After seven full weeks of fantasy football, many owners are dealing with injuries and urgently need reinforcements. With limited options available in free agency, owners are taking on the role of general managers, seeking any trades that could help salvage their teams. For those in need of a running back and unsure about which player to target, here are three of the best options to pursue.
Tony Pollard (Tennessee Titans)
This season, Tony Pollard entered his sixth year in the NFL, but his second with the Tennessee Titans as their lead back, and has had a quiet yet productive season. Through the first seven games, Pollard has averaged a little over ten fantasy points per game while averaging 14 rushing attempts and 54 rushing yards per game. These statistics might not be top-tier running back stats, but if traded for, they could give any owner a great flex option any week.
Sep 28, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (20) runs during the first half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. © Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
More recently, Pollard has seen a drop in rushing attempts and yards, not having over 14 attempts or 67 rushing yards in the last four weeks. On the other hand, he has seen more targets out of the backfield with three plus the last three weeks, and a high of 43 receiving yards. This could come from the return of Tyjae Spears, the Titans’ change of pace back, but overall, Pollard is getting the ball and carving out production in any way possible.
Trading for Pollard isn’t the option for a fantasy owner who needs an every-week starting running back. He’s someone who could add depth to the running back position to help with current injuries or bye weeks while coming at a cheaper price. Having a few down weeks recently will make current owners more receptive to offers for a trade and will only cost a current backup. Pollard has shown how dominant he can be in the past, and even in a tougher situation than others, he could create a lot of fantasy points for the rest of the season.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Washington Commanders)
Heading into 2025, fantasy owners were ecstatic about the Washington Commanders drafting Jacory Croskey-Merritt; however, with a depth chart filled with talent, it took time for him to get rolling. Austin Ekeler’s season-ending injury meant any of the backups could have taken over as the lead running back. In recent weeks, Croskey-Merritt has maintained that role and shown flashes of dominance.
The past two weeks have been particularly tough for Croskey-Merritt, who has only had 94 rushing yards and six receiving yards despite handling the ball over 30 times. This may scare fantasy owners away from pursuing this dynamic rookie in a trade, but it should have the opposite effect. Croskey-Merritt, for the past three weeks, has seen over 13 rushing attempts per game and already has four rushing touchdowns for the whole year. He brings the value of a flex option and possibly a starting running back to any fantasy team, all while coming at a cheaper price due to his recent performance.
Oct 5, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (22) runs past Los Angeles Chargers defense at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
While current fantasy owners are on the edge of using Crosket-Merritt in their flex spot or keeping him on the bench, take advantage and pursue a trade. It won’t take long for him to get back on track and have multiple breakout games with over 100 rushing yards. With one of his lowest projections in recent weeks of 9.3 points per FantasyPros, the time to make the move is now.
Breece Hall (New York Jets)
To begin the season, fantasy owners had high hopes for Breece Hall in the last year of his current contract. Halfway through the fantasy regular season, Hall has had a few great games, but more forgettable ones. Having a high of 17.5 fantasy points scored against the Dallas Cowboys, but also having a low of 5.8 against the Buffalo Bills, has made him a boom-or-bust starter. With four out of seven weeks scoring under 10 points, current fantasy owners are getting stressed and considering trading him, creating a perfect opportunity for others to acquire him.
Trading for a running back on the 0-7 New York Jets might not seem like the best idea at first. As risky as it may sound, it could turn out to be the trade of the year if Hall can get going in his current situation or gets traded to another team. If New York can figure out their offense, everyone has seen what Hall has done in the past, having had two seasons of over 1,300 scrimmage yards. Even if the Jets can’t figure it out, other teams could benefit from him, and, being on the last year of his contract, he is the perfect option to trade away.
After another poor performance against the Carolina Panthers this past week, when Hall only rushed for 38 yards on 11 attempts, this is the time to send the trade offer. This might be a risk, as it’s uncertain whether New York will trade him or if they can get more production out of him in their current offense. If either of these options works out, it will pay off tremendously.
Oct 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) carries the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at MetLife Stadium. © Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Hall could easily bounce back this week against the Cincinnati Bengals, who are one of the worst teams at stopping the run, completely changing how current owners look at him. Any owner who is hurting at running back and needs an immediate starter should take the chance on trading for Hall before it’s too late.
End Of My Best Fantasy Running Backs To Trade For Rant
Each of these three running backs offers a trade option for fantasy owners, depending on how urgently they need one. If an owner is desperate and needs a starter, the best option to go after is Hall. As a player who has been a top performer before, but not in an ideal situation, he gives owners a chance of turning their season around at a low fantasy cost. As mentioned previously, this trade is a risk, given the uncertainty of what the future holds for the Jets; however, if you need a starter, he is the best option.
A fantasy owner seeking a flex option that can become a starter in the future, the running back they want to target is Croskey-Merritt. He is consistently getting touches in the Commanders’ offense, creating plenty of opportunities for breakout games. After a few down performances the past two weeks, owners are now more likely than ever to trade him. Lastly, an owner looking for depth to plug in for injuries or any bye week should target Pollard. Averaging over ten fantasy points a week, he is the perfect plug-in play in a last-minute situation with the possibility of a breakout game.