X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Fantasy Football Tiered Running Back Rankings (Standard)

RotoBaller writer Frankie Soler breaks the standard running back rankings down into tiers for the upcoming 2016 fantasy football season.

If you’ve frequented RotoBaller over the last week, you’ll have likely noticed our rankings for the upcoming fantasy season. Our toolkit for 2016 has it all; standard rankings, PPR rankings, half PPR, and we’ve even got you covered if you participate in a two-quarterback league.

This piece, along with several others to follow, aims to act as a companion to the positional portion of those rankings. Here you’ll see every running back grouped into a tier of their peers. The tiers represent that particular group’s overall worth in terms of talent, ADP, and a whole host of other factors. Some have similar injury concerns while others are at peak draft value. Whatever the case may be, players within the same tier are of nearly equal value and should be viewed as such during your upcoming drafts.

Editor's Note: RotoBaller has the best Premium NFL Subscription for only $1.99 per week. We have all the preseason tools to help win your drafts, and in-season tools to win your seasonal and daily leagues: Draft Kit, Premium Rankings, ADP Sleepers Tool, Matchup Ratings for every player, Daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Lineup Picks, Expert Lineups, Stacks and Avoids. 

Editor's Note: Stay on top of your draft prep with RotoBaller’s fantasy football rankings, featuring expert analysis, ADPs, and draft insights for both PPR and non-PPR leagues.

 

Tier 1 – Standard Running Back Rankings

  1. Le’Veon Bell, PIT
  2. Todd Gurley, LA
  3. Adrian Peterson, MIN

I don’t think it should come as a surprise to anyone who the most coveted fantasy running backs are for 2016. Bell, Gurley, and Peterson are not just three of the most talented backs in the NFL, but they also have the rare advantage of being the clear-cut starter on their respective teams. Finding a running back that isn’t in a timeshare is such a rarity these days that even the warts attached to these particular three players aren’t significant enough to scare anyone away from drafting them.

Yes, Le’Veon Bell is still recovering from knee surgery, yes, Todd Gurley only has one year of NFL experience under his belt, and yes, Adrian Peterson is now 31 years old. Their overall talent and team situations, however, are far too great for them to be anything but the top of the RB class. There’s a case to be made for putting any of the three of them in whatever order you see fit. For me, it’s Bell followed by Gurley and Peterson due to the strength of the Steeler offense and Bell having the best combination of age and talent. Like I said, they’re all close enough to justify taking them in any order so you can’t really go wrong here. Take the one you feel is safest at the beginning of the first round and consider yourself set at the RB1 position.

 

Tier 2 – Standard Running Back Rankings

  1. Jamaal Charles, KC
  2. David Johnson, ARI
  3. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL
  4. Lamar Miller, HOU
  5. Doug Martin, TB

Unfortunately, the question marks at running back only increase in number as you head down the list and that’s even true as early as Jamaal Charles at the fourth RB overall. Charles, much like Le’Veon Bell, is also recovering from knee surgery. The only reason he’s not safely set in the same class as Bell, Gurley, and Peterson is because there’s a possibility that both Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West eat into Charles’ workload now that they’ve proven themselves in his absence. An injury plus a potential for a fewer touches than usual bump Charles down a peg but obviously not significant enough to scare you into avoiding him entirely.

The rest of this group has concerns that are of equal relevance to Charles’ injury and competition. David Johnson really only took off in the second half of the year which could easily make him this year’s C.J. Anderson. Even with that in mind, Johnson has shown he can dominate the fantasy scene and is an excellent offense provided Carson Palmer staying healthy. Ezekiel Elliott, despite being the most hyped rookie running back in forever, still is, well, a rookie. Rookies carry immense risk and the idea of having to take Elliott as early as the middle of the first round is a scary proposition. That being said, his talent is enough to take a shot on.

Rounding out this tier are the likes of Lamar Miller and Doug Martin, two backs that could easily end up being top five at the position if all goes according to plan. Miller is on a new team in Houston and recently had a career year in Miami. The best thing going for Miller is the fact that he was an excellent fantasy RB year last year despite the Dolphins not force feeding him the ball. That’ll be change while he’s on a Texans team that’s a lot more giving in their ground attack. Doug Martin had himself a solid year as well and should look to continue being the lead dog in an offense that’s only getting better with sophomore Jameis Winston under center.

