Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Back Risers and Fallers

Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings are here!

Running backs are becoming harder and harder to figure out in fantasy. Back-by-committees are ruining fantasy teams, as certain players get more carries in certain matchups.

Relying on one back to get you optimum points week in and week out is tough to do… unless you check the TheSportsCannon.com's positional rankings, which detail which running backs consistently perform, even when they face a tough a matchup.

How it works: Each week we analyze a player’s production on the football field, and rank him accordingly—and then we go one step further, and analyze their competition.

Just because someone ran all over the Eagles doesn’t mean that he was that week’s best performer.

You want a quarterback who continually puts up big numbers, even when he takes on one of the NFL's toughest defenses.

Rising

13(17), Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams

Sjax has looked like a man on a mission ever since the Rams' bye week, and erupted for two scores in the Rams’ Week 8 upset over the Saints.

Jackson only had two rushing touchdowns on the season prior to that game, but now has two consecutive weeks with a score.

The Rams are relying on Jackson heavily without their franchise quarterback, and that could go on for another week, if not more.

30(39), Reggie Bush, Miami Dolphins

Bush has had a good history of running against the Giants, but his 103-yard outburst against them this past weekend was a surprise in a few different ways.

Not only did Bush flash the speed he had been missing thanks to some injury-riddled seasons, but he was breaking good runs right up the middle.

Unfortunately for Bush, the Dolphins elected to go with Steve Slaton inside the red zone. Bush should continue to see a good amount of carries, as rookie Daniel Thomas is ailing from hamstring issues.

45(NR), Javon Ringer, Tennessee Titans

There is reason to believe that Chris Johnson is no longer the top back in Tennessee, and that Ringer has finally taken his spot on the depth chart. Ringer played almost the entire second half, with CJ2K watching from the sideline.

Ringer had better success than Johnson, who ran primarily in the first half. To Johnson’s defense, Ringer could have had more success because he was running against a tired Colts defense.

The Titans will be using a back-by-committee approach from here on out, so if you need a back, pick up Ringer.

50(NR), Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos

Moreno ran well as the lead back in the Broncos' recent butt-whooping at the hands of the Lions.

Willis McGahee is likely sidelined for a while longer, so Moreno will continue to get the most work in the backfield—and if the Broncos can keep from having a 40-point deficit, he could get more than 14 carries.

Falling

20(24), BenJarvus Green-Ellis, New England Patriots

The Law Firm isn’t a bad guy to have in the lineup… when he is actually getting carries. That can be tough to determine on a weekly basis.

Green-Ellis lost carries to Kevin Faulk in the Pats’ loss to the Steelers, which could have been due to a toe injury and the fact the Patriots had to throw to stay in the game.

BJE could have a great week against the Giants and bounce right back up the rankings, but any player who fluctuates in weekly performances like that can never be good for business.

Every week TheSportsCannon.com updates their Fantasy Football Positional Rankings to keep up with the changing landscape of the football season.

The Sports Cannon is a fantasy football news website that offers free advice, rankings, waiver wire pickups and matchup rankings. You can follow TSC on Facebook or Twitter and can even email your questions to: [e-mail].