Fantasy Football Week 13: Top 40 Running Back Rankings

Michael Turner continued his touchdown-making ways in 2012, scoring his seventh of the season against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football. Despite a career-worst 3.8 yards per carry, the veteran running back continues to produce fantasy points via trips to the end zone.

None of the Saints had as prolific a fantasy day as the one Turner enjoyed on Thursday, but a lot of fantasy points will be produced from the running back position on Sunday and Monday Night Football.

Injured RBs DeMarco Murray and Darren McFadden each have a chance to return in Week 13. Beanie Wells already has. All three backs rank in the No. 6 through No. 40 range below.

6. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers (at St. Louis Rams).

7. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Denver Broncos).

8. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers).

9. Bryce Brown, Philadelphia Eagles (at Dallas Cowboys).

10. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Carolina Panthers).

11. Stevan Ridley, New England Patriots (at Miami Dolphins).

12. Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins (vs. New York Giants).

13. Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants (at Washington Redskins).

14. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cincinnati Bengals (at San Diego Chargers).

15. Beanie Wells, Arizona Cardinals (at New York Jets).

16. Mikel Leshoure, Detroit Lions (vs. Indianapolis Colts).

17. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams (vs. San Francisco 49ers).

18. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks (at Chicago Bears).

19. Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers).

20. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears (vs. Seattle Seahawks).

21. DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys (vs. Philadelphia Eagles).

22. Reggie Bush, Miami Dolphins (vs. New England Patriots).

23. Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers (vs. Cincinnati Bengals).

24. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders (vs. Cleveland Browns).

25. Shonn Greene, New York Jets (vs. Arizona Cardinals).

26. Marcel Reece, Oakland Raiders (vs. Cleveland Browns).

27. DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers (at Kansas City Chiefs).

28. Michael Bush, Chicago Bears (vs. Seattle Seahawks).

29. Felix Jones, Dallas Cowboys (vs. Philadelphia Eagles).

30. Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars).

31. Rashad Jennings, Jacksonville Jaguars (at Buffalo Bills).

32. Jonathan Dwyer, Pittsburgh Steelers (at Baltimore Ravens)

33. Daniel Thomas, Miami Dolphins (vs. New England Patriots).

34. Vick Ballard, Indianapolis Colts (at Detroit Lions).

35. James Starks, Green Bay Packers (vs. Minnesota Vikings).

36. Donald Brown, Indianapolis Colts (at Detroit Lions).

37. Isaac Redman, Pittsburgh Steelers (at Baltimore Ravens).

38. Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers (at Baltimore Ravens).

39. Shane Vereen, New England Patriots (at Miami Dolphins).

40. David Wilson, New York Giants (at Washington Redskins).

5. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans (vs. Houston Texans)

Chris Johnson is the only running back to gain 100 yards on the ground against the Houston Texans this season, when he carried the rock 25 times for 141 yards at Houston in Week 4. Also, Johnson has rushed for at least 80 yards in six straight games.

The Texans, meanwhile, gave up their first two rushing touchdowns of the season in Week 12.

4. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

C.J. Spiller is finally getting more work than Fred Jackson in the Buffalo Bills backfield when both are available on game day. In Week 12, Spiller kept up his high yards per carry average by gaining 107 rushing yards on just 14 attempts.

Spiller’s Week 13 opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars, give up rushing TDs to running backs in bunches, and at other times, they do not allow any at all. They have allowed multiple scores in three games and zero in seven. If the big-play Buffalo back can get to the end zone, he might double up on crossing the goal line.

3. Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns (at Oakland Raiders)

Trent Richardson’s last four carry totals are as follows: 24, 25, 28 and 29, in that order. What’s not to like in fantasy football about a running back that gets that much work?

Richardson’s yards per attempt (3.8) haven’t been quite as high as that of Arian Foster (4.0) over the last month, but he has received five more carries than the No. 1 fantasy running back. He gets the Oakland Raiders in Week 13, a team that has allowed 6.2 yards per tote in the last four weeks.

2. Arian Foster, Houston Texans (at Tennessee Titans)

Arian Foster is a must-start running back in fantasy football. He has been all season, as he’s averaged 24 carries per game in 2012. Foster has reached 20 rushing attempts in each of his last four games, topping 100 yards three times and scoring touchdowns in two of those games.

He ran for 86 yards and a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans the first time they met in Week 4.

1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings (at Green Bay Packers)

Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings saw his touchdown streak end at four games last week against the Chicago Bears, but his 100-yard games streak is still intact. He’s topped the century mark against good NFL run defenses already this season including the Bears, Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Green Bay Packers, Peterson’s Week 13 foe, do not fit that description. They have allowed seven rushing scores to RBs in their last six games. Peterson should explode on Sunday.

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