FANTASY

Fantasy Player Projections

Running Backs

Rank	Team	Player	Projection	Opponent
1			Marshawn Lynch 120 rush yards, 2 rush TDs Lynch rushed just 11 times against Arizona, his lowest number of the season, but he tallied 128 yards and three touchdowns in the blowout win. He's a must-start running back in Week 15 against the Bills' bad rush defense.	at
2			Arian Foster 105 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 36 rec yards Last week began with such promise, as Foster ripped off a dozen yards on his first carry (brought back by a penalty) and almost 15 on his next. But New England's rapid-fire offense took him out of the game early. That won't happen this week against a Colts team giving up 4.7 yards per carry.	vs
3			Adrian Peterson 106 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 29 rec yards Peterson has logged a carry of 50 or more yards in five of his last six games and is averaging 6.0 yards per carry. Who says Peyton Manning has the Comeback Player of the Year locked up?	at
4			Doug Martin 90 rush yards, rush TD, 4 rec, 45 rec yards Martin rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown against the Eagles in Week 14. He remains a very good start for Week 15 against a Saints team that allowed him to rush for 85 yards and a touchdown in Week 7.	at
5			Knowshon Moreno 95 rush yards, rush TD, 4 rec, 35 rec yards Moreno had a huge Week 14, with 119 rushing yards and a touchdown against Oakland, to go with four catches for 48 yards. The Ravens are allowing more than 125 rushing yards per game, which adds to the luster of Moreno's newfound must-start fantasy status.	at
6			C.J. Spiller 85 rush yards, rush TD, 4 rec, 40 rec yards Spiller just didn't have the touches against the Rams in Week 14, when he rushed seven times for 37 yards and caught one pass for 15 yards. The averages were great, and the Bills will have to lean on him again, as Fred Jackson (knee) could be sidelined for the season.	vs
7			Matt Forte 78 rush yards, rush TD, 5 rec, 42 rec yards Forte has found success catching the ball out of the backfield in his last three games against Green Bay, with 19 catches and an average of 63 yards per contest. The Bears will need everything Forte has to give if they hope to knock Green Bay off the top of the division.	vs
8			Jamaal Charles 104 rush yards, rush TD, 2 rec, 14 rec yards Charles broke off an 80-yard touchdown run on his first carry against the Browns in Week 14. He finished with 165 rushing yards and that opening score for his second-best fantasy day of the season. Keep him active against the Raiders now that he has four 100-yard games in his past five outings.	at
9			Reggie Bush 75 rush yards, rush TD, 4 rec, 40 rec yards Bush had 14 carries for 65 yards and five catches for 38 yards at San Francisco in Week 14. He performed well against a very tough defense and things should get better in Week 15 against Jacksonville.	vs
10			Darren McFadden 85 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 30 rec yards Coming off a four-game absence due to an ankle injury, McFadden rushed 11 times for 52 yards against the Broncos before re-injuring his ankle and leaving the game. He's expected to be back for Week 15 against the Chiefs -- the team that allowed him to rush for a season-high 114 yards in Week 8.	vs
11			Chris Johnson 90 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 25 rec yards Johnson had 19 carries for just 44 yards against the Colts in Week 14. He has struggled recently, with no touchdowns since Week 10, and only 175 rushing yards in his past three games. Johnson should play well against a Jets rush defense that ranks near the bottom of the NFL, allowing more than 135 rushing yards per game.	vs
12			Ray Rice 90 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 20 rec yards Rice rushed 20 times for 121 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 15 yards at Washington in Week 14. He'll go over the 1,000-yard rushing mark this coming week and remains a top-five fantasy player.	vs
13			Darren Sproles 40 rush yards, 6 rec, 65 rec yards, rec TD Sproles rushed five times for 56 yards and a touchdown at the Giants in Week 14. He also caught four passes for 28 yards and another touchdown. Despite the Buccaneers' tough run defense, Sproles should do well in the passing game in Week 15.	vs
