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Fantasy Football Rankings: Running backs for Week 8

Ranking the best running backs by matchup and opportunity for Week 8 of the 2018 NFL Season. 

By NHB
NFL: Denver Broncos at Arizona Cardinals Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Week 8 has dealt us a mixture of astoundingly great and appallingly bad matchups — not a whole lot in between.

RB ranks - Week 8

Rank Running Back Team Opponent High-Floor/High-Ceiling RB1s
Rank Running Back Team Opponent High-Floor/High-Ceiling RB1s
1 Todd Gurley LAR GB Green Bay's vulnerable run defense bodes well for the home-favorite Rams' running game.
2 Kareem Hunt KC DEN Hunt was the RB5 in Week 4, the last time these teams faced off. He should finish as RB5 at worst this week.
3 James Conner PIT CLE Conner's been on fire in his last 2 games. Now he gets one of the worst run defenses in the league.
4 Joe Mixon CIN TB The all-purpose back should handle a hefty workload against the hapless Bucs defense.
5 Saquon Barkely NYG WAS Usage keeps Barkley in the Top 5, even in the awful Giants offense.
6 Alvin Kamara NO at MIN Never fear, Kamara is still NOLA's RB1.
7 David Johnson ARI SF The installation of Byron Leftwich at OC could turn immediately turnaround Arizona's offensive woes. It's possible we've got a vintage DJ on our hands for the rest of the season.
8 Matt Breida SF at ARI If he plays, the electric playmaker/Iron Man impersonator should eviscerate the Cardinals defense.
9 Phillip Lindsay DEN KC The all-purpose runner should smash his projections against the Kansas City defense. He's locked in for 20 touches with Royce Freeman likely inactive with a high ankle sprain.
10 Marlon Mack IND at OAK Mack looked like a rejunivated runner last week against a paltry Bills defense. Oakland should post a similar non-existant challenge for the feature back.
11 James White NE at BUF Marlon Mack looked like an All-Pro against the Bills last week. White's locked in for 20+ touches against them.
12 Christian McCaffrey CAR BAL This is a workload-based ranking. CMC has a stiff test, facing the Baltimore defense and his lack of touchdown production is worrying.
High-Floor/High-Ceiling RB2s
13 Latavius Murray MIN NO Murray has popped off in each of the last two games, locking down feature back duties as Dalvin Cook's replacement. He's set to be in for another full workload as Cook has been all but deemed Out at this point.
14 Adrian Peterson WAS at NYG Washington will look to control the clock against the Giants -- something they should have no issue doing after the Giants dealt run-stuffing stalwart Damon "Snacks" Harrison this week.
15 Lamar Miller HOU MIA With Deshaun Watson ailing, the Texans turned to Miller last week against the Jags. He responded well (100 yards rushing and 1 touchdown) and should be in line for another full workload against a paper towel-strength Miami defense.
16 Nick Chubb CLE PIT It took a minute for him to get rolling against the Bucs last week but once he did so, there was no looking back. Hue Jackson doesn't know what to do with Duke Johnson, so until we see otherwise, it's The Nick Chubb Show.
17 Tarik Cohen CHI NYJ Cohen has estblished himself as an integral part of the Bears' weekly gameplan. His receiving prowess near the line of scrimmage elevates Mitchell Trubisky's weekly outlooks as well.
18 Kerryon Johnson DET SEA Johnson was playing out of his mind last week and it may have been enough to sway the coaching staff into giving him a larger workload against a beatable Seahawks defense.
High-Floor/Capped-Ceiling RB2s
19 Mark Ingram NO at MIN It's a tough matchup, but the talented back should see 10+ touches. That's enough to do RB2/flex damage.
20 Isaiah Crowell NYJ at CHI The workload will be there, as Bilal Powell is currently battling a neck injury. The matchup is unfavorable though, making it tough to see Crowell having one of his ceiling games.
Low-Floor/Low-Ceiling RB2s
21 Peyton Barber TB at CIN It's a good matchup but he's injured enough that he's 50-50 to play.
22 Jordan Howard CHI NYJ It's been tough sledding for Jordan Howard, but the Giants Jets just gave up 2 TDs to Minnesota and their awful offensive line. Howard's got a good shot of tumbling into the endzone.
23 Aaron Jones GB at LAR The Rams are still vulnerable on the ground. Jones could get something done on limited touches.
24 LeSean McCoy BUF NE If he plays, he'll have a bellcow workload.
Low-Floor/Capped-Ceiling RB3s
24 Alex Collins BAL at CAR He's earned back some redzone carries and has had mild success. Baltimore will be able to get into scoring position a fair amount in this one.
25 Chris Thompson WAS at NYG WAS will look to control the clock with AD, but Thompson should regain his spot as the No. 1 passing game option.
26 Doug Martin OAK IND Gruden has astoundingly declared Doug Martin as his feature back. He could get it done on volume, rushing for somewhere around 2.8 YPC.
27 Kenjon Barner NE at BUF Barner could post a decent stat line as the focale point of the Patriots 4th quarter game plan.
28 Jalen Richard OAK at BUF Buffalo's run defense is more or less a gimmick. Richard is the better back.
29 T.J. Yeldon JAX PHI It's a bad matchup and he'll be splitting work with Carlos Hyde.
Low-Floor/Low-Ceiling RB3s
30 Corey Clement PHI at JAX A committee back in a tough matchup.
31 Wendell Smallwood PHI at JAX A committee back in a tough matchup.
32 Frank Gore MIA at HOU Likely 10+ guaranteed touches.
33 Alfred Blue HOU MIA Similar to how Kenjon Barner might be used, Blue could get work in the 4th if his team is killing the clock.
34 Chris Carson SEA at DET Carson likely handles 10+ touches on a team that will repeatedly run into loaded boxes.
35 Nyheim Hines IND at OAK Mack has taken over feature back duties but speed kills the Oakland defense and Hines has that in spades.
36 Kenyan Drake MIA at HOU Gase recently said Drake would be lined up as a WR due to the plethora of injuries they've suffered at the position.
RB4s
37 Devontae Booker DEN at KC Booker could see 10 or so touches with Royce Freeman likely out.
38 Tyler Ervin HOU at MIA Ervin will serve as Houston's slot receiver in this game, with Keke Coutee out.
39 Raheem Mostert SF at ARI Mostert would immediately become a locked and loaded RB2 if Matt Breida were to miss this game.
40 Ronald Jones TB at CIN Jones would likely be moved into the RB3 category were Barber announced OUT.

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