By Chet Gresham – @ChetGresham
Follow @walterfootball for updates.
Each week, I will provide our loyal readers with a matchup chart for each NFL position.
Check out the other positions: Quarterback | Wide Receiver | Tight End
My method is to rank each defense in different categories and then average those rankings into a single ranking. So below you will see how well defenses performed against running backs so far this season based on rushing attempts allowed, rushing yards allowed, rushing touchdowns allowed and so on and so forth. Remember, the numbers are how they ranked in that category. The higher the ranking the worse they performed. So as you can see in the chart, New Orleans ranked the worst against running backs and Seattle, the best.
| DEP | Running Backs | Tm | Opp | R/G | RuY/G | YPC | RuTD/G | Re/G | ReY/G | ReTD/G | T/G | TotYd | FPPG | FP/look | TotTD | FO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RB1 | Devonta Freeman | ATL | NO | 16 | 30 | 32 | < td>2226 | 32 | 29 | 26 | 32 | 3 0 | 32 | 27 | 29 | 27.9 | |
| RB1 | James White | NE | @MIA | 32 | 31 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 31 | 18 | 30 | 32 | 26 | 31 | 22 | 25.5 | |
| RB2 | Brandon Bolden | NE | @MIA | 32 | 31 | 19 | < td>2618 | 16 | 31 | 18 | 30 | 3 2 | 26 | 31 | 22 | 25.5 | |
| RB1 | Todd Gurley | STL | @SF | 31 | 28 | 19 | 29 | 20 | 10 | 22 | 28 | 31 | 27 | 31 | 24 | 25.5 | |
| RB2 | Tre Mason | STL | @SF | 31 | 28 | 19 | 29 | 20 | 10 | 22 | 28 | 31 | 27 | 31 | 24 | 25.5 | |
| RB1 | Matt Jones | WAS | @DAL | 23 | 23 | 24 | < td>2924 | 28 | 10 | 19 | 27 | 2 9 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 24.5 | |
| RB2 | Alfred Morris | WAS | @DAL | 23 | 23 | 24 | 29 | 24 | 28 | 10 | 19 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 24.5 |
| RB1 | Tim Hightower | NO | @ATL | 17 | 16 | 14 | 30 | 32 | 29 | 10 | 31 | 22 | 28 | 30 | 25 | 24.0 | |
| RB2 | C.J. Spiller | NO | @ATL | 17 | 16 | 14 | 32 | 29 | 10 | 31 | 22 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 25 | 24.0 | |
| RB1 | Ryan Mathews | PHI | @NYG | 24 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 19 | 23.1 |
| RB2 | Darren Sproles | PHI | @NYG | 24 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 19 | 23.1 |
| RB3 | Demarco Murray | PHI | @NYG | 24 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 19 | 23.1 |
| RB1 | Rashad Jennings | NYG | PHI | 28 | 29 | 28 | < td>519 | 21 | 29 | 23 | 31 | 26 | 19 | 14 | 26 | 22.9 | |
| RB2 | Shane Vereen | NYG | PHI | 28 | 29 | 28 | 19 | 21 | 29 | 23 | 31 | 26< /td> | 19 | 14 | 26 | 22.9 | |
| RB1 | C.J. Anderson | DEN | SD | 13 | 27 | 31 | 26 | 10 | 27 | 10 | 5 | 26 | 2 7 | 31 | 24 | 30 | 22.1 |
| RB2 | Ronnie Hillman | DEN | SD | 13 | 27 | 31 | 10 | 27 | 10 | 5 | 26 | 27< /td> | 31 | 24 | 30 | 22.1 | |
| RB1 | Alfred Blue | HOU | JAC | 21 | 9 | 3 | 26 | 31 | 30 | 22 | 28 | 19 | 24 | 21 | 27 | 14 | 21.2 |
| RB2 | Chris Polk | HOU | JAC | 21 | 9 | 3 | 26 | 31 | 30 | 22 | 28 | 19 | 24 | 21 | 27 | 14 | 21.2 |
| RB1 | Ameer Abdullah | DET | @CHI | 21 | 22 | 22 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 31 | 15 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 32 | 20.9 |
| RB2 | Theo Riddick | DET | @CHI | 21 | 22 | 22 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 31 | 15 | 23 | 2 3 | 23 | 20 | 32 | 20.9 |
| RB3 | Joique Bell | DET | @CHI | 21 | 22 | 22 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 31 | 15 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 32 | 20.9 |
| RB1 | Darren McFadden | DAL | WAS | 17 | 25 | 29 | 17 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 21 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 23 | 18.0 |
| RB1 | Shaun Draughn | SF | STL | 25 | 21 | 13 | 26 | 31 | 10 | 29 | 25 | 19< /td> | 12 | 8 | 6 | 17.7 | |
| RB2 | DeAngelo Williams | PIT | @CLE | 28 | 32 | 30 | 11 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 29 | 21 | 18 | 8 | 28 | 17.3 |
| RB1 | Antonio Andrews | TEN | @IND | 27 | 24 | 18 | 22 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 12 | 16.8 |
| RB1 | Charcandrick West | KC | OAK | 12 | 10 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 24 | 10 | 27 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16.7 |
| RB2 | Spencer Ware | KC | OAK | 12 | 10 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 24 | 10 | 27 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16.7 |
| RB1 | Chris Ivory | NYJ | @BUF | 9 | 17 | 27 | 17 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 1 | 15 | 17 | 30 | 20 | 31 | 16.5 |
