Week 6 of the 2016 NFL season is in the books and an unlikely source led all running backs in scoring. Jay Ajayi finished the week with 32.2 fantasy points in standard scoring systems followed by David Johnson and his 31.8 points. Another newcomer to the top 10 scoring leaders this week was Terrance West, who ranked fifth with 24.3. One name missing from the top rankings is Ezekiel Elliott, who finished the week at the 11th spot with 17.4.

Running back is one of the trickiest positions to predict for fantasy purposes as so many determinants could factor into a player's production or lack thereof on a game-to-game basis. To help assist in deciphering who will step up in this week's slate of games, let's take a look at my running back depth chart column for Week 7. But first, here are the teams who are entering their bye.

• Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys

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Running Back Depth Charts for Week 7

AFC East

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Long-shot Candidate(s)	Waiver Wire Watch
Stable	Bills	LeSean McCoy (Q)	Mike Gillislee	Jonathan Williams	N/A
Questionable	Dolphins	Arian Foster	Jay Ajayi	Kenyan Drake, Damien Williams	Jay Ajayi
Stable	Patriots	LeGarrette Blount	James White (PPR)	Brandon Bolden	Dion Lewis (O)
Stable	Jets	Matt Forte	Bilal Powell	Troymaine Pope	N/A

 

Jay Ajayi exploded onto the scene in Week 6 with 204 yards and three touchdowns against the Steelers despite the return of Arian Foster, who appeared in his first game since Week 2. It appears that Foster played the change of pace role on Sunday while Ajayi was the workhorse. Moving forward, Ajayi should be considered the No. 1 back in Miami for fantasy football purposes even if he falls in at No. 2 on the depth chart. For Foster, he will likely garner his best value in PPR scoring formats at least until he proves that his health can remain intact for a heavier workload.

LeSean McCoy had a big game himself in Week 6 rushing for 140 yards and three touchdowns against a terrible 49ers defense. He did, however, give his fantasy owners a scare when he went down with a knee injury that appeared to be serious. He would ultimately finish the matchup but is giving the fantasy world yet another scare during the week. McCoy exited Wednesday's practice with a hamstring injury that appeared serious according to reports. Mike Gillislee will likely draw the start if McCoy is unable to play in Week 7's favorable contest against the Dolphins. McCoy's injury status is one to monitor leading up to kickoff.

 

AFC North

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Long-shot Candidate(s)	Waiver Wire Watch
Questionable	Ravens	Terrance West	Kenneth Dixon	Buck Allen	N/A
Stable	Bengals	Jeremy Hill	Gio Bernard	Rex Burkhead	N/A
Stable	Browns	Isaiah Crowell	Duke Johnson	George Atkinson III	N/A
Stable	Steelers	Le'Veon Bell	DeAngelo Williams	Fitzgerald Toussaint	N/A

 

In the wake of Kenneth Dixon's return in Week 5, Terrance West has balled out. West finished Week 6 as the fifth leading scorer at the running back position with 24.3 points, as mentioned earlier. He seems to be solidifying himself as the No. 1 rusher in Baltimore as Dixon struggled yet again finishing with only 1.2 points. Dixon's fantasy value is falling fast, but he should remain rostered in case West's burst of production is just an aberration.

Have the mighty fallen in Cleveland? After starting the season on a tear, Isaiah Crowell has shown a lull in his production over the past two weeks, ending Week 6 with only 3.6 points. However, Duke Johnson showcased an uptick in his performance on Sunday finding the end zone for the first time in 2016 while finishing with 13.4 fantasy points. For Week 7, Crowell should still be considered the rusher to own from the Browns, but Johnson could cut into his touches if the lull continues.

 

AFC South

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Long-shot Candidate(s)	Waiver Wire Watch
Stable	Texans	Lamar Miller	Alfred Blue	Tyler Ervin	N/A
Stable	Colts	Frank Gore	Josh Ferguson	Robert Turbin	N/A
Questionable	Jaguars	T.J. Yeldon	Chris Ivory	Denard Robinson	N/A
Stable	Titans	DeMarco Murray	Derrick Henry	Antonio Andrews	N/A

 

T.J. Yeldon was the darling of Jacksonville's coaches last week as they touted him an every-down back to the media, but it did not show against the Bears. It was Chris Ivory who led Jacksonville's backs in fantasy points scored with 8.6 to Yeldon's 2.6 and out-touched him as well 13-to-7. Yeldon should still be considered the No. 1 back on the Jaguars, but Ivory could have secured a larger workload for himself moving forward.

