Fantasy Football 2015: RBs Who Can Carry You to Victory

Even as the NFL increasingly becomes a pass-heavy league, it's the running backs who still dominate fantasy football drafts. Choosing the right back can mean the difference between winning a (fantasy) title and spending the offseason in regret. 

Every year has its top tier of running backs, and 2015 is no different. Deciding among them will have a rippling effect on your fantasy season and, ultimately, whether you're victorious week after week.

Is Le'Veon Bell's two-game suspension too high a price to take him first overall? 

How about the risk surrounding the 30-year-old Adrian Peterson, who played just one game last year?

Then there are the breakout youngsters such as C.J. Anderson and Jeremy Hill. 

And what will a change of scenery mean for last season's top fantasy back, DeMarco Murray?

We'll address all of these questions and more in our ranking of the top running backs who can carry your fantasy team to victory. 

Our list is based on how well each player performed statistically last year, his projected stats this season and the average predraft ranking among all running backs according to five popular fantasy football sites. 

Here's to a championship for us all!

Honorable Mentions

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Let's say you snag Antonio Brown or Andrew Luck in the first round of your fantasy draft. Who can blame you? But it'll cost you a chance at a top-notch running back.

Here are some quality options outside of the top 10 who could still put up solid fantasy numbers.

Justin Forsett, Baltimore Ravens

When Ray Rice was released last season, many expected a by-committee approach to the running back position in Baltimore. But Justin Forsett quickly became the lead back and rushed for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns on 5.4 yards per carry on his way to finishing 2014 as a top fantasy back.

It was just the first time he had a 200-carry, 1,000-yard season in his six years in the league. The biggest causes for concern this time around are his age (30 in October) and the Ravens' new, pass-first offensive coordinator, Marc Trestman. 

Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints

Mark Ingram's 964 yards on the ground in 2014 were the most in his four-year career. He added nine touchdowns as the featured back in New Orleans. 

Although the offseason addition of C.J. Spiller could take away some of his touches, Ingram should still see most of the goal-line carries. 

Here's something to keep in mind: Saints coach Sean Payton has never been one to allow a single running back to dominate touches every week. If Spiller catches fire one game, Ingram could quickly see more the next. 

Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins

Lamar Miller started out as Knowshon Moreno's backup in Miami last year and still rushed for 1,099 yards and eight touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry. 

The former Miami Hurricane is the Dolphins' primary back in 2015 and should see his fair share of receptions—he had 38 in 2014.

It's also a good sign when your head coach says you should be carrying the ball more times per game. 

10. LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills

Associated Press

2014 Season Stats: 1,319 rushing yards, 5 TD; 155 receiving yards, 0 TD; 158 fantasy points

2015 Projected Stats: 1,399 rushing yards, 7 TD; 216 receiving yards, 1 TD; 203.5 fantasy points

Average Ranking: 10.2

LeSean McCoy's fantasy stats didn't live up to the hype this past season despite being the lead back in Philadelphia's vaunted run game.

Now he's in Buffalo as the main weapon in an offense that is without a clear starting quarterback.

McCoy's numbers will probably stay around the same as last year's with Rex Ryan's ground-and-pound offensive philosophy.

However, McCoy's dip in production in 2014 is a cause for concern.

His yards-per-carry average dropped by nearly a yard—from 5.1 to 4.2—as he rushed for 300 less yards on the practically the same amount of carries as in 2013. 

Those numbers could be attributed to the departure of DeSean Jackson; defenses play closer to the line of scrimmage when the threat of a deep ball is less likely. 

Plus, McCoy also lost goal-line carries to the bigger Chris Polk and receptions to the shifty Darren Sproles last season. 

Also note that this past week saw McCoy go down with a hamstring injury. Although NFL.com reports he will be out for a few weeks, he could still be ready for Buffalo's season-opener. 

9. Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati Bengals

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2014 Season Stats: 1,124 rushing yards, 9 TD; 215 receiving yards, 0 TD; 171 fantasy points

2015 Projected Stats: 1,233 rushing yards, 10 TD; 168 receiving yards, 1 TD; 199.6 fantasy points

Average Ranking: 7.4

Jeremy Hill was the biggest surprise in fantasy last year as he played his way into a featured back role as a rookie. 

As he did in 2014, he'll likely lose carries and receptions to Gio Bernard, who was Cincinnati's starter until December.