| RB2 | Bilal Powell | NYJ | @BUF | 9 | 17 | 27 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 1 | 15 | 17 | 30 | 20 | 31 | 16.5 | |
| RB1 | Matt Forte | CHI | DET | 20 | 18 | 16 | 30 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 20 | 24 | 16 | 15.5 | |
| RB2 | Jeremy Langford | CHI | DET | 20 | 18 | 16 | 30 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 16 | 15.5 |
| RB1 | Javorius Allen | BAL | @CIN | 2 | 6 | 21 | 5 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 22 | 11 | 10 | 14.5 |
| RB1 | Denard Robinson | JAX | @HOU | 8 | 15 | 22 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 17 | 13.7 |
| RB2 | Jonas Gray | JAX | @HOU | 8 | 15 | 22 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 15< /td> | 15 | 11 | 17 | 13.7 |
| RB1 | Danny Woodhead | SD | @DEN | 15 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 22 | 18 | 22 | 30 | 4 | 1 0 | 6 | 22 | 3 | 13.3 |
| RB2 | Donald Brown | SD | @DEN | 15 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 22 | 18 | 22 | 30 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 3 | 13.3 |
| RB1 | Doug Martin | TB | @CAR | 5 | 5 | 7 | 1 7 | 28 | 19 | 10 | 32 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 8 | 13.3 |
| RB2 | Charles Sims | TB | @CAR | 5 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 28 | 19 | 10 | 32 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 8 | 13.3 |
| RB1 | Eddie Lacy | GB | MIN | 14 | 20 | 26 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 20 | 12.0 |
| RB2 | James Starks | GB | MIN | 14 | 20 | 26 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 9 | 4 | 20 | 12.0 | |
| RB1 | Adrian Peterson | MIN | @GB | 10 | 13 | 17 | 22 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 14< /td> | 15 | 14 | 18 | 11.8 |
| RB1 | Cameron Artis- Payne | CAR | TB | 30 | 14 | 2 | 1 1 | 10 | 3 | 22 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 11.5 |
| RB1 | Lamar Miller | MIA | NE | 11 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 23 | 12 | 3 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 13 | 11.5 |
| RB2 | Jay Ajayi | MIA | NE | 11 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 23 | 12 | 3 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 13 | 11.5 |
| RB1 | Frank Gore | IND | TEN | 25 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 9.5 |
| RB1 | Christine Michael | SEA | @ARI | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 26 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 8.3 |
| RB1 | Jeremy Hill | CIN | BAL | 17 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 4< /td> | 5 | 9 | 7.5 |
| RB2 | Giovani Bernard | CIN | BAL | 17 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 7.5 | ||
| RB1 | Latavius Murray | OAK | @KC | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 7.4 | |
| RB2 | Karlos Williams | BUF | NYJ | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 17 | 22 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 6.8 |
| RB2 | Mike Gillislee | BUF | NYJ | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 17 | 22 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6.8 | |
| RB1 | Isaiah Crowell | CLE | PIT | 6 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 14 | 13 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6.6 |
| RB2 | Duke Johnson | CLE | PIT | 6 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 14 | 13 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6.6 |
| RB1 | David Johnson | ARI | SEA | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 20 | 10 | 1 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6.0 |
| RB2 | Andre Ellington | ARI | SEA | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 20 | 10 | 1 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6.0 |
Key
FO: Football Outsiders ranking for rush defense.
FP/Look: Fantasy points allowed per look (target+rush attempt).
FPPG: Fantasy points allowed per game to running backs.
TotYd: Total yards (rushing+receiving) allowed to running backs per game.
T/G: Receiving targets allowed to running backs per game.
ReTD/G: Receiving touchdowns allowed per game to running backs.
ReY/G: Receiving yards allowed per game to running backs.
Re/G: Receptions allowed per game to running backs.
RuTD/G: Rushing touchdowns allowed per game to running backs.
YPC: Yards per rushing attempt allowed to running backs.
RuY/G: Rushing yards allowed per game to running backs.
R/G: Rushing attempts allowed per game to running backs.
For more recommendations, check out WalterFootball.com's Fantasy Football Rankings.
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