RB RANKINGS 49-64
Auction...............$4
Bye Week.............8
Williams' career (and fantasy relevancy) was resurrected in 2015 with Pittsburgh. He finished fourth in fantasy points among running backs despite the fact that he touched the ball fewer than six times in five different games. In games without Le'Veon Bell (suspension, knee injury), Williams averaged 17 fantasy points. Williams racked up 200 carries, and averaged 4.5 yards per rush for the season as a legit RB1 when he was the starter ... which he once again will be for the first four weeks of the season, as Bell is facing another suspension. He'll be 33-years-old at the beginning of the 2016 season, but he proved last year he still has some tread left on the tires. He's worth a mid-round pick for those first four games and the upside that he splits time with Bell, as the team has already been hinting this offseason.
Auction...............$9
Bye Week.............8
There wasn't a better story in fantasy football in 2014 that Justin Forsett's 29-year-old breakout season, where he had over 1,500 total yards and scored eight touchdowns. That made his 2015 season doubly disappointing as Forsett struggled out of the gate before a broken arm stole the final six games of the season from him. Forsett is back to 100 percent, but as a 31-year-old running back his time in the spotlight, however brief, could be coming to a close. Javorius Allen filled in last year, and the team drafted Kenneth Dixon in the fourth round of the NFL draft in 2016, who you could argue is the best all-around back on the roster as of right now. Forsett should enter camp as the starter, but this looks like it could be shaping up as a committee, eventually tilting in the favor of Dixon or even Allen. Forsett is a fine option as a mid- to late-round RB3, with a little bump in PPR formats. The Ravens threw the fourth-most targets to backs last year, and Forsett had at least four reception in six of his nine games last year, not counting Week 11 when he broke his arm. Forsett's Cinderella story was fun, but midnight is coming for the former Cal Bear.
Auction...............$9
Bye Week.............6
In 2015, Sims finished second in receiving for the Buccaneers after Mike Evans. As a change-of-pace runner behind Doug Martin, the second-year running back racked up 51 receptions for 561 yadrs and four receiving touchdowns. He added 107 rush attempts for 529 yards for an efficient 4.9 yards per carry average. Sims' 1,090 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns were enough to finish as a top-25 fantasy running back last season. For now, his passing-down role behind Martin will keep his ceiling limited but he should be drafted as a PPR flex play or handcuff for Martin owners in 2016 as long as Dirk Koetter is running the offense in Tampa Bay.
Auction...............$9
Bye Week.............10
Riddick surprised the fantasy community in 2015, tying for the league lead in receptions among running backs (80) and finishing second in receiving yards (697) en route to leading the Lions backfield in fantasy scoring. As Riddick enters the final year of his rookie contract, he should remain the team's top pass-catching option out of the backfield and be in line for a bit more work, as Joique Bell was released earlier this offseason. Riddick is a nice late-round flex option in standard leagues, but should be viewed as an RB2 in PPR formats. Last year he finished as the RB18 in PPR, and was a consistent scorer as well, with 10 games where he caught five or more passes.
Auction...............$5
Bye Week.............5
A converted slot receiver in college, C.J. Prosise offers plenty of fantasy intrigue this year in Seattle. While his pass-catching skills might not be as utilized in a Seahawks offense that averages 74 pass targets to running backs a year (since 2012), he is a natural runner who should only improve the more time he spends at the running back position. With presumed starter Thomas Rawls still working his way back from an ankle injury in 2015, there's a chance Prosise has some early-season value as the starting running back in a high-octane offense, and could even push for a healthy amount of work for the whole season. Plus, with Russell Wilson and the passing game leaping forward last year, perhaps the offense does become more pass heavy, opening up more opportunities for a back like Prosise. Either way, his talent and situation make him a great high-upside target in the later rounds.
Auction...............$8
Bye Week.............13
The second running back to hear his name called in the NFL draft, Derrick Henry landed in Tennessee to form a thunder-and-thunder combo with the recently acquired DeMarco Murray. This wasn't an ideal spot fantasy-wise for Henry, as he'll be the 1B option at best in an offense trying to establish a new identity. The Titans ranked 28th in rushing attempts in 2015, and 25th in rushing yards, so between acquiring Murray and Henry and drafting Jack Conklin in the first round, it's clear this offense wants to establish a strong running game. Goal-line and short-yardage work should come Henry's way, though, so he's a fine flex target in the later rounds with upside. His size/speed combination is unmatched at the NFL level, and he could end up winning the lion's share of the touches by the season's end.
Auction...............$7
Bye Week.............10
There was a point in the 2015 season where it seemed as if every time Karlos Williams touched the ball he found his way into the end zone, as he scored three rushing touchdowns in his first 24 career carries. Williams filled in nicely for an injured LeSean McCoy at times, and also gave the Bills a nice spark with his big-play ability. Williams rushed for 10 or more yards on 17 percent of his carries, which was the highest percentage of backs with at least 90 carries in 2015. Williams figures to remain the No. 2 option in the Buffalo backfield with some occasional flex appeal, though he will have to fend off incoming rookie Jonathan Williams (though he missed all of 2015 with a foot injury). Williams is a great handcuff option for McCoy owners who wish to backup their leading man, and he's a great bench add for fantasy owners looking to build running back depth with some upside players.
