Frankly, Week 10 featured a slew of feeble performances from the running back position. It is understandable, considering three of the league's top-10 scoring backs were absent due to their teams' respective byes (Freeman, Gore and Woodhead). The strange part is that the two top scorers of the week were both former backups for star running backs. It almost leads one to ask - are any NFL running backs necessarily better or worse than any other? Is a runner just as good as his blocking and run scheme? Maybe if you put Matt Forte on the Lions and Jamaal Charles on the Browns, they would be just as terrible as the incumbent starters are now.

Aside from a handful of stellar performances, Week 10 was nothing special. I would blame injuries, but as previously mentioned, injuries seem to have little impact on the amount of good outputs each week. This is the last NFL BYE week, so we can't blame that for much longer either. Let's take a look at the few studs and numerous duds of Week 10.

 

AFC EAST: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Longshot Candidate(s)	Waiver     Wire Watch
Solid	Patriots	LeGarrette Blount	James White	Brandon Bolden	James White
Solid	Jets	Chris Ivory	Bilal Powell	Stevan Ridley	N/A
Solid	Bills	LeSean McCoy	Karlos Williams	Daniel Herron, Boobie Dixon	Karlos Williams
Solid	Dolphins	Lamar Miller	Jay Ajayi	Damien Williams	Jay Ajayi

 

So James White didn't really pan out as expected in a Week 10 nail-biter in New York. I, along with many other observers, assumed James White would assume the role recently vacated by the injured Dion Lewis, a highly-valued position in the Patriots offense. LeGarrette Blount was the sole standout in the backfield and had a decent day, going 19-66-1 with two catches for 11 yards, which was good enough for top-10 in Week 10. There's a good chance that White will still produce in the coming weeks, seeing as the team lost another viable weapon in Julian Edelman on Sunday. Tom Brady only has a fixed number of options, which are quickly dwindling. One thing is for sure - Brandon Bolden is not likely to assume that role, as his skill set has been seen in the past and is largely similar to that of Blount. Give White one more chance to prove his worth this week against Buffalo.

Chris Ivory bounced back well against a credible Bills defense on Thursday, going 99 yards on 18 carries with two receptions for 36 yards. Unfortunately, he lost a key fumble as well. Ivory has been especially streaky this season, as he went three straight weeks without reaching 50 yards rushing after gaining 300 yards in a two-week stretch in Weeks 3 & 4. The locked-in starter might have some trouble this week as the team travels to Houston, a club that has bolstered its defense considerably over the past two weeks. Bilal Powell (ankle) practiced on Wednesday and has a good chance to suit up for Week 11.

The Bills kept their dynamic rushing attack going against the elite run defense of the Jets on Thursday with a healthy LeSean McCoy leading the attack. McCoy looked sharp, reeling in five-of-five targets for 47 yards to supplement 112 yards on 19 carries. Yet again, backup Karlos Williams managed to put up a fantasy-worthwhile performance despite ceding carries to McCoy. Though he was held to 24 rushing yards on seven attempts, he salvaged his day with a 26-yard touchdown grab, the team's only receiving touchdown. In every game he has played this year, Williams has accrued double-digit fantasy points. He may not always put up 23.00 standard points, as he did in Week 9, but he is almost a guarantee to get his chances in the passing game and has a knack for finding the end zone. McCoy was a top five running back last week, while Williams managed to find his way into the top 15. Both of these guys are must-owns and should be started against a depleted (yet still strong) Patriots roster in Week 11.

Lamar Miller sported another strong showing against the Eagles on Sunday. He was not particularly efficient on the ground with just 43 yards on 16 carries, but his damage came in the passing game as he hauled in six-of-eight targets for 50 yards and a score. The real story here is rookie Jay Ajayi, who averaged 8.0 YPC in his second game back from injury, finishing the day with six carries for 48 yards. He's not believed to take many carries away from Miller any time soon. However, if his success continues, the Dolphins could revert to a system where Ajayi does more of the ground work while Miller is used predominately in the passing game.

 

AFC WEST: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Longshot Candidate(s)	Waiver     Wire Watch
Questionable	Broncos	Ronnie Hillman	C.J. Anderson	Juwan Thompson	N/A
Solid	Chiefs	Charcandrick West	Knile Davis	Spencer Ware	N/A
Solid	Raiders	Latavius Murray	Taiwan Jones	Roy Helu Jr.	N/A
Volatile	Chargers	Danny Woodhead	Melvin Gordon	Donald Brown	N/A

 

C.J. Anderson did not touch the ball until the second half. When he did touch the ball, he managed just nine yards on two carries. This plot has finally reached its conclusion, as one of the top picks of this year's draft looks to be totally washed up. He should be dropped in all but the deepest of formats. Ronnie Hillman is nothing special either. Though he did score a touchdown, he managed just 42 yards on 11 carries. The Broncos offense seems to be in shambles yet again. Perhaps a change at the QB position will prove helpful for the RB position when Brock Osweiler leads the team into Chicago this week.

