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2019 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running backs for Week 5

Dalvin’s No. 1.

By NHB
NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Should you continue to trust Derrick Henry, even against the Bills Mafia? Yes. David Montgomery’s a locked-in RB2 and should be traded for aggressively. With Jamaal Williams all but announced as Out, Matt LeFleur is now forced to commit to Aaron Jones as the bell cow. Which KC back do you start, LeSean McCoy or Darrel Williams? Both.

Week 5 Running Back Rankings

Rank Running Back Team Opponent High Floor/High Ceiling RB1s
Rank Running Back Team Opponent High Floor/High Ceiling RB1s
1 Dalvin Cook MIN at NYG Even against the Bears D, Cook finished as the RB11 in .5PPR scoring. Against the Generous Giants, he should have no trouble finishing in the top spot.
2 Christian McCaffrey CAR JAX Jacksonville's played solid run defense but CMC's utilization makes him matchup-proof.
3 Ezekiel Elliott DAL GB Elliott should see a full compliment of snaps against a friendly Packers' run defense.
4 Nick Chubb CLE at SF Now being used both through the air and on the ground, whilst commanding a lions' share of the snaps, Chubb is league-altering RB1.
5 David Johnson ARI at CIN Cincy's run defense is a fantasy factory.
6 Alvin Kamara NO TB A great matchup for a great player.
7 Leonard Fournette JAX at CAR Fournette got back on track last week.
8 Derrick Henry TEN BUF Even in a tough matchup, it's impossible to drop .5PPR's RB7 too far off of his season-long mark.
9 Aaron Jones GB at DAL Dallas plays solid run defense, however, with Jamaal Williams likely out, Jones should see a major uptick in touches this week.
10 Chris Carson SEA LAR Carson's in line for a full workload against a beatable Rams run D.
11 Le'Veon Bell NYJ at PHI He's likely to see 20-25 touches -- possibly higher if Darnold can't go. Even in a tough matchup, that usage keeps him in the RB1 conversation.
12 James Conner PIT BAL Monitor his ankle's status and his practice availability but the Steelers made him a focal point of the offense last week and that should continue.
High Floor/High Ceiling RB2s
13 Mark Ingram BAL at PIT The Official Ground and Pound Rivalry of the NFL (outside of the other Official ones).
14 LeSean McCoy KC IND Per the-difficult-to-link work (URL issues -- follow link at top of the piece though) of Dr. David Chao and his profootballdoc.com website, Damien Williams could miss up to 4 weeks, in total. If William's bone bruise is near the joint, a rush back to work can result in a fracture. Update: Damien is expected to play this week but it's unlikely to impact Shady's carry- total.
15 Marlon Mack IND at KC If he's able to go, this is a blowup spot. His ankle injury drops him from Top 12 status though.
16 Todd Gurley II LAR at SEA Seattle has been generous to running backs who are involved in the passing game. Last week, Gurley was very much that type of back.
17 Wayne Gallman NYG MIN The workload will keep him as an RB2 despite the challenging matchup.
18 David Montgomery CHI at OAK Per Graham Barfield, Montgomery's snaps have continued to soar every week. With a delicious matchup on tap, Montgomery could easily produce a Top 20 finish.
High Floor/Capped Ceiling RB2s
19 Joe Mixon CIN ARI It's an excellent matchup but this offensive line is just a green light for opposing front-sevens.
20 Sony Michel NE at WAS This game sets up as a run-centric matchup against the Washington Wannabe Football Team.
21 Austin Ekeler LAC at DEN Denver's run defense is nothing special and Ekeler should retain a 50/50 split with Melvin Gordon as the latter is eased back into things.
22 Royce Freeman DEN at LAC RB performances are split nicely between good running games and bad ones. Last week, Freeman and Phillip Lindsay both recorded 10 touches, however, Freeman saw 6 passing game targets to Lindsay's 1. Passing game work is more valuable than carries.
23 Devonta Freeman ATL at HOU It's a good matchup and the workload should be there. His O-Line is mighty banged up though.
24 Phillip Lindsay DEN at LAC Lindsay's still going to get his though.
High Floor/Capped Ceiling RB3s
25 Melvin Gordon LAC DEN Mevlin Gordon has Top 12 upside but until he shows us that he's back, he's a fringe RB2/3. He should absolutely be in your lineup if you own him.
26 David Montgomery CHI at OAK Per Graham Barfield, Montgomery's snaps have continued to soar every week. With a delicious matchup on tap, Montgomery could easily produce a Top 20 finish.
27 Jordan Howard PHI NYJ Howard's Week 4 performance should be enough to takeover as the official 1A in Philly's backfield.
28 Damien Williams KC IND Damien's return relegates Darrel to the bench. It's likely McCoy gets the lions' share of the carries though.
29 Ronald Jones TB at NO Jones is wrenching this backfield out of Peyton Barber's Bruce-Arians-backed hands.
30 Josh Jacobs OAK CHI A brutal matchup.
31 Matt Breida SF CLE Cleveland has played solid run defense this year. Breida's lack of redzone usage keeps him out of the RB2 discussion.
32 James White NE at WAS White should still see 8 targets or so, even in a likely Michel-lead offense.
33 Chris Thompson WAS NE Thompson will see plenty of work as New Englad blows them out of the water.
34 Tevin Coleman SF CLE Coleman is expected to return and should see redzone work.
35 Miles Sanders PHI NYJ Sanders will still get work as a 1B option. He was soundly outplayed by Howard in Week 4 though.
36 Frank Gore BUF at TEN What is dead may never die. Update: Devin Singletary is out, locking Gore in for 18+ touches.
Solid Floor/Capped Ceiling RB4s
37 Duke Johnson Jr. HOU ATL The bringer of pass-catching-back-success are on their way to Houston.
38 Carlos Hyde HOU ATL And Bill O'Brien is still going to split their work 50-gosh-dang-50.
39 Jaylen Samuels PIT BAL Samuels is suddenly a relevant part of the Steelers offense and would immediately become an RB1 should Conner miss time.
40 Tarik Cohen CHI at OAK Chase Daniel taking the QB-helm improves this offense and Cohen will benefit. He could rise to the RB3 ranks next week.
41 Rashaad Penny SEA LAR Penny should see 8 or so touches.
42 Peyton Barber TB at NO Barber should retain some role in the Bucs' backfield.
43 Gus Edwards BAL at PIT Gus The Bus has maintained his mid-to-high carry totals over the last two weeks.
44 Jordan Wilkins IND at KC Could see work, spelling Marlon Mack and his bum ankle. Would immediately be an RB2 if Mack can't go.
45 Dexter Williams GB at DAL Should handle a portion of the would-be Jamaal Williams workload.
46 Rex Burkhead NE at WAS Burkhead could see serious relief time inthe 4th quarter.
47 Alexander Mattison MIN at NYG Mattison should see some relief work against a weak Giants D.
48 TJ Yeldon BUF at TEN Yeldon should see 5-7 touches.
Linked Sources: Damien Williams knee info, RBs against LAC, Graham Barfield tweet on David Montgomery’s snap count.

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