Must Start

Le’veon Bell, Jamaal Charles, Marshawn Lynch, Eddie Lacy, LeSean McCoy and DeMarco Murray*

Tier 1

Arian Foster vs. Bal – The prospect of facing a tough D and having to do so with a 3rd stringer behind center moves Foster down a notch.

CJ Anderson vs. Cin – The threat of Manning throwing has opened everything up or Anderson.

Joique Bell vs. Chi – The Bears run D is a sieve.

Jeremy Hill vs. Den – Hill’s a load and the Broncos will find this out Sunday.

Fred Jackson vs. Oak – Expect Buffalo to make Jackson a large part of the game plan.

Mark Ingram vs. Atl – The Saints ground game has gotten off track in recent week. Atl is a good place to get back on track.

Tier 2

Justin Forsett vs. Hou – Don’t expect a trip to the end zone but he’ll pick up 100 total yards.

Alfred Morris vs. Phi – Morris will top 80 yards with a TD.

Daniel Herron vs. Dal – Expect Herron to be involved in the passing game.

Latavius Murray vs. Buf – The Bills have shown vulnerability against the run recently.

Lamar Miller vs. Min – Miller is a solid No. 2 against the 23rd ranked rush D.

Jonathan Stewart vs. Cle – The Browns are missing key defenders that are crucial against stopping the run.

Steven Jackson vs. NO – The old man is still a threat and has a solid matchup here.

Bust

Ryan Mathews vs. SF – The 49ers are beat up but still field a formidable run D.

Fantasy Sleeper

Matt Asiata vs. Mia – The Dolphins don’t stop the run well. Asiata is a big fantasy sleeper on championship weekend.

Must Start

Jamaal Charles, Matt Forte, Le’Veon Bell, Arian Foster and LeSean McCoy

Tier 1

Marshawn Lynch vs. SF – Lynch is the one back who consistently tops 100 yards against the 49ers.

DeMarco Murray vs. Phi – The Eagles stopped him last time. Tough matchup right back.

Justin Forsett vs. Jax – Forsett will top 125 yards with a TD against the lowly Jags.

Mark Ingram vs. Chi – There are gaping holes in the middle of the Bears D.

Chris Ivory vs. Ten – The Titans D is a sieve.

CJ Anderson vs. SD – All of the attention paid towards Manning has opened things up for Anderson. Look for 100 yards with a TD.

Joique Bell vs. Min – Look for 90 yards with a TD. Bell is the goal line back.

Fred Jackson vs. GB – Value in PPR league.

Eddie Lacy vs. Buf – Lacy will hit 13-17 FFL points but the Bills D is formidable.

Tier 2

Legarrette Blount vs. Mia – The Dolphins run D is very poor. Blount should receive 20 carries and find the end zone.

Daniel Herron vs. Hou – The Texans are middle of the pack stopping the run. Herron will notch 5 receptions as well.

Jeremy Hill vs. Cle – Look for a big bounce back after their last outing.

Giovani Bernard vs. Cle – Expect 8-11 points. The timeshare impacts both players.

Alfred Morris vs. NYG – The Giants are the 2nd worst team against the run.

Rashad Jennings vs. Was – Injury makes his status a question mark.

Bust

Frank Gore vs. Sea – Seattle will end the 49ers season and keep Gore in check.

Fantasy Sleeper

Chris Johnson vs. Ten – The Titans are the worst team against the run in the NFL. A little payback against his former team.

Le’veon Bell, DeMarco Murray, Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy, Marshawn Lynch, Arian Foster

Tier 1

Matt Forte vs. Det – His value will come in PPR leagues. The Lions run D is tops.

Mark Ingram vs. Pit – Look for the Saints to pound the rock when they hit Pit.

Andre Ellington vs. Atl – The Falcons run D is worst in the league.

Eddie Lacy vs. NE – The Pats strength is its pass D. Lacy will top 100 yards and be used as a receiver.

Rashad Jennings vs. Jax – Jennings will top 125 total yards with a score.

