Fantasy Football Week 5 Rankings: Top 40 Running Backs

Injuries once again play a huge factor in the rankings for the upcoming week.  Not only do we have all the Week 4 injuries to contend with, but new ones to Darren McFadden, LeSean McCoy, and others complicate things further.

Let’s take a look at how things currently stand, but remember we will update these later in the week depending on the news:

1. Maurice Jones-Drew - Jacksonville Jaguars - at Buffalo
2. Arian Foster - Houston Texans - vs. New York Giants
3. Frank Gore - San Francisco 49ers - vs. Philadelphia
4. Cedric Benson - Cincinnati Bengals - vs. Tampa Bay
5. Jahvid Best - Detroit Lions - vs. St. Louis
6. Steven Jackson - St. Louis Rams - at Detroit
7. Michael Turner - Atlanta Falcons - at Cleveland
8. Chris Johnson - Tennessee Titans - at Dallas
9. Jamaal Charles - Kansas City Chiefs - at Indianapolis
10. Ray Rice - Baltimore Ravens - vs. Denver
11. Adrian Peterson - Minnesota Vikings - at New York Jets
12. Peyton Hillis - Cleveland Browns - vs. Atlanta
13. Ryan Mathews - San Diego Chargers - at Oakland
14. LaDanian Tomlinson - New York Jets - vs. Minnesota
15. Joseph Addai - Indianapolis Colts - vs. Kansas City
16. Pierre Thomas - New Orleans Saints - at Arizona
17. Ryan Torain - Washington Redskins - vs. Green Bay
18. DeAngelo Williams - Carolina Panthers - vs. Chicago
19. Matt Forte - Chicago Bears - at Carolina
20. Knowshon Moreno - Denver Broncos - at Baltimore
21. Ahmad Bradshaw - New York Giants - at Houston
22. Beanie Wells - Arizona Cardinals - vs. New Orleans
23. Mike Tolbert - San Diego Chargers - at Oakland
24. Mike Bell - Philadelphia Eagles - at San Francisco
25. Tim Hightower - Arizona Cardinals - vs. New Orleans
26. Thomas Jones - Kansas City Chiefs - at Indianapolis
27. Marion Barber - Dallas Cowboys - vs. Tennessee
28. Brandon Jackson - Green Bay Packers - at Washington
29. Christopher Ivory - New Orleans Saints - at Arizona
30. Michael Bush - Oakland Raiders - vs. San Diego
31. Shonn Greene - New York Jets - vs. Minnesota
32. Brandon Jacobs - New York Giants - at Houston
33. Felix Jones - Dallas Cowboys - vs. Tennessee
34. Carnell Williams - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - at Cincinnati
35. Jason Snelling - Atlanta Falcons - at Cleveland
36. C.J. Spiller - Buffalo Bills - vs. Jacksonville
37. LaGarrette Blount - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - at Cincinnati
38. Fred Jackson - Buffalo Bills - vs. Jacksonville
39. Willis McGehee - Baltimore Ravens - vs. Denver
40. Jonathan Stewart - Carolina Panthers - vs. Chicago

Thoughts:

