Our Week 15 fantasy RB rankings are likely to see a lot of shifting throughout the week. There are a handful of questionable stars, including Melvin Gordon, James Conner, LeSean McCoy, Kerryon Johnson, Matt Breida, and more, and their statuses will need to be updated consistently. With the state of flux at running back this late in the season, the rankings are a bit more muddled than usual, but we will try our best to navigate them as we look to help you in the fantasy playoffs.
As of right now, we have Gordon, Johnson, and McCoy ranked, while Conner and Breida are not included. It's quite possible -- if not, probable -- that will change at some point during the next couple of days, but for now, they're in there. Gordon (@ Chiefs) has the most favorable matchup of the injured players who are in the rankings, so he's the only sure-fire recommended play if fully healthy. The rest would be borderline RB2s and potential FLEX options (provided that they aren't on a pitch count).
Week 15 Rankings:
Quarterback | Wide Receiver | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker
And regarding the players that we currently are projecting to be out, Conner's primary backup is Jaylen Samuels while Breida's backup is Jeff Wilson Jr. Samuels is the better play of that duo, as he should have a chance to catch a lot of passes against the Patriots. He just needs to hope that Stevan Ridley doesn't get a chance to vulture more TDs in a revenge game. Meanwhile, Wilson gets to take on the Seahawks again. He fared well against them in Week 13, but lightning doesn't often strike twice -- especially since Wilson put up some garbage-time points in that. blowout.
Aside from that, the biggest question at RB is whether or not Derrick Henry can continue to get hot as the season continues. Henry put up a whopping 238 yards and four TDs against the Jaguars last week in what was his best outing of the year. So, he's the lead back in Tennessee now, right? One would think so, and he will get a chance to prove it in a favorable matchup with the Giants, who have struggled with power runners at times in recent weeks.
Note: These rankings will be updated during the week, so check back often for the latest analysis and player movement.
WEEK 15 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Week 15 Fantasy Rankings: RB
These rankings are for standard, non-PPR leagues
| 1 | Todd Gurley, Rams vs. Eagles |
| 2 | Christian McCaffrey, Panthers vs. Saints |
| 3 | Phillip Lindsay, Broncos vs. Browns |
| 4 | David Johnson, Cardinals @ Falcons. I know Johnson hasn't been performing well as of late -- he has less than 80 scrimmage yards and no TDs in each of his past three games -- but the Falcons have one of the worst run defenses in the league. They are bottom five in fantasy points allowed to RBs and have allowed the second-most catches to the position. Considering that Johnson saw 10 targets last week, he could be in for a big outing in a better matchup. |
| 5 | Joe Mixon, Bengals vs. Raiders |
| 6 | Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys @ Colts |
| 7 | Alvin Kamara, Saints @ Panthers. Kamara hasn't scored in three weeks, and the Panthers are a top-10 unit in fantasy points allowed to RBs. That may make this matchup seem hard. However, in two games against Carolina last year, Kamara touched the ball just 19 times but logged 168 scrimmage yards and three TDs. The Carolina D is better this year, but Kamara is still always a threat to break a big play. Plus, the Saints may look to get him more involved to spark their offense a bit. |
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| 8 | Saquon Barkley, Giants vs. Titans |
| 9 | Gus Edwards, Ravens vs. Buccaneers. Edwards is averaging 95.5 yards per game since taking over as the primary starter at RB. However, he hasn't scored since his first game against the Bengals. Still, he is getting more than solid volume, and as long as Lamar Jackson is in at QB, Edwards will have a chance to rack up carries. The Bucs have allowed a double-digit fantasy scorer in each of their past four games, and they have allowed 100-plus yard outings in three of those four contests. Edwards has some solid upside because of this and his volume. |
| 10 | Nick Chubb, Browns @ Broncos. Chubb has been remarkably consistent since taking over the starting job from Carlos Hyde, and he has logged a TD in each of his last five games. The Broncos defense has vastly improved against the run since their poor performance early in the season, but they did allow Jeff Wilson Jr. to log 90 yards on 23 carries last week. If Chubb can do that and extend his scoring streak, he will certainly fall into RB1 territory. |
