This may be an unpopular opinion, but the fantasy performances of Week 1 were largely uninspiring. Only four running backs surpassed 20 points in standard fantasy scoring, as nearly 75 percent of the top 30 ranked running backs failed to live up to Week 1 projections. Still, in the spirit of NFL unpredictability, two of the top 4 running backs are not who you would expect. Although the stats may not have been dazzling, there is much to be learned from what did and what did not happen in each Week 1 matchup. We no longer need to rely on meaningless coachspeak or speculation.

We are here to help you plan your running backs strategy, and to target the right RBs on each NFL team. Below are our 2015 fantasy football running back depth charts as we enter Week 2 of the NFL season.

For each team you will find the primary running back (RB1), the secondary running back (RB2), the third running back (RB3), and waiver wire potential. Players listed under “Waiver Wire Watch” have accrued value in recent weeks and should be eyed as possible waiver wire pickups throughout the season.

AFC EAST: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Longshot Candidates	Waiver     Wire Watch
Solid	Patriots	LeGarrette Blount	Dion Lewis,Brandon Bolden	James White	Dion Lewis
Solid	Jets	Chris Ivory	Zac Stacy, Stevan Ridley	Bilal Powell	N/A
Solid	Bills	LeSean McCoy	Karlos Williams	Bryce Brown, Boobie Dixon	Karlos Williams
Solid	Dolphins	Lamar Miller	Damien Williams, Jay Ayaji	LaMichael James	N/A

 

It's now certain that LeGarrette Blount will be entering Week 2 as the starter. Blount did not play Week 1, and we saw Dion Lewis shine and become a solid waiver wire option based on his performance last night. The Patriots were thought to potentially use Brandon Boldin on passing downs with Tom Brady, but Lewis gets the nod here moving forward, especially in PPR. Now that Jonas Gray has been cut, the backfield in New England is a little less crowded.

Chris Ivory had a huge game against Cleveland Week 1, racking up 91 yards on 20 carries with 2 touchdowns. The only healthy running back behind Ivory was Bilal Powell in this one. Powell also had a nice performance, gaining 62 yards on 12 carries. Despite Ivory's strong performance, there are a few red flags here. The Jets have shown that the starter will be handcuffed, likely more so once Stevan Ridley and Zac Stacey become healthy. Also, it was a relatively friendly matchup against a soft Cleveland run defense. Ivory can be big given the right opponent, but it may be a different story when the backfield is healthy.

Sunday was an odd day for the Bills running game. LeSean McCoy saw, by far, the most action of any running back, carrying the ball 17 times for a measly 46 yards. Meanwhile, backups Karlos Williams and Boobie Dixon scored touchdowns on only six and three carries respectively. Williams averaged 9.2 YPC, compared to 2.7 for McCoy. Still, Shady has the starting job locked down and should get things going soon in a surprisingly efficient Bills offense.

The Dolphins did not run the ball much in a Week 1 victory over the Redskins. Lamar Miller asserted his role as the primary back, rushing 13 times for 53 yards, adding 22 yards receiving. Backup Damien Williams saw 13 offensive snaps, but received only one carry for no gain. Jay Ajayi will not be available until at least Week 1o with a recent rib injury.

 

AFC WEST: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Longshot Candidates	Waiver     Wire Watch
Questionable	Broncos	C.J. Anderson	Ronnie Hillman	Juwan Thompson	Ronnie Hillman
Solid	Chiefs	Jamaal Charles	Knile Davis	Charcandrick West	N/A
Solid	Raiders	Latavius Murray	Roy Helu	Taiwan Jones	N/A
Questionable	Chargers	Melvin Gordon	Branden Oliver,Danny Woodhead	Donald Brown	Danny Woodhead

 

The run game was largely ineffective for the Broncos Week 1 against Baltimore. C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman both received 12 carries a piece, even though Anderson was present for 57 offensive snaps compared to 17 for Hillman. It's worth noting that Baltimore was top 5 against the rush last season. The even split in carries is a bit worrying for those who spent a high draft pick on Anderson, but he should still see a majority of the action moving forward and is poised for a big year.

Jamaal Charles did what Jamaal Charles does in his first game of the season, racking up 103 yards of total offense with a touchdown. He's shown no signs of slowing down and Knile Davis did little to cause concern. De'Anthony Thomas was moved full time to WR making the 3rd spot a battle between the two SPARQ athletes Charcandrick West and Darrin Reaves. Now that Reaves is out, it's all West's, but it's doubtful that he sees any impact time this year.

