Fantasy Football 2014 rankings and stat projections: Running Backs
Top running backs are often the first players off of the draft board. Because more teams are dividing running back duties between two players, there are so few featured backs with ample scoring opportunities and relatively few injury concerns. That's why owners want to draft one early.
There will likely be 18-20 running backs drafted by the end of Round 3. That’s more than half of the 36 draft spots in a 12-team league. The term “if you snooze, you lose” has never been more apt.
POSITION PRIMERS: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DST
Find all our running back fantasy rankings -- as well as stat projections -- below. The rankings are based on standard-scoring leagues, awarding one point for 10 rushing and receiving yards, one point for 25 passing yards, six points for rushing and receiving touchdowns, and four points for passing touchdowns.
FANTASY FOOTBALL POSITION RANKINGS AND PROJECTIONS:
| PLAYER | TEAM | BYE | VALUE | RUSH YDs | RUSH TDs | RECS | REC YDS | REC TDs | TIER |
1 | Jamaal Charles | KC | 6 | $60 | 1,350 | 11 | 65 | 600 | 5 | 1 |
2 | LeSean McCoy | PHI | 7 | $59 | 1,450 | 10 | 55 | 515 | 3 | 1 |
3 | Matt Forte | CHI | 9 | $55 | 1,225 | 9 | 62 | 525 | 3 | 1 |
4 | Adrian Peterson | MIN | 10 | $53 | 1,285 | 12 | 35 | 230 | 2 | 1 |
5 | Eddie Lacy | GB | 9 | $48 | 1,250 | 11 | 40 | 280 | 2 | 2 |
6 | Marshawn Lynch | SEA | 4 | $46 | 1,150 | 11 | 30 | 265 | 2 | 2 |
7 | Le'Veon Bell | PIT | 12 | $45 | 1,200 | 8 | 50 | 450 | 1 | 2 |
8 | DeMarco Murray | DAL | 11 | $42 | 1,175 | 8 | 48 | 325 | 2 | 2 |
9 | Montee Ball | DEN | 4 | $40 | 1,150 | 8 | 45 | 310 | 2 | 2 |
10 | Arian Foster | HOU | 10 | $38 | 1,085 | 9 | 30 | 285 | 2 | 2 |
11 | Giovani Bernard | CIN | 4 | $36 | 1,025 | 5 | 50 | 415 | 4 | 3 |
12 | Doug Martin | TB | 7 | $34 | 1,115 | 5 | 46 | 350 | 2 | 3 |
13 | Alfred Morris | WAS | 10 | $32 | 1,300 | 10 | 10 | 85 | 0 | 3 |
14 | Reggie Bush | DET | 9 | $28 | 975 | 5 | 55 | 425 | 3 | 3 |
15 | C.J. Spiller | BUF | 9 | $26 | 1,050 | 6 | 40 | 350 | 2 | 3 |
16 | Andre Ellington | ARI | 4 | $22 | 900 | 4 | 50 | 425 | 2 | 3 |
17 | Ryan Mathews | SD | 10 | $20 | 1,075 | 6 | 20 | 165 | 1 | 3 |
18 | Zac Stacy | STL | 4 | $19 | 1,025 | 7 | 20 | 115 | 1 | 3 |
19 | Rashad Jennings | NYG | 8 | $17 | 925 | 6 | 33 | 255 | 1 | 4 |
20 | Shane Vereen | NE | 10 | $16 | 675 | 3 | 65 | 625 | 4 | 4 |
