The fantasy football semifinals are here and you'll never guess what happened in Week 14 - more running backs got injured! Who could have seen that coming?

A vital member of a certain undefeated club was injured after his coach committed to resting him to (ya know) prevent injury. In the meantime, a renegade AFC South contender lost its rookie workhorse and the AFC's top seed lost its hammer. Furthermore, the leading fantasy RB of Week 14 was a member of the Cleveland Browns. So... there's that.

Listen, a big chunk of these teams aren't important or necessary to talk about at this point of the season. Are you really adding a back from the Giants quadruple committee for that final playoff push? Are you really considering benching Adrian Peterson? If either of those questions apply to you, there's no way you made it this far in your league so you should stop reading this anyway. Let's get into the slightly abbreviated Week 15 RB depth charts for all NFL teams.

 

AFC EAST: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

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

 

LeGarrette Blount looked like an old man against the Texans on Sunday night as he limped off the field with a hip injury. He looked significantly hobbled at practice on Tuesday, using crutches to move around. Obviously, this does not bode well for his Week 15 availability. Look for Brandon Bolden to to absorb most of Blount's carries against the Titans on Sunday if the incumbent starter can't play, which certainly seems like the case. James White should continue his best Dion Lewis impersonation in the passing game, but Bolden is likely in line for more touches.

Update: Blount has been ruled out for the season, and can be safely dropped in all seasonal leagues. 

Chris Ivory bounced around for 101 yards on 22 carries, his first 100-yard rushing game since Week 6. We already knew that Ivory was capable of this type of performance. The real story here is the continued usage of Bilal Powell, who has suddenly become very relevant from a fantasy perspective. Powell was a dynamo, busting out 82 yards and a touchdown on just eight total touches, giving him 31.00 standard fantasy points over the past two weeks. He's even more dangerous in PPR formats. If you are entering the playoff of a PPR league, Powell is a must add in Dallas next week.

Not much to report here. Carlos Williams (shoulder) was sidelined, as expected, for the contest and his status seems in doubt for Week 15 as well. LeSean McCoy racked up 109 yards from scrimmage in the #RevengeGame against Chip Kelly's Eagles, but failed to lead his team to victory. Mike Gillislee backed up McCoy and will continue to do so until Williams is healthy enough to return.

Miller looked good (and was the only Dolphin who looked good) against the Giants on Monday night, posting an impressive 12-89-2 line in a game that featured a lot of flimsy passes from Ryan Tannehill. Jay Ajayi backed up, going 15 yards on five carries.

 

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 (INJ)	Juwan Thompson	Juwan Thompson
Questionable	Chiefs	Charcandrick West	Spencer Ware (INJ)	Knile Davis	N/A
Solid	Raiders	Latavius Murray	Taiwan Jones (INJ)	Roy Helu Jr.	N/A
Questionable	Chargers	Melvin Gordon	Danny Woodhead	Donald Brown	N/A

 

Sunday was a very frustrating day for owners of running backs in the Broncos backfield. C.J. Anderson was listed as active before the start of the game, but didn't play a single snap due to a lingering ankle injury. Ronnie Hillman got the start, but couldn't get anything going, amassing just 61 yards on 19 touches. Juwan Thompson saw some quality touches, but was even more effective than Hillman. The third-stringer accounted for just 29 yards on nine touches. The Broncos need Anderson back desperately with a crucial matchup in  Pittsburgh looming in Week 15. His status is questionable and must be monitored. If he can't go, look for Hillman to get the majority of the work. Still, don't count on huge numbers against a stout Steelers run defense.

Charcandrick West (10-for-54) and Specner Ware (8-for-52) were basically dead even on carries and yardage in a prime matchup with the Chargers on Sunday. Unfortunately for owners of these two, the committee has severely limited either one's individual value and the Chargers defense put up a surprisingly strong effort. The real development here is a significant rib injury sustained  by Ware late in the game. X-rays came back negative, but Ware is "bruised, swollen and in pain" according to Ian Rapoport. If he is limited in any way heading into a Week 15 date with the Ravens, West will certainly be the more valuable man.

Latavius Murray was insanely ineffective on Sunday in Denver, managing a mere 27 yards on 16 carries. Who can blame him? It's nearly impossible to run on the Broncos defense. No one else was a factor in the Raiders backfield.

Same old story in San Diego. Melvin Gordon rushed an inconceivable amount of times, recording a 2.5 YPA. Danny Woodhead continued his recent ineffectiveness on the ground and in the passing attack. Stay away from these guys regardless of the matchup.

