Week 8 RB Rankings – Start & Sit Advice. Week 8 RB Rankings are based on weekly matchups and the highest projected potential fantasy football point outcomes among all fantasy football RB in Week 8. Use these Week 8 RB Rankings to help you decide which RB to start and which RB to sit on your fantasy football team this week.
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– Hawk Michaels @ Hawk Fantasy Sports Blog – www.hawkfantasysports.wordpress.com
Week 8 RB Rankings – player profiles and stat projections will be updated throughout the week
Week 8 — QB Rankings — RB Rankings — WR Rankings — TE Rankings — D Rankings — Waiver Pickups — Matchup Picks — Player Injury Updates
1. Adrian Peterson – Min = @Car —– Peterson should have no problem carving up a Carolina Panthers defense that allows an average of 133 rushing yards per game, as well as having surrendered a league worst 9 rushing touchdowns already through just 7 games this season. Peterson could easily be looking at stats in the range of 125-150 rushing yards and 1-2 touchdowns.
2. Arian Foster – Hou = Jac —– Foster simply does it all, and a Jacksonville Jaguars defense does not look all that imposing for Foster this week either. 150 total yards is definitely within reach, and a touchdown or two is always possible as well.
3. Darren Sproles – NO = @StL —– If I can only have one Saints offensive player not named Drew Brees on my fantasy football team, Sproles is the guy I want…….yes even more than Jimmy Graham. Sproles is an absolute yardage beast who is excelling in the Saints offense right now and there really is no sign of him slowing down anytime soon. 100-150 total yards is likely, and 1-2 touchdowns is definitely possible as well against an awful Rams run defense this week.
4. Ray Rice – Bal = Ari —– After a down game last week, Rice will have an outstanding opportunity to bounce back with a huge game this week against a pretty weak Arizona Cardinals defense. 100-150 total yards is reasonable to expect, and a touchdown is very possible.
5. Fred Jackson – Buf = Was —– Jackson has been a complete yardage monster so far this season, and a matchup against a so-so Washington Redskins defense this week could easily lead Jackson to the 150 total yard plateau, with a touchdown or two definitely within reach.
6. Frank Gore – SF = Cle —– Fresh off the bye week, I think Gore will be ready to tote the load for the 49ers offense in this game. He could be looking at numbers in the range of 100-150 total yards and at least 1 touchdown.
7. LeSean McCoy – Phi = Dal
8. Ahmad Bradshaw – NYG = Mia
9. Rashard Mendenhall – Pit = NE
10. Chris Johnson – Ten = Ind
11. Ryan Mathews – SD = @KC —– injury ? —– With Mike Tolbert’s injury issues of his own this week, it looks like Mathews should see plenty of work in this game. 100 total yards and 1 touchdown is definitely within reach.
12. Maurice Jones-Drew – Jac = @Hou
13. Steven Jackson – StL = NO —– Hard to believe in Jackson and his stat potential with the way the Rams offense has played this season.
14. DeMarco Murray – Dal = @Phi — 58% —– Hopefully you checked out my waiver pickups for last week, because Murray was my #1 choice. However even if you didn’t grab Murray last week, he is still available in nearly 50% of 10 team leagues, so you will absolutely want to put in your waiver claim for him this week. With a solid passing offense surrounding him to keep defenses honest, Murray has outstanding potential to continue to excel as the Cowboys #1 RB….even when Felix Jones comes back.
15. Pierre Thomas – NO = @StL — 50% —– If DeMarco Murray can put up 250 rushing yards on the Rams defense, then Pierre Thomas has a realistic chance at tallying between 50-100 rushing yards and 1 touchdown this week against the pitiful Rams run defense. Add in Mark Ingram’s injury, and Thomas should easily see extra touches, which means fantasy football teams will want to take a must-needed flyer on Thomas this week in their starting lineups.
16. Maurice Morris – Det = @Den — 34% —– Morris got the start for the Lions last week, and he should continue to be the feature back as long as Jahvid Best is out. A matchup this week against the Broncos makes Morris a candidate for 75-100 total yards and 1 touchdown if all goes well.
17. Ryan Torain – Was = @Buf — 57% —– With Tim Hightower going down in last weeks game with a torn ACL, Torain will inherit the starting RB role in Washington for the time being. That is at least until rookie Roy Helu doesn’t start stealing a good chunk of carries. A matchup this week against the so-so Buffalo Bills run defense could easily net Torain something between 50-100 rushing yards and 1 touchdown this week.
18. Daniel Thomas – Mia = @NYG
19. Jackie Battle – KC = SD — 48% —– Even though Battle did not excel in last week’s game, he did receive the majority of the carries, which means it looks like the Chiefs are serious about making him their #1 RB for the remainder of the season.
20. Bernard Scott – Cin = @Sea —– starting ? — 10% —– With Cedric Benson out this week due to suspension, Scott should pick up the start for the Bengals in this game. Luckily for fantasy football teams in need of a cheap spot starting RB in week 8, Scott has a perfect matchup in store this week, as he could tally stats in the range of 50-100 rushing yards with a touchdown possible as well.