Once Hill took over in Week 9, though, he had five games of at least 20 carries and 100 yards rushing. In those performances, he also averaged 5.8 yards per carry—a mark slightly better than his season average of 5.1.

It's expected Bernard will take some touches away in the passing game, but you can ink Hill in to get most of the meaningful carries as the lead back for the Bengals. 

If he can translate his second-half stats of last season into a full 2015 slate, the 22-year-old should put up double-digit fantasy points every week. 

8. C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos

Joe Mahoney/Associated Press

2014 Season Stats: 849 rushing yards, 8 TD; 324 receiving yards, 2 TD; 167 fantasy points

2015 Projected Stats: 1,173 rushing yards, 9 TD; 402 receiving yards; 1 TD; 215.6 fantasy points

Average Ranking: 7

C.J. Anderson is another young running back who has the talent and right situation to make him a top-10 pick in fantasy.

After playing in just five games his rookie season, Anderson took full advantage of the opening in Denver after injuries to Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman in 2014.

Last season, Anderson led the NFL with 648 rushing yards and eight touchdowns after he became the go-to back in Week 12. 

In that game, a 39-34 win over the Dolphins, Anderson rushed for 167 yards on 27 carries—a clip of 6.2 yards per carry.

Although the second-year back only had two 100-yard rushing performances last year, he did score three touchdowns in games where he ran for 58 and 87 yards, respectively. 

Anderson will also benefit from a zone-blocking scheme that comes with new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. 

So long as he stays healthy and produces right away, Anderson should go early in most fantasy drafts. 

7. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

2014 Season Stats: 1,038 rushing yards, 6 TD; 808 receiving yards, 4 TD; 231 fantasy points

2015 Projected Stats: 1,066 rushing yards; 5 TD; 597 receiving yards, 2 TD; 205.4 fantasy points

Average Ranking: 7.2

At age 30, Matt Forte might be nearing the end of the road soon, but fantasy owners should benefit from one more good year out of the Bears star.  

In his seven seasons, Forte has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in five of them and more than 900 in the other two. 

Talk about consistency. 

With Marc Trestman gone in Chicago, Forte will presumably see fewer receptions in 2015—he caught 130 passes for 808 yards last year. 

Instead, new coach John Fox's more run-oriented attack gives the Bears' top back a chance to lead the NFL in carries and score double-digit touchdowns...if he stays healthy.

6. DeMarco Murray, Philadelphia Eagles

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2014 Season Stats: 1,845 rushing yards, 13 TD; 416 receiving yards, 0 TD; 282 fantasy points

2015 Projected Stats: 1,160 rushing yards, 10 TD; 197 receiving yards, 1 TD; 197.6 fantasy points

Average Ranking: 7.6

In 2014, DeMarco Murray led the NFL in rushing behind three Pro Bowl offensive linemen. 

In 2015, he's the lead dog in one of the most running back-friendly offenses. 

Although leaving Dallas will hurt his numbers, Murray will have more than enough touches in a fast-paced, high-scoring attack in Philadelphia. 

He does have an injury history, though, which might cause coach Chip Kelly to rest him throughout the season. Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles aren't bad substitutes to plug in.

Murray will nonetheless rack up numbers in both the running and passing game—especially touchdowns as the premier goal-line choice. 

His league-leading 392 carries last season may cause fantasy owners to worry, but you can bet Kelly will monitor Murray to maximize his talent without risking his health. 

5. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs

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2014 Stats: 1,033 rushing yards, 9 TD; 291 receiving yards, 5 TD; 197 fantasy points

2015 Projected Stats: 1,121 rush yards, 9 TD; 473 receiving yards, 5 TD; 225.7 fantasy points

Average Ranking: 4.2

It might be odd to see Jamaal Charles this low on a running back fantasy list, but don't shoot the messenger. 

Last year, coach Andy Reid inexplicably cut the workload of 2013's fantasy MVP and will probably do the same this time around. 

The Chiefs are working in Knile Davis and De'Anthony Thomas in the backfield to help out the rushing and passing games, respectively. 

As a result, Charles' numbers have been hurt. 

He registered 15 or fewer carries in a game 10 times in 2014 and was 30 catches and 402 receiving yards off his 2013 pace. 

Nonetheless, he is as healthy as ever and still the explosive back we all know. 

