RB RANKINGS 33-48
Auction...............$19
Bye Week.............7
Three consecutive injury-plagued seasons left Stewart as a bit of an afterthought heading into the 2015 campaign. However, Stewart shook off a sluggish start (24.2 fantasy points combined in Weeks 1 through 4) to average 13.62 fantasy points per game the rest of the season. Of course, Stewart's injury history reared it's ugly head again, as he missed the final three games of the season with a sprained foot. Still, Stewart reminded the Panthers and fantasy fans what he is capable of when healthy and in a good offense, as he and Cam Newton ran the read-option to perfection in 2015. While Stewart never figures to be a large part of the passing game (averages 18 receptions per season), his ability on the ground makes him a solid mid-tier running back. Stewart is entering his age 29 season, though, so dynasty owners will need to start looking for other options as J-Stew approaches the dreaded 30-year mark for running backs.
Auction...............$18
Bye Week.............8
Ajayi's rookie season was largely uneventful as he spent the first eight weeks on the IR-designated to return list before serving in a rotational capacity in the season's final nine games, never receiving more than nine touches in a game behind Lamar Miller. However, with Miller now in Houston, opportunity is knocking for Ajayi as he enters training camp as the starting back for the Dolphins. The team added Kenyan Drake in the third round of the NFL draft, but he figures to be the lightning to Ajayi's thunder, and more of a complementary role player. Ajayi averaged just 3.8 yards per carry in 2015, but the Dolphins upgraded their offensive line with Laremy Tunsil in the first round of the draft, and Ajayi has reportedly been slimming down to improve his quickness. The last time Ajayi's new head coach, Adam Gase, had a healthy featured back for most of the season (Knowshon Moreno, 2013), he gave him roughly 58 percent of the total opportunities. If Ajayi can stay healthy and fend off Drake for the starting role, he should be in the market for RB2 output with that type of workload.
Auction...............$18
Bye Week.............9
Prior to his season-ending injury in Week 9, Dion Lewis was the prize of the early season waiver-wire. Undrafted in most leagues, Lewis amassed RB1 numbers in both PPR and standard leagues. Even though he missed half the year, Lewis still finished third in fantasy points per touch (.988) among running backs with at least 80 touches. If owners forget about Lewis, or chalk his performance up to some sort of "Patriots running back fluke," he could once again be a fine draft bargain. The team signed him to an extension early in the 2015 season, and he should return to a high-value role in a still strong Patriots offense. It was clear how much New England missed him in some of their late-season losses, including the AFC Championship game. Don't let Lewis slip through the cracks again in your league.
Auction...............$15
Bye Week.............11
A favorite of the NFL Fantasy staff, Woodhead gritted his way to a top-11 finish in standard leagues, and a third place finish in PPR formats in 2015. Woodhead's role in the San Diego offense had been growing, but no one expected this type of output, especially after the team spent a first-round draft pick on Melvin Gordon. Woodhead took advantage of Gordon's struggles as a rookie, and should have ample opportunity again in 2016 as Gordon works his way back from offseason microfracture surgery. Once he is back to full health, the team will likely want to get their second year back into gear, which could lead to fewer carries for Woodhead later on. However, his ability through the air will keep him on the field on third downs and in hurryup situations, which gives him a safe weekly floor and makes him a nice flex option in standard leagues. As for PPR, it's not crazy to look at Woodhead as a low-end RB1 for 2016 given Gordon's injury and the lack of depth behind him.
Auction...............$17
Bye Week.............9
For a brief moment in 2015, Matt Jones was the hottest name in fantasy football. That's what a 123-yard, two-touchdown performance in Week 2 will do to your fantasy stock. Unfortunately, Jones dropped the ball (literally) on his chance to turn into an every-week starter. He fumbled five times, losing four, while battling injuries and overall ineffective play the rest of the season. That one magical week accounted for 25 percent of his total rushing yardage on the season, and he averaged a paltry 2.98 yards per carry on his 123 attempts not in Week 2. While the team seems to be behind Jones as their starting running back for now, rookie Keith Marshall could push him for work, and Chris Thompson lurks as the potential third-down and hurry-up back. Ultimately, drafting Jones in the hopes he gets an RB1 or RB2 level workload is a leap of faith right now. The reward could be tremendous if Jones takes the next step and turns in more performances like Week 2. However, this team deployed a committee last season and nothing says they won't turn right back to one again if Jones stumbles in his latest chance to prove he's the guy.