 

AFC NORTH: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

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

 

A week after leading all NFL running backs in fantasy scoring, Javorius "Buck" Allen didn't even lead his own ravaged offense in rushing with just 14 yards on eight carries. Terrence West led the team in rushing, which is a phrase that hasn't been used in over a year, with 16 yards on five carries. Buck lost a fumble, but reeled in five-of-nine targets for 44 yards. He's still worth owning (whereas West is not), but don't expect any sort of consistency in this offense moving forward.

DeAngelo Williams continued his beastliness against the Bengals on Sunday, posting a superb 23-76-2 line, making him the top fantasy RB over the past two weeks. No one else is noteworthy in this backfield.

Both of the "star" running backs in the Bengals backfield were pretty lackluster against the Steelers on Sunday, but Jeremy Hill was considerably worse than Giovani Bernard. Bernard was efficient with his touches, going 67 yards on nine carries while Hill went only 16 yards on seven attempts, adding a pair of receptions for eight yards. It's nearly impossible to tell what these two will do week-to-week, as it seemed that Hill was positioned to become a true starting running back after dominating the past few weeks. A.J. McCarron at the QB helms does not bode well for the run game. Actually, it just adds a completely unknown variable into the equation - who knows how it will affect these guys?

Isaiah Crowell leading all running backs in Week 14 actually makes me angry. What is fantasy football? What is life? If any of you had Crowell in your starting lineup this week then you are an idiot savant and I congratulate you. For those of you who haven't heard, Crowell sported an unreal 20-145-2 line against the 49ers. After a performance like this, regardless of how flukey it is, he should definitely be looked at on the waiver wire. Unfortunately, a Week 15 matchup with Seattle should paint a much different picture.

 

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	Dan Herron	Zurlon Tipton	N/A
Volatile	Texans	Alfred Blue (INJ)	Chris Polk	Jonathan Grimes, Akeem Hunt	N/A
Questionable	Titans	Antonio Andrews	Bishop Sankey	David Cobb	N/A
Questionable	Jaguars	T.J. Yeldon (INJ)	Denard Robinson	Jonas Gray	Denard Robinson

 

Though the Colts were somewhat cautious with their use of Frank Gore, the veteran easily led the backfield in touches, going 60 yards on 16 carries. Backup Dan Herron and space alien Zurlon Tipton filtered in as change-of-pace guys when Gore needed a breather, but both remained irrelevant.

Another frustrating situation for fantasy owners - Alfred Blue, who was listed on the active roster, did not record a single carry. The endless juggling act continued in the Texans backfield as Jonathan Grimes led the charge with 53 yards on seven carries. Hey, Chris Collinsworth liked him, doesn't that count for something? At the end of the day none of this matters. If you are considering starting a Texans RB at this point, you are certifiably insane and should be institutionalized.

Jeez. We all knew the Jets defense was good, but they're not this good. The Titans backfield put up 24 total rushing yards on 13 carries in a blowout loss on Sunday and the squad from Tennessee is starting to look like the worst in the league. If you are absolutely desperate, Dexter McCluster may have some value in PPR leagues, as he did manage 50 yards on eight touches (four runs, four receptions). Aside from that, there's not a name worth knowing in this backfield. UPDATE: Dexter McCluster was placed on season-ending IR with a fractured wrist. Head coach Mike Mularkey suggested that Bishop Sankey will fill McCluster's role as the passing down back. Don't get too excited, Sankey is still worthless across all formats.

Another week, another injury to a starting RB. T. J. Yeldon went down with a knee injury against the Colts on Sunday, paving the way for backup Denard Robinson to accrue 75 yards and a score on 14 carries. It was reported on Wednesday that Yeldon's injury is an MCL sprain, which usually requires some missed time. Still, the extent of the injury is unclear and the Jaguars will need all hands on deck to stay in the playoff hunt in the dreadful AFC South. Robinson is an admirable fill in and must be added in all leagues as a top waiver wire priority. The Jags offense can put up major points and have another favorable matchup against the reeling Falcons in Week 15. Look for Robinson to put up some serious pointS. Also, the team signed Jonas Gray off the Dolphins practice squad, which is a pretty clear sign that the team expects Yeldon to be out for some time. Gray will serve as a handcuff to Robinson.