| 11 | Leonard Fournette, Jaguars vs. Redskins. The Redskins defense has fallen off a cliff in recent weeks, so Fournette could take advantage of that. They have allowed a 20-plus point scorer twice in the last three games, and Fournette could be poised to go off as a result. The Redskins still have talent on their front, which makes this a potential boom-or-bust play, but Fournette should find the end zone in this contest. |
| 12 | Aaron Jones, Packers @ Bears. Did you see what the Bears just did to Todd Gurley and the Rams? The Packers are going to have a tough time breaking through the Bears tough defense on the road. Jones is still a high-end RB2 -- after all, he has scored in five straight games -- but be a bit more wary of him than usual in this tough matchup. |
| 13 | Lamar Miller, Texans @ Jets. Miller has put up double-digit fantasy points in his last four consecutive outings. The Texans will continue to try and get the ground game to produce against the middle-of-the-pack Jets, and Miller should lead the charge here. The only thing to worry about with him is Alfred Blue vulturing TDs from him near the goal-line (Miller has five carries inside the five compared to Blue's four). |
| 14 | Tarik Cohen, Bears vs. Packers. Cohen has put up at least 8.9 fantasy points in each of his past three outings, and it seems that he's earning a bigger role in Chicago as the season goes along. He didn't do much in Week 1 against Green Bay, posing just 41 yards on eight touches, but now that he's in the swing of the season, he should have a chance to beat up on struggling, banged-up Green Bay defense. |
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| 15 | Dalvin Cook, Vikings vs. Dolphins |
| 16 | Chris Carson, Seahawks @ 49ers |
| 17 | Derrick Henry, Titans @ Giants. Henry almost dropped 50 fantasy points on the Jaguars last Thursday night. For reference, that means that he put up 33.4 percent of his total rushing yards this season and 44.4 percent of his rushing TDs in just one night. This could be the start of a hot streak for Henry, and he gets a solid matchup with a Giants team that had given up 22.64 fantasy points per game to RBs ahead of Week 14. Henry should at least have a chance to add another TD to his total. |
| 18 | Justin Jackson, Chargers @ Chiefs. Jackson is now the projected lead-back in Los Angeles with Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler both likely to be out. Jackson will handle a bulk of the carries against a Chiefs defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points to RBs this season. That makes him a high-upside play, but look out for fellow rookie Detrez Newsome to potentially take some touches as well. |
| 19 | Sony Michel, Patriots @ Steelers. The Steelers have been solid against RBs this year, but they have allowed a TD to the position in six-straight games. Michel should handle a bulk of the carries for the Patriots, and he will have a chance to punch in a short one at the goal line -- provided that fullback James Develin doesn't continue on in his role as a TD vulture. |
| 20 | Doug Martin, Raiders @ Bengals. In the last three weeks, Martin has found the end zone. The Bengals have allowed the most fantasy points to RBs this season, and they just allowed Austin Ekeler to score on them from short distance. Martin has a chance for a big game, and he should be considered a potential high-end RB2 in a solid matchup. |
| 21 | Kerryon Johnson, Lions @ Bills |
| 22 | Tevin Coleman, Falcons vs. Cardinals. The Cardinals just allowed Zach Zenner to log double-digit fantasy points against them. Yes, Zach Zenner. Coleman should have a chance to produce at a solid clip against the Cardinals (third-most fantasy points allowed to RBs) but his upside is more limited than some may think. Ito Smith has been eating into his workload in recent weeks, and the Falcons will likely ride the hot hand in Arizona. Whether that's Coleman or Smith isn't clear, at the moment. |
| MORE WEEK 15 DFS: Stacks | Values | Lineup Builder | |
| 23 | Spencer Ware, Chiefs vs. Chargers. Ware is questionable with a couple of injuries on a short week, but if he plays, he should still be the lead back for the Chiefs. He will split work with Damien Williams, who will see more passing-down action, but Ware is still an RB2 because of his TD upside and between-the-tackles ability. |
| 24 | James White, Patriots @ Steelers |
| 25 | LeSean McCoy, Bills vs. Lions. McCoy is day-to-day with a hamstring injury. Even if he plays, he may not be 100 percent. The Lions run defense hasn't been good this year, they allow the 10th-most points to RBs, but they have been better since adding Snacks Harrison at the trade deadline. So, McCoy's upside is as a low-end RB2. |
