RB RANKINGS 33-48
Auction...............$22
Bye Week.............10
It might have taken a few years, but Mathews finally showed off the skills that made him a first-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft last season. He rattled off personal bests in rushing yards, scrimmage yards and fantasy points, and he did it all while in a committee with Danny Woodhead. Mathews was also a stat-sheet monster down the stretch, scoring 15-plus fantasy points in each of his last four contests. Now entering a contract year and the favorite for goal-line work, the Fresno State product is firmly in the mix as a high-end No. 2 fantasy back. While there's still some risk due to his past proneness to injuries, there's now a lot of room for optimism. He won't make it out of the fifth round in drafts.
Auction...............$21
Bye Week.............8
Jennings was an underrated fantasy star last season, posting career bests across the board and finishing among the top 25 running backs based on points. That's quite an accomplishment when you consider he was Oakland's starter for just half of the 2013 campaign. Jennings signed with the New York Giants in the offseason and will now compete with David Wilson for a starting job under coach Tom Coughlin. When you consider that Wilson is coming off spinal fusion surgery, though, it wouldn't be a shock to see Jennings shoulder the load to begin the 2014 campaign. He's better off picked as a No. 2 fantasy back or flex starter in drafts, but Jennings could bring back high RB2 production in a best-case scenario.
Auction...............$22
Bye Week.............9
Will the real C.J. Spiller please stand up? One season after looking like a superstar, he was one of the biggest busts in fantasy football in 2013. Part of that might have been attributed to an ankle sprain that dogged him for much of the campaign, but Spiller's potential as a true featured back are in major question. Also keep in mind that other than 2012, Spiller has never finished better than 26th in fantasy points at his position. Couple that with the continued presence of veteran Fred Jackson, and you have one heck of a risk-reward proposition. While there is hope for the future for Spiller, who is entering his age-27 season, fantasy owners shouldn't be reaching for him when it comes time to draft.
Auction...............$21
Bye Week.............8
Gore must have found the fountain of youth, because he just continues to produce 1,000-yard seasons for the Niners. He racked up 1,128 yards and nine touchdowns last season, which was good enough to finish 13th in fantasy points among running backs. Entering his age-31 season and in danger of losing carries to both Kendall Hunter and Marcus Lattimore, though, this could be the season where the statistical magic wears off. In fact, it wouldn't be a surprise if Gore failed to record 250 carries in 2014 -- that hasn't happened since 2010, when he missed five contests due to injuries. So for those owners who think Gore is a lock to remain a reliable No. 2 fantasy runner, well, that could be a huge mistake.
Auction...............$21
Bye Week.............11
A former stat-sheet stuffer at Stanford, Gerhart had been all but invisible in Minnesota while playing behind the running back's version of Superman, Adrian Peterson. He will get his chance to shine this season, though, as Gerhart signed with the Jaguars and figures to be their Week 1 starter. The veteran has shown some flashes of potential in limited work at the pro level, averaging a ridiculous 7.9 yards per carry this past season. He's also an underrated pass catcher for his size, and at 27 he has minimal wear and tear. The big questions about Gerhart are about the offense around him, and also the line in front of him. Still, Gerhart is clearly on the radar as a flex starter when it comes time to draft.
Auction...............$20
Bye Week.............9
Sankey, the first running back picked in the 2014 NFL Draft, is also going to be the first rookie runner picked in most fantasy leagues. The top-rated player at his position according to NFL Media draft guru Mike Mayock, Sankey has the tools to be a three-down back at the NFL level. He's entering a great situation in Tennessee, as the Titans lack a clear-cut No. 1 back after the offseason release of Chris Johnson. If Sankey can win the top spot on the depth chart, he would have instant value as a potential flex starter. Just keep in mind that with Shonn Greene and Dexter McCluster both in the mix, the rookie could have a tough time being a true featured back. Consider Sankey during the middle rounds in both standard and PPR formats in all re-drafts.
Auction...............$20
Bye Week.............9
Bell was no "Joique" last season, as he recorded 58 receptions, close to 1,200 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns as the "thunder" to Reggie Bush's "lightning." Those totals were good enough for him to rank 17th among runners in standard leagues and 15th in PPR formats. While Bush remains the No. 1 option in this backfield under new coach Jim Caldwell, Bell is without question 1A and should see no decline in opportunities. In fact, it wouldn't be a shock to see him finish with right in the neighborhood of 200 touches in back-to-back seasons. He's a legitimate flex starter in standard formats with added value in leagues that reward points for catches. Look for Bell to be picked somewhere in the middle rounds.
Auction...............$19
Bye Week.............11
Johnson was once considered one of the elite running backs in fantasy football, but his statistics and stock have fallen in recent seasons. While he did finish ninth in fantasy points at his position in 2013, CJ2K was inconsistent for stretches and averaged a career-worst 3.9 yards per carry. Now in the Big Apple, he figures to lead what could be a backfield committee with Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell. That scenario won't make him more popular in fantasy land. In fact, Johnson should now be seen as more of a high-end No. 3 fantasy runner or flex starter in most leagues. At 28 and past his prime, it's possible for he'll come short of the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the first time in his NFL career.
