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With NFL Week 14 upon us, here are my running back fantasy football rankings.
Christian McCaffrey is back on top. (UPDATE: Christian McCaffrey is likely out for Week 14)
Aaron Jones is primed for a monster day against Detroit’s abysmal run defense.
David Montgomery sneaks into the Top 12 against Houston.
Melvin Gordon should manhandle Carolina’s front-seven.
Miles Sanders is in free-fall.
Week 14’s Tiered Running Back Rankings - .5PPR
Rank | High-Floor/High-Ceiling RB1s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | High-Floor/High-Ceiling RB1s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
1 | Derrick Henry | TEN | at JAX | With Jacksonville on tap, it's unlikely that the Titans' get out-scored to the point that Henry's touches are reduced. The Jags' front-seven is among the league's worst. |
2 | Aaron Jones | GB | at DET | Detroit's front-seven has been the best match-up for RBs in 2020. |
3 | Dalvin Cook | MIN | at TB | Ignore the match-up. With Alexander Mattison recovering from an appendectomy, Cook's a lock for 25+ touches. |
4 | Nick Chubb | CLE | BAL | Tough match-up but scheme and volume keep Chubb firmly locked into the position's upper echelon. |
5 | James Robinson | JAX | TEN | Excellent match-up for the highly productive back. |
6 | Austin Ekeler | LAC | ATL | At the risk of relying on a narrative, the Chargers have to be champing at the bit for a bounce-back game. Last week, the team fell apart after head coach Anthony Lynn told the team that the season was lost*. Atlanta's unimposing defense should aid their cause. |
7 | Chris Carson | SEA | NYJ | Carson will have a field day against the Jets' appallingly bad defense. |
8 | Alvin Kamara | NO | at PHI | The Saints ended their Latavius Murray-heavy ways last week, enhancing Kamara's prospects for Week 14. His receiving game role still leaves a lot to be desired though. |
9 | Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | at CIN | We'll need to monitor the stats of Zeke's calf injury. Great match-up but the team could opt to rest Elliott early. |
10 | David Montgomery | CHI | HOU | Outstanding match-up and zero backfield competition. |
11 | Melvin Gordon | DEN | at CAR | Great opportunity for Gordon to find the endzone. |
12 | Jonathan Taylor | IND | at LV | Outstanding match-up and Taylor looked great last week. |
Rank | High-Floor/High-Ceiling RB2s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
13 | D'Andre Swift | DET | GB | Great match-up but we have to watch his practice status this week. |
14 | Kenyan Drake | ARI | at NYG | The G-Men have been stout against the rush but weak against pass catching RBs*. Drake dual threat workload has increased as of late but the usage isn't bulletproof. With Kyler Murray unwilling to run though, Drake has the red zone rushing work sewn up. |
15 | Wayne Gallman | NYG | ARI | Blow-up spot on tap here with Arizona's injury-plagued front-seven acting like a set of saloon doors for opposing running backs. |
16 | Cam Akers | LAR | NE | Akers seems to have taken over lead back duties but it's still a three-headed committee. |
17 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | KC | at MIA | CEH should get back on track against a welcoming MIA run D. |
18 | Mike Davis | CAR | DEN | Thoroughly unimposing match-up but Davis is no longer seeing the full workloads in relief of CMC that he was earlier this year. |
19 | DeAndre Washington | MIA | KC | Likely 18 touches. |
20 | James Conner | PIT | at BUf | Pittsburgh's mostly relied on their passing game in recent weeks and even though this will be a high-scoring game, Conner's odds at a touchdown aren't great. On the season, PIT has thrown 77 passes in the red zone as compared to 57 rushing attempts*. Still a lead back in a good offense is a lead back in a good offense. |
21 | David Johnson | HOU | at CHI | Houston's lead bad has a tough match-up here but his usage should keep him RB2-viable. |
22 | J.K. Dobbins | BAL | at CLE | Baltimore's backfield returned to a committee in Week 13 but Dobbins looked great. It's possible the spread out usage was due to the receiving corps' COVID-19 decimation though. |
23 | Josh Jacobs | LV | IND | Secure rushing workload but tough match-up. |
24 | J.D. McKissic | WAS | at SF | With Antonio Gibson (turf toe) out for the foreseeable future, JDM is right back to his double-digit target totals. |
Rank | High-Floor/Capped-Ceiling RB3s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
25 | Kareem Hunt | CLE | BAL | Hunt should see ample passing game work against a Baltimore Ravens team that's capable of pushing the pace. |
26 | Nyheim Hines | IND | at LV | Hines and Taylor are seemingly separating from Jordan Wilkins. |
27 | Damien Harris | NE | at LAR | Tough match-up but Harris has largely been a consistent, high-floor producer. |
28 | Miles Sanders | PHI | NO | Tough match-up and it's unclear what Jalen Hurts' installation will do for Sanders. Sanders is now losing snaps to both Boston Scott and Jordan Howard. |
29 | Raheem Mostert | SF | WAS | Tough match-up and SF is still easing Mostert back into things. |
30 | Jamaal Williams | GB | at DET | Williams should get his in this delectible match-up. |
31 | Leonard Fournette | TB | MIN | A likely shootout on tap. |
32 | Chase Edmonds | ARI | at NYG | Edmonds has maintained his pass catching role, a plus against the Giants' front-seven. |
33 | Darrell Henderson | LAR | NE | Henderson remains firmly involved, despite Akers' recent success. |
34 | Zack Moss | BUF | PIT | Injuries at linebacker make PIT's front-seven somewhat more accessible to opposing RBs. |
35 | Gus Edwards | BAL | at CLE | Edwards deserves high-floor flex consideration as a steady rusher in the Ravens' backfield. |
36 | Ty Johnson | NYJ | at SEA | Tough match-up but a possible 20-touch workload. |
Rank | Low-Floor/Capped-Ceiling RB4s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
37 | Ronald Jones | TB | MIN | There's a chance that Tampa Bay routes the Vikings but the both offenses have been humming, indicating a good chance at a pass-heavy game script -- a result that would favor backfield-mate Leonard Fournette. |
38 | Tony Pollard | DAL | at CIN | With Zeke ailing, Pollard could see a huge increase in touches this week. Cincinnati can't hang with Dallas so garbage time could come early. |
39 | Phillip Lindsay | DEN | at CAR | Great match-up but his knee injury seems to be a problem. |
40 | Ito Smith | ATL | at LAC | Smith's the top dog in the Falcons' backfield now. |
41 | Boston Scott | PHI | NO | Offers boom/bust potential as the change of pace/passing game back in Philly. |
42 | Duke Johnson Jr. | HOU | at CHI | It took the loss of Will Fuller for Duke to see a real passing game role. Still has a stunted ceiling though. |
43 | Devin Singletary | BUF | PIT | Zack Moss's early-game fumble led to a bigger-than-expected Week 13 workload for Singletary. |
44 | Carlos Hyde | SEA | NYJ | Hyde should see a little relief duty once the game gets out of hand. |
45 | Giovani Bernard | CIN | DAL | Good match-up but impossible to trust. |
46 | Latavius Murray | NO | at PHI | Murray looks to have returned to the No. 2 RB role now. |
47 | Kalen Ballage | LAC | ATL | This is mostly a one-man backfield at this point. |
48 | Adrian Peterson | DET | GB | Peterson would elevate to RB2 status should Swift be unable to play. |