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Below you will find our Week 6 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 6, 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 6. You can also check out RotoBaller's overall player rankings here.
Editor's Note: Be sure to check out FantasyAces DFS contests for Week 4. New users that sign up on Fantasy Aces and make a $20 deposit will receive RotoBaller's full season NFL Premium Pass for free (including Premium DFS), normally a $59.99 value. Expert DFS research, sample lineups, matchup ratings and lots more!
Week 6 Running Backs - Rankings & Matchups Analysis
Ezekiel Elliott will have a difficult time this week against the top ranked run defense in the league, the Green Bay Packers. Over his past three games, Elliott has averaged 23 rushes for 137 yards and a TD per game. He has really begun to take advantage of his dominant offensive line, which most weeks will do him extremely well. However, he has yet to face a defense anywhere near this difficult. The past three teams he has faced have averaged 4.4 YPC allowed, compared to the Packers 2.2 YPC. He certainly won’t keep up his 100 yard streak this week, but he will likely score a TD to keep his fantasy impact high.
I thought last week would be the week Lamar Miller finally punched one in, but that prediction ended up being a liiiiiittle too bold. It was easily the worst week Miller has had this season against a defense that could stop a train with a napkin right now. This week he faced a much softer run defense in with the Indianapolis Colts. They have allowed the third most fantasy points to RBs this season, while allowing nearly a TD per game. If there will be a game Miller breaks out, it’ll be this one. This is easily the softest run defense he has faced this season.
If you look past the Bills ugly defensive performance in Week 2, you will see they have been one of the top defenses in the league this season. Carlos Hyde and the 49ers head to Buffalo this week, with Colin Kaepernick at QB. Kaep should help open up some holes with his legs, but Hyde will still have a tough time running through this defensive line with Marcell Dareus now back in the fold. Hyde has ran through tough defenses before, as evidenced by his Week 3 performance against Seattle (21 rushes for 103 yards and two scores). Hyde still has tons of potential, but keep expectations in check against this defense.
On the flip side, if there is a RB out there who will unseat Le’Veon Bell or David Johnson this week, it will be LeSean McCoy. The 49ers defensive weaknesses play into what the Bills do well offensively, mainly running the ball. Shady is having an excellent year so far, averaging 5.3 YPC and 21 touches per game on the ground and through the air. He already topped his TD total from last season, and is fresh off of his best game of the season against the LA Rams. The 49ers have allowed the fifth most fantasy points to opposing RBs, while allowing the most rushing YPG in the league at 133.4 yards. Shady is going to dominate this week.
Fresh off of their bye week, the Chiefs are set to take the training wheels off of RB Jamaal Charles against the Oakland Raiders. Oakland is among the bottom 10 teams in the league in stopping the running game, and is fresh off of allowing Melvin Gordon to rush for 4.3 YPC, while catching a receiving TD. Last time Charles played Oakland he was all over the field, rushing for 80 yards on 19 carries while catching four passes for 42 yards and a score. The only thing keeping Charles from being higher up on this list is we won’t know the volume of touches he will receive this week. If he gets a full work load, watch out.
Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman have been an extremely effective two-headed monster for the Falcons this season, so much so that if they were both started by fantasy owners each week you would be very happy. However, this week they face a Seattle defense that will be different than any run defense they have faced this season. Seattle has only allowed 66.5 rushing YPG from opposing RBs, but have also given up 47.8 YPG through the air. Freeman has dominated the ground game, and both backs have caught a similar number of passes. Coleman though has done much more damage in the receiving game this season, out-gaining Freeman 313-to-117 with only three more catches. With running holes hard to come by and Richard Sherman shadowing Julio Jones, expect a lot of receptions by these backs. I would not be surprised to see Coleman outscore Freeman in fantasy this week.
Jonathan Stewart will make his return from injury this week, and could not have a better matchup. This week the Panthers head to New Orleans to face the Saints, who have allowed the most points to opposing RBs this season. Stewart is fully recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered in Week 2, and will immediately reclaim his role as the top RB over Fozzy Whittaker and Cameron Artis-Payne. Cam Newton will also return this week after sustaining a concussion against the Falcons in Week 4. With their fully bevy of weapons back, Stewart will be ready to feast on the ground and through the air against this Swiss-cheese defense. As the 38th RB on our list, Stewart is ranked criminally low for the upside he brings this week.
Week 6 Fantasy Football Rankings - Running Backs
| Rank | Player Name | Pos |
| 3 | Le'Veon Bell | RB |
| 4 | David Johnson | RB |
| 7 | DeMarco Murray | RB |
| 10 | LeSean McCoy | RB |
| 13 | Ezekiel Elliott | RB |
| 17 | Lamar Miller | RB |
| 18 | Todd Gurley | RB |
| 23 | Theo Riddick | RB |
| 27 | Jordan Howard | RB |
| 28 | Mark Ingram | RB |
| 31 | C.J. Anderson | RB |
| 32 | Carlos Hyde | RB |
| 37 | Devonta Freeman | RB |
| 39 | Melvin Gordon | RB |
| 40 | Christine Michael | RB |
| 50 | Eddie Lacy | RB |
| 53 | Matt Forte | RB |
| 55 | Ryan Mathews | RB |
| 56 | Jamaal Charles | RB |
| 57 | Frank Gore | RB |
| 59 | Giovani Bernard | RB |
| 61 | Tevin Coleman | RB |
| 62 | James White | RB |
| 68 | Isaiah Crowell | RB |
| 73 | Terrance West | RB |
| 74 | LeGarrette Blount | RB |
| 78 | Duke Johnson | RB |
| 79 | Arian Foster | RB |
| 81 | T.J. Yeldon | RB |
| 82 | Spencer Ware | RB |
| 84 | Matt Jones | RB |
| 86 | Darren Sproles | RB |
| 87 | Bilal Powell | RB |
| 100 | DeAndre Washington | RB |
| 102 | Jeremy Hill | RB |
| 108 | Chris Ivory | RB |
| 111 | Chris Thompson | RB |
| 112 | Jonathan Stewart | RB |
| 114 | Devontae Booker | RB |
| 115 | Fozzy Whittaker | RB |
| 119 | Cameron Artis-Payne | RB |
| 120 | Latavius Murray | RB |
| 121 | Rashad Jennings | RB |
| 122 | Jalen Richard | RB |
| 126 | Jay Ajayi | RB |
| 127 | Bobby Rainey | RB |
| 135 | Derrick Henry | RB |
| 137 | C.J. Spiller | RB |
| 143 | James Starks | RB |
| 148 | Kenneth Dixon | RB |
| 156 | DeAngelo Williams | RB |
| 157 | Mike Gillislee | RB |
| 161 | Orleans Darkwa | RB |
| 165 | Wendell Smallwood | RB |
| 168 | Jamize Olawale | RB |
| 170 | Damien Williams | RB |
| 175 | Javorius Allen | RB |
| 177 | Alfred Morris | RB |
| 180 | Jeremy Langford | RB |
| 183 | Zach Zenner | RB |
| 186 | Josh Ferguson | RB |
| 189 | Dwayne Washington | RB |
| 195 | Dexter McCluster | RB |
| 197 | Travaris Cadet | RB |
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.