 

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
Volatile	Eagles	DeMarco Murray	Ryan Mathews	Darren Sproles	Darren Sproles
Solid	Cowboys	Darren McFadden	Robert Turbin	Rod Smith, Trey Williams	N/A
Questionable	Washington	Matt Jones	Alfred Morris	Darrel Young	N/A

 

I was planning on skipping this one over, but there was actually a worthwhile, individual effort from a running back in New York on Monday night. Rashad Jennings was the clear leading man in the Giants backfield against the Dolphins, rushing 22 times for 81 yards and adding two receptions for 21 yards. It was nice to see some distinction from the four-headed attack, but don't read into it too much. Tom Coughlin remained committed to the RBBC approach when asked on Tuesday. Obviously, Jennings is the only man of the group who holds value, though that value will be very limited when the undefeated Panthers come to town in Week 15.

This situation has become truly volatile. Chip Kelly's Eagles have abandoned any loyalty to DeMarco Murray's big contract and have transitioned to a committee approach after the return of Ryan Mathews from the league's concussion protocol. Oddly enough, Darren Sproles is the only back who had a good game, posting a 7-41-1 line. Murray and Mathews both hovered around 3.0 YPA and could not find the end zone. It's nearly impossible to tell which back will put up the best numbers week-to-week, but all three have huge upside. Mathews may be your best bet against the Cardinals in Week 15.

Darren McFadden and Robert Turbin ran all over the Packers on Sunday afternoon. McFadden went 111 yards on just nine carries, most of which came on two separate 50-yard rushes. Turbin also impressed, going 7-51-1 in a change-of-pace role. Run-DMC remains one of the most valuable backs in fantasy moving forward. Turbin, on the other hand, probably won't see another game like this soon.

Jay Gruden lied about Alfred Morris being the team's starting RB. What a surprise. Matt Jones led the backfield with 86 yards on 20 carries compared to just 24 yards on 11 carries for Morris. Morris did score a touchdown in the process. It's clear that the team prefers Jones, regardless of what the coaches say publicly. A big game from Jones will be necessary for Washington's playoff hopes against the Bills in Week 15.

 

NFC WEST: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Longshot Candidates	Waiver Wire Watch
Solid	49ers	Shaun Draughn	Travaris Cadet	Kendall Gaskins	Shaun Draughn
Volatile	Seahawks	Bryce Brown	Fred Jackson	Christine Michael	N/A
Questionable	Cardinals	David Johnson	Andre Ellington (INJ)	Stepfan Taylor, Kerwynn Williams	David Johnson
Solid	Rams	Todd Gurley	Tre Mason	Benny Cunningham	N/A

 

Shaun Draughn may have asserted his role as the sole starting caliber back in the 49ers backfield, he certainly did not impress with 43 yards on 11 carries. The performance was especially concerning coming against a league-worst Browns defense. It was more of a team-wide struggle than Draughn specifically. He's still a lock for the top spot in light of Carlos Hyde (foot) being placed on season-ending IR.

It's a new edition of Next Man Up for the Seattle Seahawks as Thomas Rawls (broken ankle) will miss the rest of the season, leaving room for a whacky assortment of fellows. DuJuan Harris, who was in line to make the start, was waived from the team. Bryce Brown is in line to be the early game back now, according to head coach Pete Carroll, alongside a returning Christine Michael, who was released from Washington's practice squad earlier this week. Michael may be the most well-known, unaccomplished player in the league. Every time he joins a new team, which is often, it's a big story; yet, he's never had a good NFL game. Fred Jackson will allegedly act as the team's third-down back. It seems like Brown has the most potential to do some damage against a patchwork Cleveland defense. Don't be surprised if someone else (or all three) go off.

As the only remaining running back from the original starting three, David Johnson took sole control of the Cardinals backfield on Thursday night against the Vikings. He played well, taking 24 touches for 123 yards, ceding carries to Kerwynn Williams and Stepfan Taylor on a handful of occasions. Williams only managed two yards on six carries, so we probably won't be seeing much of him. Andre Ellington (turf toe) won't suit up again on Sunday in Philadelphia, making Johnson a top option for the playoffs.

After a brief stint of incompetency, Todd Gurley put up his best performance since Week 7 and was seven yards shy of tying Isaiah Crowell for the best fantasy output of the week. The rookie went 16-140-2 with a seven-yard reception. He gave the coaches and fantasy owners a good scare when he banged his knee late in the game. Fortunately, it looks like he'll be fully healthy for a big Week 15 matchup with the Bucs on Thursday night.

