Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray takes a 91-yard carry to the end zone against the St. Louis Rams in Week 7.

Considering he was facing such a crap defense like the Rams, I had figured DeMarco Murray would make the most of his chance as the lead back in the Cowboys’ offense. Little did I know that he would go on to lead the league in rushing yards with 253. That stat was good enough, but him chipping in a 91 yard scamper for a touchdown was icing on the cake. Many will tell you that Murray looked good simply because the Rams are that bad. But going up against an Eagles Defense that gives up an average of 123.8 rushing yards a game along with a 4.8 yards a carry average to opposing running backs, it’s easy for me to consider Murray a low-end RB1 for Week 8. In my opinion, Murray isn’t a one-week wonder.

Because of so many injuries, from Saints RB Mark Ingram to Colts RB Joseph Addai, I will keep everyone updated daily once players start practicing Wednesday. The rankings could change as more news comes in.

And on that note, below are my running back rankings going into Week 8.

Byes: Falcons, Bears, Packers, Jets, Raiders, Buccaneers

TOP FIVE WEEK-EIGHT MATCHUPS (MUST START)

1. Arian Foster (HOU) vs. JAX: If you are in a PPR league and had Foster going against the Titans, he single-handedly won your league matchup for you. Tallying all the rushing yards (115), receiving yards (5/119) and total touchdowns (3), Foster netted owners 45 points in standard PPR leagues. Ray Rice had a brainfart against the Jaguars Monday night, but what do you expect when you only get 8 carries for the entire game? Don’t expect Foster to be held down by the Jags defense in Week 8.

2. LeSean McCoy (PHI) @ DAL: Even though the Cowboys are stout against the run, the Eagles always seem to put up big numbers coming out of a bye week. This weekend will be no different. In PPR and non-PPR leagues, McCoy should be huge in this NFC East matchup. McCoy is averaging around 115 total yards from scrimmage through the team’s first 6 games.

3. Ray Rice (BAL) vs. ARI: Down by 12-15 points with Rice going up against a mediocre Jags defense, you likely thought you had a win secure. Well, lets just say that Rice’s 63 total yards let down a lot of people Monday night. Don’t fret Rice owners. Your RB1 faces a fairly soft Arizona Defense in Week 8, making him a strong bounce-back candidate.

4. Adrian Peterson (MIN) @ CAR: With Christian Ponder under center against the Packers, AD found a bit more running room in Week 7, rushing for 175 yards and a touchdown. He was noticably limping with an ankle injury, but I have yet to hear that it will keep him out Week 8. The Panthers are one of the worst teams against the run, so Peterson should be in all lineups as usual.

5. Maurice Jones-Drew (JAX) @ HOU: I remember reading many articles and reports stating that after dealing with a knee injury for all of 2010, that MJD’s career was likely going to be cut short and he would never be the same player that we were used to seeing. Somebody should have told MJD this because he continues to be a hot fantasy commodity. Coming off 105 rushing yards against the Ravens, MJD should continue to be a major part of the offense going into Week 8 against the Texans. Some may consider this ranking a bit too high, but I have a feeling we will see a big day.

Saints RB Darren Sproles' value could go up if RB Mark Ingram winds up sitting against the Rams this weekend.

BEST OF THE REST:

I wish everyone the best of luck this week. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post below.

With a divisional matchup against the Chiefs on deck, Darren McFadden comes in at No. 1 going into Week 7.

One of the best things regarding fantasy football is that there will always be a at least one option that comes out of the woodwork, especially at running back. In Week 5, we saw Jackie Battle make a name for himself. Last weekend we saw Earnest Graham showing us he still has some legs left. And now that Felix Jones is dealing with a high-ankle sprain, rookie DeMarco Murray has a chance to make it big against the Rams.

Below are my running back rankings going into Week 7.

TOP FIVE WEEK-SEVEN MATCHUPS (MUST START)

1. Darren McFadden (OAK) vs. KC: Like last week, McFadden is the head of the pack going up against AFC West rival Kansas City. The Chiefs are giving up over 22 fantasy points a game thus far, so I expect big things from McFadden playing at home. The Raiders figure to use the run heavily while Carson Palmer gets used to playing again..

2. Ray Rice (BAL) @ JAX: Rice may have lost a touchdown to Ricky Williams against the Texans, but he still chipped in 161 total yards and 5 receptions. Rashard Mendenhall torched the Jaguars Defense last weekend. Expect Rice to do the same in Week 7.