21 | Toby Gerhart | JAC | 11 | $14 | 900 | 6 | 30 | 245 | 1 | 4 |
22 | Frank Gore | SF | 8 | $12 | 985 | 6 | 20 | 140 | 1 | 4 |
23 | Ben Tate | CLE | 4 | $12 | 845 | 5 | 24 | 230 | 1 | 4 |
24 | Joique Bell | DET | 9 | $11 | 680 | 5 | 48 | 490 | 1 | 4 |
25 | Chris Johnson | NYJ | 11 | $11 | 905 | 5 | 36 | 255 | 1 | 4 |
26 | Bishop Sankey | TEN | 9 | $10 | 820 | 7 | 25 | 180 | 1 | 4 |
27 | Trent Richardson | IND | 10 | $10 | 875 | 5 | 40 | 240 | 1 | 4 |
28 | Stevan Ridley | NE | 10 | $8 | 1,020 | 6 | 10 | 60 | 0 | 4 |
29 | Ray Rice | BAL | 11 | $8 | 790 | 5 | 40 | 285 | 1 | 4 |
30 | Steven Jackson | ATL | 9 | $7 | 880 | 5 | 30 | 175 | 1 | 5 |
31 | Pierre Thomas | NO | 6 | $6 | 540 | 2 | 75 | 505 | 4 | 5 |
32 | Lamar Miller | MIA | 5 | $5 | 820 | 4 | 32 | 265 | 1 | 5 |
33 | Maurice Jones-Drew | OAK | 5 | $4 | 580 | 5 | 40 | 280 | 2 | 5 |
34 | Danny Woodhead | SD | 10 | $4 | 380 | 2 | 65 | 595 | 4 | 5 |
35 | Fred Jackson | BUF | 9 | $4 | 645 | 5 | 35 | 245 | 1 | 5 |
36 | Bernard Pierce | BAL | 11 | $3 | 585 | 6 | 30 | 180 | 1 | 6 |
37 | Darren Sproles | PHI | 7 | $3 | 180 | 1 | 80 | 680 | 4 | 6 |
38 | DeAngelo Williams | CAR | 12 | $3 | 785 | 2 | 20 | 185 | 1 | 6 |
39 | Knowshon Moreno | MIA | 5 | $3 | 615 | 4 | 32 | 230 | 1 | 6 |
40 | Chris Ivory | NYJ | 11 | $3 | 735 | 6 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 6 |
41 | Terrance West | CLE | 4 | $3 | 645 | 4 | 20 | 165 | 1 | 6 |
42 | Devonta Freeman | ATL | 9 | $2 | 460 | 4 | 35 | 280 | 1 | 6 |
43 | Tre Mason | STL | 4 | $2 | 480 | 5 | 24 | 185 | 1 | 6 |
44 | Darren McFadden | OAK | 5 | $2 | 455 | 5 | 25 | 190 | 1 | 6 |
45 | Jeremy Hill | CIN | 4 | $2 | 540 | 6 | 12 | 80 | 0 | 6 |
46 | Mark Ingram | NO | 6 | $2 | 515 | 5 | 15 | 90 | 1 | 6 |
47 | Andre Brown | HOU | 10 | $2 | 565 | 4 | 25 | 145 | 0 | 6 |
48 | Carlos Hyde | SF | 8 | $2 | 410 | 4 | 30 | 180 | 2 | 7 |
49 | Khiry Robinson | NO | 6 | $2 | 655 | 4 | 8 | 50 | 0 | 7 |
50 | Christine Michael | SEA | 4 | $1 | 515 | 3 | 15 | 120 | 1 | 7 |
51 | Shonn Greene | TEN | 9 | $1 | 470 | 5 | 8 | 60 | 0 | 7 |
52 | Jonathan Stewart | CAR | 12 | $1 | 375 | 2 | 24 | 195 | 1 | 7 |
53 | LeGarrette Blount | PIT | 12 | $1 | 420 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 0 | 7 |
54 | Knile Davis | KC | 6 | $1 | 360 | 4 | 15 | 85 | 0 | 7 |
55 | Donald Brown | SD | 10 | $1 | 380 | 3 | 18 | 140 | 0 | 7 |
