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Week 8 Running Back Rankings - Standard Leagues

Ranking the most viable RB plays for your Week 8 fantasy matchup

NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
Bucs RB Jacquizz Rodgers has rewarded fantasy owners who scooped him off the waiver wire a few weeks back.
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

This is the first week that fantasy football owners get hit heavy with injury and bye week concerns. After a total of four NFL teams had byes over the past two weeks, a whopping six squads will be resting this week. Alas, our fantasy teams don’t get a bye week any time soon, and we must forge ahead and start the right runners in Week 8 — the halfway point in many fantasy leagues.

Here are my Top 50 RBs for Week 8 vs. FantasyPros' ECR rankings:

Fantasy Football rankings - Week 8

View Available Players
# Player (team) Matchup ECR™ vs. ECR
1 David Johnson (ARI) at CAR 1 0
2 Ezekiel Elliott (DAL) vs. PHI 2 0
3 DeMarco Murray (TEN) vs. JAC 4 +1
4 Devonta Freeman (ATL) vs. GB 7 +3
5 Lamar Miller (HOU) vs. DET 6 +1
6 Christine Michael (SEA) at NO 5 -1
7 Spencer Ware (KC) at IND 3 -4
8 LeGarrette Blount (NE) at BUF 10 +2
9 Jacquizz Rodgers (TB) vs. OAK 8 -1
10 Matt Forte (NYJ) at CLE 9 -1
11 Melvin Gordon (SD) at DEN 11 0
12 Frank Gore (IND) vs. KC 13 +1
13 C.J. Anderson (DEN) vs. SD 12 -1
14 Mark Ingram (NO) vs. SEA 15 +1
15 Jeremy Hill (CIN) vs. WAS 14 -1
16 Jonathan Stewart (CAR) vs. ARI 19 +3
17 Latavius Murray (OAK) at TB 18 +1
18 Giovani Bernard (CIN) vs. WAS 16 -2
19 Isaiah Crowell (CLE) vs. NYJ 20 +1
20 James White (NE) at BUF 17 -3
21 Mike Gillislee (BUF) vs. NE 22 +1
22 Jerick McKinnon (MIN) at CHI 27 +5
23 Devontae Booker (DEN) vs. SD 26 +3
24 Matt Jones (WAS) at CIN 21 -3
25 Ryan Mathews (PHI) at DAL 23 -2
26 Chris Ivory (JAC) at TEN 28 +2
27 Jordan Howard (CHI) vs. MIN 25 -2
28 Matt Asiata (MIN) at CHI 24 -4
29 Chris Thompson (WAS) at CIN 29 0
30 Duke Johnson (CLE) vs. NYJ 30 0
31 LeSean McCoy (BUF) vs. NE 37 +6
32 Jamaal Charles (KC) at IND 36 +4
33 T.J. Yeldon (JAC) at TEN 31 -2
34 Dwayne Washington (DET) at HOU 50 +16
35 Knile Davis (GB) at ATL 32 -3
36 Bilal Powell (NYJ) at CLE 33 -3
37 Robert Kelley (WAS) at CIN 43 +6
38 DeAndre Washington (OAK) at TB 38 0
39 Zach Zenner (DET) at HOU 34 -5
40 Darren Sproles (PHI) at DAL 35 -5
41 Ka'Deem Carey (CHI) vs. MIN 39 -2
42 Derrick Henry (TEN) vs. JAC 40 -2
43 Justin Forsett (DET) at HOU 42 -1
44 Peyton Barber (TB) vs. OAK 46 +2
45 Theo Riddick (DET) at HOU 41 -4
46 Jalen Richard (OAK) at TB 44 -2
47 Alfred Morris (DAL) vs. PHI 47 0
48 C.J. Prosise (SEA) at NO 54 +6
49 Alfred Blue (HOU) vs. DET 51 +2
50 Andre Ellington (ARI) at CAR 67 +17

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Notes & Analysis:

  • David Johnson is unstoppable.
  • Devonta Freeman has the looks of a true workhorse this week as backfield mate Tevin Coleman nurses a hamstring strain. GB’s run defense is not as good as their stats show.
  • Lamar Miller is coming off a difficult matchup against the Broncos where he had to be shuttled in and out after suffering a minor shoulder injury. He’s an upside RB1 against DET if he’s ready for Sunday.
  • LeGarrette Blount continues to steamrolls opposing defenders and is always an RB1 candidate when the Patriots are playing with a lead or near the goal line — which are two pretty common scenarios.
  • Jacquizz Rodgers has been much more valuable than many would’ve thought since Charles Sims went down and Doug Martin continues to experience soft-tissue setbacks. He’s a borderline RB1 with a delectable matchup.
  • Matt Forte’s solid position on the RB leaderboard is mainly the result of three good — two of them massive — fantasy games. He still has a fantastic matchup and is coming off a 34-touch outing.
  • C.J. Anderson looked fine running the ball on MNF, but the problem is so did his backup — a term that might already be in the past. Anderson is still a high-end RB2 in a great matchup, but Devontae Booker is sure to see more carries after a string of impressive games. He’s already an intriguing RB3 play himself.
  • Jeremy Hill looked awesome last week, but he’s still being out-snapped by Giovani Bernard. Both are mid-range RB2s — Gio has a safer floor, but Hill has the TD upside.
  • Keep tabs on LeSean McCoy this week, as I don’t think he’ll suit up for Sunday. If/when that is confirmed, Mike Gillislee becomes a borderline RB2.
  • Is Matt Jones slowly fumbling away his 2016 fantasy relevance?
  • Jerick McKinnon would make for a volatile RB3 if he can play on MNF after twisting his ankle in Week 7, while Matt Asiata could be a steady, yet low-end RB2 if the speedster sits out.

Good luck this week!