Alfred Morris vs. Ind – Gruden will give Morris 20 carries and he’ll top 18 FFL points.

Justin Forsett vs SD – Expect the Ravens to feed Forsett the ball 20 times. He will top 18 FFL points.

Jeremy Hill vs. TB – Hill’s a low No. 1 since earning more playing time after Bernard’s injury.

Joique Bell vs Chi – Bell will top 80 yards with 2 TDs.

Denard Robinson vs NYG – New York’s run D has been shredded recently.

Tier 2

Giovani Bernard vs. TB – His carries will pick up in his 2nd game back.

Tre Mason vs. Oak – The Raiders rank 25th against the run.

Ryan Matthews vs. Bal – Baltimore poses a tough test which keeps Matthews a No. 2 / flex play.

Jerrick Mckinnon vs. Car – The Panthers still can’t stop the run. Look for 12-14 FFL points.

Fred Jackson vs. Cle – The loss of DT Phil Taylor took away the Browns’ most feared run defender.

Daniel Herron vs. Was – Brings additional value in PPR leagues.

Shane Vereen vs. GB – Vereen will put up 9 FFL points.

CJ Anderson vs. KC – He’s also a threat as a receiver out of the backfield.

Lamar Miller vs. NYJ – Miller comes in at a low No. 2 / flex play against the Jets run D.

Latavius Murray vs. Stl – Had a tremendous game vs. KC in a little over a quarter. He’s the main tailback now.

Bust

Isaiah Crowell vs. Buf – It’ll be tough sledding against the Bills run D.

Fantasy Sleeper

Fred Jackson vs. Cle – Still bouncing back from an injury but this will be a big week for Jackson. The Browns run D took a major hit when DT Phil Taylor went out.

DeMarco Murray, Le’veon Bell, Arian Foster, LeSean McCoy, Matt Forte, Jamaal Charles and Marshawn Lynch

Tier 1

Eddie Lacy vs. NO – It’s only a matter of time before the big man gets rolling.

Andre Ellington vs. Phi – He’ll top 20 fantasy points in PPR leagues.

Alfred Morris vs. Dal – The Skins will run the ball 20+ times to keep the Cowboys high powered offense on the sidelines.

Ronnie Hillman vs. SD – The Chargers are banged up on D.

Giovanni Bernard vs. Bal – Look for the Bengals running game to get back on track here.

Ahmad Bradshaw vs. Pit – Multi-purpose threat who will notch 15 points in PPR leagues.

Joique Bell vs. Atl – The Lions run game will wear down this smaller Falcons D.

Shane Vereen vs. Chi – Vereen will take on more importance in this offense. The Bears struggle against opposing RBs who can catch out of the backfield.

Lamar Miller vs. Jax – He’ll top 17 points against the Jags.

Tier 2

Chris Ivory vs. Buf – The Bills run D poses a real threat which keeps Ivory a No. 2.

Branden Oliver vs. Den – The Sproles-esque clone will top 70 yards with a score.

Tre Mason vs. KC – The Rams appear to be rolling with their rookie.

Doug Martin vs. Min – Is this the breakout game? The match-up makes him a solid No. 2 / flex play.

Jerick McKinnon vs. TB – Has a solid matchup vs. the Bucs.

Bishop Sankey vs. Hou – The Texans run D isn’t its strength.

Reggie Bush vs. Atl – Bush will top 10-12 points in PPR leagues. He’s still 2nd in the pecking order.

Justin Forsett vs. Cin – Check if LB Vontaze Burfict is playing. Once he went out the Colts ran all over the Bengals.

Trent Richardson vs. Pit – Still worthy of a flex play against a generous Steelers D.

Ben Tate vs. Oak – Look for 80 yards with a TD.

Bust

Denard Robinson vs. Mia – Thrived in his first start with over 120 yards and a TD. The Dolphins play better run D than Cleveland.

