Below you will find our Week 2 running back rankings, to help determine your RB starts/sits for this week, brought to you by Edward Gorelik (@EdwardGorelik) and Zach Wilkens (@LopsidedTrades).
Lead fantasy football editor Edward Gorelik also highlights some RB rankings and matchups analysis for Week 2, 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 2.
You can also check out our 2015 fantasy football ranking dashboard, for more in depth rankings analysis on all positions including rookies and dynasty leagues.
Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings - Running Backs
RotoBaller Staff Ranks |
Player Name (Team - Position) |
Zach Wilkens Rankings |
Ed Gorelik Rankings |
1 | Matt Forte CHI vs. ARI | 1 | 1 |
2 | Marshawn Lynch SEA at GB | 4 | 2 |
3 | DeMarco Murray PHI vs. DAL | 2 | 5 |
4 | Jeremy Hill CIN vs. SD | 8 | 3 |
5 | Carlos Hyde SF at PIT | 3 | 8 |
6 | Adrian Peterson MIN vs. DET | 10 | 4 |
7 | Jamaal Charles KC vs. DEN | 7 | 7 |
8 | Mark Ingram NO vs. TB | 5 | 10 |
9 | Justin Forsett BAL at OAK | 9 | 6 |
10 | Eddie Lacy GB vs. SEA | 6 | 9 |
11 | Lamar Miller MIA at JAC | 13 | 11 |
12 | Ameer Abdullah DET at MIN | 12 | 13 |
13 | LeSean McCoy BUF vs. NE | 11 | 15 |
14 | Christopher Ivory NYJ at IND | 14 | 12 |
15 | Jonathan Stewart CAR vs. HOU | 15 | 14 |
16 | Doug Martin TB at NO | 24 | 16 |
17 | Tevin Coleman ATL at NYG | 17 | 23 |
18 | Frank Gore IND vs. NYJ | 22 | 19 |
19 | Latavius Murray OAK vs. BAL | 20 | 24 |
20 | Danny Woodhead SD at CIN | 27 | 18 |
21 | DeAngelo Williams PIT vs. SF | 23 | 22 |
22 | Joseph Randle DAL at PHI | 21 | 25 |
23 | C.J. Anderson DEN at KC | 25 | 21 |
24 | Giovani Bernard CIN vs. SD | 18 | 31 |
25 | Dion Lewis NE at BUF | 35 | 17 |
26 | Bishop Sankey TEN at CLE | 32 | 20 |
27 | Shane Vereen NYG vs. ATL | 19 | 34 |
28 | Rashad Jennings NYG vs. ATL | 28 | 26 |
29 | Alfred Morris WAS vs. STL | 26 | 28 |
30 | C.J. Spiller NO vs. TB | 16 | 43 |
31 | Melvin Gordon SD at CIN | 31 | 30 |
32 | T.J. Yeldon JAC vs. MIA | 29 | 36 |
33 | Chris Johnson ARI at CHI | 39 | 27 |
34 | Isaiah Crowell CLE vs. TEN | 34 | 35 |
35 | Benny Cunningham STL at WAS | 37 | 33 |
36 | Darren Sproles PHI vs. DAL | 43 | 29 |
37 | LeGarrette Blount NE at BUF | 41 | 32 |
38 | Joique Bell DET at MIN | 36 | 39 |
39 | Lance Dunbar DAL at PHI | 33 | 44 |
40 | Tre Mason STL at WAS | 30 | 49 |
41 | Ryan Mathews PHI vs. DAL | 42 | 40 |
42 | Alfred Blue HOU at CAR | 40 | 42 |
43 | Duke Johnson CLE vs. TEN | 45 | 38 |
44 | David Johnson ARI at CHI | 47 | 37 |
45 | Ronnie Hillman DEN at KC | 38 | 46 |
46 | Devonta Freeman ATL at NYG | 44 | 45 |
47 | Khiry Robinson NO vs. TB | 62 | 41 |
48 | Jonathan Grimes HOU at CAR | 46 | 56 |
49 | Reggie Bush SF at PIT | 47 | |
50 | Fred Jackson SEA at GB | 48 | 64 |
51 | Matt Jones WAS vs. STL | 58 | 48 |
52 | Andre Williams NYG vs. ATL | 49 | 58 |
53 | Roy Helu OAK vs. BAL | 50 | 67 |
54 | Bilal Powell NYJ at IND | 56 | 50 |
55 | Darren McFadden DAL at PHI | 54 | 51 |
56 | Denard Robinson JAC vs. MIA | 51 | 53 |
57 | Karlos Williams BUF vs. NE | 55 | 52 |
58 | Charles Sims TB at NO | 52 | 54 |
59 | Damien Williams MIA at JAC | 53 | 71 |
60 | Theo Riddick DET at MIN | 55 | |
61 | Jerick McKinnon MIN vs. DET | 57 | 60 |
62 | James White NE at BUF | 57 | |
63 | Marcel Reece OAK vs. BAL | 59 | 62 |
64 | Terrance West TEN at CLE | 60 | 59 |
65 | Josh Robinson IND vs. NYJ | 61 | 72 |
66 | Javorius Allen BAL at OAK | 68 | 61 |
67 | Knile Davis KC vs. DEN | 63 | 63 |
68 | Chris Polk HOU at CAR | 64 | 66 |
69 | Toby Gerhart JAC vs. MIA | 65 | |
70 | Anthony Dixon BUF vs. NE | 65 | |
71 | James Starks GB vs. SEA | 66 | |
72 | Chris Thompson WAS vs. STL | 67 | |
73 | Brandon Bolden NE at BUF | 68 | |
74 | Dri Archer PIT vs. SF | 69 | |
75 | Jarryd Hayne SF at PIT | 69 | |
76 | Bobby Rainey TB at NO | 70 | |
77 | Will Johnson PIT vs. SF | 70 | |
78 | Cameron Artis-Payne CAR vs. HOU | 73 | |
79 | Lorenzo Taliaferro BAL at OAK | 74 |
Week 2 Quick Hit Running Back (RB) Rankings Analysis
By Edward Gorelik (@EdwardGorelik)
Jamaal Charles is another player that's hard to feel this week. On short rest, the Chiefs are lucky to at least be playing at home against the Broncos' talented front seven.
This is a team whose front has the ability to match up with running backs in the passing game, and completely close out rushing lanes, as it did against the Ravens. Charles is going to be hoping for a high volume of passes if he wants to find value in this game, because otherwise that 3.5 YPC average he had against the Texans is likely going to find itself falling even lower this week.
Speaking of front sevens that close running lanes, the Broncos found out last week that the Ravens front wasn't kidding around either. No one was able to find room to run in that game, and this week the Raiders (with an injured Derek Carr) are going to see the Ravens at home.
Latavius Murray was featured last week as the true three-down back on the roster, still finding value in a game where the Raiders were unable to do anything, but Murray is going to have to pull off some real magic in order to create value for himself in this one.
With either an injured signal caller or a backup, Murray will become the focal point of the offense against a very tough defense with little support.
On the flip side, Duke Johnson and Isaiah Crowell are getting boosts from irrelevance to potential relevance this week. I can't buy the idea that the Titans have suddenly turned their bottom-eight offense into a top-eight one so quickly, but even if they have gotten better they shouldn't be good enough to take advantage of an offensive line like the Browns.
Both running backs are still far outside the top 24, and are more FLEX options than actual starters, because of the Browns offense that's likely to stutter. But the matchup is in their favor for some relevance this week.
NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room
[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]
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.