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These 2018 Fantasy Football 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 2018 Fantasy Football articles, which will include sleepers, busts, tons of 2018 Fantasy Football mock drafts and other material. Follow me @walterfootball for updates. |
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2018 Fantasy Football Rankings - Running Backs (Sept. 5):
Top 10 | 11-20 | 21-40 | 41-75
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Todd Gurley, RB, Rams. Bye: 12.
One team that tried to trade up for Todd Gurley in the 2015 NFL Draft told us that they viewed him as the next Jim Brown. Gurley looked like he could live up to that distinction last year, as he rushed for 1,305 yards, caught 64 passes and scored 19 touchdowns. The offensive line has remained intact, so Gurley should continue to put up monster numbers. He’s my No. 1 player in fantasy this season.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Stats: 1,370 rushing yards. 63 catches. 600 receiving yards. 17 total TDs.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Points: 299.
Projected 2018 PPR Fantasy Points: 362.
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David Johnson, RB, Cardinals. Bye: 9.
JUNE 10 UPDATE: David Johnson has some sort of injury that caused him to miss time this past week. AZCentral’s Kent Somers says it’s “not serious,” but then why is there a high level of secrecy surrounding it? I’m not dropping Johnson in my rankings just yet, but if you have a super-early fantasy draft in June for some reason, you may want to take one of the other top running backs instead, just to be safe.
Cardinals GM Steve Keim called David Johnson the best receiving back he’s ever seen. Keim cited that many compare Johnson to Marshall Faulk. Those comparisons seem to be right on the money thus far. In addition to rushing for 1,239 yards and scoring 20 total touchdowns, Johnson caught 80 balls for 879 receiving yards in 2016. He missed all but one game in 2017, but should be back to his old self this upcoming season.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Stats: 1,230 rushing yards. 70 catches. 620 receiving yards. 14 total TDs.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Points: 269.
Projected 2018 PPR Fantasy Points: 339.
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Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys. Bye: 8.
AUG. 23 UPDATE: Ezekiel Elliott has been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease and will be out indefinitely. This is a big blow to Dallas’ blocking, so Elliott won’t be as productive. However, he’s still worth a pick in the opening half of the first round.
There won’t be any suspension worries for Ezekiel Elliott this season. As a result, Elliott will be in the running for the first running back chosen in many non-PPR leagues. There’s no reason to be worried about Elliott’s output, as he’s well rested after playing so little in 2017. The offensive line seems to have gotten better as well.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Stats: 1,440 rushing yards. 37 catches. 330 receiving yards. 15 total TDs.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Points: 267.
Projected 2018 PPR Fantasy Points: 304.
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Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints. Bye: 6.
Alvin Kamara is one of the most electrifying players in the NFL. He’s a threat to go the distance any time he touches the ball, and he can turn what seems into a non-gain or a loss into a quality play. Kamara averaged 6.1 yards per carry as a rookie and also caught a ridiculous 81 passes. The thing is, the Saints didn’t even use him that much in the first three weeks of the season! Kamara’s talents are undeniable, so he’ll get more touches in 2017, as he’ll eat into Mark Ingram’s workload. Ingram has been suspended for four games, so that only helps matters.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Stats: 850 rushing yards. 84 catches. 820 receiving yards. 13 total TDs.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Points: 245.
Projected 2018 PPR Fantasy Points: 329.
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Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants. Bye: 9.
Saquon Barkley is more than just an ordinary running back; he’ll be the centerpiece of the Giants’ offense, much like Marshall Faulk was for the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams teams. Barkley should be a first-round fantasy pick this year in all formats.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Stats: 1,130 rushing yards. 64 catches. 580 receiving yards. 11 total TDs.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Points: 237.
Projected 2018 PPR Fantasy Points: 297.
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Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers. Bye: 8.
AUG. 12 UPDATE: Melvin Gordon looked good in his 2018 debut. He gained 16 yards on five carries, but ran with great speed. On one instance, he showed tremendous balance when he spun away from a defender after catching a screen pass. Gordon should have a strong season.
Melvin Gordon had an awful rookie campaign, failing to find the open hole and gaining just 3.5 yards per carry. However, he has gotten better each year, though his inability to eclipse four yards per carry is a concern. Still, Gordon is such a big part of the passing game – 58 catches in 2017 – that it’s difficult to envision him not being a top-10 running back, barring injury.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Stats: 1,190 rushing yards. 52 catches. 450 receiving yards. 12 total TDs.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Points: 236.
Projected 2018 PPR Fantasy Points: 288.
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Leonard Fournette, RB, Jaguars. Bye: 9.
JULY 24 UPDATE: Leonard Fournette reported to training camp at 223 pounds, his lowest weight since high school. Remember when there were weight issues for him at the combine? Those are long gone, and the Fournette who wore down the stretch last year will be much better in his sophomore campaign.
Leonard Fournette started his rookie year with a bang, rushing for at least 100 yards four times in the his first eight games. He even said that playing in the NFL was easy. However, Fournette hit a rookie wall late in the year, but should be better in his sophomore campaign, especially if Jacksonville finds an upgrade for the offensive line.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Stats: 1,270 rushing yards. 40 catches. 350 receiving yards. 12 total TDs.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Points: 234.
Projected 2018 PPR Fantasy Points: 274.
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Le’Veon Bell, RB, Steelers. Bye: 7. 
SEPT. 5 UPDATE: Nothing’s official, but the Steelers expect Le’Veon Bell to report to the team Wednesday. Bell won’t start Week 1, but he’ll play, and he’ll start Week 2, in all likelihood.
