FANTASY

Fantasy Player Projections

Running Backs

Rank	Team	Player	Projection	Opponent
1			Arian Foster 105 rush yards, rush TD, 4 rec, 34 rec yards Foster rushed 27 times for 165 yards in Week 15 against the Colts. He also caught a pair of passes for four yards. This week, the top two picks of your 2013 fantasy football drafts will be facing off. Foster will look to grab some of the spotlight in a big week.	vs
2			Doug Martin 105 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 33 rec yards Martin led the Bucs with nine carries, but he gained only 16 yards and didn't break any runs longer than 11 yards against the Saints in Week 15. The Rams just gave up 212 rushing yards to Adrian Peterson, so Martin should bounce back in Week 16.	vs
3			Chris Johnson 105 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 27 rec yards As he showed last week, all Johnson needs is one long run, and the Packers' defense is not immune to giving up the big play. Adrian Peterson ripped off an 82-yard carry en route to a 210-yard day against Green Bay earlier this month.	at
4			DeMarco Murray 108 rush yards, rush TD, 2 rec, 22 rec yards Murray exceeded everyone's expectations last week against Pittsburgh's feared defensive front, managing 81 yards and finding the end zone. The Saints should provide a much easier challenge, as they allow 5.0 yards per carry.	vs
5			Darren McFadden 90 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 32 rec yards McFadden rushed 30 times for 110 yards against the Chiefs in Week 15. He also caught four passes for 39 yards in one of his best games of the season. He finally came through for those owners who drafted him in the first round and managed to make the playoffs largely without his help.	at
6			C.J. Spiller 95 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 24 rec yards Spiller came through with a nice game against a tough defense in Week 15, running 17 times for 103 yards and a touchdown against Seattle. This was his best fantasy game since Week 6. Count on him again in Week 16 against the Dolphins, against whom he rushed for 91 yards in Week 11.	at
7			Jamaal Charles 94 rush yards, rush TD, 4 rec, 24 rec yards Charles had one of the worst fantasy days of his career, with nine carries for just 10 yards at Oakland in Week 15. He also caught three passes for 18 yards. The Raiders dared the Chiefs to throw, and that limited Charles' value. In two games against the Raiders this year, he has just 14 rushing yards.	vs
8			Ray Rice 90 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 24 rec yards What a disappointing week for Rice's fantasy owners. He rushed 12 times for 38 yards and caught three passes for three yards against Denver for his worst fantasy week of the season. Expect him to rebound against a Giants team that allowed the Falcons to rush for more than 125 yards in Week 15.	vs
9			Matt Forte 90 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 24 rec yards Forte rushed 20 times for 69 yards against Green Bay in Week 15. He also caught five passes for a team-high 64 yards. He hasn't scored a rushing touchdown or hit the 100-yard rushing mark in his past six games, but the Cardinals have trouble against the run, which bodes well for Forte in Week 16.	at
10			Knowshon Moreno 90 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 17 rec yards Moreno had yet another big day, rushing 22 times for 118 yards and a touchdown at Baltimore in Week 15. If the Broncos get out to another big lead against the Browns like they did against the Ravens, Moreno could see 25 carries.	vs
11			Frank Gore 80 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 23 rec yards Gore led the 49ers on the ground at New England in Week 15, with 21 carries for 83 yards. While he does have three touchdowns in his past six games, he hasn't managed more than 100 rushing yards since Week 7. Seattle is tough against the run, but Gore remains a must-start running back.	at
