Fantasy Football Rankings: The Top 50 Running Backs
Running Backs 1-10
| Rank | Player (Team, Bye) | Rush | Yards | TDs | FP | FireFactor™ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adrian Peterson (MIN,6) | 323.84 | 1414.32 | 10.33 | 234.71 | 146.79 |
| 2 | Jamaal Charles (KC, 5) | 253.84 | 1184.84 | 9.7 | 221.84 | 133.92 |
| 3 | David Johnson (ARI, 9) | 209.9 | 929.62 | 9.24 | 214.66 | 126.74 |
| 4 | Todd Gurley (LA, 8) | 265.46 | 1197.74 | 8 | 208.7 | 120.78 |
| 5 | Devonta Freeman (ATL, 11) | 241.41 | 979.37 | 7.36 | 207.92 | 120 |
| 6 | Lamar Miller (Hou, 9) | 247.33 | 1099.18 | 7.28 | 198.16 | 110.24 |
| 7 | Doug Martin (TB, 6) | 276.8 | 1196.04 | 8.02 | 195.52 | 107.6 |
| 8 | Ezekiel Elliott (DAL, 7) | 242.18 | 1061.4 | 8.14 | 194.6 | 106.68 |
| 9 | Eddie Lacy (GB, 4) | 213.32 | 928.35 | 6.86 | 193.19 | 105.27 |
| 10 | Lesean McCoy (BUF, 10) | 264.19 | 1165.81 | 6.24 | 187.59 | 99.67 |
Notes:
A year after finishing as fantasy's second-highest scoring running back, Peterson enters 2016 as numberFire's top-ranked back. Peterson led the league in carries last year with 327, and numberFire is projecting another heavy workload for him. He's the only back projected for more than 300 carries with 323.
Charles ended 2015 on injured reserve after tearing his right ACL during the Chiefs' Week 5 loss to the Bears. He's now torn his ACL in each leg -- he missed the final 14 games in 2011 with a torn ACL in his left leg. In the 2012 season, he bounced back strong and was RB8 on the season. In 2016, numberFire metrics project another bounce-back campaign for Charles.
Johnson burst onto the scene late last season when Chris Johnson went down for the year, handling lead back duties and averaging 18 carries per game and 4.46 yards per carry. David Johnson's freakish athleticism was on full display last season -- he posted a Rushing Net Expected Points (NEP) of 18.41, second behind only Karlos Williams. With David Johnson expected to be the Cardinals "workhorse" in 2016, we project him to excel in that role. Our own Jacob Gibbs has written a more in depth look at Johnson's prospects.
4) Todd Gurley
With rookie Jared Goff at quarterback, expect the Rams offense to run through Gurley. As a rookie last season, Gurley carried the rock 229 times -- ninth-most in the league -- and averaged 4.8 yards per carry while ending the season as RB5 despite only playing in 13 games. Of the 15 backs with more than 200 carries, Gurley's Rushing NEP was second best, behind only DeAngelo Williams.
Freeman seemingly came out of nowhere in 2015 and ended the year as the top-scoring fantasy back. He faded down the stretch in a season in which he saw a whooping 377 touches, but had an electric four week stretch from Week 3 to 6, where he scored 9 touchdowns and never recorded fewer than 149 total yards. Of the 15 backs with more than 200 carries, Freeman's Rushing NEP was third best, behind only DeAngelo Williams and Todd Gurley.
6) Lamar Miller
For years, fantasy football fans complained about the Dolphins usage -- or lack thereof -- with Miller. Now in Houston, a team which ranked first and fifth in rushing attempts in Head Coach Bill O'Brien's first two seasons, Miller is expected to see the increase in touches fans have clamored for. numberFire is projecting Miller to see a career high in rushing attempts with 247 -- his previous high was 216 in 2014.
7) Doug Martin
Following two down seasons, Martin had a resurgent 2015, finishing second in the league in carries with 288. He turned those opportunities into 1,402 yards and 6 touchdowns, ending as fantasy's third-highest scoring running back. Martin signed five-year extension in the offseason, and with Dirk Koetter now head coach -- he was the Buccaneers offensive coordinator last season -- expect Martin to see a similar workload as he did in 2015.
The Dallas Cowboys were ridiculed when they took Elliott fourth overall in April's draft, and while it may have been incorrect to spend such a pick on a running back, Elliott enters his rookie season set up for immediate success. One year after DeMarco Murray finished as rushing champion with 393 carries for 1,845 yards, the Cowboys offensive line kept grinding in 2015, making Darren McFadden relevant again. McFadden averaged 4.6 yards per carry behind the Cowboys offensive line in 2015, his best season since 2011. It's been speculated that Elliott may see 300 carries 2016, and the Cowboys have made it no secret that they're looking to replicate their 2016 success. If Elliott does in fact see that type of volume, he may outperform this ranking.
9) Eddie Lacy
When it comes to Lacy, is there anything talked more about than his weight? Lacy reportedly worked out with P90X founder Tony Horton to shed pounds over the offseason and has reported to camp in 2016 lighter than last year. After he was a consensus first round pick in 2015, Lacy disappointed, finishing the year as RB25. Expect a bounce-back season for Lacy in 2016. For more on Lacy's potential, read Brandon Gdula's breakdown.
10) LeSean McCoy
While battling hamstring injuries for much of 2015 -- which cost him four games -- McCoy finished the season as RB17. But his points per game score ranked him 10th among running backs, and McCoy fielded the seventh-best Rushing NEP of 15 backs with 200 or more carries. Despite missing those four games, McCoy finished 13th in the league in carries, averaging 16.9 carries per game and 4.4 yards per carry. If he can stay healthy, expect McCoy to finish in the top 10.
