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These 2015 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings will be updated often throughout the summer, so make sure you check back from time to time. Also, be sure to check out my other 2015 Fantasy Football articles, which will include sleepers, busts, tons of 2015 Fantasy Football mock drafts and other material. Follow me @walterfootball for updates. |
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2015 Fantasy Football Rankings - Running Backs (Sept. 10):
Top 10 | 11-20 | 21-40 | 41-75
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Eddie Lacy, RB, Packers. Bye: 7. 
Eddie Lacy struggled during the first four games of the season, but was dominant down the stretch. He rushed for 1,139 yards despite getting just 246 carries, and he also caught 42 balls and scored 13 total touchdowns. Lacy, who has missed just one game in his career, could arguably be the No. 1 pick in fantasy this summer – if Le’Veon Bell doesn’t get his suspension reduced.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Stats: 1,290 rushing yards. 40 catches. 330 receiving yards. 14 total TDs.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Points: 246.
Projected 2015 PPR Fantasy Points: 286.
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Le’Veon Bell, RB, Steelers. Bye: 11.
JULY 29 UPDATE: Le’Veon Bell’s three-game suspension has been reduced to two contests. This is obviously great news, as it once again puts him in consideration to be the No. 1 overall pick in standard leagues. Bell is the unquestionable top option in PPR formats, but if you’re wary of Adrian Peterson, Eddie Lacy and Marshawn Lynch, feel free to take him first overall in regular leagues.
Le’Veon Bell was arguably the top candidate to be the No. 1 fantasy player taken this summer before his suspension. Bell is an every-down back; he’s going to get about 300 carries and catch about 75 passes. He’ll also be in the mix to score double-digit touchdowns. Even better, Bell is just 23 years old, so there’s no risk that he’s going to wear down or anything. .
Unfortunately, Bell has been suspended for three games. He has filed an appeal, so perhaps he’ll get only one or two games. If so, he’ll climb back on top of this list.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Stats: 1,230 rushing yards. 65 catches. 560 receiving yards. 11 total TDs.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Points: 245.
Projected 2015 PPR Fantasy Points: 310.
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Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seahawks. Bye: 9.
Marshawn Lynch saw his workload decrease last year, yet his production – both his yardage and touchdown total – was up. Lynch’s fantasy outlook is obviously bright, as he’s just 29 years old. He’ll also have Jimmy Graham on the field to take some attention away.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Stats: 1,370 rushing yards. 33 catches. 290 receiving yards. 14 total TDs.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Points: 244.
Projected 2015 PPR Fantasy Points: 277.
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Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings. Bye: 5.
AUG. 16 UPDATE: Adrian Peterson didn’t play in Minnesota’s second preseason game, yet he’s going to receive a stock-down arrow because of Phil Loadholt’s season-ending Achilles injury. Loadholt is a tremendous run-blocker, so Peterson won’t have as much running room without his monstrous right tackle.
JULY 30 UPDATE: Adrian Peterson told the media that he didn’t feel very explosive at the beginning of training camp. Peterson is an arrogant player who also told the media earlier that he planned to rush for 2,500 this season, so this admission is significant. Peterson turned 30 this offseason, so he’s a risky choice in the top half of the first round. Then again, there aren’t many appealing options this year.
JULY 26 UPDATE: Adrian Peterson, according to reports, has come into training camp looking in great shape. This is yet another positive entry for Peterson, who is definitely a viable candidate to go No. 1 overall in leagues.
JULY 22 UPDATE: To follow up on a stock-up arrow I gave Adrian Peterson about a week ago, those covering the team believe that Peterson will catch 40-50 passes this year. Even if Peterson isn’t his old self, it’s still reassuring to know that he’ll at least get a chunk of yardage as a receiver out of the backfield.
JULY 19 UPDATE: Adrian Peterson is expected to be used more often in third downs than he has in the past, according to a report from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. This is obviously great news for his fantasy stock, as his reception total (29 in 2013) will definitely rise.
It was believed that Adrian Peterson would be traded at some point this offseason, but it’s now apparent that he’ll remain the starting running back for the Vikings. ESPN has reported that Peterson won’t be “anything less than a featured back,” which is obviously great news for his fantasy outlook. The question is how effective Peterson will be after missing 15 games. He turned 30 this offseason, so he almost certainly won’t be his old self.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Stats: 1,380 rushing yards. 41 catches. 320 receiving yards. 12 total TDs.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Points: 242.