 

Tier 3 – Standard Running Back Rankings

  1. DeVonta Freeman, ATL
  2. LeSean McCoy, BUF
  3. Mark Ingram, NO
  4. Eddie Lacy, GB

It may seem like this group is a significant drop-off from the previous two but I actually think that’s a misconception. DeVonta Freeman’s touchdowns last year may not be repeatable in 2016 but he still has enough talent to end up as a top 10 fantasy back. LeSean McCoy will now have four less games of Karlos Williams to worry about. Mark Ingram and Eddie Lacy may not be the most consistent fantasy assets but their respective offenses are enough to at least get them some scoring opportunities. I know Lacy had a disappointing 2015 but between his newfound offseason regiment and the players ranked below him, it’s hard not to tempt fate by drafting him as a top-12 RB and hoping for the best. Overall, this group of backs is more solid than you think.

 

Tier 4 – Standard Running Back Rankings

  1. Jonathan Stewart, CAR
  2. Carlos Hyde, SF
  3. Matt Forte, NYJ
  4. Thomas Rawls, SEA

Of all the tiers listed here this one might have the greatest balance of high floor and high ceiling. All four of these players are in offenses that can support them being reliable RB2’s while also having the potential to end up well into the top 10 at the position.

Jonathan Stewart had a very underrated season last year and should continue to take advantage of the departure of DeAngelo Williams. Carlos Hyde should have had himself a much better year if not for his lingering foot injury so expect him to roaring back in 2016. Matt Forte and Thomas Rawls might have some minor competition in their respective backfields but they’re also the favorite to lead the Jets and Seahawks in carries. Barring injuries, I can’t imagine any of these four players slipping out of the top 20 at the position. You’re not going to get any “oohs and ahs” by selecting any of these four but you’ll most certainly get decent enough return to justify making them your RB2.

Tier 5 – Standard Running Back Rankings

  1. Jay Ajayi, MIA
  2. Matt Jones, WAS
  3. Dion Lewis, NE
  4. Latavius Murray, OAK
  5. C.J. Anderson, DEN
  6. Jeremy Hill, CIN
  7. Ryan Mathews, PHI
  8. Jeremy Langford

Remember how I was just saying the previous tier has a bunch of players with high floors and high ceilings? Well, this next batch of rushers has all of those players’ upside without any of the safety. That’s exactly what makes them all low-end RB2s in terms of draft value.

I could dissect each and every one of them but they’re all kind of interchangeable in terms of their situation and talent levels. They are all either unproven or have a shaky role in their offense. Take Latavius Murray, for example. For whatever reason, the Oakland Raiders seem unwilling to fully commit to him as a feature back. Yet even with that in mind, Murray still has a great deal of talent and could be the kind of guy that breaks out in 2016 and becomes a low end RB1 instead of a borderline RB2. Or what about Jeremy Hill, someone who was insanely hyped last year only to become touchdown dependent and have Giovani Bernard cut into his workload significantly.

Obviously the concerns aren’t identical across the board in this group but those are the kinds of things you’ll have to worry about in selecting any of them. Upside is all fine and dandy but none of these players are particularly safe.

 

Tier 6 – Standard Running Back Rankings

  1. Frank Gore, IND
  2. Chris Ivory, JAX
  3. J. Yeldon, JAX
  4. Giovani Bernard, CIN
  5. Melvin Gordon, SD
  6. Justin Forsett, BAL
  7. Ameer Abdullah, DET
  8. Duke Johnson, CLE
  9. Danny Woodhead, SD

The leader of this pack has to be longtime veteran Frank Gore, a running back who seemingly refuses to let his career die. This isn’t exactly a stat loaded article but here’s a nice little factoid for you; Frank Gore hasn’t missed a single game in five seasons. Think about that for a second…the average NFL career lasts roughly three years and Gore hasn’t missed any time in almost twice that long. Pretty incredible if you ask me and that’s precisely why I believe he’s one of the most undervalued players in fantasy heading into 2016. You don’t need to draft him any earlier than he’s going but that’s exactly why he’s worth stashing. His value is perfect right now as a borderline RB2.

