Fantasy Football Power Rankings Week 11: 20 Best Running Back Point Getters
In fantasy football, running backs will make or break your league.
In many cases, the stud fantasy running backs come from nowhere. This year is no exception.
Many shocking players have been gaining a lot of points for fantasy teams, including some back-up backs and a few undrafted players.
What surprising players rate in the top 20 as far as running back point getters? Let's find out.
20. Mike Tolbert, San Diego Chargers
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Coming into this season, Mike Tolbert was third on the depth chart for the Chargers.
He had mostly been used as a fullback in his career, but this year Tolbert has been used a feature back, ahead of rookie Ryan Matthews and scat back Darren Sproles.
Tolbert is averaging 9.3 points per week.
19. Brandon Jackson, Green Bay Packers
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Brandon Jackson was the hot pick up after starter Ryan Grant went down with a season-ending injury for the Packers.
While he hasn't had the impact that Grant had or that many were hoping for, he has been a solid back in deep leagues.
Jackson averages 9.4 points per week.
18. Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals
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Cedric Benson has had a disappointing season when compared with his 2009 campaign.
Last season he had over 1,200 yards and six touchdown runs.
This season he is only averaging 3.6 yards per carry. He is capable of a few big weeks but because the Bengals have been so bad, the running game has been abandoned when they have fallen behind early.
Benson averages 9.8 points per week.
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17. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens
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Ray Rice was usually picked in the top 10 of most fantasy leagues.
Many people viewed him as the next Maurice Jones-Drew. He was someone who could run the ball 20 times a game and could catch the ball out of the backfield at will.
However, Rice only has two rushing touchdowns this year and only averages around 74 yards per game rushing. Because of this he has not lived up to the preseason hype.
Rice averages 10.9 points per week.
16. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Maurice Jones-Drew was a consensus top-five pick in most leagues.
He, like Ray Rice, has suffered from a lack of touchdowns. MoJo only has five total touchdowns this year, three rushing and two receiving.
However, he averages over 100 yards a game when he gets more than 20 carries. So when the Jaguars are doing well and controlling the game, MoJo is a great player.
Jones-Drew averages 12.7 points per week.
15. Steven Jackson, Saint Louis Rams
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It really is a shame that Steven Jackson has spent the prime of his career on a bad Rams team. He could have gone down as one of the all-time great running backs if he had played with a better team.
Despite the poor talent level around him, Jackson is having a fairly good year, but is also suffering from not scoring many touchdowns.
If the Rams are able to pick up their offense, look for Jackson's numbers go up significantly.
Jackson averages 12.4 points per week.
14. Jahvid Best, Detroit Lions
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Jahvid Best has found a spot in Detroit. When he played for Cal in college, he always had a difficult time staying on the field, but when he did play, he was good.
He is catching the ball out of the backfield a fair amount, and he has seen the end zone a fair amount and if he gets more carries, he could end up in the elite level of running backs.
Best averages 11.2 points per week.
13. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs
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Jamaal Charles started his breakout last year, finishing with 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns.
This year he is on pace for over 1,300 yards; however, his touchdowns have been down so far.
If he is able to get in the end zone a few more times, he could catapult himself into the top five next year.
Charles averages 13.3 points per week.
12. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons
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Michael Turner's value as a fantasy running back is no secret.
The only thing keeping him out of the elite running back status this year has been the emergence of his back up, Jason Snelling. However, Turner is still the better option.
He is on pace for over 1,300 yards and could reach double digits in touchdowns.
Turner averages 11.7 points per week.
11. LaDainian Tomlinson, New York Jets
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LaDainian Tomlinson has looked revitalized as a member of the Jets.
He may not be the 30-points-a-week scorer that he was when he was the MVP for the Chargers, but he has been a solid second running back for most teams.
Coming into this season not many people would have predicted that Tomlinson would be having a better year than Michael Turner, Ray Rice or Cedric Benson, but even fewer would have predicted that he would have a better year than his teammate Shonn Greene.
Tomlinson averages 12.7 points per week.
10. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears
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After a wildly disappointing season last year, many fantasy players passed on Forte this year.
Despite the fact that his rushing numbers still aren't very high, his receiving numbers have brought him into the top 10 of fantasy running backs again.
If he is able to keep up his numbers for an average Bears team, he could be a high fantasy pick next year.
Forte averages 12.3 points per week.
9. Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants
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Ahmad Bradshaw has gone from a seventh-round draft pick to fantasy stud.
He could eclipse 1,500 yards on the ground and 10 touchdowns this season if he has a few more big games the last quarter of the season.
The only thing that has held him back from being a huge fantasy star is the fact that he has four lost fumbles this year. If he cleans that up, he will move into the top five fantasy running backs.
Bradshaw averages 13.1 points per week.
8. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles
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LeSean McCoy has proven that releasing Brian Westbrook was a move the Eagles could live with.
He is on pace for over 1,000 yards and could score double digit touchdowns for the Eagles, but his real value has been as a receiver.
He has 82 catches out of the backfield. If he puts together a few big games, he will cement himself has an elite running back in fantasy football headed forward.
McCoy averages 13.9 points per week.
7. Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Prior to Ben Roethlisberger returning from suspension for the Steelers, Rashard Mendenhall carried the team on his back to a 3-1 start.
He is on pace for over 1,300 yards and double digit touchdowns. He doesn't catch the ball much out of the backfield, but he is a throwback running back, someone who can carry the ball 30 to 35 times a game a wear down a defense.
He is young and has fresh legs, meaning he will continue to be a workhorse back for the Steelers for a long time.
Mendenhall averages 13.4 points per week.
6. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers
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Despite the fact that the 49ers have only three wins and have had a difficult time scoring, Frank Gore continues to be a great fantasy running back.
He is on pace for nearly 1,400 yards and catches the ball out of the backfield with great regularity.
If the 49ers start winning, which it looks like they might, expect Gore's touchdowns to go up.
Gore averages 15.4 points per week.
5. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans
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Fantasy owners who drafted Chris Johnson expecting the 2,000-yard output from a year ago are very disappointed.
However, any rational fantasy owner has to feel good about the 1,500 yards and 16 touchdowns he is on pace for.
The reason Johnson hasn't had the same impact that he had last year is because teams are planning against the big run.
He is still averaging over four yards a carry and is going to surpass last season's touchdown total. So don't worry, Johnson is doing just fine as a fantasy running back.
Johnson averages 15.3 points per week.
4. Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Brown
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Peyton Hillis.
There isn't much that can be said about this guy. He was a throw in in the Brady Quinn trade between Denver and Cleveland, but all he has done is run all over Baltimore, Cincinnati and New England.
He is on pace for nearly 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. Throw in a few more scores through the air and Hillis is going to be a perennial top pick in fantasy.
Hillis averages 15.4 points per week.
3. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders
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This is the Darren McFadden the Raiders thought they were drafting a few years ago.
McFadden has gone over 100 total yards in every game this season that he has played. If he is able to find the endzone a few more times this season, he will certainly be among the elite running backs in next year's fantasy magazines.
He is on pace for 1,300 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
McFadden averages 14.3 points per week.
2. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
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It is extremely rare for a running back to be selected exactly where he should have been, but that is what happened with Adrian Peterson this year.
He was the consensus No. 2 running back behind Chris Johnson, and Peterson comes in as the second-rated running back in fantasy football. He is on pace for over 1,600 yards and double digit touchdowns.
Most importantly, Peterson has cut his fumbles. He is yet to lose a fumble this year.
Peterson averages 18.3 points per week.
1. Arian Foster, Houston Texans
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Not only does Arian Foster lead the NFL in rushing, but he also leads in rushing touchdowns.
He is the only running back to have double digit touchdowns already. He is on pace for over 1,600 yards and 18 touchdowns this season—his first as the full-time starter.
It kind of makes you wonder why no NFL GM thought he was worthy of a draft pick.
Foster averages 20.4 points per week.
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