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Below you will find our Week 14 running back rankings, to help determine your RB starts/sits for this week, brought to you by Bill Dubiel (@Roto_Dubs), Nick Mariano (@NMariano53) and Ben Ruppert (@Ben_Ruppert_21).
Featured writer Ben Ruppert also highlights some RB rankings and matchups analysis for Week 14, and draws some matchup conclusions. He tells you who he likes, who he doesn't, and most importantly who he thinks you should be starting in Week 14. You can also check out RotoBaller's overall player rankings here.
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Week 14 Running Backs - Rankings & Matchups Analysis
Once Doug Martin returned from injury, many pegged him as a top-10 RB the rest of the season at least given his upcoming schedule. Unfortunately, he has not put up the numbers we expected. In four games since his return, he has averaged 2.85 YPC. He has rushed for an average or 20 times for 57 yards per game. He has seven receptions for 81 yards through four games, but most of that production came in one game. The coaching staff is upset with the state of the running game, and have promised to get Jacquizz Rodgers and Charles Sims, who are both returning from injury, plenty of work moving forward. Martin is still the leader of this backfield, but Sims showed us last season he has plenty of value in this offense by himself as the primary pass-catching back. Rodgers was excellent before his injury filling in for Martin, and will be the one who cuts into his work the most. We have him ranked as our 11th RB, which may be lofty given his current situation and how he’s been playing lately. Even in a plus matchup with the Saints, Martin will be tough to fully trust in a now crowded backfield.
In a tough matchup on paper, Thomas Rawls was able to run all over the Carolina Panthers last week. They had only allowed one 100-yard rusher heading into last week, and Rawls carved them up for 106 yards and two TD on only 15 carries. He looked much more like the runner we saw last season; running with authority while needing multiple defenders to take him down. His health should worry Green Bay fans, given how they’ve looked against opposing RB recently. Over the past five weeks, opposing runners have averaged 4.7 YPC, carrying the ball 22 times for 104 yards and a TD per game against them. He should be able to produce RB1 numbers as long as the game stays close; he has only seen one target in each of the past two games, and has lost some passing down work to George Farmer and Troymaine Pope over the past two weeks.
Dion Lewis was the surprise gem at RB last season, bursting on to the scene as an extremely useful PPR asset for the first seven weeks of the season. After suffering a major knee injury, he missed the remainder of the season and the majority of this season. He finally returned in Week 11, and played as the third RB behind LeGarrette Blount and James White. It was expected that Lewis would quickly surpass White and play a bigger role like he did last season, but through three games that has not been the case. Lewis has played the least amount of snaps of the three players every week since his return, and played his lowest snap percentage of the season last week. Blount is the best RB to play of the three, because his role as the power runner and goal line back is safe with no competition. He is a lock to score a TD almost every week. White and Lewis are similar players, so the Patriots can utilize them both to keep them fresh. Good for them, bad for fantasy owners. We have Lewis the highest rated of the three, but even in a PPR format Blount is the safest bet for points.
The Devontae Booker train picked up a ton of steam, then tried to stop but couldn’t, and crashed and burned into a pile of disappointment. Since taking over the lead back role after C.J. Anderson was injured, Booker has averaged 2.8 YPC, rushing a total of 95 times for 266 yards. He has made a minimal impact in the receiving game, and has scored only twice. Kapri Bibbs was an afterthought initially, but was outplaying Booker before an ankle injury got him placed on the IR. Denver certainly couldn’t trust Booker alone, so they signed Justin Forsett. He is expected to make an impact in the run game immediately, and could split carries with Booker as soon as this week. This shows you how much faith they have in the young RB. This week they face the Titans, who have given up the ninth fewest fantasy points to the RB position this season. They have only allowed one player to run for 100 yards, and have only allowed tow rushing scores since Week 6. A split backfield and a tough matchup make Booker a nightmare start for anyone planning to compete in the playoffs.
After out-snapping Terrance West two weeks ago, Kenneth Dixon was back behind him in snaps last week. You could argue that Dixon has been the more impressive RB of the two, but West continues to get the majority of the touches. Over the past four weeks, West has 60 total touches compared to 44 for Dixon. Dixon has made the bigger impact in the passing game, with 13 receptions for 94 yards compared to eight for 57 for West. Though West has 52 rushing attempts compared to Dixon’s 31, he has a higher YPC of 5.9 compared to West’s 3.9. West does have two rushing scores and a reception TD, while Dixon has yet to score this season. Both backs will continue to get their share of the workload, with West taking the majority of the work. Neither back ill have it easy this week against the Patriots, who have given up the fourth fewest rushing yards and third fewest rushing scores this season.
Week 14 Fantasy Football Rankings - Running Backs
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.
