2011 PPR Fantasy Football Week 15: Running Backs (RB) Rankings and Projections

Steven Jackson vs. Bengals

If you look at the numbers, the odds of Steven Jackson being a trust-worthy option this week aren’t promising, as the Rams are one of the worst teams in football, and they will be matched up against a top-10 run defense.

In Jackson’s defense, the Rams offensive line showed flashes of better run-blocking than I’ve seen on film since they played the Browns, five weeks ago.

While the Bengals have a nice ranking for the year against the run, their three worst performances in stopping the run have come in the last three weeks against the Browns, Steelers and Texans. If the Browns weren’t a part of that trio, I wouldn’t have much optimism, as the Steelers are capable of running the football and the Texans are one of the better running teams in the league.

Fact is the Browns did run for over 130 yards against Cincinnati, and while Sam Bradford nursing a high ankle sprain, even OC Josh McDaniels had to settle for a heavy does of running the football and trying to get the short-passing game involved in Seattle.

Going back and watching the film from last night's game, Jackson still looks good and maybe the Rams will actually wise up and use as the primary red zone option going forward, after an embarrassing five-play series at the goal-line, until they finally gave the ball to Jackson, and he converted the touchdown.

Like Matt Forte with the Bears, and Maurice Jones-Drew with the Jaguars, Jackson accounts for a high percentage of his teams overall offense, and this should be a week that Jackson can help you. Because he does play for the Rams, even optimistic fantasy owners like myself, have to look at Jackson as a roll-of-the-dice flex play option, but this analyst will be playing him with the Super Bowl in sight.

More WK 15 PPR Rankings – QB | WR | Flex | Waivers | Start/Sit |

1	Arian Foster	Panthers
2	Ray Rice	at Chargers
3	Shonn Greene	at Eagles
4	Maurice Jones-Drew	at Falcons
5	Reggie Bush	at Bills
6	Marshawn Lynch	at Bears
7	LeSean McCoy	Jets
8	Chris Johnson	at Colts
9	Felix Jones	at Buccaneers
10	Roy Helu	at Giants
11	Adrian Peterson (I)	Saints
12	Cedric Benson	at Rams
13	Ryan Mathews	Ravens
14	Michael Turner (I)	Jaguars
15	Michael Bush	Lions
16	Beanie Wells	Browns
17	Marion Barber	Seahawks
18	Brandon Jacobs (I)	Redskins
19	Ryan Grant	at Chiefs
20	Steven Jackson	Bengals
21	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	at Broncos
22	Willis McGahee (I)	Patriots
23	Frank Gore (I)	Steelers
24	Darren Sproles	at Vikings
25	C.J. Spiller	Dolphins
26	LeGarrette Blount	Cowboys
27	Ben Tate	Panthers
28	DeAngelo Williams	at Texans
29	Rashard Mendenhall	at 49ers
30	Peyton Hillis (I)	at Cardinals
31	LaDainian Tomlinson	at Eagles
32	Pierre Thomas	at Vikings
33	Danny Woodhead	at Broncos
34	Jonathan Stewart	at Texans
35	Donald Brown	Titans
36	Ahmad Bradshaw (I)	Redskins
37	Mike Tolbert	Ravens
38	Keiland Williams	at Raiders
39	Toby Gerhart	Saints
40	Daniel Thomas	at Bills
41	Chris Ivory	at Vikings
42	Ricky Williams	at Chargers
43	Lance Ball	Patriots
44	Evan Royster	at Giants