Fantasy Sleeper

Mark Ingram vs. GB – The Saints will pound #22 to keep Rodgers on the bench. The Packers run D is generous.

1. Adrian Peterson

The NFL hasn’t seen a back with Peterson’s overall talent in sometime. While Tomlinson is clearly the best back of the past decade, Peterson is now entering his third year and if the first two are any indication of what is to come, watch out.

This guy is a 2,000 yard candidate every single year. And with an improving offense in 2009, plus other weapons to take some attention away from him, look for Peterson to hit 1,800 yards with double digit TDs. The only area of concern is his fumbles, but an off season of film should help him get past this.

2. Ryan Grant

Grant took a big step back in 2008 and wasn’t the sensation he was over the last eight games over the 2007 season. The offense should once again be strong and with an improved defense, the Pack could have more opportunities to feature the run and play with a lead. Look for Grant to post a 1,000 yard season with seven to nine TDs.

3. Matt Forte

Forte was a nice surprise for the Bears in the 2nd round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and quickly became the full-time starter from day one. With the addition of Jay Cutler to the mix in 2009, the Bears will utilize the passing game to a greater degree than in years’ past, but they’ll still need a strong running game to equalize the inclement weather of Soldier Field after October. Look for Forte to hit the thousand yard mark and put in six to nine TDs.

4. Kevin Smith

Smith had a pretty decent ending to the Lions miserable 0-16 season and showed flashes with 291 yards and three TDs over the last three games. The situation is still far from pretty, and if the Lions decide to plug in Stafford from day one, it will hamper the team’s offensive success,  but the team should improve to the point where Smith can duplicate, or better his rookie numbers. Look for him to come close to the 1,000 yard mark and score six times.

5. Chester Taylor

Taylor is still plugging away in Minnesota and still a very effective back when he gets the opportunity to come off the bench. With Peterson the obvious No. one, Taylor only gets about five to eight carries per game, but in the event Peterson goes down with an injury, as he did in his rookie season, Taylor is a good late round pick that can fill in admirably when given then carries.

Draft tip

There’s not much to differentiate Grant, Forte and Smith except the overall success of their teams. The Packers and Bears should be much better than the Lions and because of that, playing with the lead more often. Since backs get a majority of their yards and TDs in the second half of games, consider taking Grant and Forte earlier than Smith in your fantasy drafts, even though Smith could be the better overall running back.

Must Starts

1. Willie Parker vs. Cincinnati Bengals. Parker came back with a strong effort vs. the Chargers this past Sunday, and on Thursday he gets the Bengals. Got to love that matchup.

In what could be frigid conditions at Heinz field Thursday night, look for the Steelers to get back to playing Pittsburgh Steelers football and pounding away on the ground. And as the line begins to gel together, this all bodes very well for Parker. 100 yards and two TDs.

2. Matt Forte vs. St. Louis Rams. Ok, the game by the Bay (San Francisco) last Sunday convinced me that the Rams have officially mailed the season in.

After a few nice efforts that led to upsets over Washington and Dallas, the bottom has fallen out and this defense has given up 40 and 35 points respectively in the first halves alone of each of the past two games.

Look for the Bears to get back on track after the debacle in GB and for Forte to be a major focal point of the offensive attack. 100 yards and two TDs.

3. Joseph Addai vs. San Diego Chargers. Addai came back strong with a nice effort vs. the Texans (100+ yards and two TDs) and now he gets the lackluster Chargers’ D.

Look for the Bolts to kept off balance all night as they have trouble with both the pass and run, and for Addai to be a major fantasy performer on the ground and out of the backfield. 100 yards and one TD.

4. Ryan Grant vs. New Orleans Saints. The Packers head down to the Big Easy in what has all the makings of a shootout in the Superdome. Both teams possess rather iffy defenses, but the Saints is actually in worse shape coming into this game.

GB will try and minimize the amount of time that Brees spends on the field so look for a lot of carries to go Grant’s way. 100 yards and one TD.