12			Stevan Ridley 95 rush yards, rush TD, 1 rec, 5 rec yards Stevan Ridley rushed just nine times for 23 yards against the 49ers in Week 15. Fortunately, the Jaguars own the worst rushing defense in the NFL, so Ridley should be able to chew up a ton of yards against them, even if the Patriots' other running backs get carries too.	at
13			Vick Ballard 90 rush yards, rush TD Ballard had his best day as a pro in Week 15 at Houston, rushing for 105 yards on 18 carries. Unlike the Texans, the Chiefs have one of the worst run defenses in the league, so Ballard looks like a good starter once again.	at
14			Reggie Bush 65 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 25 rec yards Bush rushed for 104 yards in Week 15 against the Jaguars, marking just the second time this season he has eclipsed the century mark. He had a tough game against the Bills back in Week 11 (20 rushing yards), but he should do better this time.	vs
15			LeSean McCoy 65 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 22 rec yards McCoy has been cleared to play and will start for the Eagles against Washington in Week 16. He hasn't played since suffering a concussion in Week 11 -- also against Washington. He'll likely give up some carries to rookie Bryce Brown, who has played well at times in McCoy's place.	vs
16			Alfred Morris 85 rush yards, rush TD, 1 rec, 7 rec yards Morris rushed 27 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns in Week 15 at Cleveland. He also caught two passes for six yards. He's been busy over the past four games, averaging 24 carries per contest.	at
17			Adrian Peterson 110 rush yards, 3 rec, 34 rec yards Peterson continues to creep closer to Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record, as he rushed 24 times for 212 yards and a touchdown at St. Louis in Week 15. The Texans, meanwhile, have given up a league-low three rushing touchdowns this season. Not even Houston can slow Peterson right now, however.	at
18			Shonn Greene 80 rush yards, rush TD, 2 rec, 9 rec yards Greene rushed 13 times for 68 yards at Tennessee and was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal offense in Week 15. The Chargers have allowed just seven rushing touchdowns this season, but Greene still looks like a good RB2 or flex play in Week 16.	vs
19			Trent Richardson 55 rush yards, rush TD, 3 rec, 25 rec yards Richardson rushed just 11 times for 28 yards against Washington Sunday, but he did punch in two touchdowns. He now has 11 rushing touchdowns this season, and six touchdowns in his past four games. The Broncos are tough against the run, but Richardson is a must-start player.	at
20			Marshawn Lynch 80 rush yards, rush TD, 1 rec, 8 rec yards Lynch rushed just 10 times at Buffalo in Week 15, but he got 113 yards and a touchdown on those carries. He also caught one pass for 14 yards. "Beast Mode" has five touchdowns and 328 rushing yards in his past three games. In Week 7, he was still able to rush for more than 100 yards against the 49ers.	vs
21			Michael Turner 78 rush yards, rush TD, 1 rec, 4 rec yards The numbers aren't pretty, but they have kept Turner in fantasy lineups. He has averaged 60.9 yards from scrimmage this season and has found the end zone in six of the past seven games. He should have one of his better games against a Lions defense giving up 4.6 yards per carry.	at
22			Ahmad Bradshaw 55 rush yards, rush TD, 2 rec, 15 rec yards After missing Week 15 with knee and foot injuries, Bradshaw is expected to play against the Ravens. Even so, it's tough to bank on an injured Bradshaw during the fantasy playoffs.	at
23			Mark Ingram 62 rush yards, rush TD When the Saints feed Ingram, he produces. He has averaged 5.0 or more yards per carry in four of the team's last eight games and should have nice numbers against a Cowboys defense missing Jay Ratliff up front.	at
