X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

2017 PPR Rankings Analysis - Running Backs

As the start of NFL training camps quickly approaches, we take a position-by-position look at the RotoBaller PPR player rankings to help prepare you for draft day.

With the recent surge of the running back by committee approach in the NFL, looking at stats like total offensive touches and trends like snaps taken has become increasingly important when it comes to running backs. Teams are changing the way that they use traditional running backs, and we need to adapt to that as fantasy owners as well. This means more Danny Woodhead pass-catching types, and less traditional "bell cow" types. But despite the evolution of the position, it still produced last year's top overall fantasy contributor (David Johnson) and the three highest scoring non-QBs (Johnson, Ezekiel Elliott, and Le'veon Bell) in PPR leagues.

Speaking of the aforementioned, let's take a look at the top twelve PPR RBs heading into NFL training camps.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:

 

2017 PPR Rankings: Running Backs

1. David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals

No surprise here, but last year's top point scorer in PPR leagues also led the NFL in total offensive touches with 373. There have been reports that Bruce Arians would like to increase Johnson's workload to nearly 30 touches per game, but even a mere repeat from 2016 would more than do the job to make him worthy of a top overall pick this year. DJ is just getting started at 25 years old and there's no real reason to believe that the Cardinals aren't going to get him as many touches as possible in 2017. The scariest thing about Johnson's potential is that there's actual room for improvement too, as he only caught two-thirds of the balls thrown his way last year. He's the safest pick at #1 overall in virtually all formats.

2. Le'veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers

The only other RB to finish in the top 50 in receptions, the most impressive thing about Bell's 2016 campaign was that he managed to put up such a monster season with just twelve games played (suspended for the first three and a healthy scratch for the regular season finale). Still though, he managed to finish near the top in just about every offensive category possible, including third overall in yards from scrimmage, fourth in touches, and second in rushing yards per game. Bell is bit more of an injury concern than Johnson, but his consistency and heavy usage in Pittsburgh should make you feel safe to pull the trigger. If you aren't drafting him first overall, take him at #2.

3. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

The #4 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft became the first rookie to lead the league in rushing since the great Eric Dickerson in 1983, and he handsomely rewarded fantasy owners in the process. The Cowboys rode Zeke (with the help of fellow rookie Dak Prescott) to the tune of 322 carries and 16 total TD, and he's a sure thing for another 300+ carries if he can stay healthy. Though he was efficient in the passing game, catching 80% of the passes thrown his way, the target volume just wasn't there in 2016 to put him ahead of Johnson or Bell. You'll be just fine if you nab him in the front half of the first round, but I don't recommend him any higher than third in PPR.

4. LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills

Talk about a resurgence. The eighth-year vet busted out an extremely consistent season and tallied 14 total TDs as the focal point of the Bills' offense in 2016. Although Rex Ryan is no longer in charge in Buffalo, expect the new coaching staff to keep the game plan revolved around Shady. There may be an uptick in passing plays called under new offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, but McCoy is likely to be one of the main benefactors as his fellow supporting cast is lackluster at best. He should be considered a high-floor, high-end RB1.

5. Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears

Though Ezekiel Elliott may have been the rookie that took the NFL by storm, Jordan Howard is the rookie that took the fantasy world by storm. Undrafted in most leagues heading into the 2016 season, he rewarded owners who scooped him up with the second most rushing yards in football and the sixth most yards from scrimmage with 1,611. His 5.2 yards per carry might seem high, but the Bears offensive line is undoubtedly their strongest unit, and one of the best in the league. Meanwhile, the team's QB situation is questionable at best, which should only add to Howard's workload. Howard's current ADP has him as the ninth RB off the board in PPR leagues, but his ceiling is much higher on a poor Chicago team.

6. DeMarco Murray, Tennessee Titans

Re-establishing himself as a workhorse back during his first year in Tennessee, Murray's 346 offensive touches were good enough for third best in the league. One of the best pass-catching backs in football, he has hauled in 50+ receptions in three of the last four seasons, including 53 last year alone. Though Murray is very likely to return RB1 value, he will probably see a slight decrease in workload for 2017 with added receiving weapons for Marcus Mariota and the continued integration of Derrick Henry into the offense.

7. Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons

Anybody that doubted Freeman's ability to put together quality back-to-back seasons as the featured back in Atlanta is biting their tongue right about now. Not only did the former Florida State Seminole total 1,000+ rushing yards and 11 rushing TDs for his second straight season, but he added 54 receptions to boot. The talent level is certainly there for Freeman, as is his pass-catching ability, but Tevin Coleman is a real threat to his workload. His touches dropped from 338 to 281 in just one year, and the split between the two backs will only get closer to 50/50. Freeman's dynamic and consistent play makes him a low-end RB1, but the presence of Coleman hinders his ceiling a bit.

8. Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers

Contrasting what Devonta Freeman may experience in Atlanta this year, Melvin Gordon is the clear-cut top backfield option for the newly-minted Los Angeles Chargers. Had it not been for a hip injury in Week 14, he would have easily eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in 2016, and neared the 50 reception mark as well. His 3.9 yards per carry isn't great, but that's not a surprise given the hard-nosed type of runner that he is. Viewed as a sexy bounce back candidate after not finding the end zone at all in his rookie year, the arrow is pointing up again on Gordon, who is a high-upside RB1 that could return top five value.

9. Jay Ajayi, Miami Dolphins

To say that Ajayi broke out in 2016 would be an understatement. After gaining 161 total yards through Week 5, he busted off two consecutive 200+ rushing yard performances in Weeks 6-7, becoming the fourth running back ever to accomplish that feat back-t0-back and putting a stranglehold on the RB job in Miami. From there on out, Ajayi averaged 21.6 touches per game, and cemented himself as a viable fantasy option. Inconsistency is a bit of a concern (even with PPR, he scored single digits points in half of the last eight regular season games), but on volume and opportunity alone, he should produce RB1 numbers over a full season.

10. Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

Hand up if you drafted Gurley with a first round pick last year (my hand is up). Coming off 2015 Rookie of the Year honors, Gurley finished last year as the 15th ranked PPR RB, sandwiched between Isaiah Crowell and Bilal Powell. Workload wasn't the issue as his touches increased by almost 30% from his rookie year, but his 3.2 yards per carry was the bulk of his problems. With a new head coach in LA and a (hopefully) improved offensive line, Gurley should return low-end RB1 value in 2017. His touches may slightly decrease, but his efficiency and YPC will only improve.

11. Lamar Miller, Houston Texans

Miller is the first example on this list of a back that was clearly overused in 2016. So much so in fact, that Texans head coach Bill O'Brien has openly talked about lessening his load a bit. That's probably a bad sign for potential fantasy owners as Miller finished last year as just the RB20 in PPR leagues, but Houston is not going to all of a sudden abandon their offensive game plan either. Chances are that Miller will score more than the 5 TDs he totaled last year, and he's likely to be more efficient in the process. Nonetheless, he's a borderline RB1 with a high floor.

12. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers

The intro of this article talks about more "Danny Woodhead types" in football, and that's exactly the skill set that McCaffrey brings to Carolina. That is, he is not your stereotypical running back that is going to ground and pound in the trenches, but he's going to be used all over the field in different situations. You'll likely see him this year as: a change-of-pace third down back, a passing option out of the backfield on early downs, a slot receiver, and the occasional early down ball carrier. The point is, McCaffrey's versatility should lend himself well to PPR leagues. That said, the Cam Newton-led offense is a power running attack that Jonathan Stewart fits well. If J Stew was to go down at any point during the season, McCaffrey would instantly become a legit RB1, but his ADP as RB15 in PPR leagues right now seems about right given Stewart's presence.

You can find the remainder of the full RotoBaller PPR player rankings HERE, which will be updated continuously throughout the preseason.


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.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jordan Clarkson4 hours ago

Out At Least A Week
Kyle Kuzma4 hours ago

Out Again On Saturday
Jamal Murray4 hours ago

Won't Return On Friday Night
Giannis Antetokounmpo4 hours ago

Anticipated To Play Versus Cleveland
Puka Nacua5 hours ago

Shot To Play Week 9
Jordan Love5 hours ago

Tracking To Play In Week 9
Stephen Curry8 hours ago

Unavailable Saturday
Yves Missi8 hours ago

Expected To Take The Court Friday
Karl-Anthony Towns8 hours ago

Available On Friday
Eric Comrie8 hours ago

Faces Blue Jackets Friday
Daniel Theis8 hours ago

Likely To Suit Up Friday
David Savard8 hours ago

Sits Out Practice For Maintenance Purposes
De'Anthony Melton9 hours ago

Unavailable Saturday
Jordan Hawkins9 hours ago

Expected To Play Friday
Alexander Romanov9 hours ago

Ready To Play Friday
Al Horford9 hours ago

Resting Against Charlotte
Evgeni Malkin9 hours ago

Takes Maintenance Day On Friday
Andrew Wiggins9 hours ago

Probable For Saturday's Matchup With Houston
Rose Namajunas9 hours ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
D'Angelo Russell9 hours ago