Is Jamaal Charles even good? Charcandrick West was a monster against the league's best run defense on Sunday, carrying the rock to the tune of a 24-69-1 line with three receptions for 92 yards and another score. Most of the damage came on a nail-in-the-coffin 80-yard reception early in the fourth quarter. Regardless, this is now the third straight week (excluding a Week 9 bye) that West has totaled more than 18.00 standard fantasy points. His 28.10 standard points this week were good for the second-best total of the week. Look for West to keep things rolling next week in San Diego and the 27th-best run defense.

Latavius Murray was stymied by the surprisingly solid Minnesota defense on Sunday. The consistent back accrued just 48 yards on 12 carries, adding a meager 29 yards on five catches. Much of this can be attributed to a rising Vikings run defense, which has been trending upwards each week. Fullback Jamize Olawale was utilized yet again, gaining 59 yards on eight touches. Murray will have a much better chance for success in Detroit against a bottom-five run defense in Week 11.

**BYE**  Danny Woodhead led the Chargers in both rushing and receiving on Monday night against the Bears in Week 9. He finished the night with 111 yards from scrimmage on six catches and six carries with a receiving touchdown to boot. Melvin Gordon still unadvisedly led the backfield with 11 carries, but managed only 31 yards, adding another 25 on three receptions. Woodhead's proficiency in the passing game has made him one of the best fantasy running backs in the league, especially in PPR leagues. Gordon, on the other hand, is essentially droppable in 10-team leagues. Branden Oliver has been placed on season-ending IR with turf toe.

 

AFC NORTH: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Longshot Candidate(s)	Waiver     Wire Watch
Solid	Ravens	Justin Forsett	Javorius Allen	Terrence West	N/A
Solid	Steelers	DeAngelo Williams	Dri Archer	Jordan Todman	N/A
Volatile	Bengals	Giovani Bernard	Jeremy Hill	Rex Burkhead	N/A
Questionable	Browns	Duke Johnson	Isaiah Crowell		N/A

 

Justin Forsett was less than spectacular against a subpar Jaguars defense (after a bye week) in Week 10. The Ravens stink and might finish the year with a top draft pick if things keep up. As a result, the rushing attack has been under-utilized and unsuccessful. After enjoying a top-10 fantasy RB season in 2014, Forsett is a shadow of his previous form in 2015. His main asset is his health, which has kept him in the top-20 fantasy backs on the year. After failing against two mediocre units, Forsett will have his work cut out for him against a stout Rams squad in Week 11. As a side note, the Ravens signed Terrence West off the practice squad.

Sunday turned out to be the Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown show, causing DeAngelo Williams to take the back seat and turn in his first middling fantasy performance of the year. Williams went 54 yards on 17 carries and reeled in a 15-yard reception while backup Jordan Todman saw two carries for eight yards. This weak (but not terrible) output is just a blip on the radar, as Williams is locked in as a starter and should hit double-digit fantasy points again when the team travels to Seattle to face the newly-flawed Seahawks defense in Week 11.

Another giant falls down. The Bengals high-powered offense was completely thwarted by the Texans on Monday night in shocking fashion as the pool of undefeated teams was whittled down to two. Of all the poor performances on the offensive side of the ball, RB Giovani Bernard was actually fairly decent, amassing 79 yards from scrimmage on 13 touches. Jeremy Hill was useless yet again, gathering just 20 total yards on 10 touches. This game is an anomaly for the Bengals, who struggle in both primetime games and contests against the Houston Texans for some bizarre, unexplainable reason. If they thought the Texans were tough, good luck next week in Arizona.

There simply is no running game in Cleveland. Fun fact: I haven't changed that opening sentence for four straight weeks now. Seriously, Johnny Manziel led the backfield with 17 yards on three carries. Duke Johnson was the leading RB with 10 yards on four carries and 18 yards on four receptions. Isaiah Crowell totaled -5 yards on six carries. Stay away from this backfield at all costs!