24			Mikel Leshoure 59 rush yards, rush TD, 2 rec, 9 rec yards With Leshoure, you take the good with the bad. He has scored eight times, laregly in the second half of the season. But the yardage is minimal. The result is an average No. 3 back for fantasy owners.	vs
25			BenJarvus Green-Ellis 57 rush yards, rush TD, 2 rec, 8 rec yards More than half of Green-Ellis' yards have come in the last five weeks, as he's posted four 100-yard games. The Steelers will put an end to his hot streak, however. Pittsburgh does not give up long gainers or 100-yard days, and the Steelers held Green-Ellis to 69 yards on 18 carries in the first meeting this year.	at
26			Darren Sproles 11 rush yards, 5 rec, 41 rec yards, rec TD The Cowboys are thin at linebacker and the talent that remains will have trouble keeping track of Sproles out of the backfield. He won't see many carries due to the emergence of Mark Ingram, but he'll do plenty of damage catching passes.	at
27			Steven Jackson 65 rush yards, 5 rec, 40 rec yards Jackson had 13 carries for 73 yards against Minnesota in Week 15 while dealing with a foot injury. He also caught a team-high eight passes for another 73 yards, but he was still unable to score. He should do well in the passing game again in Week 16 against the Buccaneers.	at
28			Alex Green 72 rush yards, 2 rec, 25 rec yards The job belongs to Green now. Ryan Grant's fumble last week and DuJuan Harris' size have made it an easy decision (both will see minimal touches), but in fairness to Green, he has picked up his level of play in recent weeks. In fact, he's almost worth starting in fantasy lineups.	vs
29			Danny Woodhead 45 rush yards, 4 rec, 40 rec yards Woodhead led the Patriots with 12 rushes for 61 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers in Week 15. He also caught five passes for 23 yards. That makes him a serviceable flex this week.	at
30			Curtis Brinkley 60 rush yards, 3 rec, 20 rec yards Brinkley carried the ball six times for 42 yards in Week 15 against the Panthers. He'll likely see more time at tailback now that Ryan Mathews (clavicle) is out for the season and Ronnie Brown is dealing with a hamstring injury.	at
31			Montell Owens 55 rush yards, 2 rec, 15 rec yards Owens rushed 11 times for 47 yards at Miami in Week 15, and he also caught one pass for six yards. With Maurice Jones-Drew and Rashad Jennings hurt, Owens could start again in Week 16 against the Patriots.	vs
32			Joique Bell 27 rush yards, 3 rec, 34 rec yards Last week, Bell's touches were limited in a game that ended up being a blowout. With another blowout on the horizon against the NFC's top seed, fantasy owners must expect another slow week from Bell.	vs
33			Bilal Powell 34 rush yards, 2 rec, 25 rec yards Powell fractured his toe a couple weeks ago, but he continues to play. He rushed six times for 28 yards at Tennessee in Week 15. Shonn Greene is playing well, so it would be tough for fantasy owners to rely on Powell.	vs
34			Bryce Brown 40 rush yards, 2 rec, 18 rec yards Brown had his second disappointing outing in two weeks, rushing 16 times for 34 yards against the Bengals in Week 15. Brown followed his two huge games with two stinkers, and he'll see a reduced workload with LeSean McCoy (concussion) ready to return in Week 16.	vs
35			David Wilson 40 rush yards, 1 rec, 15 rec yards Wilson rushed 12 times for 55 yards and caught one pass for 11 yards at Atlanta in Week 15. With Ahmad Bradshaw (foot, knee) expected to return in Week 16, Wilson's fantasy value takes a considerable hit. Think of him as a flex option only in Week 16.	at
36			Beanie Wells 55 rush yards Wells led the Cardinals with 17 carries for 67 yards and three touchdowns in Week 15 against the Lions. The Bears have allowed just six rushing touchdowns this season, however, so view Wells as an RB2 or flex option in Week 16.	vs
37			Jonathan Dwyer 41 rush yards, 2 rec, 11 rec yards Pittsburgh's commitment to Dwyer may be dwindling. He touched the ball just nine times last week and averaged just 2.4 yards per carry. He had his best day of the year in Cincinnati, but that seems like ages ago.	vs
