Fantasy Football 2012 Week 7 Rankings: Top 40 Running Backs

There are some injury concerns (Trent Richardson and DeMarco Murray), which definitely causes some problems when coupled with the bye weeks.  Which running backs are recommended?  Which should be avoided?  Let’s take a look at how the rankings look:

1. Arian Foster – Houston Texans – vs. Baltimore
2. Trent Richardson – Cleveland Browns – at Indianapolis
3. Maurice Jones-Drew – Jacksonville Jaguars – at Oakland
4. Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings – vs. Arizona
5. Ray Rice – Baltimore Ravens – at Houston
6. Darren McFadden – Oakland Raiders – vs. Jacksonville
7. Chris Johnson – Tennessee Titans – at Buffalo
8. Matt Forte – Chicago Bears – vs. Detroit
9. C.J. Spiller – Buffalo Bills – vs. Tennessee
10. Alfred Morris – Washington Redskins – at New York Giants
11. Doug Martin – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – vs. New Orleans
12. Stevan Ridley – New England Patriots – vs. New York Jets
13. Marshawn Lynch – Seattle Seahawks – at San Francisco
14. Frank Gore – San Francisco 49ers – vs. Seattle
15. Ahmad Bradshaw – New York Giants – vs. Washington
16. Felix Jones – Dallas Cowboys – at Carolina
17. Steven Jackson – St. Louis Rams – vs. Green Bay
18. Rashard Mendenhall – Pittsburgh Steelers – at Cincinnati
19. BenJarvus Green-Ellis – Cincinnati Bengals – vs. Pittsburgh
20. Darren Sproles – New Orleans Saints – at Tampa Bay
21. Shonn Greene – New York Jets – at New England
22. Alex Green – Green Bay Packers – at St. Louis
23. Mikel Leshoure – Detroit Lions – at Chicago
24. William Powell – Arizona Cardinals – at Minnesota
25. Fred Jackson – Buffalo Bills – vs. Tennessee
26. Ben Tate – Houston Texans – vs. Baltimore
27. Jonathan Stewart – Carolina Panthers – vs. Dallas
28. Vick Ballard – Indianapolis Colts – vs. Cleveland
29. Pierre Thomas – New Orleans Saints – at Tampa Bay
30. Brandon Bolden – New England Patriots – vs. New York Jets
31. DeAngelo Williams – Carolina Panthers – vs. Dallas
32. LeGarrette Blount – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – vs. New Orleans
33. Michael Bush – Chicago Bears – vs. Detroit
34. Daryl Richardson – St. Louis Rams – vs. Green Bay
35. Isaac Redman – Pittsburgh Steelers – at Cincinnati
36. Montario Hardesty – Cleveland Browns – at Indianapolis
37. LaRod Stephens-Howling – Arizona Cardinals – at Minnesota
38. Kendall Hunter – San Francisco 49ers – vs. Seattle
39. David Wilson – New York Giants – vs. Washington
40. James Starks – Green Bay Packers – at St. Louis

Thoughts:

• It was a surprisingly down week for Arian Foster, rushing the ball 17 times for just 29 yards (though he did manage to score 2 TD).  That said does anyone expect him not to bounce back against a Ravens defense that enters the week allowing 136.5 rushing yards per game (and seven TD) and now has to go forward without Ray Lewis?  In his last meeting with Baltimore (2011 playoffs) he torched them for 132 yards and a TD.
• Chris Johnson has had a tough schedule and struggled early, yet has rushed for more than 90 yards in two of the past three games.  Is he the same player he once was?  Of course not, but he draws the league’s worst rushing defense in Week 7 (173.5 yards per game, nine TD).  In other words Johnson has restored his status as a RB1, at least for one week.
• We’ll have to monitor the news all week to make sure Trent Richardson is healthy, but after seeing Shonn Greene demolish the Colts on the ground (161 yards, three TD) it is impossible not to consider him among the top options this week.
• When it comes to Greene this week, does anyone really believe he is going to be able to come remotely close to that success?  Eventually, the Jets are going to have to pass the ball, especially against a Patriots team that could cause them to try to play catch-up.  Besides that, does one big game really erase his early struggles?  He looks better, but it’s still hard to consider him a “good” option.
• The San Francisco 49ers are considered one of the best rushing defenses in the league, yet Ahmad Bradshaw torched them in Week 6 (116 yards, a TD).  A lot of that had to do with the team sticking with the run (27 carries), however.  Marshawn Lynch draws them this week and he has had success against the 49ers in the past (107 yards and a score in his last matchup), so don’t completely write him off.  However, I would anticipate the 49ers coming out with something to prove.  Consider Lynch more of a RB2, especially considering he also tossed up a dud in Week 1 of 2011 (13 carries for 33 yards).
• Speaking of Bradshaw, after two big weeks it will be interesting to see how many carries he gets against a Redskins defense that is among the worst against the pass.  With Eli Manning at the helm, don’t think Bradshaw is a lock to produce big once again.
• C.J. Spiller was the more impressive back in Week 6 and is the more explosive option among the Bills RB duo.  He would be a Top 5 option if it was clear that he was going to be the lead back, but since he’s in a timeshare he has to be bumped down the rankings due to risk.  That said, if I owned him I’d be playing him this week unless you were loaded with alternatives.
• While Doug Martin hasn’t been great, he did have a nice game with 13 carries for 76 yards (as well as 2 receptions for 55 yards) in Week 6.  Taking on a Saints’ defense that has not performed against the run, look for him to have another strong week.
• Alex Green got 22 carries in Week 6, albeit in a blowout.  That said, he has an easier matchup and should again get the bulk of the carries.  He’s going to be a viable RB2.
• Felix Jones looked good and, assuming DeMarco Murray can’t go, he should have another strong performance.  Monitor the news, but as a RB2 he’s well worth playing.
• Jonathan Stewart or DeAngelo Williams?  That question keeps them both as FLEX options.

Make sure to check out all of our Week 7 rankings:

• Top 25 Quarterbacks
• Top 25 Tight Ends