2012 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings: Week 2

Author:
Athlon Sports
Publish date:
Sep 13, 2012

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.

Even though both were questionable headed into their teams' respective owners, Adrian Peterson and Maurice Jones-Drew got enough carries in Week 1 to be relevant for those owners who decided to stick with them. This week there's no uncertainty about whether you should start either, although Jones-Drew appears to be in for a tougher time as he will face off against Houston, while Peterson will get his crack at Indianapolis. The marquee running back showcase is in Philadelphia as Ray Rice and LeSean McCoy will be on the same field and have tough assignments against the respective defenses. Darren McFadden caught 13 passes on Monday night, but his owners are hoping for considerably more than the 32 yards rushing he had against the Chargers as the Raiders go cross-country to play the Dolphins. All eyes also will be on Chris Johnson to see if he can bounce back against San Diego from a miserable four-yard effort on the grond in Week 1, while C.J. Spiller looks to prove to everyone he is ready to be a No. 1 option following his 169 yards against the Jets and with Fred Jackson sidelined for at least a month. Spiller will get his chance against a Kansas City defense that gave up 40 points to the Falcons in Week 1, although most of that damage came via the pass.

2012 NFL Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings — Running Backs


Rk	Player	Team	OPPONENT
1	Arian Foster	HOU	at JAC
2	Ray Rice	BAL	at PHI
3	LeSean McCoy	PHI	vs. BAL
4	Matt Forte	CHI	at GB (Thurs.)
5	Darren McFadden	OAK	at MIA
6	Jamaal Charles	KC	at BUF
7	DeMarco Murray	DAL	at SEA
8	Adrian Peterson	MIN	at IND
9	Maurice Jones-Drew	JAC	vs. HOU
10	Chris Johnson	TEN	at SD
11	Marshawn Lynch	SEA	vs. DAL
12	Frank Gore	SF	vs. DET
13	Steven Jackson	STL	vs. WAS
14	C.J. Spiller	BUF	vs. KC
15	Reggie Bush	MIA	vs. OAK
16	Stevan Ridley	NE	vs. ARI
17	Ahmad Bradshaw	NYG	vs. TB
18	Doug Martin	TB	at NYG
19	Willis McGahee	DEN	at ATL (Mon.)
20	Shonn Greene	NYJ	at PIT
21	Michael Turner	ATL	vs. DEN (Mon.)
22	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	CIN	vs. CLE
23	Darren Sproles	NO	at CAR
24	Trent Richardson	CLE	at CIN
25	Donald Brown	IND	vs. MIN
26	Alfred Morris	WAS	at STL
27	Kevin Smith	DET	at SF
28	Jonathan Dwyer	PIT	vs. NYJ
29	DeAngelo Williams	CAR	vs. NO
30	Mark Ingram	NO	at CAR
31	Beanie Wells	ARI	at NE
32	Michael Bush	CHI	at GB (Thurs.)
33	Cedric Benson	GB	vs. CHI (Thurs.)
34	Jonathan Stewart	CAR	vs. NO
35	Ben Tate	HOU	at JAC
36	Ryan Williams	ARI	at NE
37	Ronnie Brown	SD	vs. TEN
38	Kendall Hunter	SF	vs. DET
39	Peyton Hillis	KC	at BUF
40	Jacquizz Rodgers	ATL	vs. DEN (Mon.)
41	Toby Gerhart	MIN	at IND
42	Curtis Brinkley	SD	vs. TEN
43	Isaac Redman	PIT	vs. NYJ
44	Pierre Thomas	NO	at CAR
45	Felix Jones	DAL	at SEA
46	Knowshon Moreno	DEN	at ATL (Mon.)
47	David Wilson	NYG	vs. TB
48	Brandon Jackson	CLE	at CIN