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Week 14 features a bevy of start-able asset’s down through the RB3 rankings. Ezekiel Elliott at Chicago and Derrick Henry at Oakland are serious eruption spots. Both Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny (at LAR) are RB2 viable. Carson’s fumbling problems have lead to more work for Penny and less work for... Russell Wilson. Miles Sanders (NYG) and Mark Ingram II (at BUF) are both high-end RB2s in their excellent matchups. James White is the premier RB3 against the Chiefs. The KC backfield is muddled but LeSean McCoy is the best bet for 15 touches. Alexander Mattison has standalone flex value with Dalvin Cook ailing.
Week 14 Running Back Rankings
Rank | Running Back | Team | Opponent | High Floor/High Ceiling RB1s |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Running Back | Team | Opponent | High Floor/High Ceiling RB1s |
1 | Christian McCaffrey | CAR | at ATL | A divisional win would be big for the barely-in-it Panthers. Expeect CMC to get all he can handle. |
2 | Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | at CHI | Chicago's front-seven can't make up its mind about whether it will or won't stop the run. Dallas barely holds 1st in the NFC East. Elliott should be the preferred offensive engine this week when considering the Bears' stout secondary. |
3 | Derrick Henry | TEN | at OAK | The Titans are a game out of 1st in the AFC South. Henry's gonna get fed in this outstanding matchup. |
4 | Leonard Fournette | JAX | LAC | Fournette lead the team in targets again last week. He's matchup-proof. |
5 | Nick Chubb | CLE | CIN | The hope is that Chubb gashes the Bengals throughout the 1st half before they put him on ice. Cincy offers little to stop him so his prospects are strong. |
6 | Melvin Gordon III | LAC | at JAX | The Jags' awful run defense stands no chance. |
7 | Saquon Barkley | NYG | at PHI | He looked a little better last week but this is a very tough matchup. |
8 | Alvin Kamara | NO | SF | The 49ers have been generous to running backs through the air, as of late. |
9 | Dalvin Cook | MIN | DET | Cook's re-aggravation of his SC joint sprain is not good. He will not require surgery at the moment and will be able to play. There is a chance that it impacts his play/in-game availability though. He's a very shaky start. |
10 | Aaron Jones | GB | WAS | Excellent matchup for him to bounce back in. |
11 | Josh Jacobs | OAK | TEN | Excellent matchup on tap here. |
12 | Chris Carson | SEA | at LAR | No matter how often he fumbles, you can bill him to 20+ touches. |
High Floor/High Ceiling RB2s | ||||
13 | Miles Sanders | PHI | NYG | Glorious matchup on tap here and Jordan Howard's return from a shoulder stinger is still up in the air. |
14 | Mark Ingram II | BAL | at BUF | Run-funnel on tap here. |
15 | Todd Gurley II | LAR | SEA | The Rams are desperately trying to stay in playoff contention and they're giving Gurley all he can handle in the process. |
16 | Phillip Lindsay | DEN | at HOU | Denver's workhorse should pummel the Texans' woeful D-Line. |
17 | Benny Snell Jr. | PIT | at ARI | With Conner out, Snell should see 20 or more touches in an excellent matchup. |
18 | Marlon Mack | IND | at TB | It's been a toss-up between Jordan Wilkins and Jonathan Williams over the last two games. Mack should return to 20-touch form this week. |
19 | Kenyan Drake | ARI | PIT | Tough matchup but Drake's the lead dog now. |
20 | Rashaad Penny | SEA | at LAR | Seattle has become a two-back committee -- at the expense of Russell Wilson -- and both are viable. |
21 | Devin Singletary | BUF | BAL | Tough matchup but his workload should be safe. |
22 | Austin Ekeler | LAC | at JAX | Ekeler just keeps getting it done and this is an excellent matchup. |
23 | Joe Mixon | CIN | at CLE | Mixon should see 15+ touches in a good matchup. |
24 | Kareem Hunt | CLE | CIN | Outstanding matchup and his role is secure. |
High Floor/Capped Ceiling RB3s | ||||
25 | James White | NE | KC | This game could clear 50 points. |
26 | Bo Scarbrough | DET | at MIN | Scarbrough is a lock for 18+ touches. |
27 | Raheem Mostert | SF | at NO | Mostert severely outplayed Tevin Coleman early on and HC Kyle Shanahan quickly gave Mostert the keys to the backfield. It's risky but Mostert is the best bet to lead the backfield in touches this week. |
28 | LeSean McCoy | KC | at NE | KC's backfield is in disarray but he's the most proven vet available. |
29 | David Montgomery | CHI | DAL | It's a tough matchup but he should have a secure, moderate workload. |
30 | Devonta Freeman | ATL | CAR | It's a great matchup for the bad player. |
31 | Derrius Guice | WAS | at GB | Guice is clearly the best back in this backfield. |
32 | Duke Johnson Jr. | HOU | DEN | Duke's meager workload's have slowly increased, as Carlos Hyde's has gone down. |
33 | Jamaal Williams | GB | WAS | Great matchup for a flex start here. |
34 | Patrick Laird | MIA | at NYJ | Laird's the lead back now. Tough matchup though. |
35 | Alexander Mattison | MIN | DET | Although low on this list, Mattison's floor is rock-solid. He will get work this week. |
36 | Bilal Powell | NYJ | MIA | Powell is a usable fantasy asset this week as the likely leader of the Jets' backfield. |
Low Floor/Capped Ceiling RB4s | ||||
37 | Nyheim Hines | IND | at TB | Hines has been a flex-able asset in Mack's absence. With Mack's presumed return, Hines' role has been thrown into quesiton. |
38 | Matt Breida | SF | at NO | Assuming he's back this week, his role should remain secure. |
39 | Sony Michel | NE | KC | This is an amazing matchup but he's been so unreliable. |
40 | Adrian Peterson | WAS | at GB | Peterson should retain 12-15 carries. |
41 | Darwin Thompson | KC | at NE | Thompson should get 40% of the Chiefs' backfield touches this week. He's mostly an unknown though. |
42 | Carlos Hyde | HOU | DEN | Hyde's atrocious play has finally begun to catchup to him. His workload has been dropping. |
43 | Ronald Jones II | TB | IND | Jones is back in Bruce Arians' dog house. If he falters in-game, he hits the bench. Not a bankable start. |
44 | Gus Edwards | BAL | at BUF | Edwards should see 8+ touches in a good matchup. |
45 | Tevin Coleman | SF | at NO | Coleman appears to have lost his starting job. |
46 | Royce Freeman | DEN | at HOU | High-end handcuff with a small shot at a touchdown. |
47 | Tarik Cohen | CHI | DAL | Chicago will have to involve Cohen to some degree in an attempt to keep pace with Dallas. |
48 | Frank Gore | BUF | BAL | Gore should retain his regular 10+ touches in a decent matchup. |