Fantasy Football

2015 Fantasy Football: Top 10 Fantasy Running Backs

The Super Bowl is now behind us and it’s never too soon to start looking forward to next fantasy season. This is the second of a four part series in our pre-draft, pre-free agency top 10 lists. We now move on to arguably the most important position in fantasy football, the running backs.

Top Fantasy RBs of 2015 (PPR)

1. Le’Veon Bell
Bell was the NFL’s official Fantasy MVP. In 2014, he compiled 2,215 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. 854 of those yards came courtesy of his 83 receptions. He had three straight games down the stretch of at least 200 yards and a TD. Bell actually totaled 711 yards and five TDs while on that run. The 22-year-old out of Michigan State should only get better from here. Ben Roethlisberger clearly loves to use him in the passing game and wideouts like Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant make it impossible to stack the box and key in on the talented young back. Look for him to get even better this season as will the Steelers offense.

2. Jamaal Charles
Charles had a bit of a disappointing season. He was hindered by injury and for some reason Andy Reid clearly does not want to just feed him the ball. In that offense he should catch over 100 passes. His numbers should go back up next season assuming he’s back to 100 percent. Charles only touched the ball 246 times last season and totaled 1,324 yards and 14 TDs. While there is no arguing how dynamic Charles can be, he has been a bit fragile. He turns 29-years old next season, and if he doesn’t have a bounce back year, odds are you’ll never see him in the top five again.

3. Matt Forte
Forte put up a pedestrian 1,038 yards and six TDs on 3.9 yards per carry. However, he caught a ridiculous 102 passes for 808 yards and four TDs. Clearly he is still an elite RB catching passes out of the backfield. His PPR value alone gives him RB1 credentials. With the Bears clearly in a transitional period after firing their coach and rumors of Brandon Marshall‘s impending exit, Forte is a perfect safety blanket for whomever is the starting QB in Chicago. He is a safe pick and you can count on him to total up around 2,000 yards and just under double-digit TDs. As long as the receptions keep piling up, so will his fantasy value.

4. Eddie Lacy
Lacy is one of the few true power-backs in the league today. He also has the hands to increase his PPR value. The only issue is he’s not exactly the picture of health. Through both his college and pro career, he has dealt with an abundance of nagging injuries, some more serious than others. While he tends to play through them, they may catch up with him eventually. However, he is in a great situation. There are three things that make a running backs job infinitely easier. Those things are a great QB, a great O-line and great WRs. Lacy has all three. He had a strange season, though. He started off slow and then was splitting touches with James Starks for a while. Then right around mid-season, Lacy really picked it up and went on a tear for the rest of the season. He finished the year with 1,139 rushing yards on 4.6 YPC and 13 total TDs. He also caught 42 passes for 427 yards. Look for him to eclipse those numbers next season.

5. Adrian Peterson
Peterson should be back next season and while some people have forgotten about his greatness, we have not. Depending on where AP lands, he could climb further up this list. When it’s all said and done, Peterson may be considered one of the greatest RBs of all-time. Although he will be 30 years old next season, don’t look for him to fall off a cliff. Peterson is one of those rare freak athletes that is the exception to the rules of physical limitations.

6. Jeremy Hill
Hill was the league’s top rookie runner. When Giovani Bernard was injured, Hill took over as the feature back. When Gio returned, it was as a backup. Hill had earned the starting job and never gave it back. He exploded Week 11 and went on a tear for the remainder of the season. He will be the Bengals RB1 next season, and with a full season in Hue Jacksons run heavy offense, look for a monster year from the second-year back out of LSU. In 2014, he managed 1,124 yards and nine TDs on just 222 carries. He is also decent in the passing game catching 27 passes for 215 yards. However, his PPR value will be limited thanks to the presence of Bernard.

