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Week 6 Running Back Rankings - PPR Leagues

Examining the best matchups for week four running backs from a point per reception-league standpoint.

By Matias Wodner
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

If you have DeMarco Murray, Le'Veon Bell, David Johnson, Ezekiel Elliott, or LeSean McCoy, you're sitting pretty right now. While the running back position suffered some setbacks through the first few weeks, roles are being cemented and the bankable starters are starting to show. Let's see what we've got in Week 6.

Rank Player Team Opponent Analysis
1 Le'Veon Bell PIT @MIA He's carved up the Chiefs and Jets run defenses since returning and now gets the measly Dolphins. Huge day incoming.
2 LeSean McCoy BUF SF The Niners have coughed up four 100-yard rushers in consecutive weeks and five rushing touchdowns over that span, while Shady looks rejuvenated.
3 DeMarco Murray TEN CLE He'll be a top five option regardless of the matchup most weeks, but has a great matchup this week anyway.
4 Lamar Miller HOU IND It's coming, guys. Trust me, it really is! Last week's matchup was always going to be rough and the whole offense was out of sync. Coming off a nine-touch game, Miller will be fresh and ready to explode against a putrid Colts run defense.
5 David Johnson ARI NYJ Can't knock him down too much because of his usage and efficiency, but if there was ever a week where he'll struggle this might be it.
6 Todd Gurley LA @DET The Lions have bled running back production over the last three weeks. Gurley is in a great spot to have a big game.
7 Christine Michael SEA ATL Fresh off a bye week, Seattle's new bell cow gets a pedestrian Falcons defense that has given up the fifth most fantasy points to running backs.
8 Ryan Mathews PHI WAS Mathews operated as the lead back coming off the bye week and gets another great matchup against the worst yards per carry run defense in the league.
9 Ezekiel Elliott DAL @GB The Packers run defense is on a historic pace of limiting opposing ballcarriers, but Zeke and the Dallas offensive line will be an unforeseen test.
10 Carlos Hyde SF @BUF While the Bills have actually been good at not allowing a lot of yards per carry, they've coughed up six rushing touchdowns through five weeks. Hyde is a good bet for a score.
11 Jordan Howard CHI JAX Howard is operating as the every-down back and doing damage. He should continue his success against a middle-of-the-pack Jags defense.
12 Mark Ingram NO CAR Carolina was just torn apart by Jacquizz Rodgers. Ingram's last two games before the bye week combined for 40 points. Lock him in.
13 Eddie Lacy GB DAL ASSUMING HE'S HEALTHY, Lacy should have a good game against a non-imposing Cowboys run defense. Lacy has look fantastic. The touchdowns are coming.
14 Jamaal Charles KC @OAK It'll be interesting to see how much they use him, but Charles has said he's 100%. If so, he couldn't come back to a more inviting matchup.
15 C.J. Anderson DEN SD If it doesn't happen this week for Anderson, Devontae Booker might end up the starter sooner than later. But give him a chance to right the ship in a good matchup.
16 Theo Riddick DET LA With no one to threaten him, Riddick is getting all he can handle. He has a safe receiving floor that is being compounded by about 10 weekly carries.
17 Giovani Bernard CIN @NE Jeremy Hill has clearly been banged up and Gio took the opportunity to get himself going last week. The Bengals might be throwing a lot in this game, setting up for a more-than-solid Gio game.
18 Isaiah Crowell CLE @TEN The Titans run defense has softened a bit over the past three weeks, making this a get-right game for Crowell after a down week.
19 Matt Forte NYJ @ARI I don't feel comfortable ranking him here, but he's still the lead back. His pass-game role and overall usage is dwindling, though.
20 Tevin Coleman ATL @SEA I think the Falcons will try to attack Seattle through the air with Coleman, and he's shown to be dynamic in that regard.
21 T.J. Yeldon JAX @CHI Looked a lot better than Ivory in London and should get more of the work in this one.