| 26 | Josh Adams, Eagles @ Rams. Since Week 8, the Rams have allowed six RBs to score double-digit fantasy points against them. Most recently, Jordan Howard broke 100 yards against them for his first 100-yard game of the season. Adams is the type of power back that could give the Rams trouble. He didn't do a lot against the Cowboys, but he still averaged over 5.0 yards per carry in the contest. With more opportunities, Adams could thrive and find the end zone against the Rams. But again, the Eagles need to make sure they don't get down early. Because if they do, Adams will be a non-factor. |
| 27 | Jaylen Samuels, Steelers vs. Patriots. If James Conner is out, Samuels will have a chance to be the lead-back once again. He will see most of the carries, and he should be a threat as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. The Patriots have allowed a whopping four different RBs to score double-digits in the past two weeks, so Samuels could be in line for a solid outing in Week 15 as a result. |
| 28 | Mark Ingram, Saints @ Panthers |
| 29 | Jordan Howard, Bears vs. Packers. Howard is coming off his first 100-yard game of the season, but Tarik Cohen seems to be the leader in the Bears' backfield right now. If the Bears find themselves down at any point against the Packers, Cohen will see more action because of his pass-catching ability. Howard will still get his share of carries, but he may be more of TD-dependent option. |
| 30 | Marlon Mack, Colts vs. Cowboys |
| 31 | Jeff Wilson Jr., 49ers vs. Seahawks. The Seahawks have been very solid on defense lately, and they just shut down the Vikings' running game. Though Wilson scored 11.4 when these two teams met two weeks ago, it may be hard for him to find success against a Seahawks team looking to stay ahead in the Wild Card race. |
| 32 | Ito Smith, Falcons vs. Cardinals. As mentioned earlier, Smith is splitting carries with his teammate Coleman. He could be an interesting FLEX if he gets enough volume, as the Cardinals have a poor run defense. |
| 33 | Isaiah Crowell, Jets vs. Texans. Crowell is dealing with a foot injury and is in a tough matchup. If he can't play, Elijah McGuire will jump up to this spot as the lead back for the Jets. |
| 34 | Adrian Peterson, Redskins @ Jaguars. The Redskins are on their fourth QB and their fifth and sixth different starters at the offensive guard positions this year. Peterson isn't going to have enough space against a revenge-minded Jaguars defense that will look to prove that Derrick Henry's 238-yard, four TD outburst was a fluke. |
| 35 | Peyton Barber, Buccaneers @ Ravens. Barber struggled in tough matchups. This one against the Ravens, the third-best fantasy defense against RBs, qualifies as one. Barber is better served as a bench option, though he could sneak in for a short score at some point. |
| 36 | Dion Lewis, Titans @ Giants |
| 37 | Kenyan Drake, Dolphins @ Vikings. Save for his miraculous 55-yard TD at the end of the game against the Patriots, Drake didn't do much on Sunday. He will struggle in a tough matchup with the Vikings defense, so trusting him as a starting option this week would be a risk. |
| 38 | Duke Johnson Jr., Browns @ Broncos |
| 39 | Jalen Richard, Raiders @ Bengals |
| 40 | Damien Williams, Chiefs vs. Chargers. Williams may have a chance for a bigger role if his teammate Ware can't go against the Chargers. For now, he's still a solid potential PPR option if he keeps getting on the field. |
| 41 | Royce Freeman, Broncos vs. Browns |
| 42 | Rashaad Penny, Seahawks @ 49ers |
| 43 | Chris Thompson, Redskins @ Jaguars |
| 44 | Frank Gore, Dolphins @ Vikings |
| 45 | Stevan Ridley, Steelers vs. Patriots |
| 46 | Elijah McGuire, Jets vs. Texans. McGuire will move up if Isaiah Crowell's foot injury holds him out against the Texans on a short week (Jets play on Saturday). |
| 47 | Detrez Newsome, Chargers @ Chiefs |
| 48 | Darren Sproles, Eagles @ Rams |
| 49 | Giovani Bernard, Bengals vs. Raiders |
| 50 | Alfred Blue, Texans @ Jets |
| 51 | Nyheim Hines, Colts vs. Cowboys |
| 52 | Theo Riddick, Lions @ Bills |
| 53 | Chris Ivory, Bills vs. Lions |
| 54 | LeGarrette Blount, Lions @ Bills |
| 55 | Corey Clement, Eagles @ Rams |
| 56 | Kenneth Dixon, Ravens vs. Buccaneers |
| 57 | Alfred Morris, 49ers vs. Seahawks |
| 58 | Rex Burkhead, Patriots @ Steelers |
| 59 | Carlos Hyde, Jaguars vs. Redskins |
| 60 | Latavius Murray, Vikings vs. Dolphins |
| 61 | Jacquizz Rodgers, Buccaneers @ Ravens |
| 62 | T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars vs. Redskins |
| 63 | Mike Davis, Seahawks @ 49ers |
| 64 | Jamaal Williams, Packers @ Bears |