 

AFC SOUTH: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Longshot Candidates	Waiver     Wire Watch
Solid	Colts	Frank Gore	Ahmad Bradshaw	Josh Robinson	N/A
Volatile	Texans	Alfred Blue	Jonathan Grimes	Chris Polk	N/A
Volatile	Titans	Antonio Andrews	Dexter McCluster, David Cobb	Bishop Sankey	David Cobb
Solid	Jaguars	T.J. Yeldon	Toby Gerhart	Denard Robinson	N/A

 

**BYE** Frank Gore found a bit of traction against an intimidating Broncos defense on Sunday, amassing 83 yards on 28 carries with a score. Though he was only good for 3.0 YPC in the contest, Gore managed to churn out some solid production yet again. The veteran hasn't seemed very impressive at any time this year. Yet, somehow, Gore has found himself in the top-10 of all fantasy backs in 2015 standard scoring. That's surprising, considering he doesn't have a single 100-yard rushing game this season and sports just four touchdowns. In classic Frank Gore fashion, he keeps plugging away and racking up the production week after week. Ahmad Bradshaw added three yards on six carries.

Though the Texans pulled off a massive upset in Cincinnati on Monday night, it was no thanks to the running game, which totaled just 82 yards on 25 collective carries. All of a sudden, Jonathan Grimes - a name I've never said out loud before - is the most productive man in the Houston backfield. Grimes piled up 33 yards on six efficient attempts, adding a 12-yard catch. Alfred Blue still led the crew in touches, but was unsuccessful, tacking on just 22 yards on 12 attempts with a nine-yard grab. Meanwhile, Chris Polk went for 14 yards on four carries. This backfield is too crowded and too mediocre. No one here is really worth much, though Blue still has some breakout potential.

Antonio Andrews was horribly ineffective on Sunday against a championship-caliber Panthers defense, going just eight yards on 11 attempts. The surprising thing is that he was not included in the passing game at all. Dexter McCluster was the real focal point of this one, as the dynamic RB made the most of his seven touches, racking up 52 yards and a score. Unfortunately he also lost his second fumble in as many weeks. This backfield has bad news written all over it. Andrews is still worth owning as depth in deeper leagues, McCluster is worth a look on the waiver wire and both should enjoy a certain degree of success against the Jaguars in a Thursday night thriller. Mike Mularkey has implied that David Cobb, who will likely make his return this week from injury, may see some quality carries, making him worth a preemptive look on the waiver wire.

T.J. Yeldon was O.K. against the despairing Ravens on Sunday, but probably should have been much better. The rookie workhorse ran for 61 yards on 18 carries and caught five passes, but went just six yards. Yeldon just doesn't have a very high ceiling--at least not this year. Though he has had a handful of 100-yard games this season, he's not going to go off for 170 yards and two scores any time soon. It seems that Yeldon will fall between 60-110 yards each week. In fact, he's only landed outside of that range twice this year - falling short once and surpassing it once. Yeldon (foot) is listed as questionable for a Thursday night marquee matchup against the Titans. Denard Robinson will get the start if Yeldon cannot go.

 

NFC EAST: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Longshot Candidates	Waiver      Wire Watch
Volatile	Giants	Rashad Jennings	Orleans Darkwa, Shane Vereen	Andre Williams	N/A
Questionable	Eagles	DeMarco Murray	Ryan Mathews*	Kenjon Barner, Darren Sproles	N/A
Solid	Cowboys	Darren McFadden	Christine Michael	Robert Turbin	N/A
Volatile	Washington	Matt Jones	Chris Thompson, Alfred Morris	Darrel Young	N/A

 

The fantasy nightmare continues in New York. Of the four available runners in the Giants backfield, none exceeded 3.5 YPC or 40 total yards against the Patriots on Sunday. If these four guys were combined into one player, he would still only be a moderately successful RB, as the whole backfield combined for just 70 yards on 22 carries. Last week was slightly better, as the crew accrued 114 yards on 33 attempts, good for 3.5 YPC. None of these guys can get it going individually or together. Jennings still seems to be the lead guy here with a team-leading 11 carries for 39 yards and two catches for an additional 12 yards. Beyond that, no one is worth considering.

Ryan Mathews (concussion) is currently going through the league's protocol and is doubtful to suit up for a Week 11 matchup against the Bucs. Before leaving the game, Mathews rushed eight times for 18 yards and a TD, adding two receptions for 22 yards. DeMarco Murray was all over the field after the departure of Mathews. Though he only managed 61 yards on 22 carries, he made up for it in the passing game with six catches for 58 yards. Murray continues to rack up yardage due to the sheer amount of looks the Eagles are giving him per game. If Mathews misses Week 11, there's no telling how many touches Murray will get. Darren Sproles added 34 yards on nine touches.

