NFL Week 11 Fantasy RB Rankings: The Most In-Depth Analysis in the Industry

Week 11 RB Player Rankings

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Rankings for QBs, WRs, and TEs

1. Frank Gore (vs TB)

Tampa’s defense actually isn’t all that bad.

But if you commit to the run against them, you’re going to score. 

Gore is one of those types of backs that is strong enough to beat an arm-tackle, yet elusive enough to get through/around whatever is coming at him. With Troy Smith at the helm, the Bucs won’t be able to “key-in” on Gore this game. 

At home against a porous defense that the ‘Niners will look to control on the ground, there’s NO chance he goes for less than 100 yards rushing, 140-plus yards total, and 1-2 TDs.

2. Chris Johnson (vs Was)

Randy Moss may have looked useless to the common eye last week, but not to CJ2K. 

Johnson saw holes he hadn’t seen all year because of him. Now that Randy is somewhat integrated into the offensive game plan, Johnson should be able to run as freely as he did back in 2009. 

Washington is about as bad as it gets on the defensive side of the ball. So at home in Tennessee, expect CJ28 to go a little nutty this weekend.

3. Peyton Hillis (@ Jax)

The Big Twinkie is an unstoppable force that has yet to meet an immovable object. 

It probably shouldn’t have happened, but I actually called between 80-100 yards and a TD against the mighty Jets defense last week. Sure enough, 81 yards and one TD later, Hillis was bucking the odds. 

Don’t bet against him for the rest of the year no matter WHO he is playing. Against Jacksonville, it’s a no-brainer, of course.

4. Adrian Peterson (vs GB)

AP28 has a history of grinding the shit out of the Packers defense. 

Earlier this year, he went off for 131 yards and a touchdown, while last year he scored in both games against the Pack. Yes, I know, teams are challenging Favre to throw the ball now, but that won’t stop AP. 

He had his ego shattered last week against the Bears. You don’t really think that will happen two weeks in a row, do you?

5. Jamaal Charles (vs Ari)

“The Ostrich” is being worked into the offensive game plan more and more every week.

I can’t see a game against the fifth-worst rush D in the league changing that pattern all too much in a make-or-break week for the Chiefs. Arizona is pretty much an open wound at this point, and Charles has the ability to make them feel more pain than they’ve felt all year. 

Six yards/carry (best in the NFL)?!?! You’ve got to be kidding me!

6. Ray Rice (@ Car)

Rice can do it all, and Carolina has a bit of trouble stopping “it all.” 

Whenever the Panthers face one of those fast little backs that can run, catch, break tackles and basically do whatever is necessary out on the field, they fail. Ahmad Bradshaw and Matt Forte had field days against the Panthers. 

Rice is better than both of them.

7. Maurice Jones-Drew (vs Cle)

So the Browns don’t give up rushing TDs, eh? 

MJD is on his game again, finally, and pretty much scored at will last week. If he’s fully over his injuries (as he seems to be), expect at least one TD this week at home against the Browns.

8. Ahmad Bradshaw (@ Phi)

Bradshaw didn’t get a ton of play last year, but somehow he was able to score a TD against the Eagles in both games he played against them. 

Philly has actually done a pretty good job at bottling up the better RBs in the league. But Bradshaw’s worth doesn’t come from just running the ball.

9. Arian Foster (@ NYJ)

Foster won’t be able to rip it up the way he has at various times this season.

But the Texans will make sure he’s involved enough to do some damage. This is likely just coincidence, but the only games in which Arian didn’t scored a TD this year were when the Texans faced off against the NFC East.

So at least he has that going for him.

10. Rashard Mendenhall (vs Oak)

The Raiders have been great against the run during their three-game winning streak.

But the Steelers will look to get Mendenhall going early enough for him to put up some nice fantasy stats by the end of the game. Last year, Rashard put up 103 yards and a TD against these guys, numbers I can easily see him repeating this weekend.

11. LaDainian Tomlinson (vs Hou)

LT21 is still the main man, though the split between him and Greene is getting to be close to even. 

Houston allows opposing offenses to do pretty much anything they want against them. So even though Tomlinson will be the one with more total yards in the end, it wouldn’t shock me to see both he and Shonn getting a TD apiece this Sunday.

12. Mike Tolbert (vs Den)

Tolberticus Touchdownimust! 

All the guy seems to do is score TDs, and he won’t change that assessment this Monday night. 

The Broncos have given up the most rushing touchdowns in the league this year—14—and are ranked No. 30 in yards allowed. With Ryan Mathews still banged up, expect a heavy dose of the little big man in Week 11.

13. Cedric Benson (vs Buf)

Benson has generally been a disappointment this year.

But he should be able to rack up some nice numbers against league’s worst team at defending the run.

14. Steven Jackson (vs Atl)

Jackson has given fantasy owners what they paid for lately, as he’s put up either 100-plus yards or a touchdown in four of the last five weeks. 

The Falcons are pretty tough against the run. But if the Rams can keep this one close (which they should), SJax will get a ton of opportunities to keep his streak going.

15. Michael Turner (@ StL)

Turner is still a workhorse for the Falcons.

So even though the Rams' rush D is one of the more solid ones in the game, he’ll get enough opportunities to make some noise on Sunday. Expect at least a goal-line TD and 80-plus yards in this one.

16. LeSean McCoy (vs NYG)

McCoy’s shoulder is a little banged up, but he’ll still garner a ton of snaps in this inner-division game. 