38			Jonathan Stewart 40 rush yards, 1 rec, 5 rec yards Stewart missed his second game in a row with an ankle injury, and DeAngelo Williams and Mike Tolbert took advantage in Week 15. Stewart's ankle couple with the fact that he has just one touchdown this season makes him a player to avoid in Week 16 regardless of his status.	vs
39			Jacquizz Rodgers 23 rush yards, 2 rec, 16 rec yards Rodgers is making a mess of his opportunity in Atlanta. He hasn't even matched Michael Turner's modest totals per carry, and he's been inconsistent as a receiver out of the backfield. He could see 15 touches this week, but it won't amount to much.	at
40			LaRod Stephens-Howlin 23 rush yards, 2 rec, 14 rec yards Stephens-Howling rushed five times for 20 yards against the Lions in Week 15. He'll continue to work as Beanie Wells' backup, which limits his fantasy value the rest of the way.	vs
41			DeAngelo Williams 35 rush yards, 1 rec, 7 rec yards Williams led the Panthers with 22 carries for 93 yards at San Diego in Week 15, but it was former Chargers running back Mike Tolbert who did the damage near the goal line, punching in two touchdowns. Williams did catch two passes for 51 yards and his own touchdown. If Jonathan Stewart (ankle) plays in Week 16, it's doubtful Williams will manage to replicate his Week 15 fantasy production.	vs
42			Mike Tolbert 22 rush yards, 1 rec, 12 rec yards Tolbert rushed nine times for 40 yards and two touchdowns against his former San Diego team in Week 15. He also caught two passes for 24 yards. If Jonathan Stewart (ankle) returns in Week 16, though, Tolbert's touches could take a big dip.	vs
43			Mike Goodson 34 rush yards, 1 rec, 7 rec yards Goodson rushed 13 times for 89 yards against Kansas City in Week 15. He's healthy and once again serving as Darren McFadden's backup. Even so, fantasy owners should not start Goodson in Week 16. His touches, and the offense, are too unpredictable.	at
44			LaMichael James 30 rush yards, 1 rec, 9 rec yards James rushed eight times for 31 yards in Week 15 at New England. That marks two weeks in a row that he has hit the 30-yard mark. He's still not someone to consider in standard leagues, but he's showing promise.	at
45			Pierre Thomas 13 rush yards, 3 rec, 16 rec yards Thomas is being squeezed out of the playbook by Darren Sproles and Mark Ingram. He is a part-time rusher and receiver, nothing more.	at
46			Isaac Redman 28 rush yards, 1 rec, 9 rec yards Of all of Pittsburgh's backs, Redman looked the sharpest in Week 15, but he also looked hobbled near the end of the game. His bad ankle combined with a messy Pittsburgh backfield makes him one back for fantasy owners to avoid.	vs
47			Daniel Thomas 25 rush yards Thomas had just one carry for six yards in Week 15 against Jacksonville. He got dinged up a bit, which could be why the Dolphins went more to backup rookie Lamar Miller.	vs
48			Montario Hardesty 23 rush yards Hardesty carried twice for five yards against Washington in Week 15. Working as Trent Richardson's backup, Hardesty doesn't get much of a chance to score fantasy points. There's little reason to expect that to change.	at
49			Bernard Pierce 22 rush yards, 1 rec, 8 rec yards Pierce rushed five times for 20 yards before leaving with a head injury against the Broncos in Week 15. The rookie has played well as Ray Rice's backup, but he's still not worth a look in fantasy lineups.	vs
50			Jackie Battle 22 rush yards, 1 rec, 6 rec yards Since Ryan Mathews is done for the year with a broken clavicle and Ronnie Brown missed Week 15 with a hamstring injury, the Chargers likely will use Curtis Brinkley and Jackie Battle more. Brinkley played better against the Panthers, so we're betting on him in Week 16.	at
51			Shane Vereen 22 rush yards Vereen had just one touch in Week 15, catching one pass for four yards against the 49ers. Danny Woodhead stole most of the action in the Patriots' backfield, limiting Vereen and starter Stevan Ridley.	at
