2018 Fantasy Football Tiered Rankings – Running Backs – Redraft (CPGM)
Couch Potato General Manager presents their Top Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings for 2018 broken down into tiers (PPR). Check out CPGM Drew’s rankings to the Left and CPGM Headley’s rankings to the Right. Which side do you prefer?
Note: LeSean McCoy ranking subject to change based on recent allegations.
| Drew @s1rdr1w | Headley @CPGMHeadley |
| ELITE | |
| "These Running backs will carry your football team plain and simple." | |
| 1. Todd Gurley - Los Angeles Rams | 1. Todd Gurley - Los Angeles Rams |
| 2. Le'Veon Bell - Pittsburgh Steelers | 2. Le'Veon Bell - Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 3. Ezekiel Elliott - Dallas Cowboys - He missed 6 games last year and still amassed 983 yards on the ground. Need I say more? | 3. Alvin Kamara - New Orleans Saints - Mark Ingram will miss the first 4 games of the season which puts Kamara’s stock through the roof. In the last 5 games of the 2017 season, a healthy and active Ingram received only 1 carry inside the 10 compared to Kamara’s 7. Kamara is the hottest name in fantasy football and can realistically have 1000 yards rushing and 1000 yards receiving. He is Elite. |
| 4. David Johnson - Arizona Cardinals | 4. Ezekiel Elliott - Dallas Cowboys |
| 5. David Johnson - Arizona Cardinals | |
| SUPERS | |
| "This set it of backs can carry your team just not to the level of the tier above them, a few more carries/catches can change this for the better." | |
| 5. Alvin Kamara - New Orleans Saints | 6. Saquon Barkley - New York Giants - Saquon Barkley is at the top of my supers tier above all of the sophomore sensations (except Kamara). The Giants improved their offensive line with the additions of Nate Solder and Will Hernandez. I expect the Giants to lean on Barkley and for him to “Run Left” behind that monstrous duo above. Barkley is a shoe-in for offensive rookie of the year and I’m projecting Kareem Hunt type production from a season ago. |
| 6. Dalvin Cook - Minnesota Vikings - Jerick Mckinnon had over 200 touches and nearly 1000 yards with 5 TDs receiving and rushing combined in part-time duty... He is in San Francisco now! | 7. Melvin Gordon - Los Angeles Chargers |
| 7. Saquon Barkley - New York Giants - Few teams in the league have a workhorse back and the Giants now are added to that list. I don't see him coming off the field not never. With that said the rookie wall is real! This is why I have him 7th and not higher in the Elite status. | 8. Dalvin Cook - Minnesota Vikings |
| 8. Melvin Gordon - Los Angeles Chargers | 9. Kareem Hunt - Kansas City Chiefs |
| 10. Leonard Fournette - Jacksonville Jaguars | |
| NEXT LEVEL PLAYERS | |
| "This level of Running back is on the cusp of the "Elite" & "Supers" tiers and can carry your team a few times per season." | |
| 9. Leonard Fournette - Jacksonville Jaguars | 11.Christian McCaffrey - Carolina Panthers |
| 10. Kareem Hunt - Kansas City Chiefs - Last year I called Hunt to eventually take the starting gig from Spencer Ware and that happened not quite like I predicted (injury) but nonetheless, he balled. I also said in CPGM pre-draft coverage , "He was like a wet bar of soap." Hunt had an absurd amount of yards after contact this past year, but Ware is back and the Andy Reid effect will take hold (7 game stretch where Hunt was non-existent or more like forgotten about, check the numbers). | 12. Lesean McCoy - Buffalo Bills |
| 11. Christian McCaffrey - Carolina Panthers | 13. Devonta Freeman - Atlanta Falcons |
| 12. Lesean McCoy - Buffalo Bills | 14. Joe Mixon - Cincinnati Bengals - Mixon might seem like the miscast among my "Next Level Players" but from a talent perspective, he is just as good as the rest of the players on this tier. The forgotten sophomore had a miserable season in his rookie year behind an unfit offensive line. The trade to get Cordy Glenn coupled with 1st round draft pick Billy Price will improve this offensive line drastically. Marvin Lewis led teams were top 10 in the league in rushing the previous 4 seasons before last year and I expect the Bengals to get back to form. Lead back Mixon will push 1,100 rushing yards and double digit touchdowns. |