SEPT. 4 UPDATE: Le’Veon Bell did not report to the Steelers on Monday. This isn’t a surprise, as Bell denied reports that he would return to the team. Bell is now in serious danger of missing Week 1. If you’re drafting over the next couple of days, I would avoid Bell in the opening round.
AUG. 30 UPDATE: It was reported that Le’Veon Bell would report to the Steelers on Labor Day, but he denied it. There’s a chance Bell could continue his holdout into the season, making him extremely risky in the opening round of fantasy drafts.
JULY 17 UPDATE: Le’Veon Bell didn’t sign a contract for the franchise player deadline. There’s some talk that he could hold out. At the very least, he’ll show up late for training camp. He did this last year and got off to a slow start. Now, he’s coming off a season in which he had a career-high touch count.
JULY 10 UPDATE: Le’Veon Bell is expected hold out of training camp if he doesn’t obtain a new contract by the July 16 extension deadline, per the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Bell held out last year as well and got off to a slow start. Now, he’s coming off a season in which he handled a huge workload; he had 406 touches in the regular season, breaking his previous career-high of 373. Bell is someone I’m going to fade this year.
Le’Veon Bell has played just one full season in his career until this past season. Well, he sat out Week 17 with the other starters, but he was playing when it counted. He rushed for 1,291 yards and caught 85 passes last year. He’s in the running to be the first pick in fantasy drafts, but it’s worth noting that he was the only NFL running back to carry the ball more than 300 times in 2017. Because of this heavy workload, as well as his potential holdout, Bell is certainly a candidate for regression.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Stats: 1,110 rushing yards. 72 catches. 570 receiving yards. 10 total TDs.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Points: 228.
Projected 2018 PPR Fantasy Points: 300.
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Kareem Hunt, RB, Chiefs. Bye: 12.
I loved Kareem Hunt as a sleeper last year even before Spencer Ware got hurt. Yet, Hunt was even better than I imagined he would be. Hunt rushed for 1,327 yards and caught 53 passes, putting himself in position to potentiall win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Hunt is due for some regression in 2018, but he’s still an RB1, especially in PPR formats.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Stats: 1,230 rushing yards. 50 catches. 410 receiving yards. 10 total TDs.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Points: 224.
Projected 2018 PPR Fantasy Points: 274.
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Dalvin Cook, RB, Vikings. Bye: 10.
JULY 23 UPDATE: Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano has passed away. This is unfortunate news, especially considering that it was so unexpected. From a football perspective, Minnesota’s blocking will likely be worse without Sparano’s coaching, meaning Dalvin Cook’s YPC average will probably be worse than it was last year before he got hurt.
Dalvin Cook got off to such a strong start as a rookie, rushing for 354 yards and catching 11 passes in his first four games, averaging 4.8 YPC in the process. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL. The silver lining is that Cook got hurt on Oct. 1, so he should be 100 percent or close to it by the season opener.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Stats: 1,290 rushing yards. 40 catches. 340 receiving yards. 8 total TDs.
Projected 2018 Fantasy Points: 210.
Projected 2018 PPR Fantasy Points: 250.
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings - Running Backs (Sept. 5):
Top 10 | 11-20 | 21-40 | 41-75
More 2018 Fantasy Football Articles:
Fantasy Football Rankings
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 9/5 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings - 8/29 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/5 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings - 8/29 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/5 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings - 8/29 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 9/5 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings - 8/29 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 8/21 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 8/21 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 8/21 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 5/18 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 9/1 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/30 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/27 (Walt)
Fantasy Football PPR Mock Draft - 8/23 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/22 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/16 (Walt)
Fantasy Football PPR Mock Draft - 8/9 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/2 (Walt)
Fantasy Football PPR Mock Draft - 8/1 (Chet)
Fantasy Football PPR Mock Draft - 7/26 (Walt)
Fantasy Football 2-QB Dynasty Draft - 5/25 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2018 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 PPR - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 2-QB - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 Touchdown League - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Custom - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football: Dynasty Rankings - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Spreadsheets - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Articles:
2018 Fantasy Football Stock Report: OTAs, Training Camp - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Sleepers - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Busts - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Mid-Round Values - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 NFL Preseason Game Recaps - 8/31 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Preseason Games - 8/31 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Notes - 8/31 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Quarterback Preseason Targets Tracker - 8/30 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football D/ST Drafting - 8/28 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football ADP Values: Running Backs - 8/16 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Round-by-Round Strategy Guide - 8/15 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football ADP Values: Quarterbacks - 8/15 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Tight Ends to Target - 8/9 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football - PPR Draft Strategy: Rounds 1 and 2 - 7/27 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football: Doug Baldwin's Value - 7/25 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football: Chris Hogan's Value - 7/18 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football: Alvin Kamara's Value - 7/16 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule: Tight Ends - 7/11 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule: Wide Receivers - 7/6 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule: Running Backs - 7/5 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule: Quarterbacks - 7/4 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Tight Ends Better Than ADP - 6/29 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Wide Receivers Better Than ADP - 6/28 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Target Shares - 6/22 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Points Per Game - 6/13 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator - 6/2
2018 Fantasy Football Value Players - 5/25 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Quarterback Look-Back - 1/28 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football: Running Backs with the Most Carries - 1/28 (Walt)
NFL Picks - Nov. 20
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 20
NFL Power Rankings - Nov. 19
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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