Sometimes the process plays out like it should. Sometimes it doesn't. The Todd Gurley blow-up game happened, as did Lamar Miller's resurgence. But Le'Veon Bell, Devonta Freeman and Adrian Peterson all placed outside the top-15 running backs. Just another friendly reminder that fantasy football is a week-to-week proposition.
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Analysis |
1 | Todd Gurley | St. Louis Rams | SF | 433 yards over his last three games. Might already be a top-3 running back in the NFL. |
2 | Le'Veon Bell | Pittsburgh Steelers | CIN | Cincy has been getting gashed on the ground. Prime spot for Le'Veon. |
3 | Devonta Freeman | Atlanta Falcons | TB | He is so good. |
4 | Chris Johnson | Arizona Cardinals | @CLE | Looks somewhat like his old self and gets the fountain of fantasy points in the Browns run defense. |
5 | Mark Ingram | New Orleans Saints | NYG | He's having a great year and the Giants just gave up 152 yards to Darren McFadden. |
6 | Justin Forsett | Baltimore Ravens | SD | Speaking of fountains of fantasy points, hello Chargers run defense. |
7 | Marshawn Lynch | Seattle Seahawks | @DAL | Looks healthy and dominant again. |
8 | Adrian Peterson | Minnesota Vikings | @CHI | So close to having a multiple touchdown game last week. It's coming soon. |
9 | Doug Martin | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | @ATL | Doug E Fresh is back and better than ever. |
10 | Matt Forte | Chicago Bears | MIN | Forte should be fresh off the bye week as a huge part of the Bears offense. |
11 | Jonathan Stewart | Carolina Panthers | IND | Colts have given up massive fantasy statlines to opposing running backs the last two weeks, while Stewart looks really good. |
12 | Chris Ivory | New York Jets | @OAK | Hamstring injury is a concern, as is a deceptively tough matchup. |
13 | Lamar Miller | Miami Dolphins | @NE | Incredible what happens when you give touches to your best players. Thank god Joe Philbin is gone. |
14 | Giovani Bernard | Cincinnati Bengals | @PIT | The Steelers just gave up 18.9 fantasy points to Charcandrick West. |
15 | Danny Woodhead | San Diego Chargers | @BAL | Chargers run game is bad right now, making Woodhead the main guy as the most versatile back. |
16 | Frank Gore | Indianapolis Colts | @CAR | Game flow hurt Gore last week, but this week should be more forgiving. |
17 | Jeremy Hill | Cincinnati Bengals | @PIT | The Steelers just gave up 18.9 fantasy points to Charcandrick West. |
18 | Dion Lewis | New England Patriots | MIA | Signs pointing to him being healthy for TNF. They need him after an abysmal run game performance last week. |
19 | Charcandrick West | Kansas City Chiefs | DET | Was that Jamaal Charles out there last week? Another good matchup again this week. |
20 | Eddie Lacy | Green Bay Packers | @DEN | One more week on the Lacy bandwagon. Prepare your landing gear gentlemen, this could be a rough landing off the bandwagon. |
21 | Latavius Murray | Oakland Raiders | NYJ | Couldn't have gotten a tougher matchup. |
22 | Ronnie Hillman | Denver Broncos | GB | Has outplayed Anderson in every game and is now the starter. |
23 | LeGarrette Blount | New England Patriots | MIA | Sledding will be easier to come by this week. |
24 | Darren McFadden | Dallas Cowboys | SEA | Is now the lead guy, but the Seahawks give up the 3rd fewest fantasy points to running backs. |
25 | Duke Johnson | Cleveland Browns | ARI | His receiving usage makes him a consistent high-floor guy. |
26 | Alfred Blue | Houston Texans | TEN | Committee or not, the matchup is great for Blue to be productive. |
27 | Carlos Hyde | San Francisco 49ers | @STL | Playing with a foot stress fracture. Not exactly ideal for a running back. |
28 | Antonio Andrews | Tennessee Titans | @HOU | Whisenhunt says he wants to get him more carries. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. |
29 | Ameer Abdullah | Detroit Lions | @KC | There is no main guy in Detroit. |
30 | Charles Sims | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | @ATL | The Falcons give up a bunch of receptions to running backs, playing into Sims' hands. |
31 | Khiry Robinson | New Orleans Saints | NYG | Ingram gaines 115 more yards on the same number of carries as Robinson last week, but Robinson keeps getting goal-line looks for some reason. Pray for a vulture. |
32 | James Starks | Green Bay Packers | @DEN | Has earned more carries, but can he get it done against a top defense? |
33 | C.J. Anderson | Denver Broncos | GB | He's still a part of the offense. How much longer will that last, though? |
34 | Andre Ellington | Arizona Cardinals | @CLE | Could very easily break a long run against the Browns terrible run defense. |
35 | Shane Vereen | New York Giants | @NO | Game sets up nicely for Vereen, but will it even matter? |
36 | Melvin Gordon | San Diego Chargers | @BAL | Not even a starting option anymore. |
37 | Theo Riddick | Detroit Lions | @KC | Great floor in PPR, not so much in standard. |
38 | Dexter McCluster | Tennessee Titans | @HOU | Honestly, might be the Titans best option at running back. |
39 | Orleans Darkwa | New York Giants | @NO | Could have just been a one-week thing but looked better than Rashad Jennings and gets a good matchup this week. |
40 | Joique Bell | Detroit Lions | @KC | Nearly doubled his season rushing total last week with a whopping 21 yard performance. |
41 | Chris Polk | Houston Texans | TEN | Should see a good amount of work along with Blue. |
42 | Robert Turbin | Cleveland Browns | ARI | He's better than Isaiah Crowell right now, and the touches will begin to reflect that. |
43 | Thomas Rawls | Seattle Seahawks | @DAL | Will continue to get some carries if he keeps his production rate up. |
44 | Branden Oliver | San Diego Chargers | @BAL | Gordon should be back to full health this week, but Oliver looks better than him at this point. |
45 | Tevin Coleman | Atlanta Falcons | TB | Is strictly the backup to Freeman. |
46 | Javorius Allen | Baltimore Ravens | SD | Is strictly the backup to Forsett. |
47 | David Johnson | Arizona Cardinals | @CLE | Cleveland Browns run defense. |
48 | C.J. Spiller | New Orleans Saints | NYG | Turns out he's still in the NFL. |
49 | Christine Michael | Dallas Cowboys | SEA | So his breakout didn't happen even with Joseph Randle out? Color me shocked. |
50 | Isaiah Crowell | Cleveland Browns | ARI | Might still get like 8 carries, but what can he even do with them? |