Running backs are going to play a vital role in the outcome of the fantasy football playoffs this week. So many players who were drafted relatively low and flew under the radar at the start of the season are now making quality impacts. 

That being said, you are supposed to be at the point in the season where you go with your bread and butter. The player that got you this far in the first place. 

I am not going to stray away from that in my recommendations today. Instead, you are going to see a ton of top flight running backs on this list. 

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings 

Why the hell not? Even Toby Gerhart is probably asking himself this question right now. Peterson has more rushing yards (1,102) in his last seven games than the likes of Frank Gore, Stevan Ridley, Chris Johnson and Trent Richardson, who are all RB1 options, have all season long. That's just plain ridiculous. 

Peterson will be facing a St. Louis Rams defense that is right in the middle of the pack against the run at 110 yards per game. This won't faze Peterson, who has had success against some of the best rush defenses in the NFL. Look for another 130-plus, two touchdown performance from the future Hall of Fame running back. 

Arian Foster, Houston Texans

The Indianapolis Colts have yielded less than 100 rushing yards five times this season. This is an indication that they might not be the best team to expect strong fantasy performances against. While Foster does still boast the second most fantasy points among running backs this season, he is averaging just over 10 points in his last four games and ranks eighth among running backs during that span. 

That being said, I fully expect Foster to shoulder more of the load this week after Houston was absolutely destroyed against the New England Patriots on Monday. It needs to get back on the winning side of the ledger, especially against a streaking and suddenly legit Colts team. Look for Foster to tally at least 25 touches, which will get him over the century mark and should allow him to record a score. 

Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns

Richardson is the second ranked fantasy running back over the course of the last four weeks, behind Adrian Peterson. While the rookie isn't averaging a whole lot of yards per touch (4.0), he is one of the most counted on running backs in the NFL with 292 touches through 13 games. Cleveland, who has won four in a row, will continue to rely on their workhorse. 

Equally as important, Cleveland is taking on a Washington Redskins rush defense that has yielded over 300 total rushing yards in their last two games after giving up just 105 the two prior games. Richardson will record over 100 total yards, a minimum of five receptions and nab a score for you. 

Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Any running back going up against the New Orleans Saints has to be considered a must start. That is only magnified when said' running back is a rookie that has already gained 1,600 total yards and 11 scores. Simply put, Martin has had one of the best rookie seasons in the modern history of the running back position. 

Maybe the Saints should head to New York City to kiss Paul Taglabue's back end instead of showing up for this one. At the very least, their defense should. New Orleans has yielded over 100 rushing yards in all but one game this season and rank dead last in the NFL at 152.4 in that category. Unless the Kool-Aid man breaks down the walls of the Superdome on Sunday, Martin will go for 200 total yards and at least one score. Bank on that. 

C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills

With Fred Jackson likely out for the remainder of the season, there is absolutely no reason to stray away from Spiller from here on out.  After all, the third-year running back from Clemson is averaging well over seven yards per touch this season. Yeah, SEVEN. Give him 20 touches and you are talking about elite RB1 production. 

While Buffalo will be going up against a scary Seattle Seahawks defense that forced eight turnovers in their 58-0 shutout of the Arizona Cardinals last week, they are giving up an average of over 150 rushing yards over their last five road games. I just don't see Spiller being contained if he gets the necessary touches. 

Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers

As one of the most underrated running backs in the NFL, Gore continues to fly under the radar of the fantasy football world. He still ranks No. 9 at this position in points and has tallied another 1,000-yard season. While Gore has only gone for 100 yards three times this season, he provides that consistent fantasy production that we all look for, especially in the playoffs. 

I expect San Francisco to utilize Gore a great deal against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sunday Night Football. They would be foolish not to with second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick facing a hostile crowd on national television. Look for Gore to get a season high in both carries and yards this week. 

Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs

Not many expected Charles to be a true RB1 option heading into the season. After all, he has never really shouldered the load and was coming off a serious injury that saw him miss 15 games last season. The Texas product hasn't disappointed those who gave him the benefit of the doubt. He ranks eighth among running backs in fantasy points and fifth in yards. 

While it has been boom or bust for those who own Charles, you can expect a solid performance against the Oakland Raiders, who have given up 17 rushing touchdowns and rank 26th against the run this season. 

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cincinnati Bengals

I couldn't have been any more wrong about Gree-Ellis this season. Yours truly had him pegged as nothing more than a FLEX option after he struggled with the New England Patriots towards the latter half of the 2011 season. He is now a borderline RB1 option, ranking 13th among running backs in points and nearly eclipsing 1,000 rushing yards through 13 games. 

Green-Ellis also has the fortunate task of taking on a Philadelphia Eagles defense that has been absolutely shredded apart since the firing of defensive coordinator Juan Castillo back in October. They have given up at least 100 rushing yards in each of their last nine games. 

Mikel Leshoure, Detroit Lions

This former second-round pick from Illinois was better known for being injury-plagued and accumulating multiple arrests before making his NFL debut in Week 1 of the 2012 season. Since, Leshoure has been a solid find for those who picked him up off the waiver wire. He has over 800 total yards and seven touchdowns in limited playing time this season. 

The primary reason that Leshoure finds himself on this list is because he is lining up against what has quickly become a pathetic Arizona Cardinals defense. They have given up over 630 rushing yards in the last three games for an average of 210 an outing. That's pretty darn pathetic. Don't expect much to chance for a Ken Whisenhunt-led team that is playing out the process and is in the midst of a nine-game losing streak. 

Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

Simply put, Johnson is one of my least favorite options at running back. He was drafted way too high doesn't give you the consistent production that you need in a RB1 option. While Johnson does rank 12th among running backs in points, he is one of those on again, off again performers that don't do his owners any favors. In fact, Johnson has recorded a total of 11 fantasy points in the last two games.

There is one reason, one reason only, to start him this week; the New York Jets. They have not been able to stop anyone on the ground, outside of the Arizona Cardinals, over the course of the last few games and have yielded over 150 rushing yards six times this season.