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Here’s my Week 17 running back rankings for the leagues that play this thing through until the bitter end.

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1. Arian Foster vs. Jacksonville
2. Jamaal Charles vs. Oakland
3. Chris Johnson @ Indianapolis
4. Michael Turner vs. Carolina
5. Adrian Peterson @ Detroit
6. Ray Rice vs. Cincinnati
7.  Rashard Mendenhall @ Cleveland
8. LeSean McCoy vs. Dallas
9. Steven Jackson @ Seattle
10. Ryan Mathews @ Denver
11. LeGarrette Blount @ New Orleans
12. Matt Forte @ Green Bay
13. Ryan Torain vs. New York Giants
14. Peyton Hillis vs. Pittsburgh
15. BenJarvus Green-Ellis vs. Miami
16. Shonn Greene vs. Buffalo
17. Ahmad Bradshaw @ Washington
18. Felix Jones @ Philadelphia
19. Darren McFadden @ Kansas City
20. Fred Jackson @ New York Jets
21. Ronnie Brown @ New England
22. Rashard Jennings @ Houston
23. Correll Buckhalter vs. San Diego
24. LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Buffalo
25. Marshawn Lynch vs. St. Louis
26. Cedric Benson @ Baltimore
27. Jonathan Stewart @ Atlanta
28. Beanie Wells @ San Francisco
29. Brandon Jacobs @ Washington
30. Pierre Thomas vs. Tampa Bay

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Inside the numbers:

• Foster goes for his 15th rushing touchdown against Jacksonville, a team he ran for 56 yards and a score against in Week 10.
• Chris Johnson badly missed the mark he set last year, but is still turning in a fine season. He takes on the Colts who had ran for 111 yards and a score against in the opener.
• LeGarrette Blount is gathering steam with three 100+ yards performances in his past four games. Look out New Orleans the big man is hard to tackle.
• Ryan Mathews won’t justify his high draft status (fantasy or otherwise), but he should pay dividends for some fantasy owners this week facing a bad Broncos defense.
• Matt Forte is peaking at the right time averaging 133.5 total yards the past two games as the Bears have scored a combined 78 points. Look for a strong finish against the Packers.
• Shonn Greene finally found the end zone in Week 15. He hadn’t scored since Week 5. He faces the soft Bills run defense that he shredded for 117 yards in Week 4. LaDainian Tomlinson is an RB2 as well.
• Ronnie Brown scored for the second straight week.
• I’m concerned with Knowshon Moreno’s health. No point starting him in the final week of a lost season.
• Darren McFadden has had a great run this season, but there is concern that his ankle/toe injury could force him out of action this week.
• ***Update*** After watching AP slice up the Eagles defense, I’m bumping him into the top six for the finale.
• ***Update*** It looks like MJD will miss this week’s game. I’m being more cautious with Rashard Jennings though.

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Also check out:

• Week 17 Get ‘em or Don’t Sweat ‘em Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 17 Fantasy QB Rankings
• Week 17 Fantasy WR Rankings
• Week 17 Fantasy TE Rankings
• Week 17 Fantasy K Rankings
• Week 17 Fantasy DEF Rankings
• Week 17 Fantasy IDP Rankings
• Week 17 Start/Sit Advice
• Week 17 Fantasy Sleepers

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Here’s my Week 16 running back rankings.