7. Arian Foster
When healthy, Foster is an absolute monster. He may even be the best fantasy back in the NFL. The issue is he has become very injury prone. You just never know when his day is going to end early and he’ll leave you with next to nothing on the scoreboard. He also can miss games in bunches like he did down the stretch to the playoffs this past season. In 13 games last season, including three he left with injury, Foster rushed for 1,246 yards and eight TDs. He also added 38 receptions for 327 yards and five TDs. Foster is a high risk/high reward guy. If he’s healthy, he’s an elite RB1. But will he be available when you need him most?

8. Andre Ellington
Ellington is another back who we can’t question his talent but does have serious injury concerns. He started off his season with a mysterious foot injury that was supposed to cost him significant time, but he never actually missed any games. He was just forever questionable. Apparently he never got back to 100 percent. Then in Week 13, he suffered a hip pointer and was placed on I.R. While Ellington only managed 3.3 YPC, he got a ton of carries and had plenty of PPR value. Through the 11 games he started and finished, the Clemson alum totaled 196 carries for 648 yards and three TDs. He also added 46 receptions for 395 yards and two TDs through the air. Much like Foster, Ellington is a high risk, however, he will probably be drafted much later than Foster.

9. Marshawn Lynch
Lynch has a lot of question marks surrounding him and is bound to decline eventually. This is what experts have been saying for a few years now. How’s that working out? I guess Christine Michael isn’t the juggernaut back nobody should have thought he would be. With that said, we’re not even 100 percent sure where Lynch will be playing next season. Nonetheless, even in the worst situations (Oakland, for example) Lynch would still be a beast. Don’t be surprised if he climbs this list as we get closer to the season and his situation becomes clearer.

10. Joique Bell
Bell was excellent down the stretch right into the fantasy playoffs. After a big game against Chicago on Thanksgiving, Bell put up solid numbers right up to fantasy championship week in which he once again faced the Bears. It looks Reggie Bush is all but done in Detroit and Theo Riddick is not the runner that Bell is. He should be the clear top ball carrier, similar to the situation Hill is in. My bold prediction is Bell puts up 1,100 yards next season and double-digit TDs.

Just Missed the Cut

LeSean McCoy
McCoy almost had the same exact amount of carries in 2014 as he did in 2013. Unfortunately, he just wasn’t as productive. His YPC dropped from 5.1 to 4.2 and his TDs dropped from nine to five. However, that wasn’t the biggest reason for his dip in fantasy production. It does not appear that McCoy will be utilized in the passing attack like he had been in years past. The signing of Darren Sproles has really hurt him as has the Eagles emerging young WR corps. In 2013, McCoy was targeted 65 times, and he turned those targets in to 52 receptions, 539 yards and two TDs. In 2014, he was targeted only 37 times and turned his opportunities in to 28 receptions, 155 yards and no TDs. There is no reason to believe that those numbers are going to get much better.

C.J. Anderson
Yes, Anderson had a great season once he got his opportunity, but there are a lot of questions in Denver. People quickly forget that Ronnie Hillman was excellent as well and Montee Ball still looms large in a potential RBBC situation. Also, Peyton Manning has always created great RBs due to how much pressure he puts on a defense. If Manning is not the same guy or even worse, he retires, all of the Broncos RBs could struggle. Anderson may see more opportunities if Manning struggles but will also garner more attention himself. On top of all of that, there is a new coaching staff in town. That is a lot of question marks in the Denver backfield.

Breakout Candidate

Tre Mason
Mason just edged out Latavius Murray for my breakout candidate (mainly because he doesn’t play for the Raiders). Mason didn’t take over as the lead back in St. Louis until November. Once he did he performed very well. He struggled in pass protection, which was often the reason he wasn’t on the field in 2014. Look for him to fix those problems and breakout in a major way in 2015. Expect him to be at least a solid RB2.

Because Somebody’s Going to Ask

DeMarco Murray
Don’t worry Cowboys’ fans, this isn’t a knock on you guys. It’s actually a compliment. When Murray signs with another team in free agency, he will struggle without the Cowboys O-line. Also, Murray is already injury prone and had a ridiculous 449 touches last season. Historically, no RB has bounced back from that many touches to be even close to the same player. Especially a RB that managed to get through 16 games for only the first time in his career.

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