Projected 2015 PPR Fantasy Points: 283.
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Jamaal Charles, RB, Chiefs. Bye: 9. 
Andy Reid has a habit of forgetting to give the ball to his best players. He was guilty of that on countless occasions this past season, as Jamaal Charles’ carries and receptions dropped dramatically. The good news is Charles’ legs are fresh, and at 28, he’s still one of the top fantasy running backs.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Stats: 1,140 rushing yards. 53 catches. 400 receiving yards. 13 total TDs.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Points: 232.
Projected 2015 PPR Fantasy Points: 285.
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C.J. Anderson, RB, Broncos. Bye: 7.
AUG. 31 UPDATE: While the Denver passing attack lacked explosion in the dress rehearsal, the Broncos were able to move the chains on the ground. C.J. Anderson was brilliant, gaining 49 yards on 13 carries. Some of his attempts featured a number of broken tackles, as he was able to turn what appeared to be minimal gains into huge bursts. Anderson also caught three balls for 22 receiving yards. On one of the receptions, he spun away from a defender and broke more tackles to pick up a decent chunk. He’s definitely worth a top-six fantasy draft pick in all non-2QB formats.
AUG. 26 UPDATE: Ronnie Hillman has been terrific in the preseason so far, but C.J. Anderson is still the No. 1 back. He got a boost today, thanks to the Evan Mathis signing. Check out my Free Agent Signing Grades for my take on the Mathis addition.
JUNE 22 UPDATE: I never did a stock report update for Ryan Clady’s season-ending injury. It’s safe to say that C.J. Anderson will be affected. It appears as though Anderson will be the bellcow back in Gary Kubiak’s offense, which is normally a great thing, but Denver’s run-blocking ability is suspect, especially now that Clady is gone.
C.J. Anderson took over for the injured Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman, and he would’ve remained the starter had both been healthy. Anderson was extremely impressive in all facets, rushing for 849 yards on a 4.7 clip, scoring 10 total touchdowns and catching 34 balls despite not getting double-digit touches in any game prior to Week 10. Anderson, who figures to be the starter, should even have more success running the ball, as Gary Kubiak is now the head coach. Kubiak has turned ordinary running backs into studs, so he should do wonders for Anderson.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Stats: 1,290 rushing yards. 44 catches. 370 receiving yards. 10 total TDs.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Points: 226.
Projected 2015 PPR Fantasy Points: 270.
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Jeremy Hill, RB, Bengals. Bye: 7.
Jeremy Hill took over as the featured back in December, and he proved to be extremely difficult to tackle. He gained 1,124 rushing yards and scored nine touchdowns on an impressive 5.1 YPC. Hill did all of this despite being a rookie and not getting more than 15 carries in any game prior to Week 9. He’s possibly worth a late first-round pick in 12-team leagues.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Stats: 1,290 rushing yards. 28 catches. 210 receiving yards. 10 total TDs.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Points: 223.
Projected 2015 PPR Fantasy Points: 254.
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DeMarco Murray, RB, Eagles. Bye: 8. 
JUNE 14 UPDATE: DeMarco Murray is a big injury risk who is coming off a huge workload last year. He won’t have Dallas’ offensive line either. Want another reason to stay away from him? Evan Mathis’ release is disastrous for Murray’s outlook. LeSean McCoy struggled to run the ball without Mathis this past season, so Murray will have the same issues. Chip Kelly is in way over his head.
It was shocking to see DeMarco Murray make it through most of the 2014 season unharmed. That’s unlikely to happen again, however, given that Murray led the NFL in carries this past season. Running backs who have handled the greatest workload struggle the following year (most recently, LeSean McCoy), so Murray should see a decline in production, especially given that he no longer has the Dallas offensive line blocking for him. On the bright side, he’ll get more touches in Chip Kelly’s offense, considering the high volume.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Stats: 1,150 rushing yards. 42 catches. 300 receiving yards. 9 total TDs.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Points: 199.
Projected 2015 PPR Fantasy Points: 241.
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Matt Forte, RB, Bears. Bye: 7.
Marc Trestman is gone, which is not good news for Matt Forte’s PPR outlook. He will not catch 100 balls again in 2014. It’s also fair to wonder about Forte’s workload. He has 1,817 career rushes in his seven NFL seasons, and that’s not even taking into account all of the receptions he’s accumulated. Forte, who will turn 30 in December, will begin to break down sometime soon.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Stats: 1,060 rushing yards. 50 catches. 360 receiving yards. 9 total TDs.