Auction...............$18
Bye Week.............10
Murray's season was an interesting one in 2015. While he finished as the RB10 in standard scoring and was one of just seven backs to rush for over 1,000 yards, his play on the field was rather inconsistent. Injuries to numerous top running backs played a role in Murray's high finish, but so too did his receiving 71.6 percent of the backfield opportunities (carries and targets) in Oakland. That was the second-highest total in the league (Frank Gore, 74.8). With the addition of DeAndre Washington via the NFL draft, Murray's share of opportunities figures to drop, especially in the passing game where he averaged an abysmal 5.7 yards per catch (second-lowest total of backs with 40-plus targets). While the Oakland offense looks ready to take flight, Murray's fantasy stock is sinking a bit. He still has value as a flex player or low-end RB2, but drafting Murray in the hope that he turns in another top-10 performance would be ill-advised.
Auction...............$15
Bye Week.............9
Bernard was once again in a complementary role in the Bengals backfield in 2015, but was able to do more with his touches this time around (aside from score touchdowns). He posted career-bests with 4.7 yards per carry and 9.6 yards per reception, but his fantasy point total suffered as Jeremy Hill and Tyler Eifert were the team's primary options in the red zone. Hill had 15 rush attempts inside the 5-yard line and scored seven times, while Bernard saw just four carries, never scored, and netted zero yards (Bernard's two rushing scores were from 13 and 17 yards out). This will lower the former Tarheel's scoring ceiling, but doesn't mean he's useless in fantasy. Bernard averages just over nine fantasy points per game when he gets at least 10 touches, which happened 11 times in 2015. He has a role carved out for the Bengals, and could see a slight uptick in touches given Hill's struggles last year. Bernard should be targeted as an RB3 or flex option in standard leagues, but could be considered a low-end RB2 in PPR, as he's averaged just shy of 50 catches per year in his three-year career. It's also worth noting that Bernard will be playing for a new contract, so he could have a little extra motivation behind every touch.
Auction...............$17
Bye Week.............9
What a disaster of a year 2015 was for Jeremy Hill. In games last season where Hill did not score a rushing touchdown (10), he averaged 5.01 fantasy points. That is an unreal, cataclysmic bottomless hole of a floor. Hill still finished as the RB13 in standard leagues, but that was mostly due to the running back attrition in 2015, and his touchdowns, which we already established came in bunches. There's little reason to assume things change for Hill in 2016. The Bengals return most of the same players, but Hue Jackson and his preference for the power run game are gone. Re-investing in Hill will all come back to price, which we prefer be around the mid-RB3 range.
Auction...............$17
Bye Week.............13
Rather quietly, Duke Johnson racked up 913 yards from scrimmage as a rookie, mostly on the back of his 61 receptions. Starter Isaiah Crowell had an inconsistent season, and is more of a boom-or-bust, touchdown-dependent fantasy asset. New head coach Hue Jackson could see a little more to get out of Johnson as a more featured running back. After all, the former Florida product improved as a between-the-tackles runner late last season, and has the elite-level quickness and elusiveness to make him a nightmare in the open field. Johnson looks like a strong bet as a middle round sleeper, and gets an added boost in PPR leagues.
Auction...............$16
Bye Week.............5
An undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan, few had Rawls pegged as a breakout candidate in August. Yet, when Marshawn Lynch went down with numerous injuries, it was Rawls who picked up the Beast Mode mantle and terrorized opposing defenses. Rawls averaged 5.7 yards per carry in his seven starts, scored five touchdowns, and became the first player in NFL history with 250-plus scrimmage yards, a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the same game (Week 11 vs. San Francisco). Sadly, Rawls' fairy tale season didn't have a happily ever after, as he suffered a gruesome broken ankle in Week 14, an injury from which he is still recovering. The passing game is the only area where Rawls' value takes a hit as his nine receptions in 2015 weren't exactly stellar, but the Seahawks average just 74 targets per year to the running back position since 2012, so the volume isn't really there. If given a full season's worth of touches, Rawls could push for high-end RB2 value. However, with reports swirling that he might not see a snap in the preseason (and third-round rookie C.J. Prosise seeing loads of first-team work), Rawls carries more risk than we hoped he would at this point.
Auction...............$16
Bye Week.............13
The 2014 Offensive Player of the Year had a season to forget in Philadelphia last year. Murray seemed an odd fit for Chip Kelly's scheme, and that played out on the field as he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry and never seemed comfortable in the offense. Now, both Kelly (San Francisco) and Murray (Tennessee) have new homes, and hopefully Murray's can lead to more fantasy goodness. While he'll never regain his 2014 form (he seems to have lost a step speed-wise), he'll hopefully have less competition for carries. The motley crew of Antonio Andrews, Bishop Sankey, David Cobb and Dextre McCluster averaged a paltry 3.72 yards per carry combined and don't pose a threat, but second-round draft pick Derrick Henry will push for touches, especially around the goal line. All signs point to Murray entering Nashville at worst as the 1-A option in head coach Mike Mularkey's "exotic smashmouth" offense. While it's unclear what exactly that expression means, in Mularkey's 12 years as an offensive coordinator or head coach he's fielded a top-12 offense in terms of rushing attempts seven times. A bounce-back campaign of sorts should be in order for Murray, but owners still shouldn't pay a premium for it as his ceiling is only in the RB2 range.
