Everyone knows the battle for the top spot in fantasy football is truly between Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson. Unless you’re in a two-quarterback league that is front-loaded with passing stats, this is the case in every league. If you have a first or second pick, you must take one of these guys.
However, working on the running back position (or all positions), the ranking after the top two appears to be relatively fair game. You could pitch an argument for several other running backs as the third overall fantasy option, or an elite quarterback.
Read on for NFL Soup’s 2010 Fantasy Football Rankings at the running back position:
1. Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans)
Ignore CJ’s contract issue. It’s just a minor distraction that will keep you from realizing a blatant fact: this guy is the best running back in football. A quick look at the Tennessee roster tells you he’s their only true offensive threat, and that in one way or another, he’s a lock for 350+ touches yet again in 2010.
He may not achieve his lofty goal of 2,500 yards, but he sure will have you smiling if you take him with one of the top two picks in your fantasy draft.
2. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings)
Peterson fumbles the ball. We get it. But few running backs touch his size, speed, and power. Not to mention, his attractiveness to fantasy football owners across the globe. The guy has done nothing but run for 1,300+ yards and 10+ touchdowns in all three seasons he’s been in the league.
Add his growth as a receiver and the likelihood that he’ll be used even more on third downs with Chester Taylor now in Chicago, and you’ve got your second best fantasy option at the running back position.
3. Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars)
People feared for MJD’s tiny body and were concerned that the exit of Fred Taylor and an increased workload would have him crumbling to the ground. Well, 1,700+ total yards and 16 total touchdowns later, and quite a few so-called fantasy experts have eaten and fully digested their words.
The Jaguars offense may not be sexy, but MJD sure is. He’s our third-ranked back, and it’s without question.
4. Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens)
Rice is another small fry like MJD, but he packs a mean punch in the ground game. Not only that, but he’s a sensational receiver, and packages his speed, vision, and explosiveness into a bubbly ball of awesomeness. Rice has recently voiced his displeasure with the still constant doubting, and he’s poised to put up even better numbers in 2010.
Folks, Rice isn’t playing games. The addition of Anquan Boldin and growth of Joe Flacco guarantee it.
5. Frank Gore (San Francisco 49ers)
Mike Singletary made some remarks about getting Gore some help this off-season, but with just a little over a month separating us from the season, we’re still looking at Glenn Coffee and rookie back Anthony Dixon as Gore’s main competition for carries.
Don’t count on Gore’s role dropping too much. He may struggle to stay healthy for 16 games (like usual), but another 1,000-yard season and a flirt with 10 scores is a near-lock.
6. Steven Jackson (St. Louis Rams)
Steven Jackson’s back has to be absolutely shredded after carrying the entire St. Louis offense on his shoulders in 2009. With the addition of a rookie signal caller and the fact that the Rams still stink, don’t expect that mountainous fantasy role to change. S-Jax put up over 1,700 total yards on a terrible club last year, and despite his lack of scores (four), we still have undying love for him again in 2010. Pass on him at your own peril.
7. Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons)
Turner “The Burner” sure felt the weight of his workload in 2008, and couldn’t help but break down in the 2009 season. Then again, half of Atlanta’s defense and Matt Ryan struggled to stay healthy last year, so we won’t hold it against the man with the thunder thighs. Turner is healthy again and is still running behind a stout offensive line and on a team that still plans on running more than they pass. Don’t leave Turner out for long.
8. Rashard Mendenhall (Pittsburgh Steelers)
After Gore, it’s really anyone’s guess who takes the next spot in these rankings. You could make a case for a number of guys, but we’re pretty much in love with Mendy’s abilities and role to start the 2010 season. He’s already proven he can handle a full load with his 1,100+ yards and eight scores in 2009.
With Ben Roethlisberger out for the first 4-6 weeks, Mendy will be called upon early and often to keep the Steelers’ ship from sinking.
9. DeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers)
DeAngelo Williams is still sharing the load in Carolina, but last time we checked, it’s a pretty even split, and the Panthers aren’t a pass-happy offense. With either Matt Moore or Jimmy Clausen behind center in 2010, it’s a flat-out certainty that Carolina won’t stray from it’s ground pounding philosophy. Despite sharing the rock, Williams still has better value than Stewart, as he has better big-play ability, and is more of an asset on passing downs.
10. Shonn Greene (New York Jets)
Out goes Thomas Jones, and in comes LaDainian Tomlinson. Do you see what just happened here? The Jets got rid of a veteran back who wasn’t going to take demotion nicely, and brought in a touchdown vulture who barely has life in his NFL body. If you saw how Greene performer near the end of the season last year, you already know that he’s a top-10 fantasy back for 2010. And there’s nothing LT can do to stop it.
11. Cedric Benson (Cincinnati Bengals)
Benson has been in the news for all the wrong reasons (ring a bell?) this off-season, and it’s starting to make us wonder if his unbelievable 2009 rise to dominance was a fluke. That may very well be the case, but we still can’t forget about his powerful running and the fact that Cincinnati is now enamored with the ground game. That, and we’re just not ready to believe Carson Palmer and co. are ready to air it out on an elite level.
12. Ryan Grant (Green Bay Packers)
Ryan Grant took over your fantasy world in 2007, made a fool out of you in 2008, and made a jackass out of you for passing on him in your fantasy draft in 2009. The real question is, which version will show up in 2010? We’re not sure that matters anymore. Grant is the best back on his team (by far), and is a solid receiver, meaning he’ll continue to get the majority of the touches in Green Bay.
13. Ryan Mathews (San Diego Chargers)
Congratulations, Ryan Mathews, you are the highest ranked rookie running back. Mathews is a more complete back than Darren Sproles, and he’s shiftier and more fresh than LaDainian Tomlinson was. That doesn’t mean he’ll step right in and rush for 1,500 yards and 15+ touchdowns. No, but it does mean he’ll tote the majority of the carries. In a potent Chargers offense, that type of role means you have elite value.
14. Knowshon Moreno (Denver Broncos)
Moreno flew a bit under the radar in 2009 due to a failure to crack 1,000 yards, and because most of the attention in Denver surrounded Brandon Marshall, Jay Cutler, and/or Josh McDaniels. That’s all about to change. With Marshall gone, Denver will be forced to get more creative on offense, which means an increase in overall involvement for the versatile Moreno.
15. Jonathan Stewart (Carolina Panthers)
Stewart still technically plays second-fiddle to DeAngelo Williams in Carolina, but what many people don’t know, is that he actually ended 2009 with more rushing yards (1,133 to 1,117) than his ground-pounding counterpart. He holds solid RB2 value as his role stands, but if Williams were to ever go down, his fantasy value would shoot through the roof.
16. Ronnie Brown (Miami Dolphins)
Brown is a master-mind in the Wildcat, and despite sharing the load yet again, we love his fantasy potential for 2010. That is, of course, if he can get and remain healthy for more than nine games. Health is a major issue for Brown, but there’s never been any denying of his talent. If he can stay on the field, he’ll be worth a mid-round selection in your fantasy draft.
17. Matt Forte (Chicago Bears)
Matt Forte’s value could easily drop (see why), but we’re still holding out hope for his 2008 form to come back to life, and we’re also not completely opposed to the notion that Mike Martz can make him an elite performer. He has great hands and vision, so as long as he handles the rock more than newly acquired Chester Taylor, he holds solid value.
18. Ricky Williams (Miami Dolphins)
Williams is 33 and still sharing the ball with Ronnie Brown, but we can’t help but rank him higher than his teammate. Why? Well, we know his age is approaching Brett Favre-land for a running back, but people have to think about all the years and carries Williams missed out on when he was away from football, and when he wasn’t a featured back.
He has some miles left, and after a highly productive 2009 season, we’d easily snag him before we take yet another chance on the injury-riddled Brown.
19. Jahvid Best (Detroit Lions)
Best could be in line for a major role in his first season, although it’s fairly arguable that he doesn’t have the size or durability needed to hold up under a feature back’s workload. Throw in the possibility of a healthy Kevin Smith vulturing touchdowns and some short-yardage work, and Best’s potential could be more limited than many imagine.
