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2018 Preseason Rankings: Updated Top 40 Running Backs: Injuries Already Cause Significant Changes & More

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by Eric Stashin (aka The Rotoprofessor)

While this won’t be the last hit that the running back position takes, the first “shot” was fired as Derrius Guice has been lost for the year due to a torn ACL.  It’s a significant blow to the Redskins rushing attack and to fantasy owners, so who steps up now?  Who else has seen their value rise and fall?  Let’s take a look:

  1. Todd Gurley – Los Angeles Rams (1)
  2. Ezekiel Elliot – Dallas Cowboys (2)
  3. Le’Veon Bell – Pittsburgh Steelers (3)
  4. David Johnson – Arizona Cardinals (4)
  5. Kareem Hunt – Kansas City Chiefs (5)
  6. Saquon Barkley – New York Giants (6)
  7. Alvin Kamara – New Orleans Saints (7)
  8. Melvin Gordon – Los Angeles Chargers (8)
  9. Leonard Fournette – Jacksonville Jaguars (9)
  10. Dalvin Cook – Minnesota Vikings (10)
  11. Devonta Freeman – Atlanta Falcons (11)
  12. Jordan Howard – Chicago Bears (12)
  13. LeSean McCoy – Buffalo Bills (13)
  14. Christian McCaffrey – Carolina Panthers (15)
  15. Joe Mixon – Cincinnati Bengals (16)
  16. Jay Ajayi – Philadelphia Eagles (17)
  17. Derrick Henry – Tennessee Titans (18)
  18. Alex Collins – Baltimore Ravens (19)
  19. Jerick McKinnon – San Francisco 49ers (14)
  20. Kenyan Drake – Miami Dolphins (21)
  21. Lamar Miller – Houston Texans (22)
  22. Ronald Jones II – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (23)
  23. Kerryon Johnson – Detroit Lions (35)
  24. Tevin Coleman – Atlanta Falcons (24)
  25. Royce Freeman – Denver Broncos (32)
  26. Chris Thompson – Washington Redskins (27)
  27. Jamaal Williams – Green Bay Packers (33)
  28. Marshawn Lynch – Oakland Raiders (26)
  29. Rashaad Penny – Seattle Seahawks (25)
  30. Duke Johnson – Cleveland Browns (28)
  31. Carlos Hyde – Cleveland Browns (31)
  32. Dion Lewis – Tennessee Titans (34)
  33. Sony Michel – New England Patriots (29)
  34. Bilal Powell – New York Jets (36)
  35. Marlon Mack – Indianapolis Colts (30)
  36. Rex Burkhead – New England Patriots (38)
  37. Chris Carson – Seattle Seahawks (NR)
  38. Mark Ingram – New Orleans Saints (37)
  39. Matt Breida – San Francisco 49ers (NR)
  40. Devontae Booker – Denver Broncos (40)

Dropped from Rankings:

  • Derrius Guice – Washington Redskins (20)
  • Isaiah Crowell – New York Jets (39)

Notes:

  • There’s been a lot of talk that Jerrick McKinnon isn’t going to be the type of workhorse that fantasy owners are anticipating.  While the injury to Matt Breida may change that slightly, at least early on, it’s still telling and shows that you need to at least be a little bit more cautious on how highly you are prepared to “reach” to select him.  There’s still a ton of upside, but with the new risk of somewhat limited touches (think 12-15, as opposed to 20+ per game) we have to drop him down a few spots.
  • Sony Michel may ready for the start of the season, but a rookie running back missing the preseason is going to send him down the depth chart.  Obviously he’ll still be involved immediately, but how quickly will he get up to speed with the offense and overtake the numerous other backs for early down work?  He’s well worth targeting and will likely be a must use option by the end of the season, but we have to take into account the risk and the fact that he could be unusable for the first few weeks.
  • After his showing in the first preseason game consider Royce Freeman’s stock firmly on the rise.  There appears to be a good chance that he emerges as the lead dog for Week 1, and in that type of role he’ll continue to rise and should ultimately settle in our Top 20.
  • We spoke about the risk involved in investing in Rashaad Penny recently (click here to view) so it shouldn’t be a surprise to see him drop a few spots down the rankings.  Like with Michel he’s a much better option for late in the season, as opposed to the early going.
  • Obviously the injury to Derrius Guice is going to have a significant impact on the Redskins’ backfield, but don’t expect a role change for Chris Thompson.  The team stayed the course with him a year ago with a similar cast of characters and they aren’t going to risk burning him out by trying to pile up a workload he can’t hold up to.
  • Marlon Mack has a chance to emerge as a must use fantasy running back, but the hamstring injury he suffered is going to cost him time and open up an opportunity for someone to step up.  Just be aware and watch the situation closely, especially since it’s not impossible that the injury carries into the regular season.

Make sure to check out all of our 2018 preseason rankings:

Position
Date Updated
Quarterback 07/02/18
Running Back 07/10/18
Wide Receiver 07/16/18
Tight End 07/19/18
Kicker
Defense 08/09/18


Source: http://rotoprofessor.com/football/?p=15195


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