Fantasy football rankings, Week 7: Running backs for standard, PPR leagues

If you’re having trouble trusting one of your running backs, our new holiday, as well as the Week 7 rankings, are just for you.

by John Daigle

Oct 15, 2014, 2:01 PM UTC

Gregory Shamus

For six weeks, we've constantly found ourselves overreacting, not reacting enough, properly reacting, and dropping Chris Johnson because there's only so much one human being can take. Keeping a level head is usually the only part that matters following a loss, and why wouldn't it be seeing as it's also the hardest feat to accomplish? The good news, however, is that your time is now.

If the day that falls after the first Sunday of the season is titled Overreaction Monday, we're rebranding the moments prior to Week 7 as Cut Your Losses Wednesday (don't worry, it's only a working title.) Not happy with Zac Stacy? Whatever. Get rid of him. Steven Jackson and his two carries per game frustrating you? Don't worry. He's gone, too. No C.J. Spiller sighting for quite some time? Good. He was only taking up space, anyways. After all, in a season where Trent Richardson has value solely because of a consistent repetition of carries, there's no time to waste sorting through a hefty pile of idle backs. You either stash for upside or trust the consistent from this point on.

Speaking of which, let’s take a look at those we’re having trouble with moving into Week 7.

Fantasy Rankings: QB RB WR TE D/ST

Alfred Morris: I know, he's burned you for two straight weeks. But if there's any sign of hope, it's that Morris had the inexplicable task of going head to head with two of the top five defensive DVOA units. With a much more giving Tennessee Titans front-seven on slate for this week, I'm trusting Morris once more before shopping him.

Eddie Lacy: It feels like we've been here before. The Green Bay Packers had initially stated prior to their game against the Miami Dolphins last week that Lacy and James Starks would be splitting carries. Low and behold, a near-perfect balance of 39-38 in favor of Lacy. Though it's probably your best bet to rid yourself of him, the Carolina Panthers -- you know, those same Panthers that have yet to limit an opposing running back to less than 5 yards per carry -- are coming to town, and it's too good of a matchup to pass on. Cross your fingers (and close your eyes, preferably).

Andre Williams: His pass protection certainly needs to improve, but against the lowly defense of the Dallas Cowboys, you're giving him one more chance.

Matt Asiata: With Jerick McKinnon officially being named the starter moving forward, there's really no more use for Asiata on your roster. Feel free to cut your losses.

*Bye Weeks: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles

Running back rankings (standard), Week 7

(DK: Daniel Kelley; DC: Dan Ciarrocchi; JD: John Daigle; SK: Scott Kaliska)

Rank	Consensus	Team	Opponent	DK	DC	JD	SK
1	DeMarco Murray	DAL	NYG	1	1	1	1
2	Matt Forte	CHI	MIA	2	2	2	2
3	Arian Foster	HOU	@PIT	3	6	3	3
4	Jamaal Charles	KAN	@SD	4	5	5	4
5	Le'Veon Bell	PIT	HOU	5	3	6	6
6	Marshawn Lynch	SEA	@STL	7	4	7	5
7	Giovani Bernard	CIN	@IND	6	7	9	7
8	Andre Ellington	ARI	@OAK	8	8	8	8
9	Ben Tate	CLE	@JAC	9	11	4	9
10	Alfred Morris	WAS	TEN	10	9	13	11
11	Justin Forsett	BAL	ATL	11	12	10	13
12	Branden Oliver	SD	KAN	14	14	11	10
13	Eddie Lacy	GB	CAR	12	10	17	12
14	Lamar Miller	MIA	@CHI	13	13	16	14
15	Joique Bell	DET	NO	18	16	12	17
16	Fred Jackson	BUF	MIN	15	17	20	15
17	Ahmad Bradshaw	IND	CIN	17	19	14	19
18	Frank Gore	SF	@DEN	20	15	21	16
19	Andre Williams	BUF	MIN	22	18	15	18
20	Ronnie Hillman	DEN	SF	16	20	19	20
21	Reggie Bush	DET	NO	21	22	22	21
22	Jerick McKinnon	MIN	@BUF	19	23	24	24
23	Isaiah Crowell	CLE	@JAC	26	26	18	27
24	Shane Vereen	NE	NYJ	23	21	36	22
25	Chris Ivory	NYJ	@NE	32	25	26	23
26	Bishop Sankey	TEN	@WAS	35	24	28	25
27	Zac Stacy	STL	SEA	25	29	31	29
28	Trent Richardson	IND	CIN	31	30	29	26
29	Jeremy Hill	CIN	@IND	30	27	33	28
30	Khiry Robinson	NO	@DET	24	36	23	36
31	Storm Johnson	JAC	CLE	38	32	27	32
32	Pierre Thomas	NO	@DET	28	28	42	31
33	Steven Jackson	ATL	@BAL	27	33	41	33
34	Brandon Bolden	NE	NYJ	29	41	25	41
35	Darren McFadden	OAK	ARI	37	37	32	34
36	C.J. Spiller	BUF	MIN	33	31	48	30
37	Bernard Pierce	BAL	ATL	40	35	38	35
38	Jonathan Stewart	CAR	@GB	44	38	34	37
39	Antone Smith	ATL	@BAL	39	39	37	39
40	James Starks	GB	CAR	45	42	30	40
41	Juwan Thompson	DEN	SF	34	--	35	--
42	Lorenzo Taliaferro	BAL	ATL	36	43	--	43
43	Mark Ingram	NO	@DET	--	34	--	38
44	Matt Asiata	MIN	@BUF	--	44	39	44
45	Benny Cunningham	STL	SEA	46	47	40	45
46	Chris Johnson	NYJ	@NE	50	40	50	42
47	Knile Davis	KAN	@SD	42	--	44	47
48	James White	NE	NYJ	41	--	43	--
49	Darrin Reaves	CAR	@GB	43	--	--	49
50	Peyton Hillis	NYG	@DAL	--	46	--	46
--	Roy Helu Jr.	WAS	TEN	49	45	--	--
--	Carlos Hyde	SF	@DEN	47	48	--	--
--	Joseph Randle	DAL	NYG	--	--	45	--
--	Anthony Dixon	BUF	MIN	--	--	46	--
--	Toby Gerhart	JAC	CLE	--	49	--	48
--	Denard Robinson	JAC	CLE	--	--	47	--
--	Tre Mason	STL	SEA	48	--	--	--
--	Fozzy Whittaker	CAR	@GB	--	50	49	--
--	LeGarrette Blount	PIT	HOU	--	--	--	50