 

AFC West

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Long-shot Candidate(s)	Waiver Wire Watch
Stable	Broncos	C.J. Anderson	Devontae Booker	Kapri Bibbs	Devontae Booker
Stable	Chiefs	Jamaal Charles	Spencer Ware	Charcandrick West	N/A
Questionable	Raiders	Latavius Murray (Q)	DeAndre Washington	Jalen Richard	DeAndre Washington
Stable	Chargers	Melvin Gordon	Dexter McCluster (PPR)	Kenneth Farrow	N/A

 

What to do with Jamaal Charles? It appears that the Chiefs are still not comfortable with Charles handling a full workload. Why would they when Spencer Ware is continuing his assault on opposing defenses? Ware finished Week 6 with 22.3 fantasy points while garnering the vast majority of the touches. However, Charles managed 10.7 points and found paydirt for the first time this year. It could be only a matter of time until Charles is unleashed in 2016 so his fantasy owners should hold tight, but for now, it is the Ware show in Kansas City.

 

NFC East

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Long-shot Candidate(s)	Waiver Wire Watch
Stable	Cowboys	Ezekiel Elliott	Alfred Morris	Lance Dunbar	N/A
Stable	Giants	Rashad Jennings	Bobby Rainey (PPR)	Paul Perkins, Orleans Darkwa,	Bobby Rainey
Questionable	Eagles	Ryan Mathews	Darren Sproles (PPR)	Wendell Smallwood	N/A
Stable	Redskins	Matt Jones	Chris Thompson	Rob Kelley	N/A

 

Rashad Jennings finally returned to action in the Week 6 contest against the Ravens, but he failed to contribute to New York's victory. The Giants' offensive line is among the league's worst and that doesn't bode well for anyone who lines up in their backfield. For Jennings, he should remain in the low-end RB2 conversation, but his tier-level is fading fast. He could find the end zone though in a favorable Week 7 matchup against the Rams, who have been surprisingly generous to opposing rushers.

 

NFC North

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Long-shot Candidate(s)	Waiver Wire Watch
Questionable	Bears	Jordan Howard	Ka'Deem Carey, Jeremy Langford (O)	Joique Bell	N/A
Stable	Lions	Theo Riddick (PPR)	Justin Forsett	Zach Zenner, Dwayne Washington (Q)	N/A
Stable	Packers	Knile Davis, Eddie Lacy (O)	James Starks (O)	Don Jackson	Knile Davis
Stable	Vikings	Jerick McKinnon	Matt Asiata	Ronnie Hillman	N/A

 

The Packers find themselves in a bind at the running back position heading into Week 7 and possibly moving forward. Green Bay learned that they would be without Eddie Lacy and James Starks for the foreseeable future and were in need of a healthy body in their backfield. On Tuesday, the Packers traded for Kansas City's Knile Davis to fill the void. With Lacy and Starks ruled out for Thursday night's matchup against the Bears, it appears that Davis will draw the start in their absence despite only being a member of the Packers for two days. The Packers could also use the wide receiver combination of Randall Cobb and Ty Montgomery in their backfield to spell Davis while Lacy and Starks are on the mend.

 

NFC South

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Long-shot Candidate(s)	Waiver Wire Watch
Stable	Falcons	Devonta Freeman	Tevin Coleman	Terron Ward	N/A
Questionable	Panthers	Jonathan Stewart	Fozzy Whittaker	Mike Tolbert, Cameron Artis-Payne	N/A
Stable	Saints	Mark Ingram	Travaris Cadet (PPR)	Tim Hightower	Travaris Cadet (PPR)
Stable	Buccaneers	Jacquizz Rodgers, Doug Martin (O)	Peyton Barber	N/A	Jacquizz Rodgers

 

The Tampa Bay Buccanneers believed that Doug Martin would return from his hamstring injury in Week 7 after their bye. However, head coach Dirk Koetter reported that Martin suffered a "setback in his recovery" and that there is "no timetable" for his return. With Charles Sims also sidelined and on the injured reserve list, Jacquizz Rodgers will draw his second consecutive start on Sunday in a favorable matchup against the 49ers. Rodgers should be rostered and started in 12-team fantasy leagues and deeper in Week 7.

 

NFC West

Baller Stability Rating	Team Name	Primary Running Back	Backup or Handcuff	Long-shot Candidate(s)	Waiver Wire Watch
Stable	Cardinals	David Johnson	Andre Ellington	Stepfan Taylor	N/A
Stable	Rams	Todd Gurley	Benny Cunningham	Malcolm Brown	N/A
Stable	49ers	Carlos Hyde (D)	Mike Davis	Shaun Draughn	Mike Davis, Shaun Draughn
Stable	Seahawks	Christine Michael	C.J. Spiller, Thomas Rawls (O)	C.J. Prosise, Alex Collins	N/A

 

After beginning the 2016 season on a tear, the injury bug finally caught up to Carlos Hyde as it had in his first two years in the league. Hyde is suffering from a shoulder ailment and is not expected to play in Week 7. In Hyde's absence, Mike Davis will likely receive the start in a timeshare scenario with Shaun Draughn. Davis or Draughn should be considered touchdown or bust options on Sunday.

 

Anthony Cervino is a primary contributor for RotoBaller and a lead NFL News Desk writer. For additional content, visit his archive or follow him on Twitter @theRealnflguru.