Projected 2010 Fantasy Points: 196.
Projected 2015 PPR Fantasy Points: 246.
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LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills. Bye: 8.
SEPT. 3 UPDATE: LeSean McCoy is not looking good for Week 1. Rex Ryan talked about the “next man” stepping up and hoped that McCoy would be ready. Even if McCoy suits up, he may not get a full workload.
AUG. 19 UPDATE: One day after Chet Gresham wrote an article on why you should avoid LeSean McCoy, the Buffalo running back was diagnosed with a hamstring injury and will be out for a few weeks. He could be ready for the opener, but soft-tissue maladies tend to linger. Let someone else pick up Shady.
LeSean McCoy disappointed his fantasy owners this past season. His yards-per-carry average dropped by nearly a yard because DeSean Jackson’s departure allowed defenses to play closer to the line of scrimmage. McCoy also lost goal-line touches to Chris Polk and receptions to Darren Sproles. McCoy would have been a buy-low candidate, but I feel like everyone expects him to run wild in Buffalo, thanks to Rex Ryan’s “ground and pound” philosophy.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Stats: 1,220 rushing yards. 32 catches. 200 receiving yards. 9 total TDs.
Projected 2015 Fantasy Points: 196.
Projected 2015 PPR Fantasy Points: 228.
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings - Running Backs (Sept. 10):
Top 10 | 11-20 | 21-40 | 41-75
More 2015 Fantasy Football Articles:
Fantasy Football Rankings
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 9/10 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/10 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/10 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 9/10 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Flex Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football PPR Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 8/27 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 8/27 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings - 5/14 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 5/14 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator - 9/10 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 9/3 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/27 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/20 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/13 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Experts Draft - 8/11 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/7 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/6 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 7/31 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 7/23 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft (2-QB) - 7/15 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft (PPR) - 7/6 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2015 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 - 9/10 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 PPR - 9/10 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 2-QB - 9/10 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 Touchdown League - 9/10 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Custom - 9/10 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football: Dynasty Rankings - 9/10 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Top 200 Rankings - 9/4 (Chet)
Chet Gresham's 2015 Fantasy Football Positional Cheat Sheet - 9/4 (Chet)
Chet Gresham's 2015 Fantasy Football Overall Cheat Sheet - 9/4 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Articles:
2015 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Training Camp - 9/10 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Tight End Matchup Chart: Week 1 - 9/9 (Chet)
Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Matchup Chart: Week 1 - 9/8 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Sleepers - 9/8 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Running Back Matchup Chart: Week 1 - 9/7 (Chet)
Fantasy Football Quarterback Matchup Chart: Week 1 - 9/6 (Chet)
2015 NFL Preseason Recap, Fantasy Football Notes - 9/4 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Preseason Stock - 9/4 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Quarterback Targets - 9/4 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Busts - 9/4 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Goal-Line Running Backs - 9/3 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football News - 9/1 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football: Better Than ADP - 8/31 (Chet)
Daily Fantasy Football: Running Backs - 8/27 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football: Late-Round Running Back Fliers - 8/24 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Fallout: Jordy Nelson Injury - 8/24 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Players to Target - 8/22 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Spreadsheets - 8/22 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Round-by-Round Strategy Guide - 8/20 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football: The Perfect Draft - 8/20 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Players to Avoid: LeSean McCoy - 8/18 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Values: Wide Receivers - 8/14 (Chet)
Daily Fantasy Football: Wide Receivers - 7/29 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Value Profile: Brian Quick - 7/22 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football Value Profile: Eli Manning - 7/17 (Walt)
Daily Fantasy Football: A Primer - 7/10 (Chet)
2015 Fantasy Football Value Profile: Jarvis Landry - 7/7 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Offseason Stock Report: Up - 5/15 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Offseason Stock Report: Down - 5/15 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football: First-Round Bust History - 2/17 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football: Overdrafted Players - 2/15 (Walt)
2015 Fantasy Football: Running Backs with Most Carries - 2/15 (Walt)
NFL Picks - Nov. 17
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 13
NFL Power Rankings - Nov. 12
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
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Injured/injury risk
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Potential bust
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Potential sleeper
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Rank higher in touchdown leagues
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Rank lower in touchdown leagues
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Rank higher in PPR (points per reception) leagues
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Rank lower in PPR leagues
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