Fantasy Football Week 5 Rankings: Adrian Peterson and 3 RBs Who Will Explode

There are three running backs with the talent and matchup to secure owners enough fantasy football points in Week 5 to almost single-handedly carry their team to victory.

While this has been the year of the pass, running backs are still the backbone of any good fantasy teams. This fact will only become more valid as the season progresses.

Injuries, fatigue and declining weather will find teams going to the ground more to move the offense. Across the board, I expect running backs numbers to hit a season high this week. 

And the following three will be leading the pack.

No. 1: Arian Foster

Arian Foster is back. He has struggled early this season with a hamstring injury, but he announced to the NFL that he is back and ready to pick up right where he left off last season.

Foster had 30 carries for 155 yards and one touchdown against the Steelers last week. He is going to better those numbers this week.

Foster is going to be facing an awful Raiders defense. The Raiders are ranked 29th in rushing yards allowed per game.

They also have a defense that is almost identical to the one Foster shredded last year.

In that 2010 Week 4 contest, Foster had 17 carries for 133 yards and one touchdown.

As a team, the Texans had 33 carries for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Foster is going to get the bulk of the carries this week as both of his backups, Ben Tate and Derrick Ward, are banged up.

No. 2: Adrian Peterson

Adrian Peterson has yet to explode for a huge game this season. He has been rock solid though. And he is going to be too much for the Cardinals to handle.

Peterson has 376 yards on the season and he has gotten that while averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

The Cardinals have been decent against the run this year. They are 15th in rushing yards allowed per game.

However, the Cardinals have not played very good rushing teams. The best rushing attack they have faced is the Redskins. The 'Skins gained 172 yards at 4.9 per carry.

No. 3: Darren McFadden

Arian Foster isn't going to be the only running back putting up big numbers in this game. Darren McFadden will too.

The Raiders are running the ball with ease this year. That trend will continue.

The Texans are ranked 10th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed. However, that is a bit of a mirage. They have faced the sixth-fewest rushing attempts in the NFL.

They are giving up 4.9 yards per rush attempt. That is 27th in the NFL.

The Raiders are going to give the rock to McFadden early and often, and he is going to produce.