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NFL Week 12 is here and so are my running back fantasy football rankings.
The impact of Taysom Hill drops Alvin Kamara to the RB3 spot.
Both Browns backs are top five options against the Jacksonville Jaguars’ hapless front-seven.
Austin Ekeler’s likely return lands him firmly in the Top 12.
The NFC West gets two of their best running backs back in Chris Carson and Raheem Mostert.
Gus Edwards is a locked-in RB2, even in a tough match-up, with Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins on the COVID-19/Reserve List.
Myles Gaskin is likely to return and he’s a mid-tier RB2.
James White offers flex appeal after Rex Burkhead’s Week 11 knee injury.
The Los Angeles Rams’ running backs are a complete avoid.
Week 12’s Tiered Running Back Rankings
Rank | High-Floor/High-Ceiling RB1s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | High-Floor/High-Ceiling RB1s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
1 | Dalvin Cook | MIN | CAR | .5PPR's highest scoring running back (228.8)* gets a hilariously good match-up against a Carolina front-seven allowing the 4th-most .5PPR points per game (25.4)*. |
2 | Nick Chubb | CLE | at JAX | The Jags are allowing the 6th-most .5PPR PPG to opposing RBs (24.1)*. |
3 | Alvin Kamara | NO | at DEN | Denver's pure rush defense stats -- a middling unit* -- now matter as Kamara saw his target total plummet (1)* with Taysom Hill at QB. |
4 | Kareem Hunt | CLE | at JAX | Hunt and Chubb could seriously combine for 50 touches this week. |
5 | Austin Ekeler | LAC | at BUF | Buffalo's allowed the 5th-most rushing yards (1,350)* and 3rd-most rushing touchdowns on the year (15)*. |
6 | Derrick Henry | TEN | at IND | The spry giant is impossible to stymie. |
7 | Ezekiell Elliott | DAL | WAS | The return of Andy Dalton has stabilized the Cowboys' offense. |
8 | Aaron Jones | GB | CHI | It took Dalvin Cook 30 rushes to pile up 96 scoreless yards* against this Bears' defensive-front and Cook doesn't have to split time with Jamaal Williams. |
9 | James Robinson | JAX | CLE | Mike Glennon at QB doesn't help Robinson's chances of hitting his ceiling. His floor is potentially the highest in fantasy though. |
10 | Antonio Gibson | WAS | at DAL | Washington's defensive-front should harass Andy Dalton enough that this one stays competitive, ensureing Gibson has a healthy workload for Week 12. |
11 | Miles Sanders | PHI | SEA | The Eagles' offense is a mess and Seattle's run defense has been solid this year. |
12 | Raheem Mostert | SF | at LAR | Should Mostert return, Kyle Shanahan would gleefully incorporate him into all aspects of the offense. |
Rank | High-Floor/High-Ceiling RB2s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
13 | Chris Carson | SEA | at PHI | Carson's back to lead the Seattle backfield but it's a crowded one and Philly's front-seven is a tough bunch. |
14 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | KC | at TB | CEH's passing game usage is key here. TB's allowing the most receptions per game to opposing backfields (6.6)*. |
15 | Wayne Gallman | NYG | at CIN | Gallman should see a full workload of 20 or more touches against a lacking Cincy front. |
16 | Gus Edwards | BAL | at PIT | With J.K. Dobbins and Mark Ingram on the COVID-19/Reserve List, Edwards should see a bulletproof workload. |
17 | Josh Jacobs | LV | at ATL | Atlanta's front-seven is much more vulnerable to pass catching backs than they are pure rushers. |
17 | Mike Davis | CAR | at MIN | Second good match-up in a row for Carolina's fill-in running back. |
18 | Myles Gaskin | MIA | at NYJ | Great spot for Gaskin to be eased back into things while still producing in an efficient manner against the league's worst team. |
19 | Brian Hill | ATL | LV | With Gurley's knee likely keeping him out, Hill is set to take lead back duties in a great match-up. Vegas is allowing the 5th-most .5PPR PPG to opposing RBs (24.4) and averaging 1.1 rushing scores allowed*. |
