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Editor’s Note: Every Friday, Next Impulse Sports will be releasing fantasy football positional previews. Check back next Friday for a preview on the league’s best wide receivers. All scores are based on ESPN’s standard scoring.
Today: The Running Backs
The Franchise Guys
Worth your first-round pick, guaranteed to be your best player, and can lead you to the postseason even with a subpar supporting cast.
1. LeSean McCoy
The most versatile of all running backs. Last season, led the league in yards from scrimmage and finished second in fantasy points among running backs. Chip Kelly’s offense will allow for McCoy to thrive again in 2014.
2. Jamaal Charles
Led all running backs last season with 295 points. Like McCoy, he does more than just run with the ball, as he had seven touchdowns through the air last season.
3. Matt Forte
Versatility means everything for running backs. Forte, like the two runners before him, is incredibly gifted as a runner and pass catcher. Hauled in 74 passes last season.
4. Marshawn Lynch
Beast Mode won’t give you too much as a receiver, but Lynch is dominant as a runner. He’s great in the redzone, and finished fourth in points last season among running backs.
5. Adrian Peterson
Normally the top-ranked running back, Peterson suffered somewhat of a down-season in 2013. He actually finished seventh among all running backs.
The Playoff Guys
Good enough to give you a fighting chance for the championship.
6. CJ Spiller
After a monster 2012 season (1,244 rushing yards, 6 YPC), Spiller was projected to be a top running back prior to the 2013 fantasy season. But, as often is the case, Spiller regressed in 2013, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Still, Spiller is lightning quick, can catch the ball, and should still go in the first couple of rounds.
7. Eddie Lacy
His 198 points last season ranked sixth among all running backs. While he might not get as many opportunities if Aaron Rodgers is healthy all season, Lacy is still productive enough to be considered a number one running back option.
8. Doug Martin
Martin might have had the most disappointing season among all running backs. In his rookie season, he played in all 16 games and averaged 4.6 yards per carry. In his sophomore campaign, he played in just six games and averaged 3.6 yards per carry. Yikes.
If he’s healthy, Martin figures to have a season that looks more like 2012 than 2013.
9. Arian Foster
It was just two seasons ago that Foster was considered one of the top fantasy choices at running back. How the mighty have fallen. Last season, Foster played only eight games.
10. Alfred Morris
Like most people situated around him on this list, Morris couldn’t replicate his success from 2012. But, Morris still a dependable option. He ran for 1,275 yards last season.
11. Zac Stacy
Nearly 100 yards and seven rushing touchdowns as a rookie.
12. DeMarco Murray
Over 1,000 yards and over five yards per carry last season, but he just can’t seem to make it through a season unscathed. If he’s healthy, he’s a number one option.
13. Ryan Mathews
He managed to stay healthy the entire season, and put up solid numbers — 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns — on the ground.
14. Reggie Bush
Like Forte, McCoy, Spiller, and Charles, Bush offers plenty of versatility. But can he stay healthy for all 16 games? And will he get enough touches in Detroit’s pass-heavy offense?
The Reserves
Your RB2s…
15. Giovani Bernard
Have yet to see him as the feature running back in Cincinnati.
16. Frank Gore
Getting old, but still dependable. The Niners aren’t going to stop running the ball anytime soon.
17. Le’Veon Bell
Will get plenty of carries, will be the workhorse, but didn’t make too much of an impact in 2013 — only 3.5 YPC.
18. Montee Ball
It’s hard to be too productive when you have Peyton Manning throwing the ball all the time, but Ball will be Denver’s feature back this season. Ball has a chance to build off a solid rookie campaign that didn’t translate into fantasy success — only 80 points.
19. Ray Rice
What a disastrous 2013 season: 107 fantasy points.
20. Ben Tate
Can his success in the Texans’ zone-blocking scheme translate to the Browns?
21. Trent Richardson
Let’s be real, he kinda sucks. 2.9 yards per carry in 2013.
22. Rashad Jennings
Another guy with a low volume of carries, but had good production with those limited carries.
23. Andre Ellington
He averaged 5.5 yards per carry, but only carried the ball 118 times. We still don’t know how he’ll do as the lead back.
24. Chris Johnson
Still has home run hitting capabilities, but that’s about it.
25. Shane Vereen
The safest bet of all of New England’s running backs
26. Knowshon Moreno
27. Steven Jackson
If he isn’t scoring touchdowns, he doesn’t really have that much value anymore. Just 3.5 yards per carry on 157 carries.
28. Darren Sproles
Sproles certainly has pop-off potential, it’s just hard to figure out when those games are going to come.
29. Joique Bell
If Bush doesn’t stay healthy, Bell’s the next man up. Plus, eight touchdowns a year ago.
30. Stevan Ridley
He appears to be behind Vereen in the pecking order in New England.
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