RB RANKINGS 33-48
Auction...............$25
Bye Week.............10
In desperate need of a No. 1 running back, the Chargers moved up two spots to make sure they landed Gordon in the first-round of the NFL Draft this season. Gordon is expected to be the early-down thumper for the Chargers, a position made available after the departure of Ryan Mathews. But he could also see some work in the passing game, as he flashed those skills in college. The only caution for Gordon is the Chargers haven't done a lot to improve their offensive line, which struggled in 2014. While Gordon can create his own space and opportunities, he was accustomed to running through huge holes during his time in Wisconsin. He's not going to see as many of those in San Diego. Still, the combination of Gordon's talent and opportunity make him worthy of drafting as an RB2 this fall.
Auction...............$20
Bye Week.............10
Despite the best efforts of the media (and the 49ers) to write off Frank Gore, he continues to be an ageless wonder and put up solid fantasy numbers. While he is no longer a member of the 49ers, Gore could see a rebirth in Indianapolis as the Colts appear committed to establishing the run. Well, as committed as the Colts can be with Andrew Luck under center. Still, expect Gore to get the majority of the carries, especially late in contests when the talented Colts look to salt away games by grinding out the clock. Few players are as committed as Gore to beating Father Time, and fantasy owners should trust he as at least one more RB2-worthy season in him.
Auction...............$22
Bye Week.............11
Hyde has become a popular breakout candidate among fantasy pundits, as he will take over as the top back in San Francisco after the departure of long-time ace, Frank Gore. Hyde came to San Francisco with a lot of expectations and showed some flashes as a rookie, which had many fantasy enthusiasts ready to put him in the top 10 once Gore was gone. But then the 49ers added Reggie Bush and drafted hipster favorite Mike Davis. The combination of both could certainly take some touches from Hyde this season, which pushes the former Buckeye out of the top 10. He is the favorite to be the bell-cow in head coach Jim Tomsula's offense, and deserves consideration as an RB2.
Auction...............$10
Bye Week.............6
Many fantasy enthusiasts are going to be quick to jump on Randle in drafts in 2015 with DeMarco Murray out of the picture, and Randle having the edge in the Cowboys RB battle. Randle has a good combination of vision, shiftiness and explosion that he's showcased in spot work the past two years. Plus, it's hard not to like any running back playing behind the Cowboys offense line, which makes Randle totally worth a look in the early to middle rounds this fall. Owners would be wise to temper enthusiasm, though. (And maybe draft McFadden or Lance Dunbar anyway ... just in case.)
Auction...............$19
Bye Week.............6
Murray is one of the running backs fantasy fans are most excited to watch headed into the 2014 season. He's had a few chances to shine and made the most of them, including a huge breakout performance against the Chiefs last season. The Raiders did bring in Trent Richardson as a veteran project and added Roy Helu as a change-of-pace specialist, but Murray is still expected to be the starter come Week 1. The Raiders offense could be something special with the addition of Amari Cooper, which will help Murray, too. He's firmly on the RB2 radar heading into 2015.
Auction...............$15
Bye Week.............6
St. Louis didn't have an immediate need at running back, but the team's willingness to take Gurley 10th overall should speak to the type of talent this running back possesses. Heck, the great Herschel Walker heaped praise on Gurley last season, so the kid has to have something going for him. Gurley is still working his way back from a torn ACL he suffered in 2014, but he has avoided the dreaded PUP list to start training camp and could be making fantasy hay sooner than anticipated. He should also be the first running back you select in dynasty leagues, too. While his impact in Year 1 might be outshined by other rookies (since he's still recovering and has Tre Mason to split carries with), Gurley certainly is the favorite to have the longest, most fruitful NFL and fantasy career.
Auction...............$18
Bye Week.............9
Bell was a sneaky-good fantasy option last year but he is going to have his work cut out for him to be near the top again this season. Bell had knee and Achilles surgery during the offseason, so it's going to be important to monitor his progress in the team's organized workouts leading up to the preseason. The Lions also added Ameer Abdullah during the draft, who will take over the Reggie Bush-type of workload and could potentially cut into Bell's production. So the best-case scenario would be for Bell to duplicate his success from last year, leaving him once again as an attractive RB3 or flex option.
Auction...............$11
Bye Week.............9
The Cardinals attempted to make Ellington an every-down back last year, to not-so-great results. He had just 201 carries and averaged a mediocre 3.3 yards per carry as he battled numerous injuries that eventually landed him on IR. Ellington is healthy headed into this season, but the Cardinals figure to reduce his workload in the coming season while rookie David Johnson also gets into the mix for touches. Ellington's ability in the passing game (46 receptions last year) makes him a better target for PPR leagues. There's a chance his reduced workload could allow him to keep him in playmaking form longer into the season -- his yards per carry dipped by 2.2 and his yards per reception dipped by almost a full yard from 2013 to 2014 -- but he'll carry both injury and committee risk as a second or third option this fall.