The rest of this group contains players who have the potential to win you your matchup coming off of your bench once bye weeks start rolling around. Their upside isn’t stellar or anything but they’re also solid RB3s who can be inserted into your lineup when you’re in a bind. Guys like Ameer Abdullah and Duke Johnson do possess considerable upside so stashing them instead of forcing your hand at taking a quarterback or tight end earlier than you need to can be the difference between making the playoffs and being on the outside looking in. That’s how you should approach this group of players.

 

Tier 7 – Standard Running Back Rankings

  1. LeGarrette Blount, NE
  2. Arian Foster, MIA
  3. Rashad Jennings, NYG
  4. DeMarco Murray, TEN
  5. Derrick Henry, TEN

This shaky, albeit smaller group than the previous two hosts five players that are essentially stuck in a timeshare at best. You’ve got LeGarrette Blount who will have to compete with young upstart Dion Lewis for meaningful touches, Arian Foster who literally just signed with the Dolphins to back up Jay Ajayi, Rashad Jennings who has a multitude of backs to split time with, and the tandem of DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry who are going to be a thorn in each other’s side all year in Tennessee. None of them possess a considerably amount of upside given their individual team issues but that doesn’t mean they can’t be useful if all goes well. Basically, these are players that are a step above those you would automatically cut when you need to make a pickup.

 

Tier 8 – Standard Running Back Rankings

  1. Alfred Morris, DAL
  2. Darren McFadden, DAL
  3. Buck Allen, SD
  4. Charcandrick West, KC
  5. Spencer Ware, KC
  6. DeAngelo Williams, PIT
  7. C.J. Prosise, SEA
  8. Devontae Booker, DEN
  9. Chris Johnson, ARI
  10. Charles Sims, TB
  11. Isaiah Crowell, CLE
  12. Jordan Howard, CHI

When you’re talking about the very end of the top 50 running backs, you’re essentially just hoping for a dart throw to hit bull’s-eye in one shot and that’s okay. You might not cut someone like Rashad Jennings from the previous group right away, but you most certainly can get rid of Buck Allen if it’s clear the Ravens aren’t going to utilize him in any sort of significant manner. That’s essentially what this last bunch is, a couple of backs who are just barely worth a stash until you need to make a move. Besides, we’re talking about actual backups here anyway. None of these players are the starter on their respective teams and really only have considerable value for those looking to handcuff their top back.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]

 


Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

New York Jets

Jets Pushing Sauce Gardner to Strive for Perfection
Xavier Worthy

Chiefs to Open Up Offense in 2025
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Stefon Diggs

Likely to Begin Camp Working on the Side
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Xavier Legette

Should be More Productive
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Cole Bishop

has Good Shot to Win a Starting Job
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Nate Wiggins

Ravens Think Nate Wiggins has Star Potential
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Quinshon Judkins

More Details Emerge on Quinshon Judkins' Arrest
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kaden Elliss

Could be Atlanta's Most Impactful Pass-Rusher
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Darius Robinson

Ready to Make his Mark in 2025?
Jauan Jennings

Expected to Report for Training Camp
Trey Smith

the Only Player Still on the Franchise Tag
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Jauan Jennings

Seeking New Deal or Trade From 49ers
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
A.J. Dillon

Not a Lock for a Roster Spot?
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Cooper Flagg

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
LeBron James

Hasn't Requested a Trade
Quinshon Judkins

Following Quinshon Judkins Arrest, NFL Declines Comment
Travis Hunter

Earning Praise in Jaguars Camp for Work Ethic
Memphis Grizzlies

Cole Anthony, Grizzlies Agree to Contract Buyout
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Lars Nootbaar

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Jake Burger

Scratched on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Julius Chestnut

Kalel Mullings Competing for RB3 Role
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
Kimani Vidal

Fighting for No. 3 Job
Cam Hart

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
Quentin Johnston

Might Not Get Many Chances to Prove Himself
Tre Harris

Officially a Holdout
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF