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Week 7 Running Back Rankings - PPR Leagues

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

By Matias Wodner
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

David Johnson is a stud, Lamar Miller finally broke out, LeSean McCoy kept rolling, and Jay Ajayi exploded out of nowhere. Week 6 was fun from a running back perspective. Here's to hoping Week 7 keeps the good times rolling for the position.

Rank Player Team Opponent Analysis
1 LeSean McCoy BUF @MIA McCoy is reborn and gets an easy matchup to continue his hot streak.
2 DeMarco Murray TEN IND Murray got bottled up for the most part last week, but still got into the end zone. Now he gets a Colts defense that gave up 30+ points to Lamar Miller last week.
3 Le'Veon Bell PIT NE The Pats might stack the box and sell out to stop the run game with Landry Jones behind center, but Bell is good enough as both a runner and receiver to have elite upside anyway.
4 David Johnson ARI SEA Coming off two straight weeks of 30+ points in each, DJ is matchup proof and will be a top five play regardless of matchup for the foreseeable future.
5 Todd Gurley LA NYG Don't look now, but Gurley has gone over 10 points in four straight weeks after a brutal start to the season. Now gets the Giants who are coughing up rushing production at an alarming rate.
6 Doug Martin TB @SF IF he returns as expected, Martin will be locked in as an elite play against a Niners defense that has given up two 30+ and two 20+ point performances to rushers this year.
7 Lamar Miller HOU @DEN Denver isn't the imposing matchup it was last year, and they're giving up the 10th most fantasy points to RBs. Miller is coming off a monster game and should keep it going in this one.
8 Carlos Hyde SF TB A game against the Bucs should put Hyde in a much better game script. Tampa Bay let Cameron Artis-Payne rush for 85 yards and two touchdowns in their last game.
9 Spencer Ware KC NO The Chiefs don't seem willing to let off the Ware gas pedal and he responded with a 23 point performance last week. The matchup is as golden as gold.
10 Devonta Freeman ATL SD The Chargers run defense isn't quite as bad as last year's unit, but they're getting gashed by receiving backs. Freeman can do damage on the ground and through the air.
11 Mark Ingram NO @KC He's getting the work, but just hasn't gotten the end zone looks. They should be there this week, though, against a Chiefs run defense that has fallen off this year.
12 Melvin Gordon SD @ATL Still inefficient, but the volume and goal-line looks are completely outweighing the negatives. Gets a good matchup against a weak Falcons defense.
13 Christine Michael SEA @ARI The Awakening is real and Michael is an RB1/high end RB2 until Thomas Rawls returns (probably even when that happens). The matchup is tough, but McCoy and Hyde have gone over 20 points against this defense this year. Start him with confidence.
14 Jamaal Charles KC NO The Saints defense is so bad that both Ware and Charles could have huge days. Andy Reid isn't ready to give Charles a full workload, but he should get more touches than last week.
15 C.J. Anderson DEN HOU I know he's burned owners for the past four or so weeks, but there is a silver lining: he had around 40 yards and a touchdown called back by holding penalties last week. He's still good and gets a good matchup.
16 Duke Johnson Jr. CLE @CIN Crowell has come crashing back to Earth and the Browns are always in negative game scripts, which bodes well for Johnson.
17 James White NE @PIT Has come to life with Tom Brady back and is looking like a much more solid option than Blount, both for their real-life offense and for fantasy purposes.
18 Terrance West BAL @NYJ The Jets just gave up three rushing touchdowns on MNF and now get West, who scored two rushing touchdowns of his own last week.
19 Giovani Bernard CIN CLE Has started over Hill the last two games and handled more touches. Gets a good matchup to prove he should continue being the guy.
20 Theo Riddick DET WAS Expected back after a week off with injury, Riddick gets the most perfect of matchups with not much competition for touches behind him.
21 Eddie Lacy GB CHI He's tough to trust right now because of his ankle injury and Green Bay's offensive ineptitude, but if he plays he'll get around 15 carries. Against a mediocre Bears run defense, that makes for a startable play.
22 Chris Ivory JAX OAK He got more carries than Yeldon and handles the goal-line work. The Raiders gave up two goal-line rushing touchdowns last week, and another if you count Dontari Poe's.
23 Jay Ajayi MIA BUF Trying not to overreact to his explosion, but he looked damn good for the third week in a row. The Bills aren't exactly an easy matchup, but if the Dolphins commit to him as their guy then there are fantasy points to be had.
24 Jordan Howard CHI @GB John Fox was up to his John Fox ways last week, giving Ka'Deem Carey nine carries
25 Matt Jones WAS @DET I'm starting to think that Matt Jones is actually good. His week-to-week performances are inconsistent, but his blow-up performances are massive. This could be another against a not-great Lions defense.
26 Matt Forte NYJ @BAL Man, it's crazy how much four weeks can change everything. Forte went from a top five RB play to now a nearly unstartable one. I'd assume they'll try to get him going this week, but who knows what this offense can accomplish anymore.
27 Tevin Coleman ATL SD The Chargers can't cover running backs out of the backfield, which is Coleman's specialty. But his production has been volatile. This could be an all-Freeman game.
28 Latavius Murray OAK @JAX I'm assuming he'll be active after two weeks on the sidelines, but he's coming back to a full-blown and ineffective committee.
29 Isaiah Crowell CLE @CIN Hard to feel any sort of confident with him after two horrible weeks in a row, but the Bengals have been getting gashed on the ground. We'll see if he can get back on track.
30 Frank Gore IND @TEN As consistent as Gore has been, Tennessee just isn't giving up fantasy production to running backs. They're giving up the third-fewest points to the position.
31 Jeremy Hill CIN CLE Has lost his starting job to Gio. If there was ever a matchup to get him going it's this one, but I remain skeptical about his season-long outlook.
32 Jerick McKinnon MIN @PHI His usage is fine and dandy, but his offensive line is horrible and the matchup this week isn't great.
33 T.J. Yeldon JAX OAK The Raiders got pummeled by Chiefs running backs last week, so Yeldon and ivory can both have good games this week.
34 LeGarrette Blount NE @PIT If he doesn't get into the end zone, he has a bad fantasy day. As good a bet for that as he is, the Steelers had only given up three rushing touchdowns before Ajayi's unexpected explosion last week.
35 Devontae Booker DEN HOU Gary Kubiak said he needs to give Booker more touches, but we'll see if he comes through on that promise. Booker has been good enough and has a good enough matchup to warrant flex consideration.
36 Bilal Powell NYJ @BAL The Jets were so bad on MNF that Powell couldn't even get garbage time production. He's very efficient with his touches, but the offense limits his upside.
37 Rashad Jennings NYG @LA

