Continuing with our extensive preview of the 2014 fantasy football season, today we check in on the top-50 running backs heading into the year.
Check below for individual write-ups by tier.
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Elite Running Back Options
LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles
As the No. 2 fantasy running back last season, McCoy's measurables indicate that he should finish at least at that level in 2014. Shady ranked first in the NFL in rush attempts with 314, was seventh in running back consistency and finished in the top six in points per touch. Overall, McCoy racked up 2,146 total yards and 11 scores on the season. While we can expect his total yardage numbers to go down, the Pro Bowl running back will likely see an uptick in touchdowns. That should place him either one or two at this position in fantasy points.
Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs
Charles was the top fantasy running back last season and there are some who believe he will accomplish that feat again. However difficult it might be to repeat a stellar year with yet another productive campaign, Charles seems to have what it takes to continue this run. His ranked first in points per touch and first in consistency among running backs in 2014.
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
There will come a time when Peterson begins to slow down. In fact, we might have seen signs of this last year. He put up less than 1,500 total yards and ranked eighth in fantasy points. This came on the heels of him tallying over 2,300 total yards and 13 touchdowns the season prior. With that said, Peterson has put up double-digit scores and over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his first seven seasons. That's elite status right there.
Matt Forte, Chicago Bears
It took some time for Forte to hit elite status, but he's finally there after struggling with touchdowns prior to last season. Forte ranked third in fantasy points, fifth in constency and third in total carries last season. He did so with Chicago focusing more on the passing game with the likes of Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall. There is no reason to expect a downtick in production this upcoming season.
Entering Elite Status
Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers
Lacy nearing elite status after just one year? Yes, that's the conclusion that is being drawn here. Despite touching the ball a total of 15 times in the first month of the season, he racked up over 1,400 total yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie. That's absolutely insane. In addition to that, Lacy ranked sixth among running backs in fantasy points and second in consistency.
If you're looking for a running back that is going to provide you RB1 numbers on a nearl every-week basis, Lacy is the best of the second-tier options. With an ADP in the middle of the first round, Lacy is about as sure of a bet as you are going to get.
Don't fret about the return of Aaron Rodgers from injury. Green Bay has indicated that it wants to go with more of a up-tempo attack in 2014. If so, Lacy will still (to use an Evan Silva term) EAT.
Highest-Upside Options
Montee Ball, Denver Broncos
Two words. Peyton Manning. Just look at how Knowshon Moreno performed in the backfield with Manning last season. He ranked fifth among fantasy running backs in points, tallying a total of 1,586 yards and 13 touchdowns. Now realize the fact that this performance earned him a lowly one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins in free agency. The conclusion to be drawn here is that the NFL world values Manning a great deal as it relates to how he helps his running backs.
While not getting too much into detail as it relates to Ball, he performed pretty well as a rookie in 2013. The former second-round pick racked up over 700 yards on just 140 touches. Extrapolation might not make a whole lot of sense in fantasy football, but this may be a case where you might want to utilize it. Assuming Ball nets an average of 20 touches per game, there is no reason to believe he can't put up 1,600 yards and double-digit scores in 2014.
Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals
Now that Jay Gruden is gone from Cincinnati and is now the Washington Redskins' head coach, it might be time for Bernard to see the necessary touches to be an elite fantasy performer. He put up over 1,200 total yards on just 226 touches in 2013. That was good enough for Bernard to rank 16th in fantasy points despite putting up the 29th-most carries for a running back.
With BenJarvus Green-Ellis likely to be released prior to the start of the regular year, it's highly likely that Gio will see his attempts increase a great deal in 2014. Even with the selection of Jeremy Hill in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft, there is no reason to believe Bernard won't see upwards towards 250 rush attempts.
Zac Stacy, St. Louis Rams
All the talk about Tre Mason taking carries away from Stacy in 2014 is just that...talk. Stacy's performance was nothing less than stellar last season. He racked up over 1,100 total yards in 12 games of regular action. In addition to that, Stacy put up mid-tier RB1 numbers. The only issue I see here is that he ranked 11th in the NFL in rush attempts and 18th among running backs in fantasy points. Stacy's touches need to either stay the same or increase if he's going to continue being a viable fantasy option.
Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Martin's current ADP is currently towards the bottom of the first round (11.6 overall). That's from a guy that many had pegged as a top-three fantasy running back entering the 2013 season. Issues with injuries and a lackluster performance from the rest of Tampa Bay's offensive line caused major problems for those who selected Martin in the top five last summer. Now that his ADP is considerably lower, Martin represents tremendous upside. Remember, he put up nearly 2,000 total yards as a rookie.
Bishop Sankey, Tennessee Titans
Sankey has absolutely no competition for the starting job in Tennessee this upcoming season. The rookie running back, who tallied 2,174 yards and 21 scores for Washington in 2013, is a legitimate bottom-tier RB1 option in 2014. With an overall ADP in the bottom of the fifth round, Sankey will be an absolute steal for those of you willing to put your trust in a rookie running back. It also helps that he will have two stellar guards in the form of Chance Warmack and Andy Levitre to open up holes for him.
Andre Ellington, Arizona Cardinals
Electric. That's the one term that best describes what Ellington brings to the table from both a standard and fantasy perspective. The second-year player ranked first in the NFL among running backs with 100-plus attempts with an average of 5.5 yards per carry. Overall, he gained 1,023 total yards on 157 touches. Despite ranking 41st in the NFL in rush attempts, Ellington finished as a top-tier FLEX option. Expect that production to increase a great deal with more of a workload and the return of guard Jonathan Cooper from injury.
Potentially Taking a Step Back
Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks
Much like Frank Gore below, the only reason Lynch finds himself in this category is the fact that he's expected to take on less of a workload in 2014. Reports out of Seahawks camp indicate that he might receive 50-plus less touches than last season. If so, there has to be a buyer beware caution flag by his name. Lynch ranked fourth among running backs in fantasy points and second in rush attempts. If those rush attempts decrease, as expected, so will Lynch's overall production. With an ADP in the middle of the first round, Lynch may not give you the most bang for your buck.
Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers
Gore ranked just outside the top-12 in fantasy points last season, but put up the eighth-most rush attempts in the NFL. With the addition of Carlos Hyde in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft and the return of Marcus Lattimore from injury, there is reason to expect a dramatically decreased workload in 2014. In fact, that's probably not even in question right now. Don't expect Gore to be much more than a bottom-tier RB2 option this upcoming season.