Fantasy: Week 1 Rankings - Running Backs
Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters
Over the last two seasons, theScore's Justin Boone has finished in the top 10 in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition. Follow the links to see his rankings for Week 1.
A final rankings update will be available on Sunday morning.
Rankings
QB | RB | WR | TE | DST | K
(Editors' Note: These rankings were published prior to the news breaking regarding Andre Ellington's foot injury. His ranking will be updated Sunday morning.)
Running Backs
| Rank | Player | Matchup |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LeSean McCoy - Phi | vs. Jac |
| 2 | Jamaal Charles - KC | vs. Ten |
| 3 | Adrian Peterson - Min | at StL |
| 4 | Matt Forte - Chi | vs. Buf |
| 5 | Marshawn Lynch - Sea | vs. GB |
| 6 | Montee Ball - Den | vs. Ind |
| 7 | Arian Foster - Hou | vs. Was |
| 8 | Frank Gore - SF | at Dal |
| 9 | DeMarco Murray - Dal | vs. SF |
| 10 | Andre Ellington - Ari | vs. SD |
| 11 | Eddie Lacy - GB | at Sea |
| 12 | Zac Stacy - StL | vs. Min |
| 13 | Giovani Bernard - Cin | at Bal |
| 14 | Doug Martin - TB | vs. Car |
| 15 | Alfred Morris - Was | at Hou |
| 16 | Le'Veon Bell - Pit | vs. Cle |
| 17 | Toby Gerhart - Jac | at Phi |
| 18 | Ben Tate - Cle | at Pit |
| 19 | Shane Vereen - NE | at Mia |
| 20 | Joique Bell - Det | vs. NYG |
| 21 | Ryan Mathews - SD | at Ari |
| 22 | C.J. Spiller - Buf | at Chi |
| 23 | Rashad Jennings - NYG | at Det |
| 24 | Chris Johnson - NYJ | vs. Oak |
| 25 | Reggie Bush - Det | vs. NYG |
| 26 | Bernard Pierce - Bal | vs. Cin |
| 27 | Steven Jackson - Atl | vs. NO |
| 28 | Fred Jackson - Buf | at Chi |
| 29 | Mark Ingram - NO | at Atl |
| 30 | Shonn Greene - Ten | at KC |
| 31 | Pierre Thomas - NO | at Atl |
| 32 | Stevan Ridley - NE | at Mia |
| 33 | Knowshon Moreno - Mia | vs. NE |
| 34 | Chris Ivory - NYJ | vs. Oak |
| 35 | Danny Woodhead - SD | at Ari |
| 36 | Lamar Miller - Mia | vs. NE |
| 37 | Jeremy Hill - Cin | at Bal |
| 38 | Maurice Jones-Drew - Oak | at NYJ |
| 39 | Trent Richardson - Ind | at Den |
| 40 | DeAngelo Williams - Car | at TB |
| 41 | Darren Sproles - Phi | vs. Jac |
| 42 | Carlos Hyde - SF | at Dal |
| 43 | Jonathan Stewart - Car | at TB |
| 44 | Ahmad Bradshaw - Ind | at Den |
| 45 | Benny Cunningham - StL | vs. Min |
| 46 | Darren McFadden - Oak | at NYJ |
| 47 | Bishop Sankey - Ten | at KC |
| 48 | LeGarrette Blount - Pit | vs. Cle |
| 49 | Terrance West - Cle | at Pit |
| 50 | Devonta Freeman - Atl | vs. NO |
| 51 | Lance Dunbar - Dal | vs. SF |
| 52 | Ronnie Hillman - Den | vs. Ind |
| 53 | Dexter McCluster - Ten | at KC |
| 54 | Andre Williams - NYG | at Det |
| 55 | Donald Brown - SD | at Ari |
| 56 | Roy Helu - Was | at Hou |
| 57 | James White - NE | at Mia |
| 58 | Jonathan Dwyer - Ari | vs. SD |
| 59 | Knile Davis - KC | vs. Ten |
| 60 | Khiry Robinson - NO | at Atl |
- It's fairly straightforward at the top, with the ageless Frank Gore making an appearance in the top 10 thanks to his matchup with the Cowboys. Jerry Jones did little help his defense in the offseason and fantasy owners will get to profit on a weekly basis.
- Eddie Lacy has the tough task of grinding out yards against the Seahawks defensive front in Seattle on Thursday night. Lacy will be a top-five play most weeks, but he falls outside of the top 10 in Week 1.
- The Jaguars could fall behind quickly against the Eagles, but Toby Gerhart is a three-down back in Jacksonville and will factor into the passing game when the team is in comeback mode.
- Joique Bell and Reggie Bush will split touches this season, with Bell getting the goal-line carries. Bell is ranked higher this week based on the assumption he will be the one to find the end zone against the Giants.
- Rashad Jennings fell in most of my drafts and I was happy to scoop him up wherever I could. Rookie Andre Williams isn't a serious threat to his touches, so Jennings will get a full workload in New York. Jennings could struggle this week against the stout run defense of the Lions, making him an ideal buy-low candidate prior to Week 2.
- Bernard Pierce and Fred Jackson are players thought to be backups, who will actually end up with starters touches this week. Pierce gets the Ravens backfield to himself with Ray Rice on suspension, while Jackson will split carries with C.J. Spiller, but Jackson is expected to get the goal-line looks.
- Shonn Greene will make up for a lack of special talent by running behind a solid Titans offensive line. Bishop Sankey will take over later in the season, but for now Greene is the better weekly play.
Advertisement