Will Suit Up Versus Toronto
Devon Levi9 hours ago

Returns To Sabres Crease
Clayton Kershaw9 hours ago

To Undergo Two Surgeries
Anthony Davis9 hours ago

Available Against Toronto
Erin Blanchfield9 hours ago

Returns At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Lowe9 hours ago

Rays Pick Up Club Option On Brandon Lowe
Ryan Hartman9 hours ago

Rejoins Wild Lineup Friday
Zach LaVine9 hours ago

Will Play Against Brooklyn
9 hours ago

Nick Martinez Headed To Free Agency
Erik Cernak9 hours ago

Available On Friday
Marc-Andre Barriault9 hours ago

Dustin Stoltzfus Set To Face Marc-Andre Barriault At UFC Edmonton
Brent Suter9 hours ago

Inks Extension With Cincinnati
Immanuel Quickley9 hours ago

Out Again On Friday Night
CJ McCollum9 hours ago

Out At Least Two Weeks
9 hours ago

Yankees, Mets Among Teams In Battle For Juan Soto
Anthony Black9 hours ago

Starting Versus Cleveland
Franz Wagner10 hours ago

Cleared For Friday Night
Herbert Jones10 hours ago

To Miss A Significant Amount Of Time With Shoulder Injury
Marc-Andre Barriault10 hours ago

A Favorite At UFC Edmonton
Blake Snell10 hours ago

Opts Out Of Deal With San Francisco
Desmond Bane10 hours ago

Won't Face The 76ers
Josh Jacobs10 hours ago

Questionable For Sunday
Drake Maye10 hours ago

Questionable For Week 9
Tyler Boyd11 hours ago

Tony Pollard, Tyler Boyd Listed As Questionable
Tyjae Spears11 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 9
Calvin Ridley11 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
Trevin Giles11 hours ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Noah Fant11 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 9
Brian Robinson Jr.11 hours ago

Questionable For Week 9
Mike Malott11 hours ago

Opens Up UFC Edmonton Main Card
Dallas Goedert11 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 9
DK Metcalf11 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 9
Zach Benson12 hours ago

Could Play Next Week
Jani Hakanpaa12 hours ago

And Connor Dewar Sent On Conditioning Stint
Dmitri Voronkov12 hours ago

Ready For Season Debut Friday
Jordan Love12 hours ago

Questionable Vs. Lions
Mathew Barzal12 hours ago

Getting Tests Done For Upper-Body Injury
Vladimir Tarasenko12 hours ago

Ready To Go For Saturday
Mark Stone12 hours ago

Misses Practice Due To Birth Of Child
Puka Nacua13 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Week 9
Will Levis13 hours ago

Questionable For Week 9
David Njoku14 hours ago

Good To Go For Week 9
Bucky Irving14 hours ago

Absent During Friday's Practice
David Njoku14 hours ago

Returns To Practice On Friday
Adam Thielen14 hours ago

Doubtful For Week 9
Jonathon Brooks14 hours ago

Not Expected To Play In Week 9
Tee Higgins14 hours ago

Listed As Doubtful For Sunday
Tyreek Hill14 hours ago

Expected To Play In Week 9
Tomás Nosek17 hours ago

Tomas Nosek Ready For Panthers Debut On Friday
Leon Draisaitl18 hours ago

Leads Oilers To Victory With Three-Point Effort
Martin Necas18 hours ago

Registers Four Points In Dominant Win
Alex Ovechkin18 hours ago

Bags Three Points In Thursday's Win
18 hours ago

Royals Decline Option On Adam Frazier
Sidney Crosby18 hours ago

Drags Penguins Back On Track
18 hours ago

Manuel Margot, Kyle Farmer Headed To Free Agency
William Nylander18 hours ago

Pots Two Goals Versus Seattle
18 hours ago

Milwaukee Declines Option On Wade Miley
NHL18 hours ago

Will Smith Scores First Career Goals
Lucas Giolito18 hours ago

Staying In Boston
Chris Stratton18 hours ago

Hunter Renfroe, Chris Stratton Returning To Kansas City
Jordan Montgomery19 hours ago