His numbers should remain at the top of the fantasy realm in 2015.

4. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks

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2014 Season Stats: 1,306 rushing yards, 13 TD; 367 receiving yards, 4 TD; 253 fantasy points

2015 Projected Stats: 1,296 rushing yards, 10 TD; 258 receiving yards, 2 TD; 222.6 fantasy points

Average Ranking: 4.6

Marshawn Lynch enters 2015 as last season's No. 3 fantasy running back, but there are some big red flags surrounding Beast Mode that we can't ignore.

At 29, Lynch is coming off four straight years of 280-plus carries to go along with talk of his retirement just a year ago. 

If you can look past the warning signs, Seattle still plans to make him the focus of the offense once again so long as he's healthy. 

Lynch should see around 280 carries to go along with a 1,200-yard, double-digit-touchdown season on the ground. 

When it's all said and done, he's going to be a top-five fantasy back yet again.

3. Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers

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2014 Season Stats: 1,139 rushing yards, 9 TD; 427 receiving yards, 4 TD; 216 fantasy points

2015 Projected Stats: 1,297 rushing yards, 9 TD; 323 receiving yards, 3 TD; 229.6 fantasy points

Average Ranking: 2.4

The first four weeks in 2014 labeled Eddie Lacy as a fantasy bust—he ranked 43rd in RB points. 

The rest of the season, though, saw him slowly make up for a slow start despite only posting two 100-yard rushing games along the way. 

Let's face it: Any team with Aaron Rodgers at the helm won't center its offense on a running back. 

On that note, though, Lacy proved to be a good change-of-pace in the Green Bay offense and even caught 42 passes out of the backfield. 

His four receiving touchdowns were more than most top-tier backs as well. 

The one thing Lacy has going for him? He's the lead back for the Packers, and no one will steal his touches at the position. 

He'll consistently put up double-digit numbers weekly in fantasy. 

2. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

L.G. Patterson/Associated Press

*2014 Season Stats: 75 rushing yards, 0 TD; 18 receiving yards, 0 TD; 8 fantasy points

2015 Projected Stats: 1,231 rushing yards, 9 TD; 394 receiving yards, 2 TD; 222.6 fantasy points

Average Ranking: 4.2

Adrian Peterson was the No. 1 overall fantasy pick a year ago but played in just one game because of a suspension that ultimately held him out for the rest of the season. 

There are a lot of question marks surrounding him. How effective will he be at age 30? How many carries will he get alongside Jerick McKinnon? Can he stay healthy? What's his relationship like with the Vikings after the turmoil last season?

They're all valid issues, but one fact remains: AP is still one of the top running backs in the, NFL and he'll dominate in fantasy whether you pass over him or not. 

Peterson is projected by most fantasy sites to rush for more than 1,000 yards easily with double-digit touchdowns.

He's going first overall in a lot of mock drafts because, despite all of the uncertainty, he won't be denied his points. 

You can also bet AP will have a little chip on his shoulder this season as he plays on a team that wanted to trade him and in a league that kept him out of football in 2014. 

Get ready to see an angry back in Minnesota this year. 

*Peterson only played one game before he was suspended for the rest of the season. 

1. Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers

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2014 Season Stats: 1,361 rushing yards, 8 TD; 854 receiving yards, 3 TD; 272 fantasy points

2015 Projected Stats: 1,062 rushing yards, 6 TD; 502 receiving yards, 3 TD; 208.5 fantasy points

Average Ranking: 1.4

If you've been living under a rock, here's the big disclaimer on Le'Veon Bell: He'll be suspended for the first two games of 2015. 

Still, he will be worth the wait. 

Last season from Week 5 on, Bell was fantasy's top back as he totaled less than 100 yards from scrimmage in just three games all year. 

This time around, he's going to get about 300 carries and 75 catches as the main back in the Steelers offense to go along with double-digit all-purpose touchdowns. 

Even better, Bell is only 23 years old, so there shouldn't be any worry of overuse or fatigue. 

Despite the two-game suspension, Bell could still finish as the best fantasy running back—that's how good he is. 

All 2014 statistics and 2015 projected numbers are taken from ESPN.com's fantasy football site. The average predraft rankings are based on those from B/R's own Matt Camp, ESPN.com, WalterFootball.com, NFL.com and HarrisFootball.com.