| 13. Jerick McKinnon - San Francisco 49ers - He is playing for one of if not the top offensive mind in the game. McKinnon is the Devonta Freeman in this offense and the Niners paid that man like a starting back they gone get their moneys worth. | |
| 14. Devonta Freeman - Atlanta Falcons | |
| 15. Chris Thompson - Washington Redskins - He is the biggest cog in the Jay Gruden offense and should be even more effective with Guice taking some of the pressure off. | |
| PROMISING | |
| "You have seen the potential or at the very least a glimpse." | |
| 16. Joe Mixon - Cincinnati Bengals | 15. Jerick McKinnon - San Francisco 49ers |
| 17. Jordan Howard - Chicago Bears | 16. Jordan Howard - Chicago Bears |
| 18. Ronald Jones - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - The only reason he is not higher is because I don't believe he will be the starter at the beginning of the season. But at some point will take over. This is my Kareem Hunt prediction all over again (minus the injury), so game 4 or 5 he becomes the starter. | 17. Alex Collins - Baltimore Ravens |
| 19. Derrius Guice - Washington Redskins | 18. Chris Thompson - Washington Redskins |
| 20. Royce Freeman - Denver Broncos | 19. Kenyan Drake - Miami Dolphins |
| 21. Dion Lewis - Tennessee Titans - I know Henry is that guy and to some he has arrived. There is a reason the Titans went and got Lewis and the Patriots drafted Michel so high. What Lewis can do for an offense, Henry can't. Lewis has been underused (size and injury concerns I know) but he is playing behind of one of the best lines in the league. I can see him and Henry on the field together multiple times a game. | 20. Dion Lewis - Tennessee Titans |
| 22. Alex Collins - Baltimore Ravens | 21. Derrick Henry - Tennessee Titans |
| 23. Jay Ajayi - Philadelphia Eagles | 22. Ronald Jones - Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 24. Kenyan Drake - Miami Dolphins | 23. Duke Johnson - Cleveland Browns - Even with the additions of Carlos Hyde and Nick Chubb in the Browns backfield, I am not afraid to rank Duke Johnson as a RB2 within my promising tier. Johnson’s role in the Browns offense will be unaffected as a PPR beast. Johnson proved to be a big threat option for the Browns in the passing game, a simple dump down can go the distance. The Browns on paper have improved but I have a feeling they will be trailing in the majority of their games this season which means more Duke. |
| 25. Derrick Henry - Tennessee Titans | |
| 26. Tarik Cohen - Chicago Bears - It has been said Cohen has lined up all over the field this off-season so far and don't look now, the Bears have WRs. Cohen is going to be a matchup nightmare and I believe he will make the most of those opportunities due to those match-ups. | |
| STATUS QUO | |
| "You know what you are getting all-be-it nothing special." | |
| 27. Mark Ingram - New Orleans Saints | 24. Mark Ingram - New Orleans Saints |
| 28. Marshawn Lynch - Oakland Raiders | 25. Marshawn Lynch - Oakland Raiders - After coming back to the league in 2017 from a brief hiatus, Beast Mode showed that he can still tote the rock. He was underused a bit and played behind a struggling offensive line last season but I’m projecting a bounce back year for the 32 year old. Chucky is back in town and by the way the Raiders drafted offensive linemen with their 1st and 3rd round picks, that suggests there will be more ground and pound. The Raiders ranked 1st in the NFL in yards after contact which proves Beast Mode still got it. |
| 29. Tevin Coleman - Atlanta Falcons | 26. Jay Ajayi - Philadelphia Eagles |
| 30. Kerryon Johnson - Detroit Lions - Johnson and Blount are mirror images of each other and this is a true vulture representation. I'm just banking on Johnson being just a tad better... a TD or 2 better. Although Blount seems to find the endzone like no one else. I studied Johnson coming out of college and I have a soft spot in my heart for him! | 27. Tevin Coleman - Atlanta Falcons |
