Week 16 Fantasy RB Rankings

Matt Lutovsky

Week 16 Fantasy RB Rankings image

While injuries to important backs like Melvin Gordon and James Conner are undoubtedly a major worry for fantasy owners still playing for something of value, let's all take a moment to appreciate the top of our Week 16 fantasy RB rankings. Stud backs with highly favorable matchups -- what more could you ask for with fantasy championships on the line? Oh, right -- healthy backs and favorable matchups for handcuffs, sleepers, and waiver wire pickups you're forced to opt for in tough start 'em, sit 'em scenarios.

Don't worry, we have some of those, too, as Jamaal Williams (@ Jets) and Elijah McGuire (vs. Packers) could both provide owners with plenty of points. Unfortunately, rookies Kalen Ballage (vs. Jaguars) and Jeff Wilson Jr. (vs. Bears) have tough matchups on paper if they're forced to start for Frank Gore (foot) and Matt Breida (ankle), respectively, but the Jags might have Derrick Henry flashbacks when they see the 6-2, 237-pound Ballage, and Wilson Jr. can do enough as a receiver in garbage time to pay off in PPR leagues.

Week 16 Rankings:
Quarterback | Wide Receiver | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker

Hopefully, you have at least one stud back who's made it to Week 16. Assuming you do, you should be able to get by. If you're dealing with an injury-pocalypse or simply relying on a lot of struggling backs with poor matchups (Adrian Peterson, Doug Martin), you might be in trouble, but there are always options. We didn't say good options, but there are options.

Note: These rankings will be updated during the week, so check back often for the latest analysis and player movement.