Staying In Arizona
1 day ago

Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn Headed For Free Agency
Roansy Contreras1 day ago

Claimed By Texas
1 day ago

Alex Kirilloff Announces Retirement
Jorge Soler1 day ago

Traded To Los Angeles
Curtis Lazar1 day ago

Out Indefinitely Following Knee Procedure
Brendson Ribeiro1 day ago

Searching For 1st UFC Win At UFC Edmonton
Caio Machado1 day ago

Drops Down To Light Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Jhonata Diniz1 day ago

Gets Big Step-Up At UFC Edmonton
Derrick Lewis1 day ago

Faces An Unranked Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Amir Albazi1 day ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Moreno1 day ago

Ends Layoff At UFC Edmonton
2 days ago

Daniel Hudson Retires After World Series Victory
Freddie Freeman2 days ago

Drives In Two More Runs, Earns World Series MVP Honors
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Comes Up Short at Homestead
William Byron4 days ago

Rallies to Sixth at Homestead
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Tire Issue at Homestead Could Doom Kyle Larson's Championship Hopes
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Charges To A Thrilling Victory At Homestead
Ryan Blaney4 days ago

Loses At Homestead On The Final Corner To Tyler Reddick
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Quietly Nabs A Top-5 Finish At Homestead
Khamzat Chimaev5 days ago

Remains Undefeated
Robert Whittaker5 days ago

Gets Submitted At UFC 308
Aleksandar Rakic5 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC 308
Armen Petrosyan5 days ago

Knocked Out At UFC 308
Shara Magomedov5 days ago

Gets Highlight-Reel Knockout Win At UFC 308
Joey Logano5 days ago

Intentionally Sleepwalked Through Homestead to Focus on Phoenix
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Advances to Championship 4 as Owner but Not as Driver
Dan Ige5 days ago

Loses Second-Straight Fight At UFC 308
Lerone Murphy5 days ago

Remains Undefeated At UFC 308
Magomed Ankalaev5 days ago

Wins Lackluster Decision Win At UFC 308
Max Holloway5 days ago

Gets Knocked Out For First Time At UFC 308
NASCAR6 days ago

Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Earns Best Qualifying Run in Over a Year at Homestead
Zane Smith6 days ago

Expect Zane Smith's Steady Consistency to Continue at Homestead
Ryan Preece6 days ago

Both Ryan Preece and Stewart-Haas Racing Seem Ill-Suited to Intermediates
Michael McDowell6 days ago

Couldn't Overcome Ford's Intermediate Speed Deficit in Homestead Qualifying
Joey Logano6 days ago

Team Likely to Ignore Homestead to Focus on Phoenix
Carson Hocevar6 days ago

Looks to Clinch Rookie of the Year Award
Daniel Hemric6 days ago

Qualifies Ninth for Best Start of the Year
Denny Hamlin6 days ago

Is Strong at Homestead, but Sometimes Struggles in the Clutch
Justin Haley6 days ago

Benefits in Qualifying From Spire Motorsports Speed
Austin Cindric6 days ago

Slowest Ford Regular in Homestead Qualifying
Chris Buescher6 days ago

Lacks Intermediate Track Consistency
Josh Berry6 days ago

Hopes to Stay Alive in Rookie Race at Homestead

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Jalen Hurts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Survivor Pool Picks: Week 9 Targets and Avoids (2024)

Welcome to our NFL Survivor Pool Picks for Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season! There are so many different pools, fantasy leagues, weekly bets, and futures bets that it's hard to decide what to do with these choices. But survivor pools are the oldest and simplest leagues out there. All you have to do […]


Chase Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

Week 9 DraftKings NFL DFS Picks - Main Slate (2024): Jalen Hurts, Chase Brown, Evan Engram, and more

After raiding my daughter's trick-or-treat bag leftovers, I'm battling a Halloween hangover. It's probably a similar feeling to what lots of DFS players were experiencing after last week's Main Slate, as injuries and muted outputs from several popular players were hallmarks of Week 8. That said, we're on to a Week 9 slate that features […]


Puka Nacua - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Fantasy Football Injury Reports For Week 9 (Friday Updates): Puka Nacua, DK Metcalf, Josh Jacobs, Jordan Love, more

We have now hit the halfway point of the NFL season, but over halfway for most fantasy football seasons. As has been the norm this season, there are plenty of injuries to top fantasy players at every position. Some remain out for the foreseeable future, some are potentially playing through injury, and some are returning […]