 

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	Eddie Lacy	James Starks	John Crockett	N/A
Volatile	Lions	Ameer Abdullah	Theo Riddick, Joique Bell	Zach Zenner	N/A
Questionable	Bears	Matt Forte	Jeremy Langford	Ka'Deem Carey	Jeremy Langford
Solid	Vikings	Adrian Peterson	Jerick McKinnon	Matt Asiata	N/A

 

Out of nowhere, the Packers running back tandem put up more yardage than a Green Bay backfield has since the days of Ahman Green. Specifically, Eddie Lacy made a big statement after posting just one total yard a week ago with a 24-124-1 line and a 24-yard reception. James Starks was no schmuck either, gathering 103 yards on just 15 touches and touchdowns in both the rushing and receiving categories. Acting as the backup RB, Starks managed a top-3 fantasy performance for Week 14 while Lacy finished comfortably in the top-10. This has become a frustrating situation, as both of these guys are just as likely to post zero points as they are to put up 20. Lacy should be fine moving forward, but Starks may be a safer bet against the Raiders in Week 15.

The Lions backfield, one week removed from its first 100-yard rushing performance of the season, continued it's awe-inspiring shortcoming on Sunday against the Rams. Joique Bell was decent, Theo Roddick did a thing or two in the passing game... Does it even matter? If you're rostering any of these guys at this point in the season, how is your team in the playoffs? In the most grave situations, Roddick may be a worthwhile desperation add in PPR formats.

Matt Forte appeared to have righted the ship against the 49ers in Week 13, but apparently anyone can run on the 49ers. Forte struggled to get going against the Redskins in Week 14 and ended up splitting carries with Jeremy Langford. Forte was still the more efficient of the two and salvaged his day with a touchdown. He's still the lead guy here, but his production isn't as predictable as it was before his injury when he was a guaranteed top-3 RB.

Adrian Peterson is the only running back in the NFL who could make a 23-69-1 line look bad. It is a bit concerning that AP has less than 100 yards rushing over the past two weeks combined, but that just means he's due to go berserk next week. He'll have a great chance to do that when the Bears come to town.

 

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	Tim Hightower	C.J. Spiller	Marcus Murphy	Tim Hightower
Solid	Falcons	Devonta Freeman	Tevin Coleman	Terron Ward	N/A
Volatile	Panthers	Fozzy Whittaker	Cameron Artis-Payne, Mike Tolbert	Jonathan Stewart (INJ)	Fuzzy Whitaker, Mike Tolbert, Cameron Artis-Payne
Solid	Buccaneers	Doug Martin	Charles Sims	Mike James, Bobby Rainey	Charles Sims

 

There was no question of which RB the Saints coaching staff favored in light of Mark Ingram's season-ending injury, as Tim Hightower led the backfield (and the NFL) with 28 carries in Week 14. New Orleans clearly has no faith in C.J. Spiller, once a top fantasy option during his time in Buffalo. If, for some bizarre reason, Hightower was not scooped off the waiver wire last week, he is a 100% must-add must-start for Week 15.

Devonta Freeman had the worst game of his year on a day where every other Falcon had the worst day of his life. Freeman managed just 62 yards on 15 carries and hardly got a chance as the Falcons were blown out and shut out by the Panthers. There was really just a four week stretch that made Freeman 2015's most dominant RB from Week 3-6. In that span, he averaged nearly 30 points per game. Since then, he's sustained a concussion and hasn't touched 14 standard points. Still, he remains the most productive fantasy back in the league through 14 weeks and it would be crazy to bench him, regardless of the Falcons offensive woes.

In an ironic turn of events, Jonathan Stewart injured his foot while unnecessarily playing in a blowout win against the Falcons after Ron Rivera said the team would rest Stewart (and other starters) to prevent injuries. Luckily, MRIs came back negative on J-Stew's foot and he should be good for the playoffs. Unfortunately, he will not be good for the fantasy playoffs, at least not this week. Stewart will be sidelined for a date with the Giants in Week 15, leaving room for a committee of Mike Tolbert, Fozzy Whitaker and Cameron Artis-Payne. Rivera has stated that the team will go with a committee approach. Tolbert will be the red zone man while Whitaker and Artis-Payne split early down work. None of these guys are suitable options to replace Stewart, but it's easy to imagine Tolbert culturing a pair of touchdowns against the Giants and piecing together a worthwhile fantasy output. Still, Tolbert is a complete bang-or-bust move.

Make way for the Dougernaut. The artist previously known as Muscle Hamster made the most of his 11 carries, bullying the Saints defense for 81 yards and a score. Charles Sims continued to impress from the backup position as he led the Bucs in receiving with 64 yards on 6-of-8 targets. Obviously, Doug martin is one of the top backs to own heading into the final rounds of the playoffs. Don't forget about Sims. If you are in desperate need of help off the waiver wire, Sims offers some sneaky upside with a pretty reliable floor as well.

 

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