3. Adrian Peterson (MIN) vs. GB: The Packers run defense is starting to look a bit shell shocked after Steven Jackson came four yards short of a 100-yard game in Week 6. Christian Ponder will get the start this week, but that might be good news considering how bad Donovan McNabb has looked. The Vikings are going to run-run-run a lot to give Ponder some confidence.

4. Rashard Mendenhall (PIT) @ ARI: Mendenhall finally broke out of his fantasy slump, putting up 146 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Jaguars last week. He faces an Arizona D that is giving up close to 119 rushing yards a game. I smell another 100+ from Mendy this week.

5. Arian Foster (HOU) @ TEN: Foster played horrendous last week against the Ravens, chipping in a measly 49 yards on the ground. The Ravens only give up 11.2 fantasy points to running backs, so he did have an excuse. It could have been much worse, but Foster managed to salvage some of his value with his 6 receptions and 52 receiving yards. Foster even admitted that he played “terrible,” but I expect him to bounce back this week.

DeMarco Murray cracks the top 20 amongst fantasy running backs for Week 7, coming in at No. 18 against the Rams.

BEST OF THE REST:

I wish everyone the best of luck this week. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post below.

Darren McFadden comes in at No. 1 going into Week Six.

Week Five had its ups and downs, just like any other week. Darren McFadden was held in check by the Texans, while Adrian Peterson blew up against the Cardinals. LeSean McCoy was, once again, under used against the Bills and Michael Turner punched in a touchdown against a strong Green Bay rushing defense. And for the first time, we actually had a Chief not named Jamaal Charles put up huge stats after unknown Jackie Battle put up 100+ against the Colts..

Below are my running back rankings going into Week Six.

TOP FIVE WEEK-SIX MATCHUPS (MUST START)

1. Darren McFadden (OAK) vs. CLE: McFadden let his owners down last week against the Texans after he put up a meager 51 rushing yards and 17 receiving yards. But it wasn’t like McFadden was stinking it up because of his play. The Texans Defense made it a point to stop McFadden all game long, but they still wound up losing anyway. DMC should get on track this week against the Brown.

2. Adrian Peterson (MIN) @ CHI: The AD of Week Five is the one we had been hoping for. His 122 rushing yards against the Cardinals was sweet, but his three rushing touchdowns put him among the elite fantasy backs over the weekend. Facing a Bears Defense that just got burned by Lions RB Jahvid Best, AD should put up quality stats in Week Six.

3. Ray Rice (BAL) vs. HOU: Coming off a bye week, Rice should have a big day against the Texans. I know the Texans Defense was able to hold Darren McFadden in check, but the Texans are facing a slightly better passing offense with Joe Flacco and Anquan Boldin. Rice averaged almost 135 total yards a game through the first four weeks of the season. I don’t expect that to stop now.

4. Fred Jackson (BUF) vs. NYG: Jackson doesn’t budge from his No. 4 spot from last week. As expected, he came up big against the Eagles, who literally can’t stop anyone on the ground. The Giants Defense made Marshawn Lynch look like the Lynch of old Sunday. Jackson should be in for another strong outing playing at home.

5. Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG) vs. BUF: Nope this isn’t a typo. Some owners will shy away from Bradshaw because of his poor performance against the Seahawks. Even though Seattle isn’t that great, their rushing defense is only giving up 97.8 rushing yards a game. Compare that to 138.4 that the Bills are giving up and you have the makings of a bounce-back week for Bradshaw.

Arian Foster has a tough matchup this week against the Baltimore Ravens.

BEST OF THE REST:

I wish everyone the best of luck this week. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post below.

After a big Week Four, Arian Foster leads the pack as Week Five's No. 1 fantasy running back against Oakland.

Just when we thought Arian Foster was dead in the fantasy waters, he rose to the occasion and took back his rightful place as fantasy football’s No. 1 running back going into Week Five. I am sure there were some owners, like myself, that thought there was going to be a full-blown timeshare between Foster and Ben Tate against the Steelers. Especially after Tate’s string of strong fantasy games while Foster was nursing a hamstring. But Foster appears set to take up where he left off from last season as he begins his quest for a new contract extension.

Below are my running back rankings going into Week Five.