After three weeks of sheer dominance, Darren McFadden was stuffed by the Bucs defense to the tune of 32 yards on 17 carries. The lead back also caught three passes for 26 yards. There's not much to look into here as Tampa Bay's defense has been tough the past few weeks. With the return of Tony Romo, the run game will have some more room to breathe. The Cowboys also signed Robert Turbin (who has been doing a lot of traveling recently) as a backup. Christine Michael carried the ball three times for eight yards, but was released on Tuesday.

Rob Ryan and the Saints simply could not account for Matt Jones in the passing game on Sunday. Jones ripped through the defense for 131 yards on just three catches, scoring a TD in the process. He added 56 more yards on 11 carries en route to a top-three fantasy performance in Week 10. Alfred Morris wasn't too shabby either, posting a 15-92-0 line and catching three-of-three targets for 14 yards. Even Chris Thompson had a big day, amassing 77 yards on just three touches. This has much, much more to do with an atrocious defensive performance from the Saints than it does with the talent of the Washington running backs. This backfield will be put to the test against the Panthers next week.

 

NFC WEST: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Longshot Candidates	Waiver Wire Watch
Volatile	49ers	Carlos Hyde*	Shaun Draughn	Kendall Gaskins	Shaun Draughn
Solid	Seahawks	Marshawn Lynch	Thomas Rawls	Fred Jackson	N/A
Solid	Cardinals	Chris Johnson	David Johnson, Andre Ellington	Stepfan Taylor	N/A
Solid	Rams	Todd Gurley	Tre Mason	Benny Cunningham	N/A

 

**BYE** Who saw this one coming? The 49ers edged out a win against the heavily-favored Falcons on Sunday by continuing to pound the run game down Atlanta's throat. The team ran the ball 38 times for 133 yards. That's only 3.5 YPC, but it kept the clock rolling and was an effective strategy that won the game for the Blaine Gabbert-led Niners. The backfield cast is a bizarre one. Newcomer Shaun Draughn, who the team signed six days prior after he was dropped by the Browns, led the crew with 58 yards on 16 carries and four catches for another 38 yards. Kendall Gaskins came next with seven carries for 20 yards. Then there was another newcomer, Pierre Thomas, who gained 12 yards on four attempts. Six total people received carries from the San Francisco backfield, none of whom were particularly effective individually. After a bye, the team expects Carlos Hyde (foot) to be back from injury, so none of this really matters moving forward. Draughn might be worth a look in very deep PPR leagues.

Marshawn Lynch was not very beastly on Sunday night when the Seahawks hosted the Cardinals, going just 42 yards on eight carries, though he did score a TD in the contest. The team did not have much of a chance to run the ball as they were playing catch-up most of the night. Lynch (abdomen) was listed as questionable before the game and did not practice on Wednesday of this week. Though he has been banged-up lately, Lynch's performance has certainly been underwhelming for a top draft pick. The only impressive performance of 2015 came against a lackluster 49ers squad in Week 6. The Niners are coming to town to face the Seahawks in Seattle for Week 11. Look for Lynch to bounce back big time in the rivalry game.

Chris Johnson was overshadowed by Carson Palmer and the passing game on Sunday night in Seattle, as the veteran back went just 58 yards on 25 carries and failed to secure his two targets. Andre Ellington accrued more yardage (61), but most of that came on a fourth quarter scamper down the sideline that resulted in the game-clinching touchdown. He also reeled in three catches for 27 yards. Ellington is fully capable of performing, but does not receive enough quality touches on a week-by-week basis to justify starting. Johnson, on the other hand, will rebound from this outing. He and the rest of the running back corps will have a chance to prove their worth when the Bengals come to town in Week 11.

Todd Gurley was the only capable player on the Rams roster in a Week 10 pounding from the Bears. The rookie led the team in rushing (12-45-1) and receiving (3-44-0), turning in a top-eight fantasy RB performance despite the terrible team outing. After seeming like a surefire playoff team, the Rams offense has stalled over the past two weeks against middling defenses. Have no fear - Gurley has been unshakable even in the down times. Look for the Rams to right the ship in Baltimore next week and for Gurley to return to his league-topping ways. Tre Mason totaled 47 yards from scrimmage, but lost a fumble in the process.