20. Pierre Thomas (New Orleans Saints)
Thomas is a quality back in an offense that doesn’t really fully use his abilities. However, he no longer has Mike Bell around to steal carries, and should only be splitting touches with Reggie Bush. That could actually present a problem eventually, but Thomas is still the better inside, short-yardage, and goal-line runner. And when you play for the Saints, all of that is good enough to earn you a top-20 ranking.
21. Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts)
Addai isn’t your typical fantasy back, as he’s not necessarily the most productive runner in terms of rushing yards, and his studly fantasy performances are so very quiet. That, and he’s in a pass-happy offense with a second-year running back who is surely going to compete for more touches. Even so, people doubt Addai every year, and every year he racks up solid total yardage and scores touchdowns. Donald Brown’s shiftiness and speed is enticing, yes, but do you really want to continue betting against Addai?
22. Jamaal Charles (Kansas City Chiefs)
We saw first-hand what a golden opportunity looks like, as Jamaal Charles stepped up and ran for 1,120 yards and seven touchdowns in 2009, the majority of which came in the final eight weeks. His 259-yard season-ending performance against the Denver Broncos aside, Charles has the speed and versatility to kill. Thomas Jones hurts his ceiling, but he undoubtedly has untapped fantasy potential and should be a good value pick in the middle of your draft.
23. Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals)
Kurt Warner is out, and Matt Leinart is in. Need we say more? Wells was already slowly prying the starting job out of Tim Hightower’s grasp in 2009, and now with a more balanced offense needed for AZ to compete, you can bank on him nailing it down in 2010. Hightower is still the better receiver, but Wells has the better fantasy value.
24. C.J. Spiller (Buffalo Bills)
Many people had doubts about Spiller’s rookie season value, as well as his ability to handle full-time duties, but we like what we’ve seen. Yes, it’s only pre-season, but pair the injuries to Fred Jackson and Marshwn Lynch along with Spiller’s solid pre-season performance, and he could be looking at the Bills’ starting tailback job in Week One. And if he starts the season behind center, we get the feeling he’ll never let go of that gig.
25. Jerome Harrison (Cleveland Browns)
We see everyone and their mother selling Harrison as a legit fantasy sleeper, but we just can’t muster the coin to buy it. Harrison is a versatile back with good speed, but there’s still an inkling in us that doesn’t believe he’s a feature back. That, and he’s got plenty of competition to worry about in rookie Montario Hardesty, Chris Jennings, James Davis, and Peyton Hillis.
26. Brandon Jacobs (New York Giants)
Jacobs played hurt behind an inconsistent Giants offensive line in 2009, and he still topped 800 rushing yards and scored five times on the ground. Not impressive, but understandable. Jacobs claims to be fully healthy for 2010, and while he’ll still share the load with the shifty Ahmad Bradshaw, we’re thinking “bounce-back” for Jacobs as a productive RB2.
27. Marion Barber (Dallas Cowboys)
There have been birds chirping about Felix Jones taking over as the full-time starter, but we’re not buying it until we see it. Jones is fast and flashy, but when it comes to the goal-line and the dirty work, few do it better than Barber. True, he was banged up for most of 2009, but if he’s healthy again (as he’s expected to be) he should easily flirt with 1,000 yards and 10 total scores.
28. LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles)
McCoy was brought in to be the next Brian Westbrook, and with Westbrook shopping himself to other franchises, it’s looking like 2010 is his time to shine. Of course, that’s if he’s even half of what Westbrook was. Philly is a pass-heavy team with a young signal caller, however, so there’s a good chance McCoy gets some decent run as the team eases Kevin Kolb in as the starter. We don’t love him as a RB1, but we’ll buy him as a cheap RB2.
29. Arian Foster (Houston Texans)
We already were starting to warm up to the idea of drafting Foster in the mid-to-late rounds as a solid RB2, but with rookie Ben Tate and Steve Slaton hovering around, we were still a bit weary.
