Week 3 Running Back Rankings- PPR Leagues

In the first two weeks something I've been constantly thinking about is what kind of numbers Le'Veon Bell would have been putting up thus far. To date, DeAngelo Williams is second in rushing yards and leads the league in rushing touchdowns. It's been a funky season so far for some running backs, so taking Bell may not seem like such a risk at this time. For those who took a shot in the first round and drafted him, this the week you've been waiting for. Let's take a look at this week's PPR running back rankings.

It should come as no surprise that after opening my article with all this Bell talk he would be at the top of the rankings this week. However, it has little to do with my excitement for his return. In the past two weeks the Rams have surrendered the most rushing yards. They had a difficult time containing the Redskins backs last week. Bell is capable of running between the tackles and can catch the ball. Game flow does not affect his touches and the Steelers offense has been doing a great job running the ball. Look for him to jump right in and pick up where he left off last season. Making his first appearance in the top 10 this season is Latavius Murray. He's coming off of a solid performance against the Ravens and has a favorable matchup against Cleveland. The Browns are surrendering 105 yards and a one touchdown per game through the first two weeks. Murray is averaging over four yards per carry this season and has caught 10 passes. He also has one touchdown but has yet to eclipse the century mark in a single game. This would be a good spot for him to do so. He's the teams lead back and is also involved in the passing game. While some may say he has yet to carry the ball more than 15 times in a single game, that wouldn't concern me as game flow has been the issue and that's not something that worries me this week.

Two guys that may not be on most top 24 rankings, but managed to sneak into to mine are Dion Lewis and Danny Woodhead. Remember readers this is PPR rankings so receptions and targets play a big role in these rankings. Lewis has become of big part of the Patriots offense. He has 10 catches in the first two games and found the end zone last week. He played 73-of-86 offensive snaps against the Bills. He leads all running backs in the NFL in targets with 14. He's also run in 75 percent of the teams red zone rushing attempts. The only concern I have is that Bill Belichick and the Patriots base their game plan on opposing defenses and this week they host the Jags, so we could see more LeGarrette Blount. However, Lewis should still play a prominent role in the passing game of this offense and will always have the ability to catch a handful of passes. Woodhead is right behind Lewis in targets with 13. He took a step back last week after a huge week one, but still managed to catch six passes for 68 yards. Woodhead has received 100 percent of the teams red zone carries in the first two games. He should remain a steady part of this offense passing game, which is 50 percent of the plays ran.

Another player I'd like to quickly touch on is Justin Forsett. He's had a slow start to the season, but has a favorable matchup this week against the Bengals. Yes the Bengals are solid against the run, but they struggle against pass catching running backs and so far this season Forsett has caught eight of his 11 targets. The Bengals have surrendered the second most receptions (21), fourth most receiving yards (172), and most receiving touchdowns (2) to running backs this season.

Someone outside the top 24 that appeals to me is Shane Vereen. He has been targeted 13 times in two weeks and has looked good as a pass catcher for the Giants. He remains a solid flex play this week.