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Week 7 Running Back Rankings: Standard Leagues

With six weeks in the books, it’s time to examine the top RB choices for Week 7.

NFL: New England Patriots at Cleveland Browns
LeGarrette Blount is visiting his former team in a game that the Pats will be heavy favorites.
Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

During the entire offseason, I find myself staring at the calendar, wishing the NFL season was here. On the other hand, when it finally does arrive, I find myself begging time to slow down. Week by week, I feel the fantasy season nearing its end...

Regardless of my depressing stance on the fantasy football season’s progression, there are certainly plenty of weeks for our teams to either crumble into pieces or assemble into a powerhouse. I don’t know about you, but I’m shooting for the latter of the two.

Here are my Top 50 RBs for Week 7 vs. FantasyPros' ECR rankings:

Fantasy Football rankings - Week 7

View Available Players
# Player (team) Matchup ECR™ vs. ECR
1 LeSean McCoy (BUF) at MIA 2 +1
2 David Johnson (ARI) vs. SEA 4 +2
3 Le'Veon Bell (PIT) vs. NE 3 0
4 DeMarco Murray (TEN) vs. IND 1 -3
5 Todd Gurley (LA) vs. NYG 7 +2
6 Melvin Gordon (SD) at ATL 6 0
7 Devonta Freeman (ATL) vs. SD 5 -2
8 Lamar Miller (HOU) at DEN 10 +2
9 LeGarrette Blount (NE) at PIT 16 +7
10 Christine Michael (SEA) at ARI 8 -2
11 Spencer Ware (KC) vs. NO 9 -2
12 Mark Ingram (NO) at KC 12 0
13 C.J. Anderson (DEN) vs. HOU 11 -2
14 Jamaal Charles (KC) vs. NO 14 0
15 Matt Jones (WAS) at DET 17 +2
16 Giovani Bernard (CIN) vs. CLE 20 +4
17 Tevin Coleman (ATL) vs. SD 15 -2
18 Terrance West (BAL) at NYJ 18 0
19 Jordan Howard (CHI) at GB 13 -6
20 Jay Ajayi (MIA) vs. BUF 22 +2
21 Frank Gore (IND) at TEN 19 -2
22 Jerick McKinnon (MIN) at PHI 25 +3
23 Jacquizz Rodgers (TB) at SF 26 +3
24 Matt Forte (NYJ) vs. BAL 27 +3
25 Isaiah Crowell (CLE) at CIN 24 -1
26 Chris Ivory (JAC) vs. OAK 30 +4
27 Ryan Mathews (PHI) vs. MIN 29 +2
28 Jeremy Hill (CIN) vs. CLE 21 -7
29 James White (NE) at PIT 23 -6
30 Knile Davis (GB) vs. CHI 41 +11
31 Latavius Murray (OAK) at JAC 46 +15
32 Rashad Jennings (NYG) at LA 32 0
33 Mike Davis (SF) vs. TB 44 +11
34 T.J. Yeldon (JAC) vs. OAK 31 -3
35 Devontae Booker (DEN) vs. HOU 38 +3
36 Arian Foster (MIA) vs. BUF 40 +4
37 Jalen Richard (OAK) at JAC 42 +5
38 Duke Johnson (CLE) at CIN 33 -5
39 Bilal Powell (NYJ) vs. BAL 36 -3
40 Matt Asiata (MIN) at PHI 39 -1
41 Theo Riddick (DET) vs. WAS 34 -7
42 Darren Sproles (PHI) vs. MIN 37 -5
43 DeAndre Washington (OAK) at JAC 35 -8
44 Dwayne Washington (DET) vs. WAS 49 +5
45 Derrick Henry (TEN) vs. IND 43 -2
46 Mike Gillislee (BUF) at MIA 50 +4
47 Zach Zenner (DET) vs. WAS 45 -2
48 Kenneth Dixon (BAL) at NYJ 54 +6
49 Chris Thompson (WAS) at DET 47 -2
50 Justin Forsett (DET) vs. WAS 52 +2

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Notes & Analysis:

  • LeSean McCoy is currently healthy and the backbone of Buffalo’s run-heavy offense. Ride him while he’s hot.
  • David Johnson is simply an amazing talent. Big, fast, elusive — he’s an all-purpose threat with a nose for the end zone.
  • Le’Veon Bell figures to see more defenders with Big Ben injured this week, but he will undoubtedly be the centerpiece of Pittsburgh’s offense in a game they try to keep New England’s offense on the sideline as much as possible.
  • Devonta Freeman and Melvin Gordon square off in what should be a high-scoring affair. They’re both solid RB1’s in that matchup.
  • LeGarrette Blount gets a major bump in my rankings now that the Steelers will be without Roethlisberger. It seems likely the Pats force-feed him the rock with a late-game lead against his former employer.
  • Spencer Ware and Jamaal Charles are both currently looking like dependable RB2s in this appealing matchup, with Ware being the safer of the two. It shouldn’t be long until Charles’ upside reveals itself.
  • If Doug Martin plays this week, he’ll be a rock-solid RB2 against an inept 49ers run D that was just shredded by Shady McCoy. Jacquizz Rodgers filled in nicely before the bye, however.
  • Matt Jones continues to look solid as Washington’s lead back and now he faces a Lions run defense that gives up 4.7 YPC. Fire him up as an RB2.
  • With the way Jeremy Hill has been struggling, Giovani Bernard looks like the better fantasy RB and the better real life runner as well. He’s an upside RB2 against the Browns, while Hill is shaping up to be a completely TD-dependent RB3.
  • Matt Forte has been pretty underwhelming since his first two weeks. Is his age finally catching up to him, or is he just suffering from poor game flow? I’m leaning toward the latter, as the Jets have been getting crushed lately. He’s weekly top-25 fantasy RB still with an easier schedule ahead.
  • With Eddie Lacy likely sitting out Thursday’s game against the Bears (and James Starks also out), the newly-acquired Knile Davis is all the Packers have. In a (theoretically?) good offense with no competition for carries, I like Davis as a sneaky RB3/flex this week.