1. Thursday Night
    Thu 8:15 PM ET · Do this now
    TBKenny Gainwellbehind Bucky Irving · 66% rostered
    Add now, before Thu 8:15 PM ET; drop after ~11:30 PM ET.

    Next up behind Bucky Irving; depth chart RB2.

    If he’s taken: Tyler Goodson (DAL, 0%)

  2. Sunday Morning (International)
    Sun 9:30 AM ET · Later
    PHIWill Shipleybehind Saquon Barkley · 1% rostered
    Add after ~Thu 11:30 PM ET, before Sun 9:30 AM ET; drop after ~12:45 PM ET.

    Next up behind Saquon Barkley (Questionable); depth chart RB2.

    If he’s taken: Chris Rodriguez Jr. (JAX, 17%)

  3. Sunday Early
    Sun 1:00 PM ET · Later
    NETreVeyon Hendersonbehind Rhamondre Stevenson · 89% rostered
    Add after ~Sun 12:45 PM ET, before Sun 1:00 PM ET; drop after ~4:15 PM ET.

    Next up behind Rhamondre Stevenson; depth chart RB2.

    If he’s taken: Woody Marks (HOU, 52%), Kaleb Johnson (GB, 6%)

  4. Sunday Late
    Sun 4:05 PM ET · Later
    DENRJ Harveybehind J.K. Dobbins · 71% rostered
    Add after ~Sun 4:15 PM ET, before Sun 4:05 PM ET; drop after ~7:20 PM ET.

    Next up behind J.K. Dobbins; depth chart RB2.

    If he’s taken: Tyler Allgeier (ARI, 28%), Kaelon Black (SF, 34%)

  5. Sunday Night
    Sun 8:20 PM ET · Later
    ATLBrian Robinson Jr.behind Bijan Robinson · 27% rostered
    Add after ~Sun 7:20 PM ET, before Sun 8:20 PM ET; drop after ~11:35 PM ET.

    Next up behind Bijan Robinson; depth chart RB2.

    If he’s taken: Justice Hill (BAL, 12%)

  6. Monday Night
    Mon 8:15 PM ET · Later
    LARBlake Corumbehind Kyren Williams · 71% rostered
    Add after ~Sun 11:35 PM ET, before Mon 8:15 PM ET; drop after ~11:30 PM ET.

    Next up behind Kyren Williams; depth chart RB2.

    If he’s taken: Ray Davis (BUF, 5%)

Track record, 2026

Every pick graded against the box score, misses included, from the board as it stood at kickoff. Pick-by-pick record on runningbackroulette.com.

Season hit rate

26%

33 hits from 126 graded picks

20 workload hits (12+ carries plus catches)

  • Workload hit (12+ touches)
  • Touchdown hit
  • Involved (8–11 touches)
  • No hit
5/30
W1
10/32
W2
6/32
W3
12/32
W4
RB Roulette picks graded by week
WeekWorkloadTDInvolvedNo hitHits / graded
Week 1417185 / 30
Week 29122010 / 32
Week 3157196 / 32
Week 46641612 / 32

How RB Roulette works

  1. Keep one bench spot open for the rotation.
  2. Before the next kickoff window, add that window’s back (the “Do this now” pick). He locks at his own kickoff.
  3. Hold him through his game. If his starter gets hurt, you own the replacement before waivers run.
  4. After his game, drop him (unless he just won the job) and add the next window’s back.

It needs a league with free agency during the week. Pair it with our waiver wire rankings and the injury report.

How this works

Picks, confidence and rostered % come from Running Back Roulette’s published boards, copied hourly. Before a window kicks off we show its newest board; once it kicks off, the board as it stood at kickoff. The rotation back for a window is its highest-ranked stash. Add-by times are each player’s own kickoff; drop-after times assume a 3 h 15 min game.

Grades use Running Back Roulette’s rules: 12+ carries plus catches = workload hit; a touchdown on fewer touches = touchdown hit; 8–11 touches = involved; less = no hit. A pick is graded four hours after kickoff, once the box score has landed.

Sources: Running Back Roulette, ESPN rostered %, nflverse box scores (via RBR)Updated Tue, Oct 6, 3:58 PM ET

Frequently asked questions

What is RB Roulette?

A way to use one bench spot all week. Before each kickoff window (Thursday night, Sunday morning, early and late Sunday, Sunday night, Monday night), pick up the backup running back who would take over if the starter in that game got hurt. Drop him after his game and add the next window’s back. If a starter goes down, you already own his replacement.

Who picks the backs?

Running Back Roulette (runningbackroulette.com), our sister site. It ranks every backfield’s next man up from depth charts, injury reports and usage, and publishes a board before each window. We copy that board here; the picks are theirs.

When do I add and drop each player?

Add him after the previous window’s back has finished playing and before his own kickoff, when he locks. Drop him once his game ends (about three and a quarter hours after kickoff), unless he just earned a bigger role: then keep him and skip the next window.

Does this work in my league?

Only if your league lets you add free agents during the week without a waiver claim (free agency after waivers clear). Leagues with waivers on every drop, or with daily lineup locks on all players, make the rotation slower or impossible. Check your platform’s settings first.

How are the picks graded?

With Running Back Roulette’s own rules, against the box score: 12 or more carries plus catches is a workload hit, a rushing or receiving touchdown on fewer touches is a touchdown hit, 8 to 11 touches is useful involvement (not a hit), and anything less is no hit. Only the board published before kickoff is graded.

Why is the hit rate so low?

A backup only pays off in the week the starter ahead of him misses time, and most starters play most weeks. The point is to own the replacement before everyone else, not to start the backup every week.