| COMPLEMENT | |
| "This set of running backs typically meet or are just shy of their projections." | "This set of Quaterbacks typically meet or are just shy of their projections." |
| 31. Duke Johnson - Cleveland Browns - While I believe in his talent it's a numbers game and they drafted Chubb and signed Carlos Hyde in FA so... I do believe he has a role but I'm not sure it's as big as folk believe. | 28. Marlon Mack - Indianapolis Colts |
| 32. Marlon Mack - Indianapolis Colts | 29. Derrius Guice - Washington Redskins - Two rookies and two Sophomores make up the complement tier. All four of these guys have the potential to be a steal in fantasy drafts but the guy to watch here is Guice. If the injury prone Chris Thompson is unable to make it through the season then Guice automatically catapults himself into the RB2 fold. |
| 33. Devontae Booker - Denver Broncos | 30. Jamaal Williams - Green Bay Packers |
| 34. Rashaad Penny - Seattle Seahawks | 31. Rashaad Penny - Seattle Seahawks |
| 35. Jamaal Williams - Green Bay Packers | |
| 36. Isaiah Crowell - New York Jets | |
| 37. CJ Anderson - Carolina Panthers | |
| 38. LeGarrette Blount - Detroit Lions | |
| 39. Lamar Miller - Houston Texans - While I believe in DeShaun Watson I don't believe in that Houston OL. | |
| 40. Peyton Barber - Tampa Bay Buccaneers | |
| WAIT AND SEE | |
| "It’s exactly what it sounds like... Just wanna see more..." | "It’s exactly what it sounds like... Just wanna see more..." |
| 41. Sony Michel - New England Patriots - It's New England and they do whatever the hell they want, you are playing russian roulette with all those RBs hot hands don’t matter in this offense. | 32. Royce Freeman - Denver Broncos |
| 42. Nick Chubb - Cleveland Browns | 33. Rex Burkhead - New England Patriots |
| 43. Carlos Hyde - Cleveland Browns | 34. Lamar Miller - Houston Texans |
| 44. Rex Burkhead - New England Patriots | 35. Isaiah Crowell - New York Jets |
| 36. Sony Michel - New England Patriots - The majority of the fantasy community seems to be bullish on the new Patriots running back Sony Michel. I get it, the talent he showcased at Georgia coupled with being the Dion Lewis replacement in a Tom Brady led offense has the potential to be fantasy gold. Everything isn’t all peaches though (get it) for the ex-Georgia Bulldog as his head coach Bill Belichick is a RB fantasy killer (RBBC) whose pet peeve is a fumbling running back. Michel needs to display better ball protection and earn Brady’s and Belichick’s trust. | |
| 37. Carlos Hyde - Cleveland Browns | |
| 38. CJ Anderson - Carolina Panthers | |
| 39. Kerryon Johnson - Detroit Lions | |
| 40. Devonte Booker - Denver Broncos | |
| 41. Tarik Cohen - Chicago Bears | |
| 42. Aaron Jones - Green Bay Packers | |
| BEST OF THE REST | |
| "Late round fliers and watch list candidates." | "Replacement level ball-carriers, injury concerns, and/or backs with undefined roles." |
| 45. D'Onta Foreman - Houston Texans | 43. Gio Bernard - Cincinnati Bengals |
| 46. Gio Bernard - Cincinnati Bengals | 44. LeGarrette Blount - Detroit Lions |
| 47. Matt Breida - San Francisco 49ers | 45. Matt Breida - San Francisco 49ers |
| 48. James White - New England Patriots | 46. D'Onta Foreman - Houston Texans |
| 49. Ty Montgomery - Green Bay Packers | 47. Nick Chubb - Cleveland Browns |
| 50. Corey Clement - Philadelphia Eagles | 48. Ty Montgomery - Green Bay Packers - Ty Montgomery is the wild card here. After battling through injuries last season, two Packers’ rookie runners, Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones stepped up in the backfield. I was super high on Montgomery entering last season so you know I’m going to be looking at him in the later rounds. Value is the name of the game in fantasy and Montgomery fits the bill with his dual threat nature in a Aaron Rodgers led offense. The injury concern and the crowded backfield will drop Montgomery’s fantasy value but don’t sleep. |
| 49. Corey Clement - Philadelphia Eagles | |
| 50. James White - New England Patriots |
