Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings: Predicting Sunday's Stars at Running Back

It seems like every week there is a running back situation that leaves fantasy owners frustrated to the point where no TV remote within 25 yards is safe.

Despite all the prognosticators saying your guy was about to break out this week, he finishes with 50 yards while the guy you sat on the bench is well on his way to a career day. 

That inconsistency is what makes running back possibly the hardest position to project. Running backs' workloads and performances are often times so dependent on in-game scenarios and opposing defenses

Other times, running backs buck all trends and dominate supposedly top-tier defenses (e.g. Doug Martin on Thursday night).

Nonetheless, as with everything in fantasy, ranking rushers is about mitigating the risks and looking to where breakout performances are most likely. 

With that in mind, here is a look at our projections for Sunday's top performers at running back.

Jamaal Charles (Kansas City Chiefs)

With Brady Quinn getting the start behind center, the Chiefs will need to run the ball early and often against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

In the former Notre Dame signal-caller's first start, the team took the opposite approach. And, as you may have expected, the result wasn't exactly ideal for Kansas City or Charles' fantasy owners.

The Chiefs got eviscerated, 38-10, by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as Charles rushed for a meager 40 yards on 12 carries. 

That downtick in performance came after three straight games of 16 or more fantasy points for the 25-year-old speedster, who is undoubtedly a candidate for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Expect Charles to come back with a massive performance against the Raiders in Week 8. Oakland comes into Sunday's contest 12th in the NFL against the run but has struggled mightily on the road and against similarly explosive rushers. 

Miami Dolphins back Reggie Bush ran for 172 yards and two touchdowns on just 26 carries against the Raiders in Week 2. Charles won't have quite that level of performance, but don't be shocked if he gets close, either.

Stats Projection: 30 CAR, 150 YDS, 1 TD; 3 REC, 25 YDS

Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans)

Call me a sucker, but I am back on the CJ2K train and expect him to have another great performance in Week 9.

After becoming the target of scorn early in the season, Johnson has slowly begun working his way back into fantasy owners' good graces. The 27-year-old back has three games of 10 or more fantasy points in his past four contests.

This week Johnson will face an Indianapolis Colts defense that is among the league's worst against the run. Through the first seven weeks, the Colts are 26th in the NFL, giving up 141.7 yards per game on the ground.

Against a similarly porous Buffalo Bills defense, Johnson gained 195 yards and two touchdowns last week. Predicting a repeat of those numbers is Mel Gibson levels of insanity. 

Nonetheless, Johnson will continue re-ingratiating himself with fantasy owners, as he comes up big for the fourth time in five weeks.

Stats Projection: 22 CAR, 125 YDS, 1 TD; 2 REC, 20 YDS

Matt Forte (Chicago Bears)

Though still continually productive, Forte's lack of huge performances has become a source of slight frustration among his owners.

The Bears star is without a touchdown since Week 1 and has not been a huge part of the passing game since returning from his early-season ankle injury.

While the latter may not change on Sunday, Forte should be in line for a massive performance against the Carolina Panthers. 

Forte's last two games against the Panthers have been among the best of his career. In those contests, Forte ran for 371 yards and three touchdowns, including a career-high 205-yard breakout last season. 

There is no reason to expect anything less than a great performance this week, as the Panthers come into Week 9 with a mediocre-at-best run defense. 

Don't look for 200-plus yards and a touchdown. However, anything less than being a top-five scorer this week would be a massive disappointment.

Stats Projection: 25 CAR, 115 YDS, 1 TD; 3 REC, 25 YDS

Follow @tylerconway22