It seems more and more like Latavius Murray will be getting a lot of carries this year. Roy Helu was a healthy scratch from the lineup, seemingly inexplicably. Taiwain Jones saw a slice of the action here, but did not do much. Murray rushed for 44 yards on 11 carries, which looks more impressive considering he gained 33 yards after contact. The real story here is the fullback Marcel Reece scored two touchdowns in red zone situations. Oakland is a pass-first offense that likes to use its bruising fullback, rendering the backs less valuable here.

Aside from a fumble, Melvin Gordon looked solid in a Week 1 victory over Detroit. The rookie picked up 67 yards of total offense against the top run defense from 2014. Still, it's only been further confirmed that the Chargers will employ a running back by committee approach, making Gordon's value much less than his ADP. Handcuff Danny Woodhead saw 12 carries to Gordon's 14 and scored two touchdowns. Although Gordon still figures to be the lead back, there are simply too many good running backs on this team to get behind a rookie starter.

 

AFC NORTH: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Longshot Candidates	Waiver     Wire Watch
Solid	Ravens	Justin Forsett	Lorenzo Taliaferro	Javorius Allen	N/A
Solid	Steelers	Le'Veon Bell	DeAngelo Williams	Dri Archer	DeAngelo Williams
Solid	Bengals	Jeremy Hill	Giovani Bernard	Rex Burkhead,Cedric Peerman	Giovanni Bernard
Volatile	Browns	Isaiah Crowell	Duke Johnson	Shaun Draughn	Duke Johnson

 

Forsett put up a lackluster performance against Denver Week 1, carrying the ball 14 times for 43 yards. No one is really threatening to touch Justin Forsett's spot, however there's been a little talk of Lorenzo Taliaferro taking some carries. That shouldn't matter on a team that's likely to throw to Forsett over 80 times this year. Allen will have some value in case Forsett goes down, but it's almost impossible that he sees anything more than a passing down role over Taliaferro.

Despite the two-game suspension, Le'Veon Bell will unquestionably assume starter duties in Pittsburgh upon his return. It's worth noting that DeAngelo Williams was solid in his Week 1 debut for the Steelers, piling 127 yards on a stout New England defense. He is definitely worth a look in Week 2 against  depleted 49ers defense, but likely not in the weeks beyond.

Jeremy Hill looked sharp, scoring two touchdowns on 16 rushes with 50 yards against Oakland. Another clear cut situation with some slight room for improvisation. Jeremy Hill is the starter and potential 3-down back. Giovani Bernard will still see time as a passing down specialist. He also looked good, adding 29 yards on just six attempts, as well as 25 yards on six receptions. Beyond that, it's just low-value backups. Giovanni Bernard is a must-own back to stow on your bench to see how things develop in coming weeks.

The running game was virtually nonexistent for the Browns in Week 1. Starter Isaiah Crowell barely averaged one yard per carry. Terrance West was traded to the Titans, removing him from a competition he had no chance of winning in the first place. Duke Johnson looked decent, adding 22 yards on seven carries. Duke was a solid sleeper pick in this year's draft with a ton of upside. He will be the starter very soon if Crowell keeps this up. If he's sitting around on the waiver wire, give him a nice long look.

 

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	Josh Robinson	Vick Ballard	N/A
Volatile	Texans	Alfred Blue	Arian Foster,Chris Polk	Jonathan Grimes	N/A
Questionable	Titans	Bishop Sankey	Terrance West	Dexter McCluster,Antonio Andrews, David Cobb	Terrence West
Questionable	Jaguars	T.J. Yeldon	Denard Robsinson	Toby Gerhart	T.J. Yeldon

 

Frank Gore, along with the whole of the Colts offense, looked shaky in a Week 1 loss to Buffalo. He managed only 31 yards on eight touches, missing a few series with calf cramps. Still, Gore is the only viable starter on a high powered offense. With Dan Herron cut, Josh Robinson moves into the #2 spot suddenly gaining some redraft value as the backup in a high powered offense. Ballard remains in play for some touches, but minimal at best.

So what we know is that Arian Foster (groin) will be starting when he returns. What we don't know is how long it'll take for him to return exactly and who is his backup. Alfred Blue won the job in camp, but wound up in a committee Week 1 against the Chiefs. Blue rushed nine times for 42 yards, Jonathan Grimes rushed six times for 28 yards, and Chris Polk rushed 5 times for 22 yards. It is not clear whether Houston will continue this RBBC approach or if they were just searching for their favorite among the three. However, there is a possibility that Foster will return next week, making this all a moot point.