Sleepers

1. Ahmad Bradshaw vs. Arizona Cardinals. As of Tuesday, there’s a strong possibility that the Giants will keep RB Jacobs out of their game in Arizona. If that’s the case, look for the talented second-year back to be more of a factor in the game plan.

In his limited opportunity last week vs. the top ranked rushing defense (Baltimore), he broke off a 77-yard run and finished off with 96 yards in the fourth quarter alone. With four quarters to play in this one, 100-yards is definitely with in his reach.

2. Warrick Dunn vs. Detroit Lions. Check the injury report prior to the game, and if Cadillac Williams is set to play, consider him, but regardless of who plays, the Tampa Bay backfield should enjoy a lot of success on the ground.

The Panthers talented duo ran for over 250 yards combined on this Lions’ D, so look for a big game from Dunn if in fact he is the featured back on Sunday.

Others with favorable matchups

1. MarShawn Lynch vs. Kansas City Chiefs. Lynch broke out of his slump on Monday night with his 1st 100-yard game rushing of the season. He also added 50+ receiving yards and a score. This week they travel to Kansas City and Lynch should enjoy a lot of success against a weak Chiefs’ D. A strong fantasy option.

2. Steve Slaton vs. Cleveland Browns. Slaton had hit the proverbial wall prior to last Sunday’s game but bounced back nicely with a 156-yard effort that included a 71-yard TD. Look for more of the same this week as Slaton goes up against a less than formidable Browns’ D.

3. Clinton Portis vs. Seattle Seahawks. Even in the midst of their two-game slump, Portis has run the ball well. This week the ‘Skins head out to Seattle where the Seahawks have stopped nobody. Look for Zorn to rely heavily on his No. 1 tailback and for Portis to hit the 100-yard plateau with at least one score. ]]> https://profootball101.com/2008/11/19/week-12-rb-fantasy-rankings/feed/ 0 https://profootball101.com/2008/10/02/rb-fantasy-rankings-for-week-5/ https://profootball101.com/2008/10/02/rb-fantasy-rankings-for-week-5/#comments Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:28:18 +0000 profootball101 http://profootball101.wordpress.com/?p=218 Must starts:

1. Marion Barber vs. Cincinnati. This is a no-brainer because Dallas is mad. They were beaten last weekend by the Washington Redskins and want to pulverize their next opponent to show the NFL world that they’re still the best… at least in their eyes. I think Dallas gets up early in this game and their big O-line, leading the way for Barber, wears Cincy down in a blowout. Barber hits the century mark and puts it into the end zone at least twice.

2. Adrian Peterson vs. New Orleans. Do you think someone is salivating at the prospects of taking on a soft New Orleans D? The only way Peterson doesn’t go off in this game is if Brees and Co. get off to a big lead early and force the Vikings into pass mode, otherwise, I see daylight for AP. I think he easily get to 100 yards, possibly 125 or more, and puts it into the end zone at least once.

3. Joseph Addai vs. Houston. While the score in this contest should be relatively close, I like Addai to have a big game because teams can run on Houston’s front 7 (see Willie Parker week 1), and facing a passing threat like Peyton, the Texans will have to leave their safetys back in coverage. The Colts also had a chance to get their O-lineman healthy during the bye so look for Addai to put up solid yardage and get a score.

Sleeper:

1. Jonathan Stewart vs. Kansas City. The Chiefs victory last week vs. Denver was an aberration. Teams have been known to raise their level of play when it comes to division rivalries, and so it was the case for the Chiefs. This week they travel to Carolina and face a very efficient offense. The only reason Stewart is a sleeper is because he splits carries with DeAngelo Williams, otherwise he’d be a sure start. Look for him to put the ball in the end zone once or twice and pile on yards in garbage time.

2. Matt Forte vs. Detroit. While Chicago’s offense has its challenges, Detroit’s defense is the worst in the league. This translates into a nice day for Forte, who never really got untracked against the Eagles last Sunday night. He has a chance to match his best day as a pro – 100+ yards and 1 TD.