Fantasy Football Rankings Week 1: Predicting the Top 5 Running Backs

What Jimi Hendrix was to the Jimi Hendrix Experience, running backs are to fantasy football.

I'm probably going to have to pay John Buccigross royalties for daring to rip him off, but you get the point. Fantasy football would just plain suck without running backs.

But let's not think about that. With the NFL season set to officially kick off Thursday night, this is a time to celebrate all things football. And before long, our respective running backs will be piling up the points and leading us to victory.

Just like Jimi Hendrix. Kinda.

In any case, some running backs are going to do better than others in Week 1. My guess is that there will probably be five of these standouts, and I think I know who they are.

5. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

To justify Adrian Peterson's inclusion on this list, I would like to point out that he's Adrian Peterson.

If you have no notion of what that means, all you really need to know is that Peterson is one of the best running backs in the game. He can do it all. And oftentimes, he does do it all.

The same will be true when the Vikings take on the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

Prediction: 120 yards rushing, 30 receiving yards.

4. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City's Jamaal Charles was quite the find in 2010. He was on nobody's radar at the start of the season, but he went on to rush for 1,467 yards on just 230 carries. Stud.

In Week 1, Charles' Chiefs are going to be squaring off against the Buffalo Bills, who, for the record, allowed a league-high 169.6 rushing yards per game last season.

The Bills did make some improvements to their front seven, most notably rookie defensive tackle Marcell Dareus. But as I see it, Charles will just run around and past these improvements.

Prediction: 90 yards rushing, 30 yards receiving, one TD.

3. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders

People will disagree with me, but I'll take Darren McFadden over any running back in the league. In fact, I did. I used the No. 2 pick on him in my draft.

You can laugh if you want, but McFadden is going to be a beast against the Denver Broncos. Their rush defense was atrocious last year, and McFadden picked it apart in two games.

In those two games, McFadden torched the Broncos for 284 rushing yards, 70 receiving yards and four touchdowns. I don't know about you, but I sense a trend.

Prediction: 110 yards, 20 receiving yards, one TD. 

2. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles

If you're looking for a running back that can get points in a variety of ways, you're looking for LeSean McCoy.

Last year, McCoy had just over 1,000 yards rushing, which is nice. The best part, though, is that he led all running backs with 78 receptions.

I don't see why he can't do so again, and it will all start on the road and on the carpet against the St. Louis Rams.

Prediction: 80 yards rushing, 60 yards receiving, one TD.

1. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams

Steven Jackson doesn't stand in line. He runs through them.

Especially if that line is the defensive line of the Philadelphia Eagles. And behind that line is a very weak crop of linebackers. If the Rams have any brains—and they do—they'll let Jackson run right at 'em.

When he does, it won't be in slow motion.

Prediction: 130 yards rushing, 20 yards receiving, one TD.