With Tate gone on IR and Slaton still fumbling (see pre-season goal-line fumble), we like Foster to hold onto the starting gig and serve as a quality RB2 in fantasy football to start the season.
30. Thomas Jones (Kansas City Chiefs)
Jones is coming off of arguably his best season as a pro, but is nearing grandfather time in running back-land. His move to KC likely means he’ll be relegated to short-yardage and goal-line duties, although that doesn’t necessarily cripple his value. Jones is most effective from five yards (and less) out, and can also be used on third downs as a receiver. Taking a dip in carries might hurt his pride, but he should still hold quality fantasy value.
31. Carnell “Cadillac” Williams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Williams should once again return as the lead back, but it’s important to note his injury history and the talent on his team’s roster. The role is there, but his body has taken a beating, and his supporting cast leaves a lot to be desired. Regardless, we view a refreshed and healthy Cadillac as a quality sleeper for 2010.
32. Fred Jackson (Buffalo Bills)
Update: Hand and ankle injuries have Jackson dropping and Spiller ascending.
Marshawn Lynch is either on his way to full demotion, or he’s got 1.5 feet out the door in Buffalo. That means the productive Jackson will be mostly competing with rookie C.J. Spiller for touches in Buffalo’s offense. And considering Spiller isn’t exactly a feature back, we like Jackson’s chances at ending the season with the bigger role.
33. Felix Jones (Dallas Cowboys)
Jones won’t start the season as the lead back, and there’s a good chance he won’t end it that way, either. But that doesn’t mean his role won’t increase from 2009. He has way too much speed and game-breaking ability to not be used more in 2010. He should be an ideal Flex play, and could even post quality RB2 numbers if his role is as desired.
34. Darren Sproles (San Diego Chargers)
Sproles won’t be taking over for the departed LaDainian Tomlinson, but it’s unlikely that he’ll be relegated to the bench, either. He’ll be used in the passing game and to spell rookie Ryan Mathews, keeping his value high as a solid Flex play. His value rises in leagues that award return yards and scores, as well.
35. Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints)
Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you. Fool me three times, shame on Reggie Bush. Bush is still an out-of-this-world talent. The only problem? We’re still not sure what the best way to use him is. He’s not a good inside runner, so it’s unlikely he’ll make a consistent enough impact as a runner. However, if he is used more in the passing games (closer to his second season), his value could climb quickly. We know how much potential he is, we’re just scared that potential is all he’s living on as a fantasy player.
36. Clinton Portis (Washington Redskins)
We actually love Portis for 2010. If you can get him in round eight or later. He’s still the starter on a Mike Shanahan-led offense that is sure to as least try to wow NFL fans, so you can’t disregard him completely. We also like the odds of Donovan McNabb helping to take the focus off the ground game. The only question is, can Portis hold up with another big load?
37. Darren McFadden (Oakland Raiders)
This marks the third season that McFadden enters the fantasy football season as a sleeper candidate, although his status on a weak Raiders offense could once again cripple his fantasy value. We all know he has the athleticism and play-making ability to be a fantasy stud, but something is missing. A horrible offensive line and a lethargic passing attack surely don’t help matters.
38. Ahmad Bradshaw (New York Giants)
Bradshaw will continue splitting carries with Brandon Jacobs, which actually gives him a potentially huge value boost, as he has better speed and play-making ability than his teammate. However, Bradshaw battled durability woes in 2009, so he’ll have to stay healthy and make the most of his back-up role to provide consistent fantasy value.
39. LaDainian Tomlinson (New York Jets)
Tomlinson is likely running on empty, which could translate into an extremely reduced role compared to what he’s used to. LT is certainly not in danger of rushing for 1,000+ yards, and likely won’t even come close. However, he’s always been a stud when his offense is in the red-zone, so it’s not a horrible bet to assume he’ll notch close to 10 scores in 2010.
40. Steve Slaton (Houston Texans)
See: Arian Foster
But really, Slaton still holds value in a very explosive offense, and should be the guy on third downs and in passing situations. There’s still an outside chance at 1,000 total yards and 8-10 total scores.
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