20 | Benny Snell | PIT | BAT | Although this game might not actually happen, Snell would be the clear-cut lead back if it does. The availability of Ravens' DT Brandon Williams and DE Calais Campbell is critical to Snell's box score success. |
21 | Kenyan Drake | ARI | at NE | Drake has retained his rushing role in his two games since injury and he gets a soft Patriots front-seven to return RB2 value against. |
22 | David Montgomary | CHI | at GB | The speed-deficient back gets a great match-up against a Green Bay front that's allowing the 3rd-most PPG to opposing RBs (27.6)*. |
23 | Nyheim Hines | IND | TEN | Hines is the likely lead back in a stellar match-up with Jonthan Taylor now on the COVID-19/Reserve List. |
24 | Melvin Gordon | DEN | NO | Not a great match-up but the front office keep feeding him due to the cash they paid him. |
Rank | High-Floor/High-Ceiling RB3s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
25 | Chase Edmonds | ARI | at NE | If Edmonds retains sole ownership of kick return duties -- a job that netted him 100 yards last week* -- he adds a rock-solid floor to his high-volume passing game usage. |
26 | J.D. McKissic | WAS | at DAL | JDM should see a tad more work than he did last week. WAS at DAL will be quite a bit more competitive than Washington's plastering of Cincinnati. |
27 | Leonard Fournette | TB | KC | TB's passing game back should see a solid workout in a looming shootout. |
28 | Duke Johnson Jr. | HOU | at DET | Even against Detroit's league worst defense when facing opposing RBs (32.7 .5PPR PPG), Duke can only be trusted as a flex option. His back-to-back duds in favorable situations are glaring failures. |
29 | Samaje Perine | CIN | NYG | New York is surprisingly vulnerable to pass catching backs. Perine had already begun siphoning targets away from Gio Bernard last week and will now operate as Cincy's lead back with Bernard unlikely to play (concussion). |
30 | Kalen Ballage | LAC | at BUF | With Ekeler likely returning, Ballage becomes the team No. 2 back. |
31 | James White | NE | ARI | With Rex Burkhead out (ACL), White now owns rights to the full-time pass catching back role. |
32 | Damien Harris | NE | ARI | It's likely Sony Michel eats into his workload but Harris has earned 1A rushing duties. |
33 | Zack Moss | BUF | LAC | Tough match-up and he gets goal-line poached by Josh Allen. |
34 | Jordan Wilkins | IND | TEN | Wilkins should see at least 10 touches, likely operating as Indy's No. 2 with Jonathan Taylor now on the COVID-19/Reserve List. it's possible that the coaching staff gives him a significantly bigger workload than expected though as his big-bodied frame can handle more bruises than Hines' can. |
35 | Matt Breida | MIA | at NYJ | Breida will have a large role this week with Ahmed likely out and Gaskin's status up in the air. |
36 | Frank Gore | NYJ | MIA | Miami's defense is built to stop the pass, not the run. The Jets offense is built to fail though. |
Rank | Low-Floor/Questionable-Ceiling RB4s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
37 | Carlos Hyde | SEA | at PHI | Back to the No. 2 role with Carson healthy. |
38 | Latavius Murray | NO | at DEN | Seeing lots of time as the 1B option. |
39 | Phillip Lindsay | DEN | NO | Best back in Denver. |
40 | Boston Scott | PHI | SEA | Seeing lots of work in the passing game. |
41 | Le'Veon Bell | KC | at TB | Tough match-up and has a max of 10 touches. |
42 | Ronald Jones | TB | KC | Shootouts are for Fournette. |
43 | Justice Hill | BAL | at PIT | Will see passing game usage. |
44 | Rams Running Backs | LAR | SF | Full-blown committee. |
45 | Tony Pollard | DAL | WAS | Playing very well on limited snaps. |
46 | Justice Hill | BAL | at PIT | Will see passing game usage. |
47 | Rams Running Backs | LAR | SF | Full-blown committee. |
48 | Adrian Peterson | DET | HOU | Great match-up but impossible to trust. |