All hail (and notice) the arrival of Bishop Sankey! After a disappointing rookie campign, Sankey lit up the Buccaneers defense on Sunday in both the run and pass game. He rushed for 74 yards on 12 carries and caught two passes for 12 yards, totaling two scores in the process. To make matters better for Sankey, Cobb is on injured reserve for at least half of the year. However, newcomer Terrence West received 13 carries to Sankey's 12, compiling 41 yards in the process. It's also worth noting that both backs fumbled in the season debut. Although West received one more carry, it looks more and more like Sankey's job to lose.

TJ Yeldon affirmed his role as the starting back in Jacksonville, despite a mediocre performance in the team's loss to Carolina. He received the bulk of the carries over Denard Robinson and totaled 67 yards on 15 total touches. Yeldon only saw limited action in the preseason due to a hand injury. Apparently, what he showed was enough to convince the coaching staff in Jacksonville of his worth. Yeldon is a powerful back with definite star potential and the Jags are looking to develop their young talent as quickly as possible. Look for Yeldon to receive a lot more touches from a largely incompetent Blake Bortles. Toby Gerhart could also factor in a minor role, potentially serving as a goal line back. Yeldon's hold on the job is not without doubt.

 

NFC EAST: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

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

 

Rashad Jennings got the clear nod at tailback for the Giants Sunday night, receiving 13 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown. The odd story here is that, apparently, the Giants instructed Jennings not to score on two consecutive goal line plays for some bizarre, nonsensical reason. So, his day could have gone even better than it did. Shane Vereen made a definite impact in the passing game, as he caught four passes for 46 yards, in addition to three carries to add another 14 yards. Andre Williams will be on the outside looking in as he comes to vulture touchdowns and occasionally handle short yardage work. He'll be the bane of every Giants running back owner's existence this year.

As expected, DeMarco Murray, last year's leading NFL rusher, started Week 1 for the Eagles. He was largely ineffective on the night, totaling just 20 yards on ten touches. However, he scored two touchdowns, making the fantasy performance more than tolerable. The real surprise here was the ever-emphatic Darren Sproles, who averaged ten yards per carry and notched 126 total yards despite receiving only 12 touches on the night. Ryan Mathews also scored a touchdown and saw plenty of meaningful time on the field, as all three tail backs will likely see in the future. This has become a tricky situation for owners who spent a first-round pick on Murray in this year's draft. He is still locked in as the starter, but will have the unpleasant duty to share the action with a crowded backfield in Chip Kelly's unorthodox offense.

We're still no closer to a real certainty about what's going on in Dallas. Joseph Randle certainly received the bulk of the work in the rushing game, as he carried the ball 16 times, compared to six for Darren McFadden and zero for Lance Dunbar. However, Dunbar caught eight passes, while Randle and McFadden shared four targets between them. The nod still goes to Randle here, as he amassed over 100 total yards and the most touches of the group. Don't be surprised in the Cowboys decide to add Christine Michael into the mix in coming weeks as well.

Nothing to see here. Alfred Morris continued to carry the load in Washington as he has in years past. On the afternoon, he piled up 110 yards on 24 carries, the most attempts of any tail back in Week 1 (along with Matt Forte). Although the Redskins don't use any of their half backs in the passing game, Morris remains a valuable RB1 for the foreseeable future.

 

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	Carlos Hyde	Reggie Bush	Mike Davis, Jerrod Hayne	Reggie Bush
Solid	Seahawks	Marshawn Lynch	Fred Jackson	Thomas Rawls	N/A
Solid	Cardinals	Andre Ellington	David Johnson,Chris Johnson	Stepfan Taylor	Chris Johnson
Questionable	Rams	Benny Cunningham	Isaiah Pead	Tre Mason, Todd Gurley	Benny Cunningham

 

Carlos Hyde shined in his debut as the starting back in San Francisco. His 26-168-2 line was by far the best of any back in Week 1 and his hold on the starter duties could not be any more secure right now. Meanwhile, Reggie Bush was essentially a non factor, as he rushed twice for eight yards and could not reel in his lone target in the pass game. Deeper down, both Mike Davis and Kendall Hunter seem to be forgotten about for the 2015 season. Most shockingly, media-favorite Jerrod Hayne saw four carries (two more than Bush) for 13 yards in addition to assuming return duties.

