2014 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs
Updated: Monday, September 1, 2014Scoring: These rankings are based on standard-scoring formats (one point per 10 rushing yards, six points per rushing touchdown plus one point per 10 receiving yards and six points per receiving touchdown) and are for 2014 only.
More: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF | IDP | Top 200 - PPR: RB | WR | TE | Top 200
- More 2014 RB Rankings: Brendan Donahue | Sean Beazley | Dan Yanotchko- Our consensus rankings: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends
Here are running backs 16-30:
16. Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers
In 13 games as a rookie, Bell got nearly 300 touches (244 carries and 45 receptions) and had 20-plus touches in all but two games. That said, Bell averaged only 3.52 yards per carry on the season. On a positive note, he averaged at least 4.0 YPC in four of his final five games after doing so only twice in his first eight games.
Bell's fantasy value has taken a hit as both he and free-agent signee LeGarrette Blount have split first-team reps and Bell has admitted that he expects Blount to get goal-line carries. In addition, the team's top two backs were busted during the preseason for marijuana possession and Bell also was arrested for DUI.
17. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills
One year after his 2012 breakout season, many (including me) figured Spiller would be onto bigger and better things. After all, Fred Jackson was another year north of 30 and the team had a new coaching staff that figured to bump up Spiller's usage. The plan was to give him the ball until "he throws up."
Instead, it was fantasy owners with upset stomachs as Spiller was a huge disappointment. His yards-per-carry average dropped from 6.0 in 2012 to 4.6 last year. A high-ankle sprain sustained in Week 4 was at least partly to blame.
Perhaps Spiller bounces back in 2014 now that he's healthy. In the preseason, however, there was little to inspire much confidence that things will be different this year as he gained 73 yards on 21 carries (3.5 YPC).
18. Zac Stacy, St. Louis Rams
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Drafting Auburn's Tre Mason in the third round won't do anything to help Stacy's long-term fantasy value, but Stacy should remain the team's workhorse back in 2014 as Mason works on his pass protection.
19. Reggie Bush, Detroit Lions
In his first season with the Lions, Bush ran for 1,006 yards and caught 54 passes for 506 yards with a total of seven touchdowns in 14 games. Despite missing two games, Bush set a career high in yards from scrimmage (1,512) and was the franchise's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2004..
New offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said that he sees Bush and Joique Bell "having a split role and both being very productive." Bell is someone that I expect to be on the majority of my fantasy rosters, but Bush still set that career high in YFS last season with Bell getting 219 touches.
20. Joique Bell, Detroit Lions
As noted above, the team's new offensive coordinator has indicated that he'd like to split the workload between Bell and Bush. Bell gained 1,197 yards from scrimmage with eight touchdowns on 219 touches and finished as a top-20 fantasy running back last season. With an ADP that is a few rounds lower, Bell offers much more value than Bush and will likely be on many of my rosters this season.
21. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers
A few factors that could negatively impact Gore's fantasy value are: (1) age — now 31 years old, (2) workload — 2,500-plus career touches, (3) extra eight playoff games over past three seasons and (4) career-low 4.1 YPC last year.
That said, the 49ers have one of the league's best offensive lines and Gore has rushed for 1,100-plus yards and eight-plus touchdowns in three consecutive seasons. In addition, he has played all 48 regular-season games over the past three seasons. Before 2011, Gore had played 16 games just once in six seasons.
22. Rashad Jennings, New York Giants
When given the opportunity that resulted from a Darren McFadden injury last year, Jennings had 127 carries for 593 yards and six touchdowns and 24 receptions for 195 yards in the final eight games of the season.
Jennings should have an opportunity to lead the Giants running backs in touches and fantasy points, but rookie Andre Williams should lead the team in touchdowns and has looked good this offseason and preseason. The career-ending injury to David Wilson means that the Giants will rotate Jennings and Williams as their 1-2 punch.
23. Ben Tate, Cleveland Browns
No longer in the shadow of Arian Foster, Tate signed a free-agent deal this offseason with the Browns, who were in need of a featured back (at the time). When given the opportunity, Tate has been productive as he has averaged 4.7 YPC in his career. Durability has been a concern, however, as he has played only 40 regular-sesaon games since being drafted four years ago.
