Week 10 Running Back Rankings- PPR Leagues

Week 10 is approaching and in most fantasy leagues there are only several more weeks left in the season before your playoffs begin. This week the top running back, Devonta Freeman is on bye, as well as Frank Gore, Carlos Hyde, Melvin Gordon, and Danny Woodhead. Matt Forte, Eddie Lacy and LeSean McCoy are currently dealing with injuries and their status is in question for this this week, so there's a chance we will see Karlos Williams, James Starks, and Jeremy Langford get the start in their place. Make sure to keep an eye on their statuses before finalizing your lineups. With that said, let's jump right into this week's top 50 PPR running back rankings.

To no surprise, Todd Gurley is the top back this week. His 100+ rushing yards in a game streak ended last week as he rushed for 89 yards and a touchdowns against the Vikings. This week, he has a much more favorable matchup against the Bears. Opposing backs are averaging 99.4 rushing yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry against the Bears. They've done a good job to keep running backs out of the end zone, but that will be a tough task against Gurley as he's found the end zone in three straight games. He's also been more involved in the pass game, receiving 13 targets in the last three games.

If Eddie Lacy ends up sitting, Starks could be a solid play. He's already outplaying Lacy as it is, but if Starks is set to receive the bulk of the carries, he could be in for a great game. The Lions are surrendering 109.9 rushing yards per game and have allowed 11 rushing touchdowns to opposing backs. He's topped 20 fantasy points in two of the last three games and has three touchdowns in that span.

DeAngelo Williams is dealing with a foot injury, but is currently not in any danger to miss this week's game. He showed once again that he is fully capable of filling in for Le'Veon Bell. Williams received 27 carries and rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns, and also caught two passes for 55 yards in Week 9. He will play against the Browns who have surrendered the most rushing yards this season. Opposing backs are averaging 129.4 rushing yards per game and 4.7 rushing yards per carry. So long as he's healthy enough to give it a go, he's a must start against a suspect run defense.

Karlos Williams is a back that has a nose for the end zone. If his matchup wasn't so tough, he'd easily be in the top 10. Williams has scored a touchdown in every game he's played in this season. The Jets are stingy against the run, but in the last two games opposing backs are averaging 4.97 yards per carry against the Jets. Keep a close eye on McCoy's status before officially starting Williams, but if McCoy sits, Williams is a solid RB2 or flex option despite the matchup.

Let's take a stroll down Narrative Street for a minute. This is Shane Vereen's first time playing against his former team. The Patriots have been very good against the run, but are yielding nearly six receptions per game to opposing backs. Vereen has been more involved in the offense and has scored a touchdown in consecutive games. He's averaging 4.9 targets per game and leads the team in offensive snap counts. This should be a shootout which benefits Vereen as he's the best pass catching back in this backfield. Doug Martin saw fewer snaps after fumbling last week against the Giants. He should get back on track this week against the Cowboys defense who surrenders the second most fantasy points per game to opposing backs. The Cowboys allow 102.5 rushing yards and one touchdown per game. This is a good spot for a bounce back game.

Some backs outside the top 20 that can be considered if you're dealing with injuries and/or bye weeks are Theo Riddick, Dexter McCluster, Ryan Mathews, and Duke Johnson to name a few. They are all pass catching backs.

I don't mean to sound redundant, but I want to remind you one more time not to forget to keep a close eye on the running back injuries this week before setting your lineups.