56 | Ahmad Bradshaw | IND | 10 | $1 | 345 | 3 | 15 | 95 | 1 | 7 |
57 | Lance Dunbar | DAL | 11 | $0 | 310 | 3 | 12 | 125 | 1 | 8 |
58 | Andre Williams | NYG | 8 | $0 | 330 | 3 | 6 | 40 | 2 | 8 |
59 | Roy Helu | WAS | 10 | $0 | 190 | 2 | 40 | 295 | 1 | 8 |
60 | Stepfan Taylor | ARI | 4 | $0 | 275 | 3 | 20 | 125 | 1 | 8 |
61 | James Starks | GB | 9 | $0 | 380 | 3 | 12 | 80 | 0 | 8 |
62 | C.J. Anderson | DEN | 4 | $0 | 415 | 2 | 16 | 95 | 0 | 8 |
63 | Bryce Brown | BUF | 9 | $0 | 380 | 3 | 8 | 70 | 0 | 8 |
64 | Latavius Murray | OAK | 5 | $0 | 360 | 2 | 10 | 85 | 1 | 8 |
65 | Charles Sims | TB | 7 | $0 | 155 | 1 | 30 | 260 | 2 | 8 |
66 | James White | NE | 10 | $0 | 260 | 2 | 18 | 150 | 1 | 8 |
67 | Jordan Todman | JAC | 11 | $0 | 310 | 2 | 25 | 155 | 0 | 9 |
68 | Isaiah Crowell | CLE | 4 | $0 | 290 | 2 | 10 | 115 | 1 | 9 |
69 | Mike Tolbert | CAR | 12 | $0 | 260 | 2 | 23 | 140 | 1 | 9 |
70 | Ka'Deem Carey | CHI | 9 | $0 | 250 | 2 | 30 | 135 | 1 | 9 |
71 | Jacquizz Rodgers | ATL | 9 | $0 | 175 | 1 | 43 | 260 | 1 | 9 |
72 | BenJarvus Green-Ellis | CIN | 4 | $0 | 345 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 9 |
73 | Lache Seastrunk | WAS | 10 | $0 | 325 | 2 | 8 | 65 | 0 | 9 |
74 | Marcus Lattimore | SF | 8 | $0 | 305 | 2 | 12 | 80 | 0 | 9 |
75 | Marcel Reece | OAK | 5 | $0 | 220 | 1 | 24 | 240 | 0 | 9 |
76 | Chris Polk | PHI | 7 | $0 | 260 | 1 | 15 | 165 | 0 | 9 |
77 | Brandon Bolden | NE | 10 | $0 | 235 | 2 | 18 | 115 | 0 | 9 |
78 | Robert Turbin | SEA | 4 | $0 | 250 | 2 | 12 | 90 | 0 | 9 |
79 | Daniel Thomas | MIA | 5 | $0 | 235 | 2 | 12 | 95 | 0 | 9 |
80 | Bobby Rainey | TB | 7 | $0 | 285 | 2 | 9 | 40 | 0 | 9 |
81 | Denard Robinson | JAC | 11 | $0 | 245 | 1 | 5 | 35 | 1 | 10 |
82 | Ryan Williams | DAL | 11 | $0 | 280 | 1 | 5 | 50 | 0 | 10 |
83 | Joseph Randle | DAL | 11 | $0 | 180 | 2 | 15 | 85 | 0 | 10 |
84 | Mike James | TB | 7 | $0 | 280 | 1 | 10 | 45 | 0 | 10 |
85 | Jonathan Dwyer | ARI | 4 | $0 | 250 | 1 | 10 | 70 | 0 | 10 |
86 | Storm Johnson | JAC | 11 | $0 | 165 | 0 | 13 | 105 | 0 | 10 |
87 | Dri Archer | PIT | 12 | $0 | 90 | 0 | 13 | 115 | 1 | 10 |
88 | Benny Cunningham | STL | 4 | $0 | 155 | 1 | 5 | 45 | 0 | 10 |
89 | Bilal Powell | NYJ | 11 | $0 | 135 | 0 | 18 | 125 | 0 | 10 |
90 | Travaris Cadet | NO | 6 | $0 | 150 | 1 | 6 | 45 | 0 | 10 |
91 | Ronnie Hillman | DEN | 4 | $0 | 135 | 0 | 15 | 115 | 0 | 10 |
92 | DuJuan Harris | GB |
| $0 | 180 | 1 | 13 | 85 | 0 | 10 |