Auction...............$10
Bye Week.............8
The Jaguars took Yeldon in the second-round with the hopes of him becoming the franchise back Gus Bradley has been looking for. The biggest knock against Yeldon is his speed, but critics said the same thing about Emmitt Smith when he came out of Florida and he turned out pretty well. The key will be the Jaguars offense. The team added Julius Thomas to their young, but talented receiving corps. And the Jaguars also retooled the offensive line through the draft and free agency. Yeldon could be poised for a big rookie season with 1,000 rushing yards a realistic goal. He is worth nabbing as an RB2, but owners would be wise to invest in another rusher a round or two after taking Yeldon.
Auction...............$9
Bye Week.............11
Expectations were high for Jennings last season when he joined the Giants after having one productive season with the Raiders. But injuries limited Jennings' success as he managed fewer than the four yards-per-carry to finish with 639 rushing yards and four touchdowns. His prospects in 2015 took another hit during the offseason when the Giants brought in Shane Vereen to split touches with Jennings and second-year man Andre Williams. Fantasy owners can expect Jennings to be stuck in RBBC purgatory this year, limiting his value.
Auction...............$6
Bye Week.............4
Blount has been a monster for Bill Belichick in the past, and this could be his best year as a pro. Blount will miss the first game of the season because of a suspension for a violation of the league's substance abuse policy, but he should have a huge role in the Patriots offense this season. A role that could prove to be even greater if Tom Brady is forced to serve out the full four-game suspension handed down for his role in the ball deflation scandal that haunted the team during the offseason. Trusting any Patriots running back is always tricky business as #Belitricks are always a play away, but if there is one to hitch a fantasy wagon too this year it's Blount.
Auction...............$4
Bye Week.............9
Abdullah was one of the stars at the NFL Scouting Combine because of his measurables, though his 40-yard dash time was a bit troubling. The former University of Nebraska star improved his 40 time at his Pro Day, though, and the Lions took a chance on him to pair with Joique Bell as a potent 1-2 punch. Abdullah has an excellent combination of moves that he can string together with ease, as well as a fair amount of power in his smaller frame. There is a chance he eventually becomes the lead back in Detroit, so he's definitely worth the risk during the middle parts of drafts. Two fantasy backs have succeeded in the Lions offense recently, so there's no reason to doubt they can do it again. The biggest knock against him will be his fumbling, which has come a long way, but still needs to improve.
Auction...............$9
Bye Week.............7
Bernard had a rather productive rookie season, but was unable to follow-up in his sophomore year. As expected, the wear and tear of being an every-down back proved to be too much and it was why he highlighted our bust list headed into the 2014 season. Bernard will start this season as the Bengals complementary back to Jeremy Hill and be utilized on passing downs, which should make him a PPR monster. Just don't expect him to approach his rookie numbers again in standard leagues. He'll have value as a solid flex or rotational running back starter, though.
Auction...............$4
Bye Week.............11
Crowell started the season buried on the Browns depth chart, but rose to some prominence with a few pretty good performances. New offensive coordinator John DeFilippo will keep a lot of the zone-blocking concepts installed by Kyle Shanahan last year, so not much is changing for Crowell. The Browns figure to run the ball a lot in 2015, too, which is good. But the backfield is muddled with a host of capable running backs competing for touches, including Crowell, Terrance West and rookie Duke Johnson, which is not good. This could be a prized job if one of these three running backs could claim the gig, and based on last year's performance, Crowell should figure to have a slight lead in that race.
Auction...............$12
Bye Week.............10
Tevin Coleman landing with the Falcons in the 2015 NFL Draft has created an interesting fantasy opportunity, because offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has done wonders with rookie running backs in the past. He turned Alfred Morris into a star in Washington, and even coaxed solid performances out of the Browns duo Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West last year. Now, Shanahan gets his chance with Coleman, who was very productive at Indiana. Coleman will compete with Devonta Freeman for touches, but the rookie is expected to take the majority of the attempts and could be a sleeper RB2 this year. He is one of our highest-rated rookies headed into the 2015 NFL season.
Auction...............$5
Bye Week.............6
McFadden is going to carry a lot of risk headed into the 2015 (as he has in most years), especially since he has been dogged by an injured hamstring this offseason. However, those who end up drafting McFadden will have been enticed by the potential reward. His situation is very similar to that of DeMarco Murray headed into the 2014 season. Many were skeptical Murray could be healthy enough to be the lead back the Cowboys always envisioned, but he became suddenly durable behind the best offensive line in football. McFadden also has those same concerns, but he has the talent to make the most of it. He might not match Murray's touch total from last year, but he's going to be better than you think. He's one of the highest risk-reward options in the RB2 to RB3 range, but he'll still have to compete with Joseph Randle (and stay healthy) to earn more opportunities.
RB RANKINGS 33-48