• There are significant concerns about Darren McFadden’s ability to play in the Raiders' Week 5 game after suffering a hamstring injury on Sunday.  It’s terrible news for fantasy owners who had been enjoying his breakout over the first four weeks of the season.  For now it appears Michael Bush will step in and get the bulk of carries, making him a solid RB2 in all formats.  McFadden will be left off the rankings, though we’ll update that accordingly towards the end of the week.
• There didn’t appear to be any ill effects to Arian Foster’s attitude, after he was benched in the first quarter of the Texans' Week 4 matchup.  He remains one of the better options in the league.
• With Clinton Portis limited with a groin injury, and potentially out for the team’s Week 5 game against the Packers, Ryan Torain appears primed for his first NFL start.  After going for 70 yards and a touchdown in Week 4, he should be a hot commodity off the waiver wire.  Portis is being left off these rankings for now.
• Unbeknownst to fantasy owners, LeSean McCoy suffered a broken rib on Sunday.  It is possible that he plays, but it’s hard to imagine him making a very big impact if he does.  Kevin Kolb’s stock just got an extra little boost, huh?  We’ll be leaving McCoy off these early rankings, with Mike Bell instead making the list.  As always, when we know more we will update these rankings later in the week.
• After seeing Maurice Jones-Drew return to form this week, as well as the Jets thrashing of the worst rushing defense in the league (the Bills allow 174.0 rushing yards per game), it’s hard not to rank him at the top this week.
• Despite injury concerns, Steven Jackson suited up on Sunday and rushed the ball 22 times for 70 yards against a Seattle defense that has been stout against the run all season long (averaging 72.8 yards per game).  This week he has a much better matchup, facing off against the Lions.  It’s safe to assume he’s going to play, at least for now, making him a solid RB1 in all formats.
• Ray Rice is a potential top-five option in most weeks, if he were healthy.  However, he had just eight carries in Week 4 and is a question mark at this point.  Even if he plays, he’s a risk. Consider him a low-end RB1, though the news during the week could change his status later on.
• It was a disappointing week for Chris Johnson, rushing for just 53 yards on 19 carries (2.8 yards per carry).  In four weeks, he has two games under 55 yards and two games of at least 125 yards.  That’s extremely inconsistent for a player expected to lead your fantasy squad.  He remains a RB1, but he’s got a Cowboys defense who is allowing just 83.7 rushing yards per game.
• The Colts have allowed 149.5 rushing yards per game and get a Kansas City Chiefs team that is built around the run.  Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones will both hold value, but Charles is the more explosive back and should be a good bet to produce.  He’s a RB1 this week.
• He was questionable in Week 4, but Joseph Addai still got 16 carries (which he had 63 yards and two TDs), as well as three receptions for 19 yards.  However, he has a tough matchup against a Chiefs defense that is allowing 75.0 yards per game.  He’s a RB2 this week.
• The Jets and Vikings are two of the better rushing defenses in the league, though both teams are built around the run.  It’s going to be an interesting game, and while LaDanian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson should continue to hold value, Shonn Greene is a wild card.
• The only reason Beanie Wells is not a RB1 is the potential for him to lose carries to Tim Hightower.  In his first game he had 19 carries for 75 yards, but in Week 4 he had just five carries for 19 yards.  Of course, the fact that they were getting blown out factored into things, but the Saints are allowing 138.2 rushing yards per game and you have to think he’s going to produce.
• The presence of Mike Tolbert costs Ryan Mathews some potential value, but quotes from head coach Norv Turner state that Mathews is still the man.  He’s a low-end RB1, only because of potential limited touches.  Against Oakland, you have to expect him to produce.
• Pierre Thomas may or may not play, but for now it seems like he will.  We’ll rank him as if he were going to suit up, but check back later in the week to be sure.
• There’s a good chance Knowshon Moreno returns to the field this week against a tougher Ravens defense.  Still, if he’s on the field he’s a RB2.
• Ahmad Bradshaw is hurting, so Brandon Jacobs could get some extra touches this week.  Of course, the Texans are notoriously bad against the pass, so the Giants running game may be lacking this week.
• Carnell Williams or LaGroutte Blount?  No one knows who is going to get the bulk of the carries, meaning neither is more then a low-end FLEX option.

What are your thoughts on these rankings?  Who’s too high?  Who’s too low?

Make sure to check out the rest of our Week 5 Rankings:

• Top 25 Quarterbacks
• Top 60 Wide Receivers
• Top 20 Tight Ends (coming soon)
• Top 15 Kickers (coming soon)
• Top 15 Defenses (coming soon)
• Waiver Worthy
• Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em
• Sunday Sleepers (coming soon)

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