RB RANKINGS 49-64
Statistical projections are provided by EA Sports/NFL.com
- Player
- Analysis
Green-Ellis' first season in Cincinnati was a roller-coaster ride in the stat sheets. After starting off red-hot in his first two games, the Law Firm scored 10-plus fantasy points just once in his next seven contests. He would go on a five-game tear after that, rushing for 100-plus yards four times while averaging better than 15 fantasy points. On the downside, Green-Ellis scored just six touchdowns in 2012 -- that's a huge drop-off from the 12 scores he averaged in his final two seasons with the
New England Patriots. He's also almost guaranteed to see a decrease in touches with rookie
Giovani Bernard now in the mix, so owners should lower their expectations. Green-Ellis should be considered no more than a high-end flex starter in most standard formats. Target him somewhere in the middle to late rounds.
Ingram, a first-round draft pick in 2011, has failed to make a significant fantasy impact at the NFL level. Mired in a three-headed backfield committee with
Darren Sproles and
Pierre Thomas, the Alabama product has averaged just 41.3 yards per game with a combined 10 touchdowns in two seasons. On a positive note, Ingram did finish among the top 25 players at his position (based on fantasy points) over the last four weeks of 2012. What's more, he'll continue to see 10-15 touches per game and will be utilized more often on the ground attack with bruiser
Chris Ivory no longer in the mix. While he isn't going to have a major breakout in the stat sheets with Sproles and Thomas still involved, Ingram could post career bests and yards and touchdowns this season. Consider him a No. 4 fantasy runner in the middle-to-late rounds.
Redman entered last season as a potential fantasy sleeper due to the questionable status of
Rashard Mendenhall, but he failed to meet expectations and lost more than his share of carries to
Jonathan Dwyer in the
Steelers backfield. He also averaged a career-worst 3.7 yards per carry and found the end zone just twice. His chances to earn a featured role in the NFL are over for all intents and purposes, but Redman will be in a committee situation for at least several weeks due to the absence of injured rookie
Le'Veon Bell. As a result, he'll be worth a late-round look as a No. 4 or 5 fantasy runner in most formats.
Tate is coming off a forgettable 2012 campaign: He missed five games due to hamstring and foot injuries and was waiver-wire fodder in countless fantasy leagues. Tate, who also missed his entire rookie campaign with an injured ankle, is a clear risk and will be hard-pressed to make an impact behind
fantasy football superstar
Arian Foster. While he is in a contract year, the Auburn product should be considered no more than a late-round fantasy reserve in most cases. However, Tate will be a solid handcuff option for owners in all leagues who land Foster as their No. 1 back in 2013.
Brown went from an unknown back to a fantasy star in two weeks last November, rushing for a combined 347 yards with four total touchdowns in the absence of
LeSean McCoy. His role will be scaled back with McCoy's return, but Brown should see more than his share of opportunities in the offense of new coach
Chip Kelly. The Kansas State product could see between 125-150 carries in this run-laden attack. So while Brown will be a popular selection as a handcuff for owners who land McCoy, he could also scratch out enough work to be an occasional matchup-based flex starter.
Woodhead had a nice season in the stat sheets in 2012, finishing in the top 25 among running back based on fantasy points in both standard and PPR leagues. While his rushing yards were down compared to the previous two seasons, the Chadron State product did post career bests in receptions, receiving yards and total touchdowns. Now in San Diego, Woodhead will serve as a change-of-pace option behind incumbent starter
Ryan Mathews. Considering his evident skills as a pass catcher out of the backfield, he'll have late-round value in standard leagues and additional stock in PPR formats.
Hillman showed some flashes of potential as a rookie, rushing for 330 yards while playing in just 18 percent of the snaps. He could see a bigger role in the offensive attack behind rookie
Montee Ball, but the San Diego State product needs to work on ball security and pass protection if he wants to earn the role of the team's change-of-pace back. Hillman is also no threat to contend for a featured role, so his statistical upside is very limited despite playing in such a prolific offense. If he can earn the top spot on the Denver depth chart, though, he could turn into a draft bargain. Consider him somewhere in the late rounds.