14			BenJarvus Green-Ellis 84 rush yards, rush TD, 2 rec, 19 rec yards Green-Ellis has gained 100 or more yards of total offense in each of the past four weeks and faces a favorable matchup against an Eagles defense giving up 119.3 rushing yards per game.	at
15			Frank Gore 75 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 25 rec yards Gore had 12 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins in Week 14. The Patriots are similarly tough against the run, but Gore is a must-start player in all fantasy formats. He has more than 1,000 rushing yards for the sixth time in his career and is on pace to put up the second-best fantasy numbers of his career.	at
16			David Wilson 75 rush yards, rush TD, 2 rec, 21 rec yards With Ahmad Bradshaw nursing a bum knee, the Giants will rely heavily on their quick-footed rookie back. Fantasy owners can expect Wilson to have success playing on a fast surface against a Falcons defense allowing 4.9 yards per carry.	at
17			Alfred Morris 94 rush yards, rush TD Robert Griffin III's injury will put more pressure on Morris this week. It's a role the rookie has already shown he can handle. He ranks fifth in the league in carries and has handled 20 or more carries in four straight games.	at
18			Mikel Leshoure 89 rush yards, rush TD Leshoure has to be excited by what he saw Seattle's rushing game do to Arizona last week (284 yards, 6.8 yards per carry). The Lions have been hungry for a game that allows them to have balance on offense. Wish granted.	at
19			DeMarco Murray 56 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 33 rec yards Only two backs have rushed for 100 yards against Pittsburgh this season: Darren McFadden (113) and Jamaal Charles (100). Murray is unlikely to hit that mark.	vs
20			Trent Richardson 66 rush yards, rush TD, 2 rec, 19 rec yards Richardson's rushing and receiving totals have declined in each of the past three weeks. It could be the rookie wall or a combination of factors, but it's something fantasy owners should be concerned with, especially since Richardson is facing the league's seventh-ranked run defense this week.	vs
21			Montell Owens 70 rush yards, rush TD, 2 rec, 14 rec yards Owens rushed 14 times for 91 yards and a touchdown against the Jets in Week 14. With Maurice Jones-Drew and Rashard Jennings sidelined, Owens should be a good pickup for Week 15 against the Dolphins, too.	at
22			Jonathan Dwyer 82 rush yards, rush TD, 1 rec, 7 rec yards Ben Roethlisberger was more productive on the ground last week than Dwyer or any of the Steelers backs. Things will improve against a Cowboys front seven that has been eaten up by opposing backs in the past three games.	at
23			Bryce Brown 73 rush yards, rush TD, 1 rec, 9 rec yards LeSean McCoy is still sidelined with a concussion, keeping Brown in the lineup one more week. Cincinnati's 11th-ranked run defense should help Brown bounce back after he struggled against top-ranked Tampa Bay last week.	vs
24			Shonn Greene 70 rush yards, rush TD Greene rushed 20 times for 77 yards and a touchdown against the Jaguars in Week 14. Greene has delivered a better season than many are giving him credit for, with as many touchdowns (six) in 13 games as he scored in 2011. Even so, Bilal Powell got nearly as many carries last week, and the Jets have few weapons to draw away attention.	at
25			Bilal Powell 55 rush yards, rush TD, 1 rec, 8 rec yards Powell had a season-high 19 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville in Week 14. He essentially split carries with Shonn Greene, and he now has 218 rushing yards and four touchdowns in his past four games.	at
26			Ryan Mathews 70 rush yards, 4 rec, 30 rec yards The Chargers used Mathews solely in their ground game in Week 14, giving him a season-high 25 carries for 65 yards. While fantasy owners want to see his yards-per-carry mark climb considerably, it's still good to see the Chargers commit to having Mathews carry the rock that much. The Panthers are allowing 121 rushing yards per game, but Mathews has been such a fantasy dud that it's hard to imagine him hitting that mark.	vs
27			Steven Jackson 67 rush yards, 3 rec, 24 rec yards Jackson has been a workhorse in the second half of the season, averaging 21.2 carries over the last five games, but he may not have much to work with this week. The Vikings own one of the league's stingiest run defenses, allowing less than 4.0 yards per carry.	vs