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1. Arian Foster @ Denver
2. Rashard Mendenhall vs. Carolina (Thursday)
3. Darren McFadden vs. Indianapolis
4. Michael Turner vs. New Orleans (Monday)
5. Ray Rice @ Cleveland
6. BenJarvus Green-Ellis @ Buffalo
7. Jamaal Charles vs. Tennessee
8. Chris Johnson @ Kansas City
9. LeGarrette Blount vs. Seattle
10. Adrian Peterson @ Philadelphia
11. LeSean McCoy vs. Minnesota
12. Steven Jackson vs. San Francisco
13. Ryan Torain @ Jacksonville
14. Felix Jones vs. Arizona (Saturday)
15. Mike Tolbert @ Cincinnati
16. Rashard Jennings vs. Washington
17. Ahmad Bradshaw @ Green Bay
18. Marshawn Lynch @ Tampa  Bay
19. Fred Jackson vs. New England
20. Peyton Hillis vs. Baltimore
21. Tim Hightower @ Dallas (Saturday)
22. Matt Forte vs. New York Jets
23. Knowshon Moreno vs. Houston
24. Ronnie Brown vs. Detroit
25. Cedric Benson vs. San Diego
26. Jonathan Stewart @ Pittsburgh (Thursday)
27. Donald Brown @ Oakland
28. Tashard Choice vs. Arizona (Saturday)
29. Brandon Jacobs @ Green Bay
30. LaDainian Tomlinson @ Chicago
31. Michael Bush vs. Indianapolis
32. Danny Woodhead @ Buffalo
33. Brian Westbrook @ St. Louis
34. Pierre Thomas @ Atlanta (Monday)
35. Maurice Morris @ Miami

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Inside the numbers:

• Arian Foster let his owners down last week, but if you were able to survive, he’ll make up for it against Denver’s 31st ranked run defense (158.4 yards allowed per game).
• I always seem to have Rashard Mendenhall ranked a little higher than everybody else, but he came through last week with 100 yards and a score. I’m very high on him against a Carolina team that’s allowed 17 rushing touchdowns and 126.2 yards per game.
• Michael Turner had 114 yards and a score the last time he faced New Orleans, and has an average of 87.8 yards in five career games against them with four touchdowns.
• BJGE is amazingly (and quietly) up to 12 touchdowns on the year. I’ve been a little slow giving him credit, but I love him against Buffalo’s league worst run defense (158.6).
• I’m sure everybody on Baltimore’s defense knows who Peyton Hillis is this time around. That’s not a good thing for Mr. Hillis.
• I’m more worried about Knowshon Moreno’s injury (ribs) than the other backs.
• Ronnie Brown (39 yards, TD) didn’t exactly overwhelm against Buffalo last week, but he remains a borderline RB2 this week.
• ***UPDATE*** It looks like Joseph Addai will give it a go this week. I can’t trust him yet, but it does knock Donald Brown down a few notches.
• ***Update*** It looks like Maurice Jones-Drew is out making Rashard Jennings a sneaky start.

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Also check out:

• Week 16 Get ‘em or Don’t Sweat ‘em Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 16 Fantasy QB Rankings
• Week 16 Fantasy WR Rankings
• Week 16 Fantasy TE Rankings
• Week 16 Fantasy K Rankings
• Week 16 Fantasy DEF Rankings
• Week 16 Fantasy IDP Rankings
• Week 16 Start/Sit Advice
• Week 16 Fantasy Sleepers

Click here to enter this week’s contest to win a cool fantasy football t-shirt.
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Here’s my Week 15 running back rankings.

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1. Maurice Jones-Drew @ Indianapolis
2. Darren McFadden vs. Denver
3. Michael Turner @ Seattle
4. Chris Johnson vs. Houston
5. Arian Foster @ Tennessee
6. Knowshon Moreno @ Oakland
7. Peyton Hillis @ Cincinnati
8. Rashard Mendenhall vs. New York Jets
9. Ray Rice vs. New Orleans
10. LeSean McCoy @ New York Giants
11. LeGarrette Blount vs. Detroit
12. Jamaal Charles @ St. Louis
13. Jonathan Stewart vs. Arizona
14. Ahmad Bradshaw vs. Philadelphia
15. Steven Jackson vs. Kansas City
16. BenJarvus Green-Ellis vs. Green Bay
17. Adrian Peterson vs. Chicago (Monday)
18. Felix Jones vs. Washington
19. Tim Hightower vs. Carolina
20. Ryan Torain @ Dallas
21. Matt Forte @ Minnesota (Monday)
22. Mike Tolbert vs. San Francisco (Thursday)
23. Fred Jackson @ Miami
24. Ronnie Brown vs. Buffalo
25. Cedric Benson vs. Cleveland
26. Mike Goodson vs. Arizona
27. Brandon Jacobs vs. Philadelphia
28. Tashard Choice vs. Washington
29. LaDainian Tomlinson @ Pittsburgh
30. Thomas Jones @ St. Louis
31. Marshawn Lynch vs. Atlanta
32. Brian Westbrook vs. San Diego (Thursday)
33. Pierre Thomas @ Baltimore
34. Maurice Morris @ Tampa Bay
35. Ryan Mathews vs. San Francisco (Thursday)