22 Melvin Gordon SD @DEN Denver actually hasn't been great against the run, but Gordon hasn't been great at running either. He keeps scoring and getting volume, which is keeping his value afloat, but this is probably the week he comes crashing down to Earth.
23 Devonta Freeman ATL @SEA The Falcons feature both their running backs so much that they are every-week RB2's regardless of the matchup.
24 LeGarrette Blount NE CIN The Bengals run defense has been inconsistent and Blount is as good a bet as any to score each week.
25 Frank Gore IND @HOU Should find success against the Texans run defense, but is an uninspiring RB2. Doesn't have much of a ceiling, but has a nice floor.
26 Latavius Murray OAK KC Lat will probably be back and none of his backups made much of a claim for his starting job. He'll lead the committee in a non-imposing matchup.
27 Terrance West BAL @NYG The Giants run defense has been a bit Jekyll and Hyde-ish. Look for the new Ravens offensive coordinator to commit more to the run game than fired Marc Trestman.
28 Cameron Artis-Payne CAR @NO Don't expect two touchdowns again, but he'll be the starter if Jonathan Stewart is out again. He's very game-script dependent, though, so if they fall behind early it could could be an ugly outing for CAP.
29 Bilal Powell NYJ @ARI Has looked better than Forte over the past few weeks and the coaching staff is giving him more opportunities because of it. Solid PPR Flex option.
30 Arian Foster MIA PIT Should be back this week, but will the Dolphins keep a committee going? Best bet for production regardless.
31 Spencer Ware KC @OAK I'll admit I'm not sure how to project what KC will do in the backfield with Charles back, but I assume Ware will take a backseat and alternate for a few series throughout the game.
32 Bobby Rainey NYG BAL Has been great in the Shane Vereen role and will be the best way to get backfield production in a brutal matchup.
33 James White NE CIN His role will continue to grow with Tom Brady back, although it might be hard to project on a week-to-week basis.
34 Jeremy Hill CIN @NE He's banged up and this game could get out of hand and force the Bengals to pass often. Not much to like about him this week.
35 Darren Sproles PHI @WAS Handling a lot of snaps, but it's hard to predict which games he'll be used more often and more efficiently.
36 Devontae Booker DEN SD His snap count has risen each week. It's only a matter of time before him and Anderson are in a 50-50 split.
37 Derrick Henry TEN CLE Has looked so good, but just isn't getting enough work behind Murray to warrant fantasy relevance.
38 Matt Jones WAS PHI He's so hit-or-miss and gets a brutal matchup. Keep him on your bench for this one.
39 Duke Johnson CLE @TEN Not sure what to make of Johnson's usage last week. The offense was a disaster when Cody Kessler went down (and before that), and that could be the case again this week.
40 Fozzy Whittaker CAR @NO He's a good pass-catching back, but CAP is still out-snapping and out-touching him. If the game gets out of hand early, he'll be in line for a solid fantasy day.
41 Chris Ivory JAX @CHI What do we make of him? He might now be fully healthy from an early season illness, but he also has 20 carries for just 43 yards this year.
42 Paul Perkins NYG BAL He's easily the Giants' most talented back, but isn't quite getting enough opportunities to make him a flex option.
43 Chris Thompson WAS PHI He's a pass-game specialist that just doesn't have much of a ceiling.
44 Jalen Richard OAK KC Has proven to be superior in the pass-game than DeAndre Washington, giving him more PPR appeal.
45 Dexter McCluster SD @DEN Denver is very susceptible to pass-catching backs. McCluster should be used often in this one.
46 Mike Gillislee BUF SF Actually has two touchdowns on the year as Shady's backup. He gets some plays throughout games and can catch passes.
47 Josh Ferguson IND @HOU A shifty pass-catcher, Ferguson has been getting a decent amount of snaps lately.
48 Alfred Morris DAL @GB Continues to look good, but also continues to get low touch totals behind Zeke.
49 DeAndre Washington OAK KC Didn't show well at all in Lat's absence. Will go back to getting 8-10 touches per game.
50 Kenneth Dixon BAL @NYG Should be more involved with his first game under his belt. Still West's show to run, but Dixon will be used in the pass-game.