Jayden Daniels - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Pick'em Pool Picks (Week 9) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pick'em Contests (2024)

Just two teams will be on a bye during Week 9, leaving a busy slate across the NFL. Injuries will once again impact the slate, as well as some teams making changes at quarterback. Each week of the NFL season, I’ll share my picks for each game and rank their selections for those who play […]


RotoBaller NFL Betting Picks Stock

2024 NFL Week 9 Betting Picks (Premium Content)

All other Premium Tools and Content can be accessed on the premium dashboard. To see ALL of Jamie's bets (and others from RotoBaller experts) then head over to the RotoBaller Discord. You'll find every bet and prop in the #NFL-BETTING-PROPS channel there!   Background My name is Jamie Calandro (@jac3600 on X) and I have […]


AJ Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL DFS: FanDuel Daily Fantasy Football Picks for Week 9 - Top Lineup Plays Include Bijan Robinson, A.J. Brown, T.J. Hockenson

Like a backup quarterback patiently holding the clipboard with his hat on backward, I've been summoned into action to help give you some helpful NFL DFS advice for Week 9. My good friend Dennis Clausen, who usually pens this piece, asked me to help him out this week. Don't worry - Dennis is fine, other […]


Zay Flowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 9 Fantasy Football Busts? Players Who May Disappoint Include Josh Jacobs, Zay Flowers, Tank Bigsby, Rachaad White, Nick Chubb, Bucky Irving

Welcome to Week 9, the midway point of the 2024 fantasy football season. It's arrived quickly for most, but there's still plenty of season left! Injuries to wide receivers have left a sour taste in the mouths of fantasy managers, therefore propping up running backs. However, some running backs may have a rough week while […]


Michael Pittman Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

WR/CB Matchups to Upgrade and Downgrade - Fantasy Football Week 9 (2024)

Welcome back to our WR/CB Matchups for Week 9 of the 2024 fantasy football season. For those unfamiliar, this weekly series looks at fantasy football matchups for wide receivers versus the cornerbacks who are projected to cover them. The data we access for offensive and defensive players continues to skyrocket. Though we mainly focus on offensive […]


Bijan Robinson - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Week 9 Matchups Analysis

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to another start'em and sit'em piece as we look ahead to Week 9! With the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers on bye this week, fantasy managers will have to replace George Pickens, Najee Harris, Deebo Samuel Sr., and George Kittle in their lineups. This Week 9 matchups analysis and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em piece will help you make the right lineup decisions […]


Trey Hendrickson Cincinnati Bengals Defense - Fantasy Football DST Streamers, Rankings, Pickups

Top Fantasy Football D/ST Rankings (Weeks 9, 10, 11, 12) - Defense Streamers and Starts

Welcome, RotoBallers, to our fantasy football D/ST streamers and starts for Weeks 9, 10, 11, and 12 -- looking at the next four weeks and identifying the best D/ST matchups. If you like to stream defenses weeks in advance or are looking for a defense to pick up and play this week, you have come to […]


Video: Week 9 Must-Start Running Backs - 2024 Fantasy Football Streamers, Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Analysis

Week 9 of the NFL season is upon us! There are some interesting decisions at the RB position on this slate. Don't miss our notable fantasy football running back starts and sits for Week 9! RotoBaller's Matt Donnelly discusses his top "Must Start" running backs that will have a fantasy football impact in Week 9, […]


CeeDee Lamb - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS and Betting Picks, NFL Injury News

Wide Receiver Sleepers, Risers, Breakouts for Fantasy Football - Targets, Air Yards, Snaps Trends for Week 9 (2024)

Wide Receiver Sleepers, Risers, Fantasy Football Breakouts - Targets, Air Yards, Snaps Trends Analysis For Week 9 by Kevin Tompkins Targets are paramount when it comes to evaluating pass-catchers for fantasy football. There are no air yards, receiving yards, receptions, or touchdowns without first earning a target. There’s a reason the biggest and most consistent […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

The King's Week 9 Lineup Rankings and Analysis (Premium Content)

RotoBaller senior writer Scott "The King" Engel delivers his Week 9 fantasy football lineup rankings for PPR, half PPR, and standard scoring league formats. He also provides an analysis of the rankings at every skill position. Regular starting options are included to confirm that your must-start players have a good chance of posting winning fantasy […]