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Inside the numbers:

• Mojo remained on fire, posting his sixth straight 100+ yard day. He faces the Colts this week, who he has only averaged 128.2 total yards with 11 touchdowns in nine career games against them.
• Run DMC has 336 total yards and four touchdowns in  his past two games. He should destroy Denver, a team he had 196 total yards and four touchdowns against earlier this season.
• Michael Turner quietly has six touchdowns in his past four games and ten touchdowns in his past seven games. Good luck Seattle.
• Peyton Hillis has lost five fumbles this year. A stat that keeps him out of the top five ranking this week.
• With the Vikings in complete disarray, it’s hard to consider Adrian Peterson a RB1 against a Bears team that is coming off an embarrassing defeat.
• LeGarrette Blount did not meet expectations against Washington, but should bounce back against Detroit.
• Felix Jones, Tim Hightower, and Jonathan Stewart should continue to produce while Thomas Jones and LaDainian Tomlinson continue to slide.
• Ronnie Brown actually  makes a RB2 option this week against Buffalo, who is allowing 165.8 yards per game on the ground.

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Also check out:

• Week 15 Get ‘em or Don’t Sweat ‘em Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 15 Fantasy QB Rankings
• Week 15 Fantasy WR Rankings
• Week 15 Fantasy TE Rankings
• Week 15 Fantasy K Rankings
• Week 15 Fantasy DEF Rankings
• Week 15 Fantasy IDP Rankings
• Week 15 Start/Sit Advice
• Week 15 Fantasy Sleepers

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Mother Nature has spoken and the rankings need to be updated. Here are my updated Week 14 fantasy football running back rankings.

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1. Maurice Jones-Drew vs. Oakland
2. Peyton Hillis @ Buffalo
3. Knowshon Moreno vs. Arizona
4. Rashard Mendenhall vs. Cincinnati
5. Michael Turner @ Carolina
6. Adrian Peterson vs. New York Giants
7. Arian Foster vs. Baltimore (Monday)
8. Darren McFadden @ Jacksonville
9. LeGarrette Blount @ Washington
10. Ray Rice @ Houston (Monday)
11. LeSean McCoy @ Dallas
12. Jamaal Charles @ San Diego
13. Steven Jackson @ New Orleans
14. Christopher Ivory vs. St. Louis
15. Chris Johnson vs. Indianapolis (Thursday)
16. Ahmad Bradshaw @ Minnesota
17. BenJarvus Green-Ellis @ Chicago
18. Fred Jackson vs. Cleveland
19. Matt Forte vs. New England
20. James Starks @ Detroit
21. Jonathan Stewart vs. Atlanta
22. Felix Jones vs. Philadelphia
23. Cedric Benson @ Pittsburgh
24. Thomas Jones @ San Diego
25. Mike Tolbert vs. Kansas City
26. Brandon Jacobs @ Minnesota
27. Tashard Choice vs. Philadelphia
28. LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Miami
29. Tim Hightower vs. Denver
30. Marshawn Lynch @ San Francisco
31. Brian Westbrook vs. Seattle
32. Danny Woodhead @ Chicago
33. Jahvid Best vs. Green Bay
34. Mike Goodson vs. Atlanta
35. Michael Bush @ Jacksonville

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Notable Changes:

• With weather likely an issue in Pittsburgh, look for a heavier dose of Mendenhall.
• Washington could also be experiencing the fury of Mother Nature making Blount ascend a few notches. I still don’t trust the murky Redskins RB situation enough to endorse a back.
• BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Fred Jackson, and Cedric Benson also climbed a bit because the weather should make their offenses lean more heavily on the ground game.
• I slid down James Starks a bit simply because we don’t know how many touches he’s going to get.
• Ryan Mathews is expected to factor in this week, which hurt’s Tolbert’s fantasy value.

