Fantasy Football Week 6 Rankings: Top 40 Running Backs (Revised)

Will Ryan Mathews take over the lead back role in San Diego?  What impact will Pierre Thomas being ruled out have?  

Let’s take a look at how these stories and all the rest have changed our rankings:

1. Chris Johnson – Tennessee Titans – at Jacksonville
2. Frank Gore – San Francisco 49ers – vs. Oakland
3. Ray Rice – Baltimore Ravens – at New England
4. Ahmad Bradshaw – New York Giants – vs. Detroit
5. Arian Foster – Houston Texans – vs. Kansas City
6. Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings – vs. Dallas
7. Rashard Mendenhall – Pittsburgh Steelers – vs. Cleveland
8. Michael Turner – Atlanta Falcons – at Philadelphia
9. LaDainian Tomlinson – New York Jets – at Denver
10. LeSean McCoy – Philadelphia Eagles – vs. Atlanta
11. Maurice Jones-Drew – Jacksonville Jaguars – vs. Tennessee
12. Steven Jackson – St. Louis Rams – vs. San Diego
13. Joseph Addai – Indianapolis Colts – at Washington
14. Michael Bush – Oakland Raiders – at San Francisco
15. Ryan Torain – Washington Redskins – vs. Indianapolis
16. Jamaal Charles – Kansas City Chiefs – at Houston
17. Jahvid Best – Detroit Lions – at New York Giants
18. Felix Jones – Dallas Cowboys – at Minnesota
19. Ryan Mathews – San Diego Chargers – at St. Louis
20. Ronnie Brown – Miami Dolphins – at Green Bay
21. Mike Tolbert – San Diego Chargers – at St. Louis
22. Matt Forte – Chicago Bears – vs. Seattle
23. Brandon Jackson – Green Bay Packers – vs. Miami
24. Shonn Greene – New York Jets – at Denver
25. Ricky Williams – Miami Dolphins – at Green Bay
26. Marshawn Lynch – Seattle Seahawks – at Chicago
27. BenJarvus Green-Ellis – New England Patriots – vs. Baltimore
28. Peyton Hillis – Cleveland Browns – at Pittsburgh
29. Knowshon Moreno – Denver Broncos – vs. New York Jets
30. Carnell Williams – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – vs. New Orleans
31. Ladell Betts – New Orleans Saints – at Tampa Bay
32. Brandon Jacobs – New York Giants – vs. Detroit
33. John Kuhn – Green Bay Packers – vs. Miami
34. Thomas Jones – Kansas City Chiefs – at Houston
35. Marion Barber – Dallas Cowboys – at Minnesota
36. Chris Ivory – New Orleans Saints – at Tampa Bay
37. LaGarrette Blount – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – vs. New Orleans
38. Willis McGahee – Baltimore Ravens – at New England
39. Mike Hart – Indianapolis Colts – at Washington
40. Justin Forsett – Seattle Seahawks – at Chicago

Thoughts:

• According to the San Diego Tribune-Union’s Kevin Acee (via Twitter), when deciding between Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert this week, he’d go Mathews.  That certainly gives the impression that Mathews will get more carries against the Rams and reclaim the lead back duties.  Both are usable as RB2 this week, but I’ve now flip-flopped the two on the rankings.
• With Donald Brown likely out again this week against the Redskins, Mike Hart becomes a nice sleeper option in deeper formats.  He was solid in Week 5 with 11 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown (he added one reception for five yards).  Joseph Addai is going to lead the way and against a weak Redskins pass defense, Peyton Manning should carry the offense.  Still, Hart has the potential to be productive.
• Pierre Thomas has officially been ruled out for Week 6 and could be out for 4-6 weeks total due to an ankle injury (this will be his third game missed).  That will leave Chris Ivory, Ladell Betts and the newly signed Julius Jones to carry the ball.  None of the three are awfully appealing options, as the team will likely go pass heavy, but Ivory is probably the best option of the three.  That’s not saying much.
• Fred Taylor has been ruled for this week’s game, leaving BenJarvus Green-Ellis as the team’s lead back.  That doesn’t change his ranking here, however.  He’s not a great option against the Ravens for the coming week.
• According to the Oakland Tribune, “Darren McFadden was suited up and chances are Cable will say it’s a game-time decision later this afternoon.” Hamstring injuries are tricky and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see McFadden sit out on Sunday.  With the Raiders playing at 4 PM, you’d be better served leaving him on your bench since by the time you find out if he’s playing or not (and with Michael Bush, you don’t know how many carries he’ll get anyways), your options to replace him will be limited.  As it is, Tom Cable told the Oakland Tribune earlier in the week that McFadden wouldn’t play if he wasn’t 100%.
• Knowshon Moreno has been practicing this week, though he is still listed as questionable.  Like McFadden, you’d be better off going with another option if you have one, just in case he ends up sitting out.  Given the matchup and having been out for a few weeks, it’s tough to depend on him to begin with.
• The St. Louis Post Dispatch’s Jim Thomas (via Twitter) said that “Steven Jackson says he's 100 percent back from groin injury.”  I had him as a RB1 earlier in the week, and he’s going to hold onto that spot with this news for sure.

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 6 Rankings:

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

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