Fantasy Football 2013 Running Back Rankings: Week 8

Author:
Mark Ross
Oct 24, 2013 6:30 AM EDT

In this story:

Frank Gore is not No. 1 on Athlon Sports' fantasy football Week 8 running back rankings, but he is solidly in the top 10. Gore is fourth in the league in rushing with 547 yards and had two touchdowns last week against Tennessee. The 49ers are in London this week to face a Jacksonville team that is giving up more than 150 yards on the ground per game.

Jamaal Charles gets the nod for the top spot this week because not only is he the top fantasy scorer at his position, he has been remarkably consistent. Charles is averaging 128 total yards per game this season and has yet to post fewer than 100 in any one contest. He has four rushing touchdowns over his last three games, and while Cleveland is a top-10 rushing defense, Charles' versatility makes him hard to contain and pretty much a safe bet for 100+ total yards and between 15-20 fantasy points each week.

Marshawn Lynch also has been pretty reliable lately, averaging more than 20 fantasy points over his last four games. He gets the Monday night spotlight against a Rams team that was already struggling to score points and now is starting its backup quarterback (Kellen Clemens). Lynch could be in for another 20-point outing. Someone who could use a nice game is Adrian Peterson. The reigning MVP has just 90 yards rushing in his last two games combined, as the Vikings have started three different quarterbacks through six games. Peterson enjoyed a bunch of success last season against Green Bay, gaining 508 yards on the ground in three games, but the Packers are third in the league right now in rushing defense (79 ypg). Peterson will more than likely earn every yard he gets on Sunday.

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 website can give you.

2013 NFL Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings — Running Back
Teams on bye: Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Indianapolis, San Diego, Tennessee


Rk	Player	Team	OPP	Notes
1	Jamaal Charles	KC	vs. CLE	Can pretty much put him down for 100+ total yards.
2	Marshawn Lynch	SEA	at STL (Mon.)	Averaging 92 yards w/ 4 TDs over last 4 games.
3	LeSean McCoy	PHI	vs. NYG	Has gone over 100 yards rushing once in last 4 G.
4	Knowshon Moreno	DEN	vs. WAS	Redskins allowing second-most fantasy pts. to RBs.
5	Adrian Peterson	MIN	vs. GB	Rushed for 508 yards in 3 G vs. Packers last season.
6	Frank Gore	SF	vs. JAC (London)	Jaguars allowing 150+ yards rushing per game.
7	Reggie Bush	DET	vs. DAL	Cowboys have given up just 3 rushing TDs.
8	Eddie Lacy	GB	at MIN	Expect 20+ carries w/ WR/TE injuries.
9	Alfred Morris	WAS	at DEN	Still 'Skins' lead back, averaging 5.3 ypc.
10	Stevan Ridley	NE	vs. MIA	Reasserting himself as Patriots' lead back.
11	Le'Veon Bell	PIT	at OAK	Averaged nearly 5 yards per carry vs. Ravens.
12	Fred Jackson	BUF	at NO	Aggravated knee injury last week vs. Bengals.
13	Darren Sproles	NO	vs. BUF	Bills allowing 124 rushing ypg, but only 2 TDs.
14	Darren McFadden	OAK	vs. PIT	Hopefully bye week allowed hamstring to fully heal.
15	Giovani Bernard	CIN	vs. NYJ	More total touches (12) than BJGE (10) last week.
16	DeAngelo Williams	CAR	at TB (Thurs.)	Bucs ranked third in rushing defense.
17	Joseph Randle	DAL	at DET	Rushed for 65 yards in first career start last week.
18	Zac Stacy	STL	vs. SEA (Mon.)	Could be in line for even more carries post-Bradford.
19	Maurice Jones-Drew	JAC	vs. SF (London)	49ers have yet to allow a 100-yard rusher.
20	C.J. Spiller	BUF	at NO	Ankle an issue? Season-low 7 total yards vs. CIN.
21	Chris Ivory	NYJ	at CIN	Took over for Powell, finished with 34 att., 104 yds.
22	Lamar Miller	MIA	at NE	Saw only 9 carries compared to 12 for Thomas.
23	Mike James	TB	vs. CAR (Thurs.)	Set to make 1st career start in place of Martin (shoulder).
24	Jacquizz Rodgers	ATL	at ARI	Only 16 rushing yards, but 2 TD rec. vs. Bucs.
25	Pierre Thomas	NO	vs. BUF
26	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	CIN	vs. NYJ	Only useful in fantasy if he scores a TD.
27	Rashard Mendenhall	ARI	vs. ATL	Just 22 yards rushing last week, but he did score.
28	Andre Ellington	ARI	vs. ATL	Looking to bounce back after 5 touches vs. SEA.
29	Steven Jackson	ATL	at ARI	May finally be back in action this week.
30	Roy Helu	WAS	at DEN	Scored 3 rushing TDs on 11 carries last week.
31	Willis McGahee	CLE	at KC	Chiefs have given up just two rushing TDs.
32	Brandon Jacobs	NYG	at PHI	Did not play last week because of hamstring.
33	Bilal Powell	NYJ	at CIN	Got only 3 carries vs. NE, while Ivory had 34.
34	Joique Bell	DET	vs. DAL	Playing with bruised ribs, seeing fewer touches.
35	Peyton Hillis	NYG	at PHI	Picked up 36 yards, TD on MNF in Jacobs' absence.
36	Mike Tolbert	CAR	at TB (Thurs.)	Has rushing TD in each of last two games.
37	Brandon Bolden	NE	vs. MIA	Scored rushing TD among 8 carries vs. Jets.
38	Daniel Thomas	MIA	at NE	Nearly doubled rushing total last week w/ 60 yards.
39	Ronnie Hillman	DEN	vs. WAS	Costly fumble vs. Colts may mean fewer opps.
40	Tashard Choice	BUF	at NO	Jackson and Spiller are both banged up.
41	Lance Dunbar	DAL	at DET	Randle not guaranteed starter's workload.
42	Marcel Reece	OAK	vs. PIT
43	Kendall Hunter	SF	vs. JAC (London)
44	Jason Snelling	ATL	at ARI	Rodgers getting majority of touches.
45	Chris Ogbonnaya	CLE	at KC	Needs consistent touches to have any real value.
46	Bryce Brown	PHI	vs. NYG
47	Johnathan Franklin	GB	at MIN	Role could expand given all of the WR/TE injuries.
48	Daryl Richardson	STL	vs. SEA (Mon.)	Stacy clearly the workhorse for Rams now.

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 8 Positional Rankings

Quarterbacks
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
Defense/Special Teams
Kickers

Week 8 Waiver Wire