WEEK 16 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiverTight end

Week 16 Fantasy Rankings: RB

These rankings are for standard, non-PPR leagues

1Todd Gurley, Rams @ Cardinals
1Christian McCaffrey, Panthers vs. Falcons
2Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys vs. Buccaneers
3Nick Chubb, Browns vs. Bengals
4Saquon Barkley, Giants @ Colts. Barkley struggled last week, but the Colts allow a healthy 7.2 receptions (second most) and 55.2 receiving yards per game to RBs (fifth). One way or another, he'll get his points.
5Joe Mixon, Bengals @ Browns
6Phillip Lindsay, Broncos @ Raiders
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7Alvin Kamara, Saints vs. Steelers
8Melvin Gordon, Chargers vs. Ravens
9Chris Carson, Seahawks vs. Chiefs
10Dalvin Cook, Vikings @ Lions. Outside of getting Gurley'd in Week 13, the Lions run defense has been solid in the second half of the year. One of the few guys who's had some success in that span was a less-than-100-percent Cook back in Week 9, when he used one big run to finish the day with 89 yards on 10 carries. Coming off his best game of the season and finally looking close to fully healthy, Cook's versatility (and talent) is sure to give the Lions problems. 
11Derrick Henry, Titans vs. Redskins
12Leonard Fournette, Jaguars @ Dolphins. Fournette has disappointed the past two weeks, both terms of yards (82) and carries (25). Jags coaches indicated the lack of carries last week was planned, which is certainly worrisome heading forward. The Dolphins are a good get-right team, though, as Dalvin Cook just carved them up and guys like Aaron Jones, Sony Michel, Kerryon Johnson, and Lamar Miller have all gone for over 100 yards against them. Miami was playing better against the run before Cook's outburst, but Fournette should come through if he can get 15 carries.
13Tarik Cohen, Bears @ 49ers
14David Johnson, Cardinals vs. Rams. The rushing yards continue to disappointing, but Johnson routinely approaches or surpasses 20 touches. Even in games like last week's when he only had 14 touches, he managed 101 total yards and a score. He remains a must-start, even if he hasn't paid off as a top-five pick.
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15Jordan Howard, Bears @ 49ers. Howard has seen 16, 19, and 19 carries the past three weeks, respectively. He's turned that into 237 yards and a touchdown -- not great, but not horrible. The 49ers have struggled against the run recently, allowing one RB rushing touchdown in four straight games. If Howard gets heavy usage again, both him and Tarik Cohen, who has at least 8.9 standard league fantasy points in four straight games, could have big weeks.
16Marlon Mack, Colts vs. Giants
17Sony Michel, Patriots vs. Bills. Michel has slowed down in recent weeks despite relatively solid usage (17, 20, 13 carries, respectively). As long as the carries are there, he should come through at home against a Bills defense that's allowed at least one RB rushing touchdown in five of the past six games and two RB rushing TDs in three of the past six.
18Jamaal Williams, Packers @ Jets. With Aaron Jones (knee) unlikely to play, Williams should see 15-plus touches. The Jets have been playing better against the run lately, but Green Bay should have no problem moving the ball against them, setting up Williams with plenty of chances to score.
19Gus Edwards, Ravens @ Chargers. Kenneth Dixon ate into Edward's carries last week, but he still had 19 attempts on the ground compared to Dixon's 11. There's enough touches to go around in Baltimore's run-heavy game plan.
20Elijah McGuire, Jets vs. Packers. McGuire has scored in back-to-back weeks, touching the ball 41 times in that span. With that kind of workload, he's a virtual must-start against the Packers, who remain middle of the pack against fantasy RBs.
21Tevin Coleman, Falcons @ Panthers. No Ito Smith means even more touches for Coleman, who broke out in a big way last week. The Panthers are fairly strong against the run (25th in fantasy points allowed to RBs), but Coleman has proven he can contribute on the ground and through the air.
22Mark Ingram, Saints vs. Steelers
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23LeSean McCoy, Bills @ Patriots. A bum hamstring could keep McCoy out of this game, but if he plays, he figures to heavily involved given the other injuries to Buffalo's RBs. The Patriots are middle of the road against fantasy RBs, but they struggled against PIttsburgh's backs last week and have allowed a good amount of receptions (5.9) and receiving yards (52.5) per game to RBs.
24Damien Williams, Chiefs @ Seahawks. With Spencer Ware (hamstring, shoulder) out again, Williams should be good for around 15-plus touches. Seattle allows the fourth-most receiving yards per game to RBs (58.7), so Williams should get a decent number of total yards and have a good chance at a score.
25C.J. Anderson, Rams @ Cardinals
26Jaylen Samuels, Steelers @ Saints
27James White, Patriots vs. Bills. White has mostly disappeared as part of New England's offense, but would it surprise anyone if he was suddenly back to seeing double-digit targets? The Bills generally struggled against RBs (10th-most fantasy points allowed), so White is still a FLEX.
28Doug Martin, Raiders vs. Broncos
29Peyton Barber, Buccaneers @ Cowboys. Barber has produced even in a few tougher matchups lately, bucking his early-season trends. The Cowboys, despite allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy points to RBs, were just gashed by Marlon Mack, and Barber gets legit volume (at least 15 touches in five straight games), so he can still pay off as a starting option.
30Kenyan Drake, Dolphins vs. Jaguars. Kalen Ballage was Miami's runner of choice last week after Frank Gore injured his foot, but Drake will be involved. Jacksonville is strong against the run, but Drake is explosive and versatile, so he's tough to sit if Gore is out, especially in PPR leagues.
31Adrian Peterson, Redskins @ Titans
32Josh Adams, Eagles vs. Texans. Adams (15) had five more carries than Wendell Smallwood last week, but Smallwood outgained him by 20 yards and ran in four- and nine-yard TDs. Houston is allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points to RBs, so Adams can still pay off as a FLEX...but not much more.
33Matt Breida, 49ers vs. Bears
34Alfred Blue, Texans @ Eagles. With Lamar Miller out, Blue should see 10-15 touches, though it's unclear exactly how many carries D'Onta Foreman will get in his season debut. Considering Foreman hasn't played since injuring his Achilles' last season, it would seem likely Blue will see more touches.
35Kenneth Dixon, Ravens @ Chargers
36Duke Johnson Jr., Browns vs. Bengals
37Dion Lewis, Titans vs. Redskins. Derrick Henry has officially taken over in Tennessee's backfield, and Henry isn't even doing much as a receiver anymore (10 catches, 46 yards the past three games).
38Zach Zenner, Lions vs. Vikings. Zenner is getting more overall carries (22 to 19) than LeGarrette Blount over the past two games, and more important, he's getting goal-line carries. This is a tough matchup, but Zenner could punch one in for the third straight week.
39Kalen Ballage, Dolphins vs. Jaguars. Ballage looked good last week, but it's unclear just how many touches he'll get this week in a tough statistical matchup. Jacksonville was destroyed by fellow big back Derrick Henry two weeksa go, but Ballage hasn't proven to be at that level yet.
40Rashaad Penny, Seahawks vs. Chiefs
41Royce Freeman, Broncos @ Raiders
42Wendell Smallwood, Eagles vs. Texans. The Eagles have a tendency to abandon the running game, and if they fall behind early, Smallwood, who's already second fiddle to Josh Adams, will be useless.
43Latavius Murray, Vikings @ Lions. Murray is a solid complementary back who can score in any given week, but the Lions run defense has been solid in the second half of the season. Murray won't have a repeat of last week -- or the last time these teams squared off when he scored.
44Darrel Williams, Chiefs @ Seahawks
45LeGarrette Blount, Lions vs. Vikings
46D'Onta Foreman, Texans @ Eagles
47Jeff Wilson Jr., 49ers vs. Bears
48Giovani Bernard, Bengals @ Browns
49Jalen Richard, Raiders vs. Broncos
50Stevan Ridley, Steelers @ Saints
51Chris Thompson, Redskins @ Titans
52T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars @ Dolphins
53Theo Riddick, Lions vs. Vikings
54Nyheim Hines, Colts vs. Giants
55Keith Ford, Bills @ Patriots
56Justin Jackson, Chargers vs. Ravens
57Darren Sproles, Eagles vs. Texans
58Jacquizz Rodgers, Buccaneers @ Cowboys
59Rex Burkhead, Patriots vs. Bills
60Mike Davis, Seahawks vs. Chiefs
61David Williams, Jaguars @ Dolphins
62Jordan Wilkins, Colts vs. Giants

Matt Lutovsky

Matt Lutovsky has been a writer and editor for The Sporting News since 2007, primarily writing about fantasy sports, betting, and gaming.