2011 Fantasy Football Week 1: Running Backs (RB) Rankings / Projections

Let’s get the ball rolling as another season of fantasy football is alive and well, and our Week 1 running back rankings are ready to go. Below I have a listing of our top 40 running backs for the first week of the season, and will have updates on these rankings by the weekend.

Arian Foster Ready After All?

Texans beat writer, John McClain, wrote a glowing piece for fantasy owners with Arian Foster as the expectation now is that Foster is a possible full go in practice. This would be huge news for Foster as he looked dicey after the Texans failed to play Ben Tate and Derrick Ward in the teams final preseason games.

If Foster is a go, he would move up from his current ninth overall ranking this week and would likely be the top runner listed. Foster destroyed the Colts last year, and with Peyton Manning likely out this week, the Texans should walk all over their division rival.

Reggie Bush Feature Back?

It’s time to believe in Reggie Bush being not just the Dolphins No.1 running back but a possible feature back in the early portion of the season. Rookie Daniel Thomas has struggled in camp, and will have a hard time finding the field, and Miami went ahead and released Larry Johnson over the weekend. Bush should be considered a must start flex play in ten team PPR leagues, as Chad Henne is likely to check down to Bush, early and often.

Wear Your Beanie Proud

Is it time to believe in Beanie Wells as a weekly fantasy running back? Maybe not, but you should have him in your lineup as a flex play starter against the Panthers. Wells will benefit from Ryan Williams and Tim Hightower begin out of the mix, as well as quarterback Kevin Kolb coming to the team.

Don’t worry about Chester Taylor as the veteran was brought in for more of a veteran depth presence than anything else. Taylor was horrible in Chicago and will be a backup.

More Week 1 Rankings - QB | RB | WR | TE | K/D | DL | LB | DB | Start/Bench | Waiver Wire

1	Jamaal Charles	Bills
2	Darren McFadden	@ Broncos
3	Frank Gore	Seahawks
4	Chris Johnson	@ Jaguars
5	Adrian Peterson	@ Chargers
6	Peyton Hillis	@ Browns
7	Jahvid Best	@ Buccaneers
8	LeSean McCoy	@ Rams
9	Arian Foster (I)	Colts
10	Maurice Jones-Drew	Titans
11	Ray Rice	Steelers
12	Rashard Mendenhall	@ Ravens
13	Ahmad Bradshaw	@ Redskins
14	Steven Jackson	Eagles
15	LeGarrette Blount	Lions
16	Beanie Wells	Panthers
17	Michael Turner	Bears
18	DeAngelo Williams	@ Cardinals
19	Matt Forte	@ Falcons
20	Felix Jones	@ Jets
21	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	@ Dolphins
22	Ryan Mathews	Vikings
23	Cedric Benson	@ Browns
24	Tim Hightower	Giants
25	Joseph Addai	@ Texans
26	Fred Jackson	@ Chiefs
27	Shonn Greene	Cowboys
28	Knowshon Moreno	Raiders
29	Brandon Jacobs	@ Redskins
30	Reggie Bush	Patriots
31	Mark Ingram	@ Packers
32	Derrick Ward	Colts
33	Ben Tate	Colts
34	Willis McGahee	Raiders
35	Ryan Grant	Saints
36	Marshawn Lynch (I)	@ 49ers
37	Mike Tolbert	Vikings
38	James Starks	Saints
39	Pierre Thomas	@ Packers
40	Michael Bush	@ Broncos

2011 Weekly Lineup Help

Player Rankings | Waiver Wire | Start/Bench