Running back rankings (PPR), Week 7

(DK: Daniel Kelley; DC: Dan Ciarrocchi; JD: John Daigle; SK: Scott Kaliska)

Rank	Consensus	Team	Opponent	DK	DC	JD	SK
1	DeMarco Murray	DAL	NYG	2	1	2	1
2	Matt Forte	CHI	MIA	1	2	1	4
3	Arian Foster	HOU	@PIT	3	4	3	2
4	Jamaal Charles	KAN	@SD	4	3	7	3
5	Le'Veon Bell	PIT	HOU	5	5	4	5
6	Andre Ellington	ARI	@OAK	7	7	5	7
7	Marshawn Lynch	SEA	@STL	9	6	9	6
8	Giovani Bernard	CIN	@IND	6	8	8	8
9	Ben Tate	CLE	@JAC	10	11	6	9
10	Justin Forsett	BAL	ATL	8	10	10	10
11	Eddie Lacy	GB	CAR	13	9	16	11
12	Lamar Miller	MIA	@CHI	15	13	14	12
13	Branden Oliver	SD	KAN	14	16	11	15
14	Joique Bell	DET	NO	18	12	13	13
15	Fred Jackson	BUF	MIN	12	14	18	14
16	Ahmad Bradshaw	IND	CIN	17	15	12	16
17	Alfred Morris	WAS	TEN	11	18	15	17
18	Ronnie Hillman	DEN	SF	16	19	19	20
19	Jerick McKinnon	MIN	@BUF	19	17	24	18
20	Frank Gore	SF	@DEN	23	20	22	19
21	Andre Williams	NYG	@DAL	24	23	17	21
22	Reggie Bush	DET	NO	20	22	21	23
23	Shane Vereen	NE	NYJ	21	21	30	22
24	Isaiah Crowell	CLE	@JAC	32	26	20	26
25	Pierre Thomas	NO	@DET	22	24	34	24
26	Chris Ivory	NYJ	@NE	33	29	26	25
27	Trent Richardson	IND	CIN	30	27	29	27
28	Bishop Sankey	TEN	@WAS	35	25	27	28
29	Zac Stacy	STL	SEA	27	28	36	29
30	Jeremy Hill	CIN	@IND	28	32	37	32
31	Darren McFadden	OAK	ARI	31	34	31	33
32	Khiry Robinson	NO	@DET	25	41	23	41
33	Steven Jackson	ATL	@BAL	26	31	44	30
34	C.J. Spiller	BUF	MIN	29	30	45	31
35	Storm Johnson	JAC	CLE	41	33	28	34
36	Brandon Bolden	NE	NYJ	34	42	25	42
37	Jonathan Stewart	CAR	@GB	46	36	32	35
38	Bernard Pierce	BAL	ATL	39	35	41	36
39	Antone Smith	ATL	@BAL	37	43	33	43
40	James Starks	GB	CAR	45	39	35	37
41	Chris Johnson	NYJ	@NE	43	38	48	39
42	Roy Helu Jr.	WAS	TEN	40	40	49	40
43	Mark Ingram	NO	@DET	48	37	--	38
44	Juwan Thompson	DEN	SF	36	--	39	--
45	Lorenzo Taliaferro	BAL	ATL	38	45	--	45
46	Matt Asiata	MIN	@BUF	--	44	38	47
47	Benny Cunningham	STL	SEA	47	47	42	46
48	Theo Riddick	DEN	SF	--	50	40	--
49	Knile Davis	KAN	@SD	42	--	--	50
50	James White	NE	NYJ	49	--	43	--
--	Dexter McCluster	TEN	@WAS	--	48	47	48
--	Carlos Hyde	SF	@DEN	44	49	--	--
--	Peyton Hillis	NYG	@DAL	--	--	--	44
--	Toby Gerhart	JAC	CLE	--	46	--	49
--	Denard Robinson	JAC	CLE	--	--	46	--
--	Darrin Reaves	CAR	@GB	50	--	--	--
--	Joseph Randle	DAL	NYG	--	--	50	--