Fantasy Football Week 16 Rankings: Top 40 Running Backs

Quite a few running backs are either sharing carries or nursing injuries.  So, where are we to turn with our fantasy title on the line?  Let’s take a look:

1. Arian Foster, Houston Texans: at Denver
2. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders: vs. Indianapolis
3. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens: at Cleveland
4. Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers: vs. Carolina
5. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans: at Kansas City
6. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons: vs. New Orleans
7. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars: vs. Washington
8. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, New England Patriots: at Buffalo
9. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs: vs. Tennessee
10. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings: at Philadelphia
11. LeGarrette Blount, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: vs. Seattle
12. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams: vs. San Francisco
13. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles: vs. Minnesota
14. Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns: vs. Baltimore
15. Mike Tolbert, San Diego Chargers: at Cincinnati
16. Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals: vs. San Diego
17. Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos: vs. Houston
18. Ryan Torain, Washington Redskins: at Jacksonville
19. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears: vs. New York Jets
20. Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants: at Green Bay
21. Felix Jones, Dallas Cowboys: at Arizona
22. Tim Hightower, Arizona Cardinals: vs. Dallas
23. Donald Brown, Indianapolis Colts: at Oakland
24. Ronnie Brown, Miami Dolphins: vs. Detroit
25. Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills: vs. New England
26. Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers: at Pittsburgh
27. Danny Woodhead, New England Patriots: at Buffalo
28. Maurice Morris, Detroit Lions: at Miami
29. Christopher Ivory, New Orleans Saints: at Atlanta
30. LaDainian Tomlinson, New York Jets: at Chicago
31. Thomas Jones, Kansas City Chiefs: vs. Tennessee
32. Tashard Choice, Dallas Cowboys: at Arizona
33. Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants: at Green Bay
34. Brandon Jackson, Green Bay Packers: vs. New York Giants
35. Shonn Greene, New York Jets: at Chicago
36. Beanie Wells, Arizona Cardinals: vs. Dallas
37. Brian Westbrook, San Francisco 49ers: at St. Louis
38. Pierre Thomas, New Orleans Saints: at Atlanta
39. Rashad Jennings, Jacksonville Jaguars: vs. Washington
40. Anthony Dixon, San Francisco 49ers: at St. Louis

Thoughts:

• Yes, the Browns have allowed just four rushing touchdowns on the year, but Ray Rice is coming off a huge game (153 rushing yards and a touchdown, 80 receiving yards and a touchdown).  His ability to contribute in the passing game, as well as accumulate rushing yards, makes him an elite option.
• When will the Chiefs finally decide to give Jamaal Charles the bulk of the carries?  He was unstoppable this past week, with 126 yards and a touchdown on just 11 carries.  Thomas Jones received twice as many carries, picking up 62 yards and a touchdown.  Charles remains to be the better option for fantasy owners.  However, the fact that he doesn’t get the bulk of the carries significantly hurts his potential value.  He did suffer an injury in Week 15, but word is that it was just cramps and shouldn’t be an issue.
• Knowshon Moreno was injured in the first quarter of Week 15 and didn’t return to the field.  Will he be able to play in Week 16?  Time will tell, but we’ll have to monitor the news.
• Peyton Hillis has been a stud running back, but he’s now gone three straight games without a touchdown, and in two of them he has had less than 60 yards rushing (and 82 total yards).  Against a Ravens defense that has allowed just five rushing touchdowns and averaged less than 100 yards rushing on the year, he has to be considered an RB2 this week.
• So much for the Saints trying to get Pierre Thomas going, huh?  He had just six carries for 20 yards, despite Christopher Ivory being out of action.  If Ivory dresses, he is the back to use in New Orleans while Thomas should be on fantasy benches.
• The Cowboys split the carries pretty evenly in Week 15 between Felix Jones (12 carries for 70 yards) and Tashard Choice (15 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown).  That limits both of their values.
• Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined for 58 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Bills, the worst rushing defense in the league.  Against the Lions, another poor rushing defense, I can’t consider them anything more than low-end RB2/FLEX options.
• Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs continue to share carries, though Bradshaw appears to be the better option.  Consider him a low-end RB2 option, with Jacobs being a FLEX choice.
• It was a monster day running the ball for Donald Brown, picking up 129 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.  Will he again get the bulk of the carries?  Will Joseph Addai finally return?  For now, I’d consider Brown an RB2 option, especially against a Raiders defense that is in the bottom 10 in the league.  If Addai does return, however, things will change.
• Jonathan Stewart may be on a hot streak, but against the Pittsburgh Steelers he is much better suited to be a FLEX option than someone you are banking on producing.
• At this point it is hard to count on Jahvid Best, even if he does dress.  Maurice Morris, coming off a 15 carry, 105 yard, one TD game, certainly appears to be the better option.
• After being scratched in Week 15, there has to be some concern regarding Adrian Peterson.  Still, if he plays, he has to be considered an RB1 in all formats.  He just has too much electricity to ignore.

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 16 Rankings:

• Top 25 Quarterbacks
• Waiver Worthy

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