Week 12 Fantasy Rankings: The Top 5 Running Backs

There was carnage galore at the running back position in Week 11, as Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings was sidelined by an ankle injury and Fred Jackson of the Buffalo Bills was lost for the season to a fractured leg.

Only Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens has played among the elite options at his position this week, and a number of top fantasy running backs should still be set for big days, including the following fistful of ball-carriers.

5. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. HOU)

Fantasy football's ninth-ranked running back in points scored, Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars, should have plenty of chances for production in a game with the Houston Texans, in which both teams will pound the ball all day.

4. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams (vs. ARI)

Running back Steven Jackson of the St. Louis Rams is enjoying another quality season on another struggling Rams team, and the eighth-year veteran should continue to perform against an Arizona Cardinals squad that he torched for 130 rushing yards a few weeks ago.

3. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears (at OAK)

Matt Forte of the Chicago Bears is fourth among running backs through 11 weeks this season, and the fourth-year pro should have little trouble getting it going against an Oakland Raiders team that has surrendered the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs this year.

2. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. NE)

Running back LeSean McCoy of the Philadelphia Eagles is second among backs in fantasy points this season, and there's no reason to think the third-year veteran won't keep racking up stats this week against a suspect New England Patriots defense.

1. Arian Foster, Houston Texans (at JAC)

Over his past four games, running back Arian Foster of the Houston Texans is averaging an otherworldly 176 total yards and nearly two touchdowns. The nova-hot Foster should once again excel against a middling Jacksonville Jaguars run defense.