21. Knowshon Moreno – Den = Det —– starting ? — 46% —– With Willis McGahee suffering a broken hand, Moreno will reclaim the starting RB job in Denver this week. Unfortunately a matchup against a tough Detroit Lions run defense doesn’t make him a great upside RB, but he should see enough touches to make him at least flex starter worthy this week.
22. Mike Tolbert – SD = @KC —– injury ?
23. Peyton Hillis – Cle = @SF —– injury ? —– The injury questions continue, as Hillis is beginning to look more and more like one of those high draft pick busts for fantasy football teams this season.
24. Jonathan Stewart – Car = Min
25. DeAngelo Williams – Car = Min
26. Roy Helu – Was = @Buf — 15% —– Looking at making a championship run in your league? Helu is one RB that could become fantasy football gold during the playoffs. Now is the time to pickup and stash him if you can afford to use a roster spot.
27. Montario Hardesty – Cle = @SF — 36% —– Even though Peyton Hillis is not leaving the Browns offense this season, Hardesty is still a solid backup RB to own in several fantasy football leagues right now.
28. Delone Carter – Ind = @Ten — 20% —– Whether it is the possibility that Carter is just not that great of an RB, or the fact that the Colts offense just simply stinks, the reality of the fact is that Carter should continue to see the majority of the touches in the Colts backfield for the time being. A matchup against a so-so Titans defense could lead to 50-75 total yards for Carter this week.
29. Brandon Jacobs – NYG = Mia —– injury ?
30. Ben Tate – Hou = Jac — 43% —– Tate is clearly one of the best, if not the best, backup running in the NFL right now. Even with just 10 touches per game he has the potential to tally 50 yards and a touchdown.
31. Javon Ringer – Ten = Ind — 3% —– While Chris Johnson continues to struggle to pick up yards, Ringer continues to steal carries and touchdowns. A matchup against an awful Colts defense this week, could have Ringer tallying 10-15 touches, with 50-75 total yards and 1 touchdown within reach. At just 3% owned, Ringer is probably the cheapest RB option in all fantasy football leagues that teams in desperate need of an RB this week will want to take a gamble on and pickup and start.
32. Beanie Wells – Ari = @Bal —– injury ?
33. Marshawn Lynch – Sea = Cin —– injury ?
34. BenJarvus Green-Ellis – NE = @Pit —– injury ?
35. Joseph Addai – Ind = @Ten —– injury ?
36. Mark Ingram – NO = @StL —– injury ? ruled out – will not play
37. Willis McGahee – Den = Det —– injury ? broken hand – will not play
38. Leon Washington – Sea = Cin — 4% —– With Marshawn Lynch battling a back injury, Washington could see his touches increase this week.
39. Donald Brown – Ind = @Ten
40. Reggie Bush – Mia = @NYG
41. Stevan Ridley – NE = @Pit
42. Danny Woodhead – NE = @Pit
43. Dexter McCluster – KC = SD
44. Kendall Hunter – SF = Cle
45. CJ Spiller – Buf = Was
46. Thomas Jones – KC = SD
47. Alfonso Smith – Ari = @Bal — 1% —– Smith could be the Cardinals starting RB this week if Beanie Wells does indeed miss this game with a knee injury.
48. Keiland Williams – Det = @Den
49. Tashard Choice – Dal = @Phi
50. LaRod Stephens-Howling – Ari = @Bal
51. Carnell Williams – StL = NO
52. Justin Forsett – Sea = Cin
53. Toby Gerhart – Min = @Car
54. Le’Ron McClain – KC = SD
55. Ronnie Brown – Phi = Dal
56. Isaac Redman – Pit = NE
57. Deji Karim – Jac = @Hou
58. Steve Slaton – Mia = @NYG
59. Jonathan Dwyer – Pit = NE
60. Jerious Norwood – StL = NO
61. Ricky Williams – Bal = Ari
62. Dion Lewis – Phi = Dal
63. Johnny White – Buf = Was
64. Chester Taylor – Ari = @Bal
Cedric Benson – Cin = @Sea —– suspended ?
Tim Hightower – Was = @Buf —– injury ? unlikely to play
Jahvid Best – Det = @Den —– injury ? unlikely to play
Felix Jones – Dal = @Phi —– injury ? unlikely to play
BYE WEEK
Matt Forte – Chi = bye
Michael Turner – Atl = bye
Darren McFadden – Oak = bye
Shonn Green – NYJ = bye
Ryan Grant – GB = bye
LeGarrette Blount – TB = bye
James Starks – GB = bye
Marion Barber – Chi = bye
Earnest Graham – TB = bye
Michael Bush – Oak = bye
LaDainian Tomlinson – NYJ = bye
Joe McKnight – NYJ = bye
Jacquizz Rodgers – Atl = bye
Jason Snelling – Atl = bye
John Kuhn – GB = bye
Taiwan Jones – Oak = bye