Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings: Darren McFadden and RBs Sure to Impress

Fantasy Football is around the mid-way point of the season. There is still time for many to make a playoff push, but it needs to start sooner rather than later. What better week to start than this week?

Here is everything you need to know about running backs that will impress on Sunday.

Chris Johnson

If Johnson can’t get it going this week, I’m not sure it will ever come consistently in 2011. He is going up against the Houston Texans in an AFC South rivalry game.

Winner of this game will take control of the division. Johnson needs to earn the contract he was given in the beginning of the season.

He’s been borderline pathetic through five games. He has only captured 250 yards and one touchdown on the ground.

If he can’t do it this week against an average rush defense, without Mario Williams, then he may not do it for the rest of the season.

Darren McFadden

McFadden is due to have a breakout game. He has only recorded one 100-yard performance in 2011 and that was against the New York Jets. He hasn’t been able to get going consistently.

However, with the addition of Carson Palmer, defenses will not load up the box to stop the run. They must be respectful of Palmer’s ability to throw the football.

This will allow McFadden to get some yards on the ground against their division rival Kansas City Chiefs.

Also, the Raiders will want to ease Palmer into the offense and McFadden will be the beneficiary.

Matt Forte

Forte doesn’t need to have 100 yards rushing to have an impressive day. He can also catch the ball out of the backfield better than anybody in the NFL right now.

He has 36 receptions for 381 yards, which is tied for fifth in the NFL with Detroit Lions’ Calvin Johnson.

Tampa Bay is 18^th against the rush and 26^th against the pass. Forte will get his share of opportunities to continue his success this Sunday.

Also, with the game in London, conditions tend to be poor. Who knows what the conditions will be, but if they are poor, Forte will get more touches.

Michael Turner

If the Atlanta Falcons are going to defeat the Detroit Lions on the road, Turner will need to have a solid day rushing the football.

Against the Lions defense, Turner achieving solid numbers is a high possibility.

Against the run, Detroit is 26^th in the NFL. They gave up 141 yards against Frank Gore last week and 116 yards to Matt Forte earlier in the season en route to allowing 130 yards rushing per game.

Turner has rushed for 499 yards and six touchdowns in 2011.

Atlanta needs a statement road victory. They won’t achieve that feat if Turner doesn’t have a productive day on the ground.