The starter is and will be Marshawn Lynch. He rushed for 73 yards on 18 attempts. He caught five passes for 31 yards. His backup is newly signed RB Fred Jackson. Thomas Rawls will be buried behind them. Skittles. That is all.

Andre Ellington stated a pretty good case to remain the starter in Arizona Week 1, posting a 12-69-1 line compared to Chris Johnson's 10-37-0 line. David Johnson did not receive a single carry, although he did reel in a 53-yard touchdown grab. It seems that the roles will be shared and split amongst the players here as Ellington battles CJ2K for touches while also battling David Johnson for catches. Remember - the Cardinals coaching staff has discussed publicly the possibility of limiting Ellington's touches this year after his late season fatigue in 2014. As long as that remains, the Johnsons will both hold worth and Ellington will be held beneath a low ceiling.

The two potential starters in St. Louis, Todd Gurley and Tre Mason, sat out a Week 1 victory with injuries. In their absence, Benny Cunningham was solid, picking up 122 yards on 20 total touches and was a major factor in both the running and passing attacks. Cunningham's days are numbered. Gurley is still expected to take the job when he's ready to play. The Rams plan to ease Gurley in, giving Mason some early value upon his return, which will likely come next week. Benny Cunningham will remain as the third down back.

 

NFC NORTH: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

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

 

Eddie Lacy looked like his usual self on Sunday, recording a 19-85-1 line. Lacy will continue having the ball handed to him by Aaron Rodgers. James Starks will continue to take a few snaps here and there as the Packers aim to keep Lacy healthy. John Crockett, and all other backs in Green Bay, will not have any value unless Lacy goes down. Watch out for touchdown vulture and human battering ram John Kuhn.

Ameer Abdullah won the snap, touch and yardage battle over Joique Bell in the Lions Week 1 matchup in San Diego. Abdullah did not look like a rookie out on the field, as his first NFL carry was a 24-yard touchdown rush, which included multiple broken ankles. The Lions were previously committed to starting Bell over Abdullah, but that agreement seems tenuous following Sunday's events. Make no mistake, Abdullah will continue to see more and more carries as the season progresses and has high-ceiling RB2 potential moving forward. Theo Riddick will be the pass catching back. Zach Zenner could potentially take over for Joique if he struggles.

Matt Forte is in no danger of losing his job after an impressive performance in the season debut. His 24-141-1 line was the nest performance of the week before Carlos Hyde's monster game on Monday night. Jeremy Langford, Jacquizz Rodgers and Ka'Deem Carey line up in the remaining spots.

Adrian Peterson was a surprising dud Monday night against the 49ers. He could be a dud every week for all we care. He will start, Jerick Mckinnon will back him up, and Vikings fans will question why Matt Asiata is ever on the field when the others are not.

 

NFC SOUTH: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

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

 

There really is no running game in New orleans per se. The team's two available half backs, Mark Ingram and Khiry Robinson, managed only 43 yards on 17 attempts. However, the two combined for 149 yards receiving on 15 total targets. Ingram got the nod at starter while C.J. Spiller sat out with a lingering knee injury and Robinson backed up. Once Spiller returns, he should do big things in the passing game. He's a pure pass catching back and should sync up well with Drew Brees' style of play.

Tevin Coleman was the clear number one back in Atlanta's Week 1 Monday night game. He outcarried Devonta Freeman 20-to-10 and racked up 80 yards in a usually mediocre Falcons run game. It's still not clear to what extent the duties will be split. Coleman has some nice upside as a young, speedy back ho will see a lot of friendly defensive formations to stop the high-flying passing attack in Atlanta. Still, the Falcons run game is not to be trusted regardless.

Jonathan Stewart saw almost all of the action in the Panthers win over Jacksonville. He carried the ball 18 times, gained 56 yards and caught four passes to boot. Cam Newton is going to need all of the targets he can get, meaning the Stewart may have to play a larger role in the passing game in the future. Fozzy Whitaker was used for a change of pace and Cameron Artis-Payne made a few appearances as well.

Although Charles Sims outsnapped Doug Martin 32-to-29 against Tennessee, he failed to win the touch battle. Martin gained 52 yards on 11 attempts compared to just 12 yards on five carries for Sims. It's worth noting that Sims was used as the primary pass-catching back. Doug Martin remains the current lead back but this team looks like a running back committee from the outside. Sims was a very sneaky pick in the draft and even sneakier as a waiver wire pickup, if available. He looked much better than Martin in camp and could take over duties early in the season if Muscle Hamster fails to produce early and often.

 

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