28			Joique Bell 51 rush yards, 3 rec, 32 rec yards Bell has been the better all-around back, but it appears Detroit is committed to keeping Mikel Leshoure as its primary rusher. Bell still does well as a multi-purpose tool and could see 15 or more touches in this contest.	at
29			DeAngelo Williams 55 rush yards, 3 rec, 24 rec yards Williams rushed for 56 yards against the Falcons in Week 14, and he also caught two passes for 56 more yards and a touchdown. Williams likely wasn't starting for many fantasy playoff teams, and he remains a risky start in Week 15.	at
30			Alex Green 51 rush yards, 2 rec, 21 rec yards Green has gained more than 50 yards rushing in six of the team's last nine games, but never more than 70. That's not the type of consistency fantasy owners are looking for from a running back.	at
31			Jacquizz Rodgers 47 rush yards, 3 rec, 22 rec yards Rodgers may be seeing more action, but he has hardly proven himself to fantasy owners. He has scored just twice on 115 touches this year and has gained 50 or more yards rushing just once.	vs
32			Stevan Ridley 65 rush yards, 1 rec, 7 rec yards Ridley rushed 18 times for 72 yards against the Texans Monday night, and he scored a rushing touchdown for the sixth consecutive game. The 49ers have a stout run defense, however, so a seventh game with a touchdown is going to be tough to come by. The 49ers have allowed just three rushing touchdowns all season.	vs
33			Pierre Thomas 30 rush yards, 3 rec, 30 rec yards Thomas rushed five times for 19 yards at the Giants in Week 14. He also caught a team-high seven passes for 57 yards. The Buccaneers pose a tough threat in Week 15, but Thomas can be considered for your flex spot.	vs
34			Marcel Reece 40 rush yards, 3 rec, 19 rec yards Reece had four carries for 10 yards in Week 14 against the Broncos. If Darren McFadden's ankle injury is a factor in Week 15, Reece could see better stats.	vs
35			Vick Ballard 51 rush yards, 1 rec, 7 rec yards Ballard should receive most of Indianapolis' carries this week with Donald Brown on IR. Ballard is coming off a season-best 94-yard effort, but won't do as well against Houston's front seven.	at
36			Ahmad Bradshaw 44 rush yards The Giants' medical staff tested Bradshaw's knee this week. Even if he plays, fantasy owners should keep him out of their lineups, as the Giants are probably anxious to see what more David Wilson can do.	at
37			Beanie Wells 42 rush yards A quick recap of Wells' rushing stats since rejoining the team in Week 11: 48 yards, 22, 18. Fantasy owners were hoping he would carry the momentum he built at the end of 2011 into 2012; instead, Wells has been his same old disappointing self.	vs
38			Tashard Choice 24 rush yards, 2 rec, 17 rec yards Choice will now take over the second running back duties in Buffalo with C.J. Spiller moving up to replace Fred Jackson (knee), who could be done for the season.	vs
39			Mark Ingram 35 rush yards Ingram led the Saints on the ground with 13 carries for 68 yards at the Giants in Week 14. He'll have a tough time against a stout Buccaneers rush defense, however.	vs
40			Bernard Pierce 35 rush yards, 1 rec, 9 rec yards Pierce rushed eight times for a season-high 53 yards at Washington in Week 14. He joins Robert Turbin as the best players from the rookie class of 2012 no one knows about yet. Ray Rice owners should add Pierce just in case.	vs
41			Ronnie Brown 14 rush yards, 3 rec, 20 rec yards Brown had just three touches in Week 14 at Pittsburgh, finishing with one catch for seven yards. He still works as Ryan Mathews' backup and as the part-time third-down back. Fantasy owners should look elsewhere.	vs
42			Robert Turbin 34 rush yards Turbin had his biggest game of the season in Week 14 against Arizona, as he ran 20 times for 108 yards in the blowout win. His success came because of the big lead, but he's a great handcuff for Marshawn Lynch's owners.	at
43			Michael Turner 32 rush yards The Falcons have started to trim Turner's time in the lineup. Plus, Turner has struggled in the month of December the past three seasons, managing just one 100-yard game.	vs
44			Ronnie Hillman 0 rush yards, 32 rec yards Hillman rushed four times for 24 yards against the Raiders in Week 14. He continues to serve as Knowshon Moreno's backup, and Moreno's fantasy owners should certainly pick up Hillman as an injury handcuff.	at
45			Isaac Redman 15 rush yards, 2 rec, 16 rec yards Redman hasn't seen much action as of late, in part because Pittsburgh has either been in tight games or playing from behind. The Steelers won't dominate Dallas either, which means Redman once again won't see many reps.	at