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Also check out:

• Sneaky Week 14 Fantasy Football Pick-ups
• Week 14 Get ‘em or Don’t Sweat ‘em Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 14 Fantasy QB Rankings
• Week 14 Fantasy WR Rankings
• Week 14 Fantasy TE Rankings
• Week 14 Fantasy K Rankings
• Week 14 Fantasy DEF Rankings
• Week 14 Fantasy IDP Rankings
• Week 14 Start/Sit Advice
• Week 14 Fantasy Sleepers

Click here for updated Week 14 fantasy running back rankings.
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Click here to enter this week’s contest to win a cool fantasy football t-shirt.
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Image courtesy of Icon SMI
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Here’s my Week 14 running back rankings.

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1. Maurice Jones-Drew vs. Oakland
2. Peyton Hillis @ Buffalo
3. Knowshon Moreno vs. Arizona
4. Michael Turner @ Carolina
5. Rashard Mendenhall vs. Cincinnati
6. Adrian Peterson vs. New York Giants
7. Arian Foster vs. Baltimore (Monday)
8. Darren McFadden @ Jacksonville
9. Ray Rice @ Houston (Monday)
10. LeSean McCoy @ Dallas
11. LeGarrette Blount @ Washington
12. Jamaal Charles @ San Diego
13. Steven Jackson @ New Orleans
14. Christopher Ivory vs. St. Louis
15. Chris Johnson vs. Indianapolis (Thursday)
16. Ahmad Bradshaw @ Minnesota
17. James Starks @ Detroit
18. Jonathan Stewart vs. Atlanta
19. Matt Forte vs. New England
20. Felix Jones vs. Philadelphia
21. Thomas Jones @ San Diego
22. Mike Tolbert vs. Kansas City
23. Fred Jackson vs. Cleveland
24. BenJarvus Green-Ellis @ Chicago
25. Cedric Benson @ Pittsburgh
26. Brandon Jacobs @ Minnesota
27. Tashard Choice vs. Philadelphia
28. LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Miami
29. Tim Hightower vs. Denver
30. Marshawn Lynch @ San Francisco
31. Brian Westbrook vs. Seattle
32. Danny Woodhead @ Chicago
33. Jahvid Best vs. Green Bay
34. Mike Goodson vs. Atlanta
35. Michael Bush @ Jacksonville

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Inside the numbers (Sponsored by NFL betting with Sports Interaction) :

• MJD has had at least 100 rushing yards in his last five games, averaging 133.4 yards (160.6 total yards) over the span. He’s not scoring as frequently this year, but it’s more than likely he reaches paydirt this week.
• Peyton Hillis was kept in check last week by the Dolphins, but should bounce back in a big way against Buffalo’s league-worst run defense (170.9 rushing yards allowed per game).
• Knowshon Moreno is averaging 142.3 total yards in his past four games with three touchdowns.
• Washington has fallen apart. They are yielding 5.0 yards per carry. LeGarrette Blount is an excellent option this week, especially after dropping 103 yards and a score on a stout Falcons run defense.
• Christopher Ivory has five touchdowns in the past three games, and even if Pierre Thomas returns, Ivory should be the one to handle the load.
• Chris Johnson has an excellent match-up this week against the Colts, but the way the Titans are playing, he’s no longer a bona fide RB1 until he proves otherwise.
• This week’s waiver wire dandy, James Starks, exploded on the scene last week against the Niners. He explodes on the ranking scene with a favorable match-up against Detroit.
• Fred Jackson ran into an inspired Vikings defense. Cleveland is giving up yards on the ground (119.1 per game), but has only allowed four rushing touchdowns. He’s a borderline RB2 this week.
• Marshawn Lynch was in Beast Mode against the Panthers last week, but will have tougher sledding against the Niners on the road.

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Also check out:

• Sneaky Week 14 Fantasy Football Pick-ups
• Week 14 Get ‘em or Don’t Sweat ‘em Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 14 Fantasy QB Rankings
• Week 14 Fantasy WR Rankings
• Week 14 Fantasy TE Rankings
• Week 14 Fantasy K Rankings
• Week 14 Fantasy DEF Rankings
• Week 14 Fantasy IDP Rankings
• Week 14 Start/Sit Advice
• Week 14 Fantasy Sleepers