Auction...............$8
Bye Week.............8
Kenneth Dixon landed in an ideal fantasy spot in Baltimore, as he's a perfect fit for offensive coordinator Marc Trestman's system. Dixon was the best pass-catching back in the draft, and joins an offense that threw 170 targets to backs a season ago (fourth-most in the NFL). Even with all of those targets, Justin Forsett and Buck Allen couldn't do much with them, as they posted the 33rd and 27th highest yards per target of 33 qualifying backs with 40-plus targets. Dixon is also a capable between the tackles runner with power, quick feet and a nose for the end zone (87 career touchdowns in college). While Dixon won't open the season as the starter, it wouldn't be surprising if he finishes the season atop the depth chart and as the highest scoring fantasy back on the team. Of course, veteran deference could relegate him to rotational duties until Forsett is out of the picture, too. He's a great high-upside back to target as an RB3 in the middle rounds on the hopes that he delivers in an offense getting a big boost with players returning from injuries (Joe Flacco, Steve Smith, Breshad Perriman).
Auction...............$6
Bye Week.............8
While Rashad Jennings set career highs in touches (224), rushing yards (863) and receiving yards (296), no one who owned him in fantasy would consider his season a success. That's because Jennings was mired in one of fantasy football's most frustrating committee backfields, splitting touches four ways with Shane Vereen, Orleans Darkwa and Andre Williams. However, there was a glimmer of hope to close out the season, as Jennings was fed 22 touches per game over the final four weeks, as opposed to 11.5 per game in the first 12. Could this be a sign of future plans for the Giants? We can't say with any certainty, and the team added another back in the draft in UCLA's Paul Perkins. Jennings figures to remain the starter and is the first back of this bunch whose name should be called on draft day. However, unless training camp and the preseason bring any more clarity to how touches will be split up, Jennings should be left on the board until the later rounds.
Auction...............$6
Bye Week.............11
The second-year running back checked in with just one game over 100 rushing years (a 145-yard, two-touchdown explosion against the 49ers), and averaged just 3.8 yards per attempt on the season. Crowell also saw more than 15 carries just twice on the year. He looks like the type of running back who needs a healthy volume to get in a rhythm, and while Hue Jackson loves to run the football, that looks unlikely to come unless there are a dramatic change in circumstances in Cleveland. Duke
Auction...............$6
Bye Week.............11
Melvin Gordon did not score a touchdown as a rookie. You heard it plenty of times now, and if you happened to own Gordon in 2015, you felt it too. Gordon averaged 15.5 touches per game before missing the final two weeks of the season. The Chargers really tried to get their first-round pick going, but it just never happened and he averaged 3.5 yards per carry. The Wisconsin product has the talent to turn his career around to at least be a usable player in fantasy, and the Chargers offensive line almost has to stay a bit healthier than they did last year. However, Gordon underwent offseason microfracture surgery, so his recovery will need to be closely monitored before sinking anything more than a late-round pick into him.
Auction...............$7
Bye Week.............11
There was some expectation that Tevin Coleman would come in and immediately take over as the Falcons feature back. After winning the job in training camp due to an injury to Devonta Freeman, Coleman ran 29 times for 112 yards and a touchdown in his first two games. However, Coleman suffered an injury of his own, and by the time he came back, Freeman was in the midst of the dominant tear that propelled him to the RB1 overall rank in fantasy this year. We'd feel better about Coleman as a handcuff if he played better as a rookie, and had any standalone value (earning no more than four touches in any game where Freeman started). He's a fine handcuff, who could end up stealing a few more touches each week. However, he will be hard to hold on to when bye weeks hit unless he's morphed into a Charles Sims-esque role player for Atlanta.
Auction...............$8
Bye Week.............4
No team has coaxed more respectable fantasy seasons out of mid-tier players than the Patriots, and LeGarrette Blount is their posterchild. He's enjoyed a mini career renaissance in New England last year, racking up over 700 yards and six scores before a chipped bone in his hip landed him on IR. Blount returned to the team on a one-year deal, likely to resume his role as the early-down power rusher with Dion Lewis as the do-it-all back. Blount is still an at-risk candidate for Belitricks, though, as his touches can be game-script dependent. He's a nice late-round add in best ball leagues, and could have flex appeal in standard formats when the right opponent is on the slate. Otherwise his week-to-week volatility will make Blount too much of a fantasy headache to handle.
Auction...............$2
Bye Week.............8
Paul Perkins was one of the most elusive backs in the 2016 draft, so it makes sense why the Giants selected him in the fifth round, as their backfield committee last year lacked anything close to an electric playmaker in space. Perkins could earn more work by the year's end, but he'll likely be battling Shane Vereen for passing down and hurry-up work while Rashad Jennings carries the early-down load. Perkins is a fine late-round flier to target in standard formats, but his opportunities will be limited unless an injury hits someone ahead of him on the depth chart or he proves (as some believe) that he's the best back on the roster and deserving of more opportunities.
Auction...............$2
Bye Week.............7
Were it not for a torn meniscus cutting his final year at Utah short, Devontae Booker probably would have been a more highly regarded prospect and not fallen to the Broncos in the fourth round. Instead, the Broncos and fantasy fans might have a steal on their hands here. Booker boasts a three-down back skillset, as he has excellent vision, hands, quickness and power. He won't take the starting job from C.J. Anderson (there are 18 million reasons why), but he should easily jump Ronnie Hillman for the extra touches ... assuming his knee is 100 percent healed. Booker's status will need to be monitored heading into fantasy drafts, but he represents a really nice upside pick in the middle to late rounds, and could be a handcuff target for Anderson owners, as we've seen him both battle injuries and struggle out of the gate in recent seasons.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............7
In an ironic twist, the last man standing from the 2015 Cowboys backfield committee was Darren McFadden. He seemed the likely starter again for 2016, until the Cowboys selected Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, all but ending McFadden's fantasy hopes for the year. Lance Dunbar and Alfred Morris are also in the mix, but Run DMC should be the favored handcuff to Elliott based on his production last year and abilities as an all-around back.
RB RANKINGS 49-64
