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Fantasy Football Rankings: Running backs for Week 2

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Ranking the best running backs by matchup and opportunity for Week 2 of the 2018 NFL Season. 

By NHB Updated
NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

With Week 1 in the books, it’s time to turn our attention to Week 2. Here are my running back rankings for Week 2.

RB rankings - Week 2

Rank Player Team Opponent High Floor/High Ceiling
Rank Player Team Opponent High Floor/High Ceiling
1 Alvin Kamara NO CLE Unstoppable player, great matchup, featured in all facets of the game.
2 Todd Gurley LAR ARI Could easily be this week's RB1.
3 James Conner PIT KC The offense ran through Conner and the gameplan should be similar this week.
4 Ezekiel Elliott DAL NYG Great matchup, love the increase in routes run, needs more targets.
5 Melvin Gordon LAC at BUF Ekeler usage was higher than desired but Gordon will easily surpass 100 total yards + a TD against paltry BUF D.
6 David Johnson ARI at LAR Slight concern with Chase Edmonds touch count, however, short passes to DJ will be necessary this week.
7 Saquon Barkley NYG at DAL Barkley should rip Dallas in half.
8 Jordan Howard CHI SEA Unquestioned 3-down bellcow against a middling SEA D.
9 Kareem Hunt KC at PIT KC will have to involve Hunt in the passing game to win this week's shootout.
10 Christian McCaffrey CAR at ATL ATL already couldn't stop pass-catching RBs and that was before they lost Keanu Neal and Deion Jones to IR.
11 Dalvin Cook MIN at GB No committee here. In line for heavy pass-game usage in what could be a shootout.
High Floor/High Ceiling RB2s
12 Joe Mixon CIN BAL Tough matchup but Mixon will be featured in all aspects of the game
13 Tevin Coleman CAR ATL With Freeman out, Coleman can easily surpass 20 touches as the featured back in a shootout with CAR.
14 Adrian Peterson WAS IND Play all starters who face IND.
15 Alex Collins BAL at CIN Locked-in bellcow in a surefire slugfest.
16 T.J. Yeldon JAX NE W/ Jags promotion of RB Brandon Wilds to active roster, we assume Fournette is Out. Yeldon locked-in for lead back duties.
Lower Floor/High Ceiling RB2s
17 Jay Ajayi PHI at TB Workload concers but you only need a few touches against TB to produce.
18 Dion Lewis TEN HOU Outplayed Derrick Henry last week. TEN will be forced to pass against HOU.
19 Lamar Miller HOU at TEN Poached in RZ by Alfred Blue but secure workload between 20s.
20 Carlos Hyde CLE at NO Starting RB against the porous NOLA defense.
21 Chris Thompson WAS IND Smith quickly showed love for Thompson's receiving prowess.
22 Jamaal Williams GB MIN Locked-in RB1 role but workload questions a concern given GB's shotgun offense w/ Rodgers banged up.
23 Isaiah Crowell NYJ MIA Ran very well against DET, gets similarly bad MIA run D.
24 Marshawn Lynch OAK at DEN Was focal point of early gameplan against LAR.
Higher Floor/High Ceiling RB3s
25 Royce Freeman DEN OAK Have him over Lindsay due to projected gamescript.
26 Rex Burkhead NE JAX Featured RB in NE offense, but bad matchup with JAX D.
27 Alfred Morris SF DET Good matchup and a gamescript that should allow for ample usage.
Lower Floor/High Ceiling RB3s
28 Kenyan Drake MIA at NYJ Jets D looks like the real deal. Battling Gore for opportunities.
29 Derrick Henry TEN HOU Was outplayed by Dion Lewis.
30 Chris Carson SEA at CHI Lead RB for SEA but bad situation.
31 Duke Johnson Jr. CLE at NO Could take over as featured back due to gamescript against NO.
32 LeSean McCoy BUF LAC Putrid surrounding cast against a tough Chargers D.
33 Austin Ekeler LAC BUF Saw significant work in Week 1. Will likely play frequently in 2nd half against atrocious BUF D.
34 Jordan Wilkins IND at WAS Was treated as featured RB initially in Week 1. Gamescript led to Hines usage.
35 Matt Breida SF DET Explosive playmaker against a porous defense.
RB4s
36 Philip Lindsay DEN OAK Was the better back against Seattle, expect gamescript to favor Freeman.
37 Peyton Barber TB PHI Unfavorable projected gamescript
38 James White NE JAX Low floor but high ceiling if NE decides to use frequent dump off to negate JAX pass rush.
39 Kerryon Johnson DET at SF My favorite to "lead" the Lions backfield.
40 Tarik Cohen CHI SEA Howard is King of the Jungle. Cohen will get the scraps.
41 Nyheim Hines IND at WAS Could see work in the 2nd half due to WAS likely pulling ahead.
42 Alfred Blue HOU at TEN Need to watch for more goal-line work. Significantly out-touched Miller at the end of '17 season.
43 Ty Montgomery GB MIN Could be used more as a pass-catcher out of the backfield to take pressure off Rodgers' and his bad knee.
44 Theo Riddick DET at SF Theo Riddick's passing game role, death, and taxes.
45 Frank Gore MIA at NYJ The Little Engine That Could.
46 Darren Sproles PHI at TB Outplayed Corey Clement in No. 2 RB duties in Week 1.
47 C.J. Anderson CAR ATL Could see a handful of touches to spell CMC.
48 Latavius Murray MIN GB Murray didn't see much work until the end of last week's game.

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