UPDATE 10/7: It appears that Cedric Benson will be able to play at least one more week against the Jaguars. He is a usable RB2 for Week Five. Owners should continue to hold onto Bernard Scott. As for Rashard Mendenhall, he has yet to practice at all this week and is looking like he will be either doubtful or a game-time decision. If he is still on the waiver wire, Isaac Redman makes an excellent option as a three-down back against the Titans. He is even more valuable in PPR leagues. Brandon Jacobs is reportedly dealing with a sprained MCL and has a good chance to sit, pushing Ahmad Bradshaw up a couple spots against Seattle.

TOP FIVE WEEK-FIVE MATCHUPS (MUST START)

1. Arian Foster (HOU) vs. OAK: So much for a timeshare until Foster got his bearings again. After rushing for 155 yards and a score against the Steelers, Foster should have no problems putting up a second-straight performance against a Raiders Defense that gives up 28.6 fantasy points a game to running backs this year.

2. Adrian Peterson (MIN) vs. ARI: Peterson didn’t have a great game last week against the Chiefs, only totaling 80 yards on the ground. But when you are pretty much the best player on your offense, teams are going to do everything to try and stop you. The good news, however, is that the Vikings gave Peterson 23 carries, which they will need to do if they want to keep scores close because their passing game is abysmal. The Cardinals Defense can be run on, making AD a top option for Week Five.

3. Darren McFadden (OAK) @ HOU: McFadden is still rock solid, despite a passing game that is clearly inconsistent. Through four games, he’s averaging 150 total yards from scrimmage, with four total touchdowns. We’d like to see more rushing scores, but the team continues to use Michael Bush closer to the goal line. Still, McFadden should have a big day on the turf at Houston, especially if Bush’s ankle injury keeps him out.

4. Fred Jackson (BUF) vs. PHI: The Eagles Defense is dead last against fantasy running backs, giving up close to 30 fantasy points a game. 49ers RB Frank Gore couldn’t reach three yards a carry in the first three weeks of the season, but put up 8.5 on just 15 attempts against Philly. Bills coach Chan Gailey isn’t dumb. He’ll run Jackson into the ground if he wants to win. I simply can’t see Philly turning the rushing defense around, even in a must-win game.

5. LeSean McCoy (PHI) @ BUF: Watching the Eagles, especially near the goal line, is so frustrating. In Week Three they decided fullback Owen Schmitt was a red-zone option. This week they decided to be cutesy and give the ball to Ronnie Brown, which resulted in a fumble and a turnover. If the Eagles want to win, they have to stop with all these stupid plays and get back to basics. In the first three weeks, McCoy was averaging nineteen carries a game. Sunday he got nine. That’s ridiculous. Unless Andy Reid got a cheesesteak lodged in his brain, I expect double-digit carries from McCoy against Buffalo.

Chris Johnson will look to put up another strong game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week Five.

BEST OF THE REST:

Keep An Eye On:
The Bengals Running Back Situation
If you hadn’t noticed, I left Bengals RB Cedric Benson off the list for the time being. According to head coach Marvin Lewis, the team has yet to be notified by the league regarding Benson’s appeal of a three-game suspension. If it turns out that Benson will be able to play Week Five against the Jaguars, I will add him. In the meantime, Benson owners should have already made other arrangements, including picking up Bernard Scott, if/when Benson has to begin serving his suspension.

I wish everyone the best of luck this week. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post below.

Darren McFadden is on fire this year and leads the pack as the No. 1 fantasy running back for Week Four.

With Week Four upon us, we have now seen players like Ryan Mathews and Maurice Jones-Drew cement themselves as quality fantasy options, while guys like Marshawn Lynch and Shonn Greene have made owners cry that they wasted such high picks on garbage. The guys who have disappointed still have plenty of time to redeem themselves, but this weekend will be the week that owners should start looking for other alternatives.

Update 9/30:
Ryan Grant (Bruised Kidney) and Daniel Thomas (Hamstring) both missed practice Friday and could sit out for Week Four. Bump up James Starks in a solid matchup against the Broncos and look at Reggie Bush as a possible low-end PPR flex option against the Chargers if you are desperate for help. Grant and Thomas could be listed as doubtful when the injury report comes out Friday afternoon.

Below are my running back rankings going into Week Four.

TOP FIVE WEEK-FOUR MATCHUPS (MUST START)

1. Darren McFadden (OAK) vs. NE: Many owners got a scare after it was reported that McFadden suffered a groin injury at the end of the Jets game, but it wasn’t severe enough that he could have came back if the team needed him. Through three games, McFadden has averaged 131 rushing yards a game and has chipped in another 28 yards a game through the air. He should be huge against a Patriots Defense that has allowed a little over 102 rushing yards a game.