52			Robert Turbin 22 rush yards, 1 rec, 5 rec yards Turbin rushed 10 times for 31 yards at Buffalo in Week 15. The rookie has been a solid backup to Marshawn Lynch, but fantasy owners need to look elsewhere for help in Week 16.	vs
53			Ronnie Hillman 20 rush yards, 1 rec, 9 rec yards Hillman rushed 14 times for 29 yards at Baltimore in Week 15. The rookie continues to work behind starter Knowshon Moreno, which limits his fantasy production.	vs
54			Daryl Richardson 15 rush yards, 1 rec, 8 rec yards Richardson had just three carries for five yards against the Vikings in Week 15. He remains Steven Jackson's backup and likely won't have a fantasy impact again this season.	at
55			Marcel Reece 5 rush yards, 2 rec, 15 rec yards With Mike Goodson healthy again, Reece's productivity dropped off considerably; he didn't even get a carry in Week 15. Drop Reece now that Goodson is back.	at
56			Richard Murphy 14 rush yards Murphy had six carries for 20 yards at Miami in Week 15. He continues to work as Montell Owens' backup, while Maurice Jones-Drew and Rashad Jennings are sidelined.	vs
57			Michael Bush 14 rush yards, 1 rec, 7 rec yards While Bush (ribs) was active for Week 15 against Green Bay, he didn't receive any touches. Armando Allen got some carries in his place, but most of the touches are going to go to Matt Forte once again in Week 16.	at
58			Peyton Hillis 13 rush yards, 1 rec, 4 rec yards Hillis had just one carry for zero yards at Oakland in Week 15. The running game just wasn't there for Kansas City, and Hillis shouldn't be starting in any leagues in Week 16.	vs
59			Tashard Choice 13 rush yards Choice rushed once for seven yards against Seattle in Week 15. C.J. Spiller carried the full load against the Seahawks and will probably do so from here on out.	at
60			Evan Royster 5 rush yards, 2 rec, 12 rec yards Royster rushed twice for three yards and a touchdown at Cleveland in Week 15. As Alfred Morris' backup, he's not worth a look in fantasy play just yet.	at
61			Kregg Lumpkin 12 rush yards Lumpkin rushed nine times for 42 yards at Atlanta in Week 15. With Ahmad Bradshaw (foot, knee) expected to return, Lumpkin likely won't do much in Week 15.	at
62			Mewelde Moore 12 rush yards With Donald Brown on injured reserve, the Colts chose to pick up former Steelers running back Mewelde Moore before Week 15. He finished Sunday's game with four carries for six yards. Fantasy owners can look elsewhere.	at
63			LeGarrette Blount 12 rush yards Blount had four carries for 25 yards at New Orleans in Week 15. Despite coming off one of his biggest days of the season, he's still just a backup to Doug Martin and likely won't receive more than five touches in any one game the rest of the way.	vs
64			Felix Jones 11 rush yards, 1 rec, 8 rec yards There is no room for Jones to succeed this week. This game will be a passing frenzy, and when Dallas chooses to put the ball on the ground it'll feed DeMarco Murray. Jones is merely window dressing.	vs
65			Toby Gerhart 11 rush yards Gerhart had five carries for minus-five yards at St. Louis in Week 15. He's a No. 1 pick in Bizarro leagues after that performance. He's not worth starting in regular fantasy play, however.	at
66			Ben Tate 10 rush yards Tate had just five carries for 13 yards in Week 15 against Indianapolis. Until Arian Foster gets hurt, Tate's fantasy value is relatively limited.	vs
67			Ronnie Brown 10 rush yards Ryan Mathews broke his left clavicle against the Panthers and he's out for the season. That means the Chargers will have to rely on other running backs for the final two weeks. Brown was out for Week 15 with a hamstring injury, so it's hard to rely on him even though he'd be the clear choice if healthy.	at
68			Lamar Miller 10 rush yards Miller carried the ball six times for 18 yards against Jacksonville, but he still doesn't do enough to warrant fantasy consideration.	vs

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