2012 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings: Week 1
It's been seven long months, but fantasy football and our fantasy football positional rankings are back!
Each week during the NFL season, we will rank enough players at each position to appease everyone from those in 8-team leagues to 16-team leagues, those that can start two QBs, two TEs, three RBs and four WRs. We cut out the rest, because if you're looking at who the 50th-best running back or the 17th-best kicker is for that week, you need more help than any Web site can give you.
Arian Foster, LeSean McCoy and Ray Rice were among the top four running backs in fantasy points in last season and all three should pick up where they left off in Week 1.
The other member of this quartet, Maurice Jones-Drew, is nowhere near a must-start even with a seemingly favorable match up in Minnesota. The NFL's leading rusher last season, MJD held out the entire preseason because of a contract dispute resulting in new Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey declaring Rashad Jennings the Week 1 starter. Because of the time missed and his late arrival to Jaguars' camp, there's no guarantee MJD will even get on the field on Sunday.
Plenty of people will be watching the Vikings' sideline as well as Adrian Peterson could make his return from the torn ACL he suffered late last season, or he could watch teammate Toby Gerhart get all the carries. The team has said it won't make a decision on the All-Pro's status until game time on Sunday. Other injury returns to keep an eye on in Week 1 include Matt Forte (sprained MCL), Jamaal Charles (ACL), Fred Jackson, and rookie Trent Richardson (knee surgery) who may or may not make his NFL debut against Philadelphia.
2012 NFL Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings — Running Backs
Rk | Player | Team | OPPONENT |
1 | Arian Foster | HOU | vs. MIA |
2 | LeSean McCoy | PHI | at CLE |
3 | Matt Forte | CHI | vs. IND |
4 | Ray Rice | BAL | vs. CIN (Mon.) |
5 | Darren McFadden | OAK | vs. SD (Mon.) |
6 | Chris Johnson | TEN | vs. NE |
7 | Marshawn Lynch | SEA | at ARI |
8 | Jamaal Charles | KC | vs. ATL |
9 | DeMarco Murray | DAL | at NYG (Wed.) |
10 | Steven Jackson | STL | at DET |
11 | Ahmad Bradshaw | NYG | vs. DAL (Wed.) |
12 | Michael Turner | ATL | at KC |
13 | Fred Jackson | BUF | at NYJ |
14 | Darren Sproles | NO | vs. WAS |
15 | Doug Martin | TB | vs. CAR |
16 | Frank Gore | SF | at GB |
17 | DeAngelo Williams | CAR | at TB |
18 | Reggie Bush | MIA | at HOU |
19 | Trent Richardson | CLE | vs. PHI |
20 | Toby Gerhart | MIN | vs. JAC |
21 | Stevan Ridley | NE | at TEN |
22 | Kevin Smith | DET | vs. STL |
23 | Rashad Jennings | JAC | at MIN |
24 | BenJarvus Green-Ellis | CIN | at BAL (Mon.) |
25 | Shonn Greene | NYJ | vs. BUF |
26 | Willis McGahee | DEN | vs. PIT |
27 | Donald Brown | IND | at CHI |
28 | Peyton Hillis | KC | vs. ATL |
29 | Ronnie Brown | SD | at OAK (Mon.) |
30 | Cedric Benson | GB | vs. SF |
31 | Isaac Redman | PIT | at DEN |
32 | Beanie Wells | ARI | vs. SEA |
33 | Michael Bush | CHI | vs. IND |
34 | Maurice Jones-Drew | JAC | at MIN |
35 | Ben Tate | HOU | vs. MIA |
36 | C.J. Spiller | BUF | at NYJ |
37 | Mark Ingram | NO | vs. WAS |
38 | Jonathan Stewart | CAR | at TB |
39 | Evan Royster | WAS | at NO |
40 | David Wilson | NYG | vs. DAL (Wed.) |
41 | Jonathan Dwyer | PIT | at DEN |
42 | Adrian Peterson | MIN | vs. JAC |
43 | Pierre Thomas | NO | vs. WAS |
44 | Robert Turbin | SEA | at ARI |
45 | Ryan Williams | ARI | vs. SEA |
46 | Montario Hardesty | CLE | vs. PHI |
47 | Jacquizz Rodgers | ATL | at KC |
48 | Roy Helu | WAS | at NO |
Rankings are based upon Athlon Sports' standard scoring system:
OFFENSIVE SCORING
All touchdowns are 6 points
1 point for 25 yards passing
1 point for 10 yards rushing/receiving
Receptions are .5 points
Interceptions/fumbles are minus-2 points
Additional Week 1 Positional Rankings
Quarterbacks
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
Kickers
Defense/Special Teams
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