2. Ray Rice (BAL) vs. NYJ: The Ravens’ passing game was able to do whatever it wanted against the Rams Defense, including that three touchdown performance from rookie Torrey Smith. Rice only carried the ball eight times, but still managed 73 rushing yards and made up for the lack of rushing yards with five receptions for 83 receiving yards. Rice should have another easy day with the Jets Defense that has given up 23.4 fantasy points a game so far.

3. LeSean McCoy (PHI) vs. SF: NFL analyst Moose Johnston pointed out during the Eagles game against the Giants that McCoy looks like a more complete back and has taken his play to a whole new level this year. It’s hard to disagree considering McCoy has been averaging a very strong 6.1 yards a carry through three games. Even though there are a ton of receiving weapons in the offense, McCoy is clearly as big a part of the offense as he has ever been. Start him with confidence, despite the tougher matchup.

4. Adrian Peterson (MIN) @ KC: It’s mind boggling to me that the Vikings had a 20-0 lead over the Lions, yet they refused to give AD the ball more in the second half to wind down the clock as much as possible. That’s just bad play-calling and something that eventually landed Brad Childress on the unemployment line. If The Vikings want to succeed, they have to give the ball to their best play-maker as much as possible. I expect Leslie Frazier to learn from his mistakes and give Peterson the ball as much as possible in Week Four.

5. Fred Jackson (BUF) @ CIN: For the second-straight week, I have to include Jackson in the top five for Week Four. While the Bengals have only given up 15.5 points a game to fantasy running backs, they have dominated against guys like Knowshon Moreno and Frank Gore. After airing it out against the Patriots, I expect the Bills to be more conservative and give Jackson the rock as much as possible.

Ryan Mathews has started pulling himself away from Mike Tolbert and has become a more complete running back.

BEST OF THE REST:

Keep An Eye On:
Roy Helu – Washington Redskins
The Redskins have slowly incorporated Helu in the offense over the last two games and has really progressed. He’s averaging a little over 5 yards a game, compared to Tim Hightower’s 3.5. I don’t recommend owners pick Helu up and automatically use him as a flex option because he still has a ways to go to turning the backfield into a committee. But if you can afford to pick him up and stash him away for the next few weeks, he could eventually be worth the wait.

I wish everyone the best of luck this week. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post below.

It would be a tall order, but the vast and terrifying scope of the internet could probably accommodate such a mission. Probably.

I am speaking, of course, about the ability to describe the pain and anguish of staring at an 0-3 start to your fantasy season. Forget the fate of your NFL favorite. Who cares about divisional or conference standings!? The Thomas Hobbes Justice League (my favorite fantasy team name so far this year) has suffered a tortured existence without Arian Foster, started a banged up Michael Vick 66% of the time, and now potentially will forgo the services of Kenny Britt for the remainder of the 2011 season.

Wunderbar.

Oh look! The Internet did capture our frustration of epic proportions in one neat, tidy, and violent .gif.

I suppose there is solace in the concept that “things could always be worse.” Still, I can’t shake the feeling that fantasy owners in this injury-riddled early season can’t help feeling like this guy.

Wunderbar.

Alas, we cannot resign. We cannot mail in the rest of the season. Apart from simple things such as pride, integrity, the joy of playing the spoiler, we must also consider more sophisticated motivations: namely, the potential ability to actually win a game or two and follow it up with a gloating text message. Ha! I just beat you with Keiland Williams and Kyle Orton! Hey, that would have been a potentially legit starting combo of fantasy greatness as recently as a year ago. Don’t hate.

OK, OK, to the numbers…

MEDIC!

No, that’s not the first word out of the mouth of this week’s Kenny Britt or Michael Vick, that’s the sound of the fantasy owner wailing miserably in defeat, begging for respite. Still, let’s start with the former. Look, you have to own Nate Washington. He’s the number one wideout and showed last week that he can produce. Still, for my money, he’s not the number one week 4 waiver wire pickup. It’s Torrey Smith, and here’s why:

• Assuming you’re high enough on the waiver wire to get either of them, your team likely sucks
• This being the case, you’ll want to go for the biggest upside play, the potential “season-saver.” (Though it is likely neither of these guys really will do such a thing for you)
• We’ve seen the Nate Washington show before.
• Smith is on a better offense with a better quarterback throwing to him.
• His upside is tremendous. Upside can be briefly be defined as “talent plus opportunities.”

Now, a digression. Talent is a combination of identifiable and un-identifiable factors. Smith is fast, athletic, and gets open. Opportunities? While he remains the third option (at least) on the Ravens, he is clearly the deep threat and Joe Flacco has the arm to get it to him. Assuming his hamstring is nothing serious, he’s your no. 1 add this week.

Other pickups?

• Victor Cruz. I think he’ll see more time.
• David Nelson, in case you missed the bus last week.
• Sticking with Buffalo, Scott Chandler has four TDs in three games.
• Syndey Rice, because hey, why not? He’s large, healthy, and catching passes.
• Stevan Ridley (see below)

You’ll notice the above players are not listed in any “order of importance.” Why? Frankly, because none can be established. Who you add and when depends on your team’s needs and, more importantly, what is available and valuable in your league. Certain positions may vary in their worth and scarcity from league to league and you should adjust your waiver claims accordingly. Still, since four of the above are receivers, I’ll give you:

1) Smith 2) Nelson 3) Rice 4) Cruz

Time for…

The Love Shack

It’s rare that I give out love so freely and easily but in the spirit of the Mad Dogs and Englishmen.

I feel the following fantastic fellows deserve a little gravy:

Cam Newton: I’ve heard some early comparisons to Michael Vick and, while I don’t think that’s totally accurate, Newton, unlike the Royal Lichtenstein Militia, is a force both on the ground and in the air. He makes plays. Plus, the only thing able to slow down his NFL scoring binge to date has been a monsoon. Seriously. Side note: DeAngelo Williams seems to be giving more ground to Johnathan Stewart each week. At the moment, you don’t want any part of this backfield, but Stewart is definitely the weekly upside play.

The “Mc-RBs”: No, it’s not a new tasty treat at your favorite burger joint. I’ve had Ray Rice at the top of my flex ranks the past two weeks, but that may need to change. LeSean McCoy is more elusive and explosive and, frankly, is outscoring the Rice paddy. (Did I just coin a nickname? Probably won’t stick. Like Rice. OK that’s enough.) More to the point, if Michael Vick sustains any more injuries we may be donating his body to science… and do you really think Andy Reid will make this the Mike Kafka show, barring some kind of bizarre metamorphosis? As for Darren McFadden, he simply is running over, through, or around defenders. Often. The Mc-RBs may just have to be my 1-2 punch to kick off this weeks “Top-75”.

Rob Gronkowski: As long as we’re doling out unwarranted and unprecedented amounts of gushing love-glory, we may as well mention the likely fantasy MVP through week three. You probably got Gronkowski late in your draft and probably need to get on your knees and thank him profusely for your 3-0 start. Aaron Hernandez owner? Don’t worry, your guy will get back in the action soon. I think Deion Branch remains ownable while Chad Ochocinco need no longer waste space on your roster. And what about this Stevan Ridley guy? It’s been awhile since New England has had a strong fantasy running back, but I think at this juncture you want any part of this offense you can get your hands on. Add away.

Jermichael Finley: Oh, how we have missed thee! Hey hey! Look what I wrote about ranking him no. 42 (too low) in last week’s flex rankings:

“What’s this? A tight end not named Rob Gronkowski or Antonio Gates? In his last two games against the Bears, Finley has 14 catches for 185 yards, and the Bears have injury concern at the safety position this week, too.”

Wasn’t it fun watching Craig Steltz attempt to guard the Packers’ stud tight end? Sure it was, unless you were a Bears fan. Finley, my top-ranked tight end for week three, was primed to blow up, and blow up he did to the tune of 85 yards and three scores. Thank me later. Or now, I don’t mind.

Jimmy Graham: Meanwhile, I need to also point out my failures. Houston’s defense had stifled opposing quarterbacks and tight ends. And while they hadn’t faced anything nearly as potent as the Saints offense, this matchup was one to avoid on paper. Graham got his anyway, notching up exactly 100 yards and finding the endzone for the second time in three games. He’s found his way into my top-75 until further notice.

As always, assimilate the information. Intake, assess, decide. Hopefully some of the key injuries will clarify themselves before my top-75 later this week, but until then, adios muchahos.

_PDK

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