Auction...............$19
Bye Week.............10
Trying to predict the Patriots backfield from one season to the next is close to impossible, which was evident last season when LeGarrette Blount lead all Patriots runners in fantasy points. Vereen has the most statistical upside, though, and could turn into the team's best fantasy back. Despite playing in just eight games, he still caught 47 passes while totaling over 600 scrimmage yards and four total touchdowns. Project those numbers over a full season, and Vereen would have scored more fantasy points than Frank Gore, Alfred Morris and Maurice Jones-Drew. Vereen, who will be motivated in a contract year, should be seen as a borderline No. 2 or 3 back with upside and added value in all PPR leagues.
Auction...............$18
Bye Week.............10
Richardson was considered one of the biggest busts in fantasy football last season. After a solid rookie campaign, he fell on hard times after being traded to the Colts. Richardson rushed for two yards or fewer on 101 of his 188 carries, and was stopped for a loss or no gain 41 times. Overall, the former first-rounder averaged 2.9 yards per carry and ranked 34th in fantasy points at his position. While he's still young and can't be completely discounted, Richardson's failures last season are hard to forget -- and even harder with Ahmad Bradshaw and Vick Ballard in the backfield mix. So unless you like him to rebound in a big way, it makes sense to avoid Richardson until the middle rounds as a low-end flex starter.
Auction...............$18
Bye Week.............11
It can be argued that Rice was the biggest bust in fantasy football last season. He experienced sudden statistical declines across the board and finished 28th in fantasy points among all backs. Rice had finished no worse than 10th in each of the three previous campaigns. There is reason for some optimism for 2014, though, as Rice will enter the season at 100 percent health after a bad hip bothered him for most of last season. He's also going to be the focus of new OC Gary Kubiak, who wants to get Rice kick started once again after a forgettable 2013. Rice, 27, is suspended for the first two games of the season for an ugly off-field incident, but will return in Week 3. Although his role may be decreased he should still be the first Ravens runner off the board, but don't reach for him earlier than Round 5 or 6.
Auction...............$18
Bye Week.............4
A talented running back out of Auburn, Tate's value is on the rise after signing with the Browns this offseason. Now a featured runner, he'll be allowed a chance to prove he can handle the rigors of being in the spotlight ... both on the field and in fantasy football. Tate is a nice fit for the team's offense, as new OC Kyle Shanahan likes to use the same zone-blocking scheme the two ran while in Houston. The one downfall with Tate is the fact that he's a bit prone to injuries, so there is some risk invovled. Still, the thought of him seeing 250-plus touches in an offense that will run the football makes Tate a legitimate No. 2 fantasy runner across the board. He's likely to be picked in one of the first five rounds in drafts.
Auction...............$17
Bye Week.............5
Jones-Drew was once a surefire first-round selection in all fantasy drafts. Unfortunately, age and the wear and tear of an NFL running back has caught up with him. He missed most of the 2012 campaign with a foot ailment, and returned last season to average a career-low 3.4 yards per carry. Entering his age-29 season, Pocket Hercules has already had his best statistical seasons, too. Now in Oakland, he'll share the backfield workload with Darren McFadden in what figures to be a headache of a situation for fantasy owners (as long as Run DMC stays healthy). Fantasy owners need to put name recognition aside with Pocket Hercules, who is now little more than a No. 4 fantasy runner while sharing time with McFadden.
Auction...............$16
Bye Week.............5
Miller started 15 games and posted career bests across the board last season, but he was still a sleeper who didn't pan out. He ranked 38th in fantasy points at his position and never met expectations in an offense that had a porous line and threw the football close to 600 times. Miller also failed to emerge as a physical runner, which caused him to lose some of his workload to Daniel Thomas. With the recent news of Knowshon Moreno having to undergo knee surgery, Miller's value could rise as he now has a good shot at winning the starting job and might actually pan out next season as sleeper pick at the position. The young runner went from being only worth a look as a handcuff to Moreno, to potentially leading Miami backs in fantasy points in 2014.
Auction...............$16
Bye Week.............9
Expectations were high for Jackson heading into his first season with the Falcons, but injuries both to him and around him were too much to overcome. He missed a total of four games and was held to a mere 543 yards on the ground -- that was the first time he's failed to rush for 1,000 yards since 2004. Jackson could bounce back if he can avoid injuries in 2014, but he's entering his age-31 season and has endured a massive workload during his 10 pro seasons. That makes any thoughts of a return to his more productive campaigns a bit of a stretch, even in an offense that has some major weapons. At this stage of his career, Jackson is just a borderline No. 2 or 3 fantasy runner. He'll be a middle-round pick.
Auction...............$15
Bye Week.............9
A running back from Buffalo was predicted to be a top-10 option at his position last season. Unfortunately, that running back was C.J. Spiller and not Jackson. While Spiller become a massive bust, Jackson had 47 receptions, close to 1,300 scrimmage yards and 10 total touchdowns. He also finished with more carries and touches than Spiller, despite the fact that he was in his age-32 season. The underrated Coe College product could be hard pressed to duplicate such a campaign at the age of 33, though, and the Bills will no doubt look to get the more explosive Spiller back on track as the top option in their offense. Jackson still has some flex-starter appeal, but he's no lock to repeat his 2013 statistics.
RB RANKINGS 33-48