Auction...............$15
Bye Week.............9
Langford's name has been rocketing up draft boards from basically the second Matt Forte signed with the New York Jets in free agency. He finished as the RB23 as a rookie even though he only played meaningful snaps in nine games. Most will remember his highlight-reel 83-yard touchdown against the Rams in Week 10 and reach up for Langford, but there are plenty of signs indicating fantasy owners should be cautious when it comes to the Michigan State alum. He averaged a paltry 3.6 yards per carry on 140 attempts, while Forte averaged 4.1 on 218 attempts behind the same offensive line. Furthermore, Langford had , and nearly 34 percent of his total fantasy output came from touchdowns. The team also tried to sign C.J. Anderson in free agency, and when they failed they drafted Jordan Howard out of Indiana. All told, this seems to be shaping up to be a committee situation, which will limit the already underwhelming potential Langford offers. While he could still have some usable weeks, his asking price is a bit much anywhere before the middle rounds. Fantasy owners should look to roster Langford later as a rotational player, or let another draftee make the mistake of reaching for his services.
Auction...............$14
Bye Week.............10
No player's hype train picked up more steam leading into the 2015 season than Ameer Abdullah's, and no train was derailed quite as quickly either. Abdullah was mired in a dreadful three-headed committee with Joique Bell and Theo Riddick, and even though he was clearly the most talented runner of the bunch, his propensity to put the ball on the turf (five fumbles, two lost) kept him from gaining more opportunities. Heading into 2016, Joique Bell is out of the picture (though Zach Zenner lurks as a potential vulture for touches), while Riddick seems to have his role as the passing down specialist locked in. The Lions invested in improving their offensive line, which is a bonus for Abdullah. If given more opportunities under offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, Abdullah has the talent to be a true breakout candidate in 2016. He did have offseason shoulder surgery, but should be 100 percent by training camp. Abdullah could be a huge fantasy bargain, but the risk of another committee looms large and keeps him from landing higher in our rankings.
Auction...............$12
Bye Week.............5
Despite his lofty sixth overall scoring finish among running backs, it was a tale of two seasons for Ivory with the Jets in 2015. In his the first eight games he played, he scored 10-plus fantasy points six times, scoring 22-plus three times. However, over his final seven games he managed double-digit points just twice, scoring fewer than five four times. Part of the reason was Ivory's health. While he didn't miss any games, the team significantly reduced his workload (from 22 touches a game to 15). Now the bruising back will be suiting up with the Jacksonville Jaguars after signing a five-year, $32 million deal this offseason. While a good football move for the Jaguars, this diminishes the value of both Ivory and second-year man T.J. Yeldon as the team plans for them to split carries. Ivory carries a bit more upside than Yeldon as he seems more likely for goal-line work (he converted roughly 30 percent of his opportunities in 2015 vs. 16.7 percent for Yeldon), though neither back should be touched until the middle to late rounds.
Auction...............$12
Bye Week.............5
The Jaguars rookie running back played better during his first NFL season than his numbers indicate. He handled 18 touches per game and put up decent yardage totals, but didn't always enjoy great blocking. The real trouble was his involvement in the red zone, where he took just 22 red zone carries, and a mere nine inside the 10-yard line. Meanwhile, Blake Bortles threw a whopping 97 times in the red zone. The Jaguars came into this season wanting, and have always desired, a balanced offense. There's at least some reason to think those two number normalize, especially if the Jaguars defense can at least slightly improve. If Yeldon comes at a mid-round redraft price again, he makes for a great pick as a breakout candidate at running back. This Jaguars offense is on the rise, and Yeldon could have an Allen Robinson type jump in his second season.
Auction...............$11
Bye Week.............10
The Inconvenient Truth stormed along for yet another solid fantasy season in 2015. While he failed to cross 1,000 rushing yards for the first time since 2010, his seven total touchdowns helped him notch another top-12 fantasy scoring finish. Gore seemed to be running uphill all season, as his offensive line (and offense in general) did him no favors, and he was racking up nearly 300 touches on a 32-year-old frame. However, the Colts seem to believe Gore can do it again in 2016, as the team neglected to add a young runner in free agency or the draft (they signed Josh Ferguson as a UDFA), leaving Gore as the lead back. He'll get the benefit of a healthy Andrew Luck and slightly revamped offensive line after the team drafted Ryan Kelly (center) and Le'Raven Clark (tackle). We're done doubting Gore, but he'll be 33 when the season begins so his age and career carries have to be weighed when drafting him. He's a solid, low-upside RB3 option for 2016.
RB RANKINGS 33-48