Jackson is coming off a forgettable season: He suffered two leg injuries that caused him to miss a total of six games. The veteran also lost his starting job to the younger and more explosive
C.J. Spiller, who now figures to lead the
Bills in carries and total backfield touches under new coach
Doug Marrone. The good news for Jackson is that he's expected to be back at 100 percent for the start of the season, so he should be safe to draft from a physical perspective. However, the downside is that his recent proneness to injuries combined with his age (32) and the emergence of Spiller has lessened his value. He's now more of a reserve and matchup-based flex starter. In 10-team leagues, the Coe College product should be considered a No. 3 or 4 fantasy runner.
Once considered a solid fantasy starter, Thomas has seen his stock and production decline in each of the last four seasons. In fact, the versatile veteran out of Illinois has seen his rushing totals fall in each of his last three full seasons. That's due in large part to the three-headed backfield he shares with
Darren Sproles and
Mark Ingram. Thomas, who ended last season on injured reserve with an injured knee, will still be worth a late-round look as a fantasy reserve in standard leagues. Though he'll have at least a bit more value in all PPR formats, Thomas' stock is limited overall.
Pead was all but invisible in his rookie season, carrying the football a mere 10 times behind
Steven Jackson and
Daryl Richardson. He admitted that missing OTAs as a rookie set him back, and he's now in a much better position to find success. Jackson is no longer in the mix after signing with the
Falcons, leaving Pead to compete with
Daryl Richardson and rookie
Zac Stacy for the top spot on the depth chart. If he's able to earn a prominent backfield role for coach
Jeff Fisher, Pead would no doubt be a popular sleeper in
fantasy football despite being suspended for the first week of the season.
Pierce was nonexistent for the first half of his rookie season, but he showed real flashes of potential down the stretch for the
Ravens. He rushed for 100-plus yards twice in the team's last six games including the playoffs. Pierce isn't going to see enough carries on a consistent basis to make a fantasy impact with superstar
Ray Rice ahead of him on the depth chart. The Temple product will be worth a late-round look in most leagues -- he's also one of the better handcuffs in
fantasy football for owners who land Rice as their top back in Round 1.
Dwyer is coming off the best statistical season of his career, rushing for 623 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games (six starts). Chances are he won't have as prominent a role in the offense again, even with rookie
Le'Veon Bell out for the first several weeks with an injured foot. As a result, look for Dwyer to share time with Isaac Redmsn among other runners in what is likely to be a committee situation. In a best-case scenario, the Georgia Tech product will be worth a late-round look as a No. 5 fantasy runner.
A fourth-round pick out of UCLA, Franklin is a talented running back who broke out in the stat sheets in his final collegiate season. He set career bests in carries, rushing yards, touchdowns and catches while averaging over six yards per carry. Most expect he'll be second on the
Packers' depth chart behind fellow rookie
Eddie Lacy, Franklin has an outside chance at a more prominent role if he performs well in training camp and preseason. At worst, he'll be worth a late-rounder as insurance for owners who nab Lacy. At best, Franklin could be a major fantasy sleeper.
Ballard emerged past veteran
Donald Brown to earn the top spot on the
Colts' depth chart during his rookie season, starting the final 12 games and finishing 25th in fantasy points among running backs. Based on the numbers he recorded in those 12 starts, the Mississippi State product would have projected to rush for just over 1,000 yards while scoring close to 150 fantasy points. Unfortunately, the addition of veteran
Ahmad Bradshaw has put a major dent into his upside - and fantasy value. In fact, Ballard is now worth just a late-round selection in most leagues for the 2013 campaign.
Greene is coming off a 2012 campaign that saw him record career bests in carries, rushing yards and touchdown runs. Though his numbers were inconsistent overall, he still finished 15th in fantasy points among runners. Now a member of the
Titans, Greene figures to be the thunder to
Chris Johnson's lightning in 2013. While he will no doubt be considered for short-yardage and goal-line work with his new team, Greene is still going to be second in the pecking order behind CJ2K in backfield touches. Owners shouldn't see him as more than a No. 4 fantasy running back.
Rodgers made a nice impact in the passing game for Atlanta last season, catching 53 passes (fourth-most among running backs) for 402 yards. The shifty and elusive runner will continue to be a part of the pass attack out of the backfield in 2013, but Rodgers' size (5-foot-6, 196 pounds) will keep him from earning a featured role at the NFL level. Instead, he'll play a
Darren Sproles-type role behind new starting running back
Steven Jackson. He'll be well worth a late-round pick in most standard leagues, but Rodgers will have potential flex-starter appeal in all PPR formats.
RB RANKINGS 49-64