Especially with Josh Gordon's looming suspension, the Browns will utilize a run-heavy attack, but the Browns used a third-round pick on Terrance West, who posted video game-type numbers at Towson. At least compared to their ADPs, West offers more upside to fantasy owners than does Tate.
24. Shane Vereen, New England Patriots
I expected big things from Vereen in 2013 and things got off to a great start for him last year, sort of. Vereen carried the ball 14 times for 101 yards and added seven receptions for 58 yards in the opener, but unfortunately he also broke his wrist in that game, which landed him on short-term IR. In eight games, Vereen had 208 rushing yards as well as 47 receptions for 427 yards and a total of four touchdowns.
While he's better in PPR formats, if you double Vereen's numbers for a full-season pace, he would have finished with 1,270 yards from scrimmage. That would have ranked 14th among running backs.
25. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens
After four straight seasons of rushing for more than 1,100 yards, Rice gained only 660 yards on his 214 carries, which averaged out to a career-low 3.1 yards per carry. He added 58 receptions for 321 yards, but both of those are lows during his time as a starter.
With a shorter suspension than what was expected, Rice will miss only the first two games of the season. When he returns, Rice should be more productive than last year as he has shed a few pounds and has looked more elusive so far this preseason.
26. Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati Bengals
By drafting Hill, on my list of 12 undervalued fantasy football options, it made sense that the Bengals have released The Law Firm. Hill should get a sizable amount of touches behind Giovani Bernard. A big and powerful runner, Hill rushed for 2,156 yards (6.2 YPC) and 28 touchdowns on 345 carries over the past two seasons at LSU.
27. Chris Johnson, New York Jets
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After being a workhorse back for the Titans over the past six seasons, however, the Jets plan to be "strategic" with their use of Johnson since he has "some miles on him."
As I noted in my post on overvalued fantasy football options, no running back has more games of 30 rushing yards or less (with at least eight carries) than Johnson (13) over the past three seasons. No longer a workhorse, his inconsistency could be even more frustrating for fantasy owners this year.
28. Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins
With expectations of a breakout last year, Miller disappointed his fantasy owners by rushing 177 times for 709 yards (only 4.01 YPC) and two touchdowns and adding 26 catches for 170 yards.
On a positive note, the Dolphins have taken steps to improve their offensive line by signing Branden Albert and Shelley Smith in free agency and drafting right tackle Ju'Wuan James in the first round. (Of course, James probably would have been available with their second-round pick.) Among the 81 guards graded by PFF last year, however, Smith graded fourth in run blocking.
Even though the Dolphins signed Knowshon Moreno to a one-year deal this offseason, Miller had worked with the first-team offense all offseason as Moreno's conditioning left a lot to be desired. Then Moreno had knee surgery. Although he has been activated from the PUP list, Moreno will most likely start the season behind Miller on the depth chart.
29. Bishop Sankey, Tennessee Titans
Not only was Sankey the first running back selected in this year's draft, at a record-worst slot (54th overall) for the first running back taken in a (real) draft, he faces the weakest competition for touches among the top rookie running backs. While there will initially be a committee approach with Shonn Greene getting short-yardage and some early-down work as well as Dexter McCluster playing a Danny Woodhead-type role, Sankey should emerge as a fantasy RB2 by the end of the season.
30. Steven Jackson, Atlanta Falcons
There are a couple of reasons to be concerned about Jackson: (1) Jackson turned 31 in July and (2) is a handful of touches from 3,000 in his career. On a positive note, the Falcons took some steps to improve their offensive line by drafting Jake Matthews with the sixth-overall pick. They also drafted his likely long-term replacement in Devonta Freeman, however, who is a back that has been compared some to Frank Gore.
If Jackson stays healthy for the full season, something he didn't do last year, there is the potential for upside. Given his age and cumulative workload, however, I wouldn't bank on a full 16 games from S-Jax in 2014.
More RBs: Continue to RBs 31-50
-> Go back to RBs 1-15
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More 2014 Fantasy Football rankings:
- 2014 Fantasy Football QB rankings
- 2014 Fantasy Football WR rankings
- 2014 Fantasy Football TE rankings
- 2014 fantasy football mock draft simulator
- 2014 fantasy football strength of schedule
- 2014 fantasy football projections
- 2014 fantasy football profiles
- 2014 fantasy football average draft position (ADP)