46			Dion Lewis 11 rush yards, 2 rec, 19 rec yards Bryce Brown's struggles last week (12 carries, six yards) have opened the door for Lewis. Last week Lewis saw half as many snaps as Brown, but finished with more yards from scrimmage thanks to a 28-yard catch.	vs
47			Daniel Thomas 30 rush yards, 1 rec, 10 rec yards Thomas had just two carries for three yards at San Francisco in Week 14. He had been seeing more carries recently and should return to form in Week 15 against the Jaguars. He's still not worth starting, however.	vs
48			Montario Hardesty 13 rush yards, 2 rec, 13 rec yards Hardesty's respectable totals last week were the product of a 25-yard run and a 23-point victory. Unless Cleveland gets a comfortable lead -- not common -- Hardesty won't see much action.	vs
49			Richard Murphy 24 rush yards Due to injuries, the Jaguars were forced to bring up Murphy from their practice squad against the Jets in Week 14. He finished with four carries for 19 yards and was the team's second-leading rusher. He's not worth grabbing, though.	at
50			Shane Vereen 24 rush yards Vereen gave Stevan Ridley a breather at different points in Monday’s game against Houston, and he finished with eight carries for 40 yards. If Ridley gets hurt, Vereen will be a solid pickup, but he won’t do much against a strong 49ers defense in Week 15.	vs
51			DuJuan Harris 23 rush yards Fantasy owners are more familiar with Ryan Grant, but Harris stands a better chance of dislodging Alex Green from the starting lineup. None of the Packers' backs are very attractive at this point, however.	at
52			Daryl Richardson 22 rush yards, 1 rec, 8 rec yards Richardson's role has actually diminished as the season has progressed. He has carried the ball just three times in each of the past two weeks and has yet to score his first NFL touchdown.	vs
53			Ben Tate 22 rush yards, 1 rec, 6 rec yards Tate looked sharp on Monday, albeit in garbage time. He'll split time with Justin Forsett, who is the more versatile of Foster's two backups. Fantasy owners can expect Tate to get more carries than Forsett, but neither back will be worth starting.	vs
54			Mike Tolbert 22 rush yards Tolbert rushed five times for 20 yards against the Falcons in Week 14, with Jonathan Stewart (ankle) sidelined. If Stewart misses another game, we can expect similar numbers from the big running back in Week 15.	at
55			LaMichael James 22 rush yards, 1 rec, 8 rec yards James got his first regular season NFL carries in Week 14 against the Dolphins, with eight rushes for 30 yards and one reception for 15 yards. James will continue to get backup touches behind Frank Gore with Brandon Jacobs suspended for three games, but the rookie isn't someone to consider in fantasy play just yet.	at
56			Michael Bush 19 rush yards The Bears may begin to rely even more heavily on Matt Forte as they try to secure a playoff spot. Bush carried once last week and has been dealing with nagging rib issues.	vs
57			Peyton Hillis 18 rush yards, 1 rec, 8 rec yards Hillis had five rushes for 11 yards in Week 14 against the Browns. He remains the main back behind Jamaal Charles and he still might get some goal-line carries in the coming weeks. For now though, it's tough to recommend starting him in your playoffs.	at
58			Felix Jones 11 rush yards, 1 rec, 7 rec yards Fantasy owners must worry about how well first-stringer DeMarco Murray will hold up against Pittsburgh's vaunted defense. Jones? Forget him. He has no hope.	vs
59			Toby Gerhart 7 rush yards, 1 rec, 5 rec yards Gerhart is on pace to set career lows in virtually every rushing and receiving category. And to think at one point this summer his fantasy value was soaring due to doubts about Adrian Peterson's health.	at
60			Delone Carter 8 rush yards Carter is expected to play despite the ankle injury he suffered in last week's contest. Fantasy owners are purely interested in his potential as a goal-line back, which shouldn't amount to much against the Texans.	at
61			LeGarrette Blount 5 rush yards Blount rushed once for two yards against the Eagles and currently shares work with D.J. Ware as Doug Martin's understudy.	at
62			Darius Reynaud 5 rush yards Reynaud rushed once for two yards in Week 14 at Indianapolis and remains a forgettable fantasy running back for now.	vs

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