Last year at home against the Giants, McCoy went for 82 yards and a TD, numbers I can see coming close to repeating themselves this Sunday night.

17. Felix Jones (vs Det)

Ding dong, the Wicked Wade is dead! 

With Jason Garrett now heading up the squad, Felix Jones’ fantasy prospects take a turn for the better. As evidenced last week against the Giants. 

If Felix can nab 17 or more touches like he did in Week 10, then a good 130-plus yards and a TD are very possible against a super-weak defense like the Lions.

18. BenJarvis Green-Ellis (vs Ind)

Teams know that the Colts can be beat on the ground, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see The Firm get a good 15-20 carries in this one. 

If he does, expect close to 100 yards and a TD against a 29th-ranked Colts D that gives up a cool five yards per carry.

19. Darren McFadden (@ Pit)

Pittsburgh’s rush D is one of the best the NFL has seen in the past decade. 

That said, McFadden has been pretty darn special this year as well and can break off a long one at any given time. Something’s gotta give here, and you don’t want Run DMC on your fantasy bench if it happens to be the Steelers.

20. Fred Jackson (@ Cin)

With C.J. Spiller injured, FJax takes sole possession of the Bills backfield, which could amount to 25-30 touches. 

With that kind of action, any RB should be able to put up fantasy starter-worthy numbers.

21. Thomas Jones (vs Ari) 

It looks like the Chiefs are leaning more towards Jamaal Charles lately, but don’t go sour on Jones just yet. 

Against an Arizona rush D that has given up the fifth-most rushing yards and third-most TDs, there should be plenty to go around for both of them this Sunday.

22. Knowshon Moreno (@ SD)

Moreno has a real nose for the end zone.

Though I don’t expect more than 70 total yards or so out of him against this suffocating Chargers D, I would be shocked if he doesn’t cross the goal line with the ball at least once this game.

23. Shonn Greene (vs Hou)

Listen closely and you can hear the train comin’ round the bend, folks. 

It’s getting close to that time of year where the Jets will start to transfer their backfield dominance over to the big fella, and it started last week against the Browns. Greene looks super-fresh right now, as they’ve rested him well over the first half of the season. 

Against a terrible Texans defense, I can see both he and Tomlinson doing some fantasy damage in this game.

24. LeGarrette Blount (@ SF)

Blount has proven to be the best RB on the team this year, and the Bucs have noticed. 

He’ll get his fair share of carries in this one. Though he might not scratch out a bunch of yards against this formidable ‘Niners rush D, he might be able to squeeze one into the end zone if Freeman can lead the team down to within the five-yard line.

25. Keiland Williams (@ Ten) 

Keiland will run the show once again and should put up a good 100 total yards.  However, with Portis coming back this week, he might not get a full workload, so temper your expectations a bit.

RB Fun Fact of the Week:  With just 26 carries to his name, Keiland Williams has more fantasy points this season (basic scoring system) than Shonn Greene, Pierre Thomas, Beanie Wells, Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams (all top picks in Fantasy Drafts this year).

26. Joseph Addai (@ NE)

*****UPDATE*****  Joseph Addai has been ruled out, so go with Donald Brown this week

It’s 50/50 as to whether Addai will be giving it a go this weekend or not, so keep checking the news to see if you should play him or Donald Brown this weekend. 

If he does get out there, Addai might not get a full complement of snaps with the Colts will trying to ease him back into play. But if he’s out on the field, believe me, Manning will be using him. 

Joey had both a rushing and receiving TD against the Patriots last year and will need to produce if the Colts want to win this one.

27. Matt Forte (@ Mia)

Forte’s fantasy stock is pretty low at this point, but he’s still the main back for the Bears. 

If he can get around 20 touches in this game, he’ll produce. If not, he’s basically useless unless you play in a PPR league.

28. Tim Hightower (@ KC)

Supposedly, Beanie Wells will be practicing all week and giving it a go this weekend.

But that shouldn’t matter too much if the Cards get down early to the Chiefs. Hightower is still the guy they use in passing situations, a predicament Arizona could be facing quite often on Sunday.

29. Ronnie Brown (vs Chi)

Ronnie is only seeing 14.5 touches a game this year, and even less when the Dolphins play at home. 

However, he’s at least been finding the end zone lately (one TD in each of the last two games). Even though the Bears' rush D doesn’t give up many yards, they do give up a bunch of rushing TDs, so Brown could be useful on your fantasy team in that regard.

30. Mike Goodson (vs Bal)

With DeAngelo Williams being put on injured reserve and Jonathan Stewart not yet back from his concussion, Goodson will be the starter once again this Sunday. 

He took advantage of his shot last week as he put up 100 yards rushing on 23 carries, but that was against the Bucs. Baltimore is nowhere close to as porous as Tampa, so don’t expect the same production as last week.

31. Justin Forsett (@ NO)

Marshawn Lynch has been generally ineffective for a few weeks now, so the Seahawks turned to Forsett last week.

The move paid off. 

Against a team like the Saints, Forsett will be more useful in the offense with Seattle likely needing to pass the ball to stay within range. It wouldn’t kill you to take a chance on him if need be.

32. Jahvid Best (@ Dal)

Best won’t be at full strength this Sunday.

But with Kevin Smith out and not much behind him on the depth chart, he’ll surely receive the bulk of the work out of the backfield against the Cowboys. Dallas has been one of the weaker defenses as of late, so Jahvid could be worth a shot if your fantasy team is strapped this weekend.

Week 11 rankings for QBs, WRs, and TEs

There are no teams with RBs on a bye this week