 

NFC NORTH: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Longshot Candidates	Waiver Wire Watch
Questionable	Packers	James Starks	Eddie Lacy	Alonzo Harris	N/A
Volatile	Lions	Joique Bell	Theo Riddick, Ameer Abdullah	Zach Zenner	N/A
Solid	Bears	Matt Forte*	Jeremy Langford	Ka'Deem Carey	Jeremy Langford
Solid	Vikings	Adrian Peterson	Matt Asiata	Jerick McKinnon	N/A

 

Things in Green Bay are a flat-out mess. Eddie Lacy (groin) was sidelined for the contest, but also looks like he's working through an extra 10-15 pounds (sorry, that was a cheap shot). James Starks was declared the starting RB regardless of Lacy's health and he did well in his first official opportunity at the job. Though he was stifled on the ground (42 yards on 15 carries) he added 54 yards on five catches. Lacy returned to practice on Wednesday but will remain the backup moving forward, which is pretty disappointing for owners who drafted him in the first round.

The Detroit Lions may have pulled off a miraculous victory in Lambeau for the first time in more than 20 years, but the rushing attack was not the source of that win. Among six different rushers, the Lions totaled just 45 yards on 26 attempts. There's just no answer to the problems in the Detroit run game. Ameer Abdullah busted out the longest non-scoring play in NFL history with a 104-yard kick return that ended inside the one-yard line. but of course, that's no good for fantasy value. Joique Bell led the effort with and abysmal 17 yards on 14 carries. Theo Riddick had the most yardage with three catches for 25 yards, adding one more yard on three rushing attempts. Bell (shoulder) was limited in practice on Wednesday.

Jeremy Langford was the top-scoring back of Week 10--there's a sentence that no one expected to say, especially against the Rams defense. The usual backup RB rushed 20 times for 73 yards and shredded the passing game for 109 yards and a score on seven receptions. The tricky part is knowing whether or not he will have a chance to repeat his performance. Matt Forte (knee) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, but we won't know for sure until later in the week if he will suit up against the Broncos next week. Even Ka'Deem Carey saw some quality work, gaining 56 yards on 14 carries, though he did lose a fumble. Only time will tell here.

Guess what - Adrian Peterson did Adrian Peterson things on Sunday, as evidenced by his 26-203-1 line. That hardly stands out among his impressive resume. AP's performance was in the top three of the week and he is the second-leading scoring RB in the NFL. I can hear the MVP chants all the way in New York.

 

NFC SOUTH: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Longshot Candidates	Waiver Wire Watch
Solid	Saints	Mark Ingram	C.J. Spiller	Tim Hightower	N/A
Solid	Falcons	Devonta Freeman	Tevin Coleman	Terron Ward	N/A
Solid	Panthers	Jonathan Stewart	Cameron Artis-Payne	Fozzy Whittaker	N/A
Solid	Buccaneers	Doug Martin	Charles Sims	Mike James, Bobby Rainey	N/A

 

In the midst of an afternoon the Saints would like to soon forget, Mark Ingram tallied just a shade under 100 yards from scrimmage with 98 yards on just eight touches. It's miraculous Ingram was able to amass so much yardage considering the Saints were playing catch-up all day. Most of that came on a 70-yard dash in the first quarter. C.J. Spiller rushed nine times for 23 yards and caught three passes for 18 yards. Ingram's consistent play has made him a top-three fantasy RB for the 2015 season.

**BYE** In what seemed to be a prime matchup for the league's most productive running back, Devonta Freeman was completely thwarted on the ground against the 49ers last Sunday rushing for just 12 yards on 12 carries. Of course, he found a way to make things right in the passing game as he hauled in eight-of-ten targets for 67 yards and a touchdown. This is the first time since Week 2 that Freeman has failed to record 100 yards on the ground. No need to worry--after a week off the Falcons should right some of the problems.

Jonathan Stewart was sharp against the Titans on Sunday, sporting a bright 22-91-1 line. It was nice to see from Stewart, as he's been sluggish over the past few weeks. Despite being the lead, bruising back on a run-first offense, Stewart finds himself outside of the top-15 fantasy running backs on the season. That's tough to swallow, considering all of the vital injuries this year. Mike Tolbert tacked on 21 yards on four carries.

Doug 'Dougernaut' Martin just managed to top 100 yards from scrimmage in an ugly win over the Cowboys on Sunday. Martin went for 63 yards on 18 carries and caught all four of his targets for 40 more yards. After a three-week stretch of dominance, Martin has been relatively quiet over the past three, but still pretty consistent. Hmm... sounds familiar. Regardless, Martin remains the seventh-best fantasy RB of the year. Charles Sims trended downwards this week, gaining just 31 yards on seven touches. As a result, I will be taking him off my waiver wire watch for the first time since Week 1. Truly tragic. Still, keep an eye on him.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room