Fantasy Football 2013 Running Back Rankings: Week 9

Author:
Mark Ross
Oct 31, 2013 6:30 AM EDT

In this story:

Ryan Mathews is not No. 1 on Athlon Sports' fantasy football Week 9 running back rankings, but he is in the top 10 for the first time in quite a while. Mathews has posted back-to-back 100-yard games for the first time since 2011 and could make it three in a row this Sunday against Washington's 30th-ranked rushing defense. Maybe, just maybe, Mathews is finally ready to live up to all the hype and promise that surrounded him when the Chargers took him with the 10th overall pick of the 2010 draft as the heir apparent to LaDainian Tomlinson. Those who have stuck with Mathews this long can only hope.

Meanwhile, Jamaal Charles remains No. 1 in the running back rankings, as he leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,018. Charles has been dealing with his own bumps and bruises, including a sore knee that limited him in practice this week, but he should be ready to face a Buffalo defense that is allowing nearly 118 yards rushing per game.

In fact, with six teams on bye, health situations like Charles' play an even more important role this week. That is why particular attention needs to be paid to players like Charles, as well as Arian Foster (dealing with a hamstring injury, watch closely) DeMarco Murray (may return this week), Zac Stacy (rolled his ankle late on Monday night), DeAngelo Williams (hurt his quadriceps last Thursday vs. Tampa Bay), C.J. Spiller (missed last week because of high ankle sprain) and even Ben Tate (dealing with cracked ribs). This week is not one you want to take a chance on starting a running back that may not end up playing.

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 9 Fantasy Football Rankings — Running Back
Teams on bye: Arizona, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, New York Giants, San Francisco


Rk	Player	Team	OPP	Notes
1	Jamaal Charles	KC	at BUF	Leads NFL in yards from scrimmage (1,018).
2	Adrian Peterson	MIN	at DAL	Has 62 yards rushing or fewer in each of last 3 G.
3	Matt Forte	CHI	at GB (Mon.)	No 100-yard rushing games yet, but 8th in NFL.
4	Marshawn Lynch	SEA	vs. TB	Season-low 8 carries and 23 yards vs. Rams.
5	Eddie Lacy	GB	vs. CHI (Mon.)	Averaging 99 yards rushing over last four games.
6	LeSean McCoy	PHI	at OAK	Averaging 3.1 ypc over last 2 G, 5.1 in first 6.
7	Alfred Morris	WAS	vs. SD	Averaging 5.2 ypc, but only getting 15.4 att/game.
8	Arian Foster	HOU	vs. IND	Dealing with a hamstring injury, monitor closely.
9	DeMarco Murray	DAL	vs. MIN	Very appealing matchup for his hopeful return.
10	Ryan Mathews	SD	at WAS	Has posted back-to-back 100-yard games.
11	Ray Rice	BAL	at CLE	Season-best is 74 yards rushing, averaging 2.8 ypc.
12	Le'Veon Bell	PIT	at NE	Just 24 yards on 13 att. vs. OAK, but did score.
13	Darren McFadden	OAK	vs. PHI	Had 73 yards, 2 TDs in first game after bye.
14	Fred Jackson	BUF	vs. KC	Knee issue is keeping his workload down.
15	Stevan Ridley	NE	vs. PIT	Had 79 yards, TD despite not playing in 1st quarter.
16	Chris Johnson	TEN	at STL	His longest run this season has been 23 yards.
17	Zac Stacy	STL	vs. TEN	Huge game (134 yds.) on MNF, but rolled ankle late.
18	DeAngelo Williams	CAR	vs. ATL	Hurt quadriceps last week, but should be OK.
19	Giovani Bernard	CIN	at MIA (Thurs.)	Dolphins allowing second-most rec. yds to RBs.
20	Trent Richardson	IND	at HOU	Can T-Rich get going vs. Texans (28th vs. rush)?
21	Lamar Miller	MIA	vs. CIN (Thurs.)	Basically splitting carries with Thomas right now.
22	Danny Woodhead	SD	at WAS	Redskins giving up most fantasy points to RBs.
23	Darren Sproles	NO	at NYJ	Finished with 0 yards (4 rec.) vs. Saints.
24	Pierre Thomas	NO	at NYJ	Jets No. 1 against rush (77.9 ypg).
25	Steven Jackson	ATL	at CAR	Grounded (11 att., 6 yds.) in return from injury.
26	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	CIN	at MIA (Thurs.)	Miami giving up fourth-most fantasy pts. to RBs.
27	C.J. Spiller	BUF	vs. KC	Held out last week b/c of high ankle sprain.
28	Mike James	TB	at SEA	Yards could be tough to come by in Seattle.
29	Bilal Powell	NYJ	vs. NO	Tops in team with 10 carries (also 4 rec.) last week.
30	Mike Tolbert	CAR	vs. ATL	Falcons have allowed just 3 rushing TDs.
31	Ben Tate	HOU	vs. IND	Dealing with cracked ribs, but hopeful to play.
32	Chris Ivory	NYJ	vs. NO	Went from 34 carries in Week 7 to 6 last week.
33	James Starks	GB	vs. CHI (Mon.)	Picked up 57 yards, TD in return from knee injury.
34	Brandon Bolden	NE	vs. PIT	Continues to see 8-10 touches, has TD in 2 straight.
35	Jacquizz Rodgers	ATL	at CAR	Got just 4 touches in SJax' return.
36	Roy Helu	WAS	vs. SD	Got just 6 touches last week, after 10+ in last 3 G.
37	Willis McGahee	CLE	vs. BAL	Ravens have yielded one rushing TD.
38	Daniel Thomas	MIA	vs. CIN (Thurs.)	Making most of opportunities recently.
39	Donald Brown	IND	at HOU	Got season-high 11 carries, 14 touches in last game.
40	Joseph Randle	DAL	vs. MIN	Vikings giving up second-most fantasy pts. to RBs.
41	Daryl Richardson	STL	vs. TEN	Teamed w/ Stacy for effective 1-2 punch on MNF.
42	Tashard Choice	BUF	vs. KC	Will be a factor as long as Spiller is sidelined.
43	LeGarrette Blount	NE	vs. PIT	11 carries vs. MIA was third game w/ 10 or more.
44	Shonn Greene	TEN	at STL	Now healthy, could eat into Johnson's workload.
45	Lance Dunbar	DAL	vs. MIN
46	Marcel Reece	OAK	vs. PHI	Got 3 carries, but no targets last week vs. Steelers.
47	Robert Turbin	SEA
48	Deiji Karim	HOU	vs. IND	Added to roster this week b/c of injury concerns.

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 9 Positional Rankings

Quarterbacks
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
Defense/Special Teams
Kickers

Week 9 Waiver Wire