Fantasy Football 2012: Week 2 Top 40 Running Back Rankings

Big fantasy performances from NFL running backs are becoming harder to come across. Alfred Morris surprised the league with his 28 carries and two rushing touchdowns, but his production was the exception rather than the rule.

Fantasy owners lost Fred Jackson for the foreseeable future to a leg injury sustained in the 31-year-old’s Week 1 showing against the New York Jets.

Only 20 total running backs recorded double-digit fantasy points in standard scoring leagues in Week 1. Left off that list: Chris Johnson, Stephen Jackson, Michael Turner and Trent Richardson, among others.

Included were Alfred Morris, Stevan Ridley, Donald Brown and Shonn Greene.

We learned the hard way last week that it will be tougher to run on the Eagles than it was in 2011. Same thing for the Buccaneers. Ray Rice and Ahmad Bradshaw have been treated accordingly on the following list.

Here are my top 40 fantasy running backs for Week 2.

1. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders (at Miami Dolphins). Did you see what Arian Foster did to the Dolphins? This guy's pretty good, too.

2. Arian Foster, Houston Texans (at Jacksonville Jaguars). Arian Foster is Arian Foster.

3. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings (at Indianapolis Colts). Peterson looked a bit hobbled in his return from a torn ACL less than nine months after his injury. He still ran over the Jaguars.

4. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans (at San Diego Chargers). I'll jump ship next week if Johnson turns in another single-digit rushing performance.

5. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills (vs. Kansas City Chiefs). Spiller's going to get a lot of touches at home against a Chiefs defense that was steamrolled at their own place in Week 1. They'll be returning some starters in Week 2, but the Bills lost their No. 2 wide receiver. Spiller's a pretty good receiving back. He'll get plenty of work.

6. DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys (at Seattle Seahawks). Murray should be used to quiet the loud Seahawks crowd on Sunday.

7. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears (at Green Bay Packers). The Packers should put up more points in Week 2 than what they totaled against the 49ers. Forte's going to be involved either way.

8. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Baltimore Ravens). McCoy is a top talent, no doubt. But the Ravens defense looked hungry on Monday Night Football.

9. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens (at Philadelphia Eagles). On the other side of the ball, the same story applies. The Eagles defense swallowed the Browns' offensive attack, holding Trent Richardson to about two yards per carry. But it's still Ray Rice.

10. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at New York Giants). Martin had 24 carries for the Buccaneers in Week 1. In today's game, a load of carries is a very valuable fantasy football commodity.

11. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks (vs. Dallas Cowboys). Another one of those guys who can get 20 carries, easy. Especially at home.

12. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams (vs. Washington Redskins). See Marshawn Lynch.

13. Stevan Ridley, New England Patriots (vs. Arizona Cardinals). Ridley had 21 totes in Week 1. Is that sustainable? Nobody knows, but he's also at home against a west coast team flying east. He should get solid work the second time around, at least.

14. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Houston Texans). MJD is back, but the Texans are really good.

15. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers (vs. Detroit Lions). Gore has been all but phased out of the 49ers passing game in the last year or so. But with all of the 49ers' new weapons, teams must respect the pass more. Gore averaged seven yards per carry at Lambeau in Week 1.

16. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs (at Buffalo Bills).

17. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Cleveland Browns).

18. Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins (at St. Louis Rams).

19. Donald Brown, Indianapolis Colts (vs. Minnesota Vikings).

20. Darren Sproles, New Orleans Saints (at Carolina Panthers).

21. Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers).

22. Willis McGahee, Denver Broncos (at Atlanta Falcons).

23. Reggie Bush, Miami Dolphins (vs. Oakland Raiders).

24. DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers (vs. New Orleans Saints).

25. Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns (at Cincinnati Bengals).

26. Ronnie Brown, San Diego Chargers (vs. Tennessee Titans).

27. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons (vs. Denver Broncos).

28. Michael Bush, Chicago Bears (at Green Bay Packers).

29. Shonn Greene, New York Jets (at Pittsburgh Steelers).

30. Peyton Hills, Kansas City Chiefs (at Buffalo Bills).

31. Kevin Smith, Detroit Lions (at San Francisco 49ers).

32. Ben Tate, Houston Texans (at Jacksonville Jaguars).

33. Cedric Benson, Green Bay Packers (vs. Chicago Bears).

34. Toby Gerhart, Minnesota Vikings (at Indianapolis Colts).

35. Beanie Wells, Arizona Cardinals (at New England Patriots).

36. Ryan Williams, Arizona Cardinals (at New England Patriots).

37. Rashad Jennings, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Houston Texans).

38. David Wilson, New York Giants (vs. Tampa Bay).

39. Daniel Thomas, Miami Dolphins (vs. Oakland Raiders).

40. Roy Helu, Washington Redskins (at St. Louis Rams).