Pros: he's the starter, I guess. Cons: he's not good, the Giants don't run the ball, and he's also terribly inefficient.
38 Jacquizz Rodgers TB @SF Still might have a role in the offense with Charles Sims on IR. Would be a top-15 play if Martin were to miss this game.
39 Ryan Mathews PHI MIN I have no clue what Doug Pederson is doing with his running backs. Mathews is clearly the most talented and productive of the bunch, but he got just NINE carries against the league's worst run defense. It's baffling, really.
40 Matt Asiata MIN @PHI Severely outperformed McKinnon in Week 5, but his week-to-week production is based off one yard touchdowns. Not someone you can bank on.
41 Bobby Rainey NYG @LA Orleans Darkwa didn't touch the ball with Jennings back, so Rainey's role will continue to be safe for the foreseeable future.
42 Chris Thompson WAS @DET Has actually been very consistent in PPR leagues as the Redskins passing down back.
43 Derrick Henry TEN IND Still not being used a lot, but is in such a layup matchup that five touches could end up being 50 yards and a touchdown.
44 Mike Gillislee BUF @MIA Doesn't get much run as McCoy's backup, but is efficient with his touches.
45 Jalen Richard OAK @JAX Has arguably been the Raiders' best running back, and is a better bet than Washington in PPR.
46 Arian Foster MIA BUF Assuming he'll get more work as he was coming off an injury last week. Ajayi might have just taken the starting job and run with it, though.
47 Darren Sproles PHI MIN I have no clue what Doug Pederson is doing with his running backs.
48 Justin Forsett DET WAS Didn't play much and Riddick should be back this week. Not much value to be had outside of a few touches per game.
49 C.J. Spiller SEA @ARI A PPR only play, Spiller still looks explosive as a change-of-pace pass catcher for the Seahawks.
50 DeAndre Washington OAK @JAX Didn't impress with Murray out and will fall back into a committee.