Just one week away from the halfway point of the season, the running back rankings have remained relatively un-changed from Week 1. In the top tier of running backs, players have managed to avoid injuries, leaving these top five running backs ready to go in any fantasy matchup this week.
1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
When the most talented running back is facing a defense who has only scored six fantasy point this season in standard leagues, it’s going to be a good day. The Giants are allowing over 18 points per game to opposing running backs, and Peterson has broken 26 fantasy points twice already this season. This game is also taking place Monday night, so Peterson will have an extra day to rest after Minnesota’s Week 6 game against the Carolina Panthers. This is a great matchup for Peterson, and he should break the 25-point mark once again.
Projected Statistics: 23 carries, 140 yards, two touchdowns
2. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles
Coming off his third 100-yard game of the season, McCoy will once again rely on his total yardage, getting held out of the end zone for the third time in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McCoy has only missed double-digit fantasy points in one game (he scored nine against Denver) but has broken 15 points in every other game. He’ll be facing the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, who are allowing 62.8 receiving yards per game to running backs. According to ESPN, Dallas will also be without star defensive end Demarcus Ware for this game, making this a golden opportunity for McCoy to break 150 total yards.
Projected Statistics: 15 carries, 70 yards, four receptions, 80 yards, one receiving touchdown
3. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs
Surprisingly enough, Charles is the fifth highest-scoring player in all of fantasy this season, according to our rankings, although he’s sixth among running backs in rushing yards. However, he’s scored more rushing touchdowns than any other player, and has added on 300 receiving yards. Facing the declining Houston Texans’ defense on Sunday, he’ll likely break 100 yards on the ground, given that the Texans are giving up just under 100 rushing yards per game to opponents. Charles has yet to score less than 15 fantasy points, so this is a no-brainer. The only thing holding him back is the small number of receiving yards Houston allows to running backs.
Projected Statistics: 20 carries, 100 yards, four receptions, 40 yards
4. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears
In PPR leagues, Forte may be at the very top of this list, given how bad the Washington Redskins defense is. Washington is giving up the fourth most fantasy points to opposing running backs, and is 27th in the league in rush defense. Forte has scored double-digit points in all six of his games this season, and has dominated otherwise quality defenses, including the Cincinnati Bengals and the New Orleans Saints. Just imagine what he’ll do against the Redksins.
Projected Statistics: 19 carries, 65 yards, five receptions, 40 yards, one receiving touchdown
5. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Although Martin has only broken 100 yards in a game once this season, this week’s matchup against the Atlanta Falcons gives him the opportunity to get back to fantasy relevance, at least for a week. The Falcons allow just under 100 rushing yards per game to opponents, and no one besides Martin is likely to get a handoff on Sunday. Martin has carried the ball at least 16 times in each of his five games, and has broken 20 carries four times. Facing the Falcons, the Bucs will want to control the clock and keep the ball out of Matt Ryan’s hands, and without Julio Jones on Atlanta’s side, this is going to be a low-scoring game.
Projected Statistics: 26 carries, 100 yards, one touchdown