Week 5 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Fred Jackson and the 3 RBs You Must Start

Running backs run fantasy football. 

They accumulate yardage on the ground, catch passes out of the backfield and are usually called upon in goal-line situations. 

Let's look at the top 3 fantasy running backs for Week 5—starting in Buffalo. 

Fred Jackson 

The do-it-all feature back in Buffalo is facing a team that was gashed for 164 yards on 25 carries against the 49ers last week.

For the most part, Jackson was held in check against a stout Bengals defense last week. However, he still had 22 touches, one of which resulted in a touchdown. 

The Bills run a true spread system, yet they still get Jackson the ball often—many of his runs coming from shotgun handoffs and delayed counters. 

By spreading out the defense, Jackson has a ton of open space when his number is called in the screen game. The Bills can even split him out wide to work against smaller cornerbacks and slower linebackers. 

He'll be an integral part of what Buffalo does on offense and I expect him to be extremely successful. 

LeSean McCoy

Vick vs. Fitzpatrick? How about Jackson vs. McCoy. 

These two runners are among the most versatile backs in the game today and their coaches get them the ball in a variety of different ways. 

Last week, Buffalo's defense was shaky against Cedric Benson in the second half, so expect Andy Reid to utilize his shifty runner frequently in this one. 

He and Jason Babin have been two bright spots in a struggling team.

Arian Foster

This one's easy. 

Foster looks to be over his nagging hamstring injury and the Oakland Raiders are horrible against the run—currently allowing an NFL-worst 5.9 yards per carry. 

With Andre Johnson out of the lineup with a hamstring injury of his own, expect the Texans coaching staff to call Foster's name early and often.