Fantasy Football Week 8 Rankings: Top 40 Running Backs

Arian Foster, the early season darling, gets a rematch with the Indianapolis Colts.  Guys like Ryan Torain and Darren McFadden, who no one expected to be usable options, period, are potential RB1.  Preseason darlings like DeAngelo Williams and Ryan Mathews are borderline usable.

Let’s see how it all comes together for our preliminary rankings for Week 8 (remember, these will be updated later in the week if necessary):

1. Frank Gore: San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos
   
2. Arian Foster: Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts
   
3. Steven Jackson: St. Louis Rams vs. Carolina Panthers
   
4. LaDanian Tomlinson: New York Jets vs. Green Bay Packers
   
5. Chris Johnson: Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers
   
6. Adrian Peterson: Minnesota Vikings at New England Patriots
   
7. Ryan Torain: Washington Redskins at Detroit Lions
   
8. Thomas Jones: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills
   
9. Cedric Benson: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Miami Dolphins
   
10. Rashard Mendenhall: Pittsburgh Steelers at New Orleans Saints
    
11. Darren McFadden: Oakland Raiders vs. Seattle Seahawks
    
12. Maurice Jones-Drew: Jacksonville Jaguars at Dallas Cowboys
    
13. Knowshon Moreno: Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers
    
14. Felix Jones: Dallas Cowboys vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
    
15. Beanie Wells: Arizona Cardinals vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
    
16. Jahvid Best: Detroit Lions vs. Washington Redskins
    
17. Donald Brown: Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans
    
18. Jamaal Charles: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills
    
19. Ronnie Brown: Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals
    
20. DeAngelo Williams: Carolina Panthers at St. Louis Rams
    
21. Ryan Mathews: San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans
    
22. LaGarrette Blount: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arizona Cardinals
    
23. Marshawn Lynch: Seattle Seahawks at Oakland Raiders
    
24. Christopher Ivory: New Orleans Saints vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
    
25. Danny Woodhead: New England Patriots vs. Minnesota Vikings
    
26. Brandon Jackson: Green Bay Packers at New York Jets
27. Fred Jackson: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs
    
28. Ricky Williams: Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals
    
29. Tim Hightower: Arizona Cardinals vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
    
30. Shonn Greene: New York Jets vs. Green Bay Packers
    
31. Carnell Williams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arizona Cardinals
    
32. BenJarvus Green-Ellis: New England Patriots vs. Minnesota Vikings
    
33. Justin Forsett: Seattle Seahawks at Oakland Raiders
    
34. Jonathan Stewart: Carolina Panthers at St. Louis Rams
    
35. C.J. Spiller: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs
    
36. Mike Hart: Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans
    
37. Michael Bush: Oakland Raiders vs. Seattle Seahawks
    
38. Mike Tolbert: San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans
    
39. John Kuhn: Green Bay Packers at New York Jets
40. Marion Barber: Dallas Cowboys vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
    

Thoughts:

• Frank Gore has posted back-to-back 100+ yard rushing games.  In fact, he has over 149 total yards in each of the past two games.  With Alex Smith banged up and squaring off with a Broncos defense that is allowed the third most rushing yards per game (156.3 yards) and the most touchdowns (12), you have to think that Gore is in line for a big day.
• We all know what Arian Foster did in the opening week against the Colts, who have been a porous rushing defense this season.  While it is impossible to imagine him repeating his 231 yard, three touchdown performance, he should be a tremendous option once again.  Of course, a lot of his value this season is buoyed by that game, as he has 404 yards and three touchdowns in the five games since.  He’s a great option, but he’s not the top option this week.
• I want to believe that Jamaal Charles is the more valuable back for the Chiefs, but they continue to give Thomas Jones more carries and he is certainly delivering.  Of course, facing the worst rushing defense in the league by yards make them both usable once again, but the fact that they are sharing carries knocks them down a little bit.
• Ryan Torain has 225 yards and two touchdowns over his last two games.  The last time the Lions took the field, they allowed Ahmad Bradshaw to pick up 133 yards on 19 carries.  In fact, they have allowed 138.8 rushing yards per game.  Given his recent production, Torain is a top 10 option this week.
• While you would think the Vikings would attack the Patriots through the air, Brett Favre is hobbled and struggling.  Look for Adrian Peterson to be the focus of the offense and, therefore, a great option as always.
• Tim Hightower’s hold on the starting running back job may finally be gone.  Beanie Wells had 54 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, as Hightower continues to struggle with fumbles.  With Hightower potentially falling into a third-down back role, Wells should be viewed as the more valuable fantasy option.
• With Joseph Addai out with injury, Donald Brown should get a long look, with Mike Hart working as the secondary option.  Brown is a RB2 this week, as he should get opportunities to run given the bulk of injuries to the receiving corps.
• This week will be the true test for Darren McFadden, as he faces one of the toughest rush defense in the league (the Seahawks are allowing 77.5 rushing yards per game and have allowed just four touchdowns).  After erupting in Week 7 for 165 yards and three touchdowns (as well as 31 receiving yards and another score), it’s hard to find reason to have him on your bench.  The matchup dictates him being a low-end RB1/high-end RB2, but the matchup dictates him remaining outside the Top 10.  This could be the last time we say that in 2010, however.
• Knowshon Moreno didn’t have big rushing totals (14 carries for 53 yards), but he had three receptions for 37 yards and two touchdowns.  That’s one of his advantages, as he is one of the few backs in the league that is not going to share carries or snaps, giving him more opportunities to produce.  Consider him a RB2 this week, with the potential for much more.
• Maurice Jones-Drew has not been good running the ball, but he can still deliver in the passing game as he displayed in Week 7.  He’s not what he once was, but I’d still consider him a low-end RB1 this week, due to that threat.
• If DeAngelo Williams is healthy, he should once again be considered a RB2.  If not, Jonathan Stewart, despite his struggles, gets a value boost.  We’ll keep a close eye on the news this week.
• Ryan Mathews has not rushed for over 70 yards since the opening week of the season and has only scored one touchdown.  In fact, he’s coming off an eight carry, 15 yard performance.  Despite all the preseason hype, he’s nothing more then a low-end RB2 option.
• Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis are virtually splitting carries in New England, though Woodhead is a bigger threat in the passing game.  Consider him the better option at this point, but neither are high-level options as Tom Brady and company will try to fuel the offense.

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

Make sure to check out our Week 8 Rankings:

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

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