Running back job security index - late edition

Heading into the preseason, we took a look at which backs faced concerns about splitting carries in a committee or losing their lead-back job altogether. With just one final week of preseason games to go, the fantasy community has a better idea of how those backfield situations have panned out -- though some are just as convoluted as they were a month ago.

Job Security Scale: 10 means a player has the complete trust of his coaches; 1 means his agent should start printing out resumes.

Something to Prove

Blount's potential has increased following the news that Dion Lewis will start the season on the PUP list. Since the beginning of August, Blount's ADP in 12-team standard leagues has risen from the 10th round to the late seventh. James White will handle passing down duties for now, but Blount's ability as a between-the-tackles runner guarantees a role in the Patriots' offense.

Coach Pete Carroll has alluded to Rawls and Christine Michael forming a one-two punch, which would significantly hamper the fantasy outlook of Rawls, who has been drafted as high as the third round of mock drafts. Rawls won't play in the preseason as he recovers from an ankle injury, which has allowed Christine to steal snaps with the starting unit.

Murray has looked great in his first action with the Titans, totaling 153 yards and two TDs on just 19 carries. Unfortunately, his hot play hasn't created any separation from rookie Derrick Henry, who has looked like someone ready for a featured role. This is a potential 50/50 split, but it's worth handcuffing the two; if Murray goes down, Henry could vastly outperform his round six ADP.

Fading Veterans

Since the first edition of the RB job security index, Jennings' ADP has steadily climbed as high as the late sixth round in standard leagues. His preseason has consisted of 13 carries for 20 yards and a pair of receptions for 14 yards. By default, he's still the best option in a poor Giants' backfield but any slippage in production will knock the door wide open for others.

Frank Gore is still 33. Whether or not Gore remains healthy, the Colts will lean on Andrew Luck to air the ball out 35-plus times a game. That will benefit emerging passing-down back Josh Ferguson, who has caught five passes for 41 yards this preseason; it would only take an injury to Gore for Ferguson to emerge as a real fantasy option.

Forsett has played in just two of the Ravens' first three preseason games and has looked completely ineffective. Javorius Allen has averaged just 1.9 Y/C on 18 touches this preseason, though he has had a larger impact in the passing game (36 yards on seven receptions). With Terrance West also lurking on the depth chart, you probably want to avoid this backfield on draft day.

Busy Backfields

Johnson is the clear-cut No. 1 in Arizona. That said, it's not a bad idea to take a late-round flier on Chris Johnson, who averaged 17.8 carries per game before getting hurt last season. Considering that 658 of David Johnson's 1,038 regular season yards from scrimmage came after Week 11, the track record for this presumptive first-round pick isn't very long.

It's no surprise that Jay Ajayi has lost whatever claim to the RB throne he had in Miami. Foster wasn't brought in to be a backup; despite only seeing five carries in his two preseason games, it's clear that he's the lead back. The only concern is health, as he has missed 23 games since 2013. The team may look outside the organization should Foster go down, so leave Ajayi undrafted.

Ivory has 16 carries and two receptions as the "lead-back" but T.J. Yeldon has seen 11 carries and four catches. Ivory is projected to be more of a traditional rusher with Yeldon taking on a pass-catching role; both can co-exist. The Jaguars are invested in seeing him blossom into a larger part of the offense; he definitely has the higher upside of the two.

Running Out of Time

Gordon has looked like the player many hoped he would be when he was taken in the first round last yea. Though he has only seen 13 preseason carries, he's averaging 6.2 yards per attempt, often against first-team caliber defensive fronts. Danny Woodhead is still one of the best passing-down backs in the game but Gordon looks like a potential breakout star as a traditional RB.

Ronnie Hillman is a final-cut candidate, which gives Anderson some breathing room. It also gives Devontae Booker a real chance of making an impact as a rookie. The fourth-round pick was a versatile part of Utah's offense the last two seasons and offers a great fall-back option if Anderson gets off to another inconsistent start.

Crowell has averaged 4.1 yards per carry on 16 touches this preseason - a modest improvement on his career 3.9 YPC. The depth chart might say he's the starter but Duke Johnson is the man to own. The Browns will likely be playing from behind a lot; Johnson caught 61 passes as a rookie and could find even more success with QB Robert Griffin III under center.

All ADP figures courtesy of FantasyFootballCalculator.