Fantasy football rankings, Week 6: Running backs for standard, PPR leagues

If you’re having trouble keeping up with the rotating cast of running backs, the Week 6 rankings should make everything a bit more clear.

by John Daigle

Oct 8, 2014, 2:14 PM UTC

Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

A rotating cast of characters shouldn’t come as anything new to anyone paying attention. In fact, let’s take it a step further. What fantasy football has really become is just another version of The Office, except we’re stuck in those final three seasons when everyone stopped caring. No budget for Michael Scott? Whatever. Here’s this Robert California guy. Oh, and since Holly ran out, here’s ... Nellie ... Bertram. Yeah. Nellie Bertram. What’s that? You don’t remember her? Good. You’ll fit right in.

Unfortunately, those first five weeks are long gone. Rashad Jennings and Reggie Bush are somewhere underneath Niagara Falls while Montee Ball is back at the chapel wearing tissue boxes as loafers. And Zac Stacy? I think he hurt himself dancing down the aisle. Either way, it's clearly in our best interest to forget about them and instead, prepare for the next cast of names set to make their inevitable debut.

Fantasy Rankings: QB RB WR TE D/ST

Branden Oliver - The absence of Donald Brown became an immediate blessing in disguise to both San Diego and the next running back in line. It may have been sheer luck, but Oliver took the job and ran with it, finishing with 182 total yards and two touchdowns. But make no mistake, Oliver is all but an aberration. Even when Ryan Mathews returns in a couple of weeks, Oliver should continue to be lazily compared to Darren Sproles as he produces low-end RB2 numbers. Of all the names forthcoming, Oliver should remain the most prominent until season's end.

Andre Williams - On the other hand, Williams is the clear pickup if you're looking for an immediate return. He most likely takes a backseat once Jennings is healthy but, until then, he'll be leaned on against the likes of Philadelphia, Dallas, and -- if Jennings remains out after the bye -- Indianapolis. Don't blow too much of that FAAB, but don't let him go for cheap, either.

Ronnie Hillman, Juwan Thompson - Hillman and Thompson remain attached at the hip for a reason. Though everyone is in a hurry to go out and nab Hillman, I'd suggest skipping him entirely and stashing Thompson. The Denver Broncos reportedly love Thompson and will look to work him in sporadically this week. Hillman will still receive the first shot, but if you remember, he started the season for the Broncos last year, too. Of all the names listed, Thompson might have the brightest results moving forward if everything falls his way.

George Winn - My guess is as good as yours. He looked good against the Buffalo Bills last week, but when has 11 carries ever taught us anything? Joique Bell is reportedly on schedule to return this Sunday anyways, so, for now at least, continue focusing more towards the other guys.

Storm Johnson - He's not Toby Gerhart.

Just keep your fingers crossed. If DeMarco Murray, Matt Forte or Le'Veon Bell hurt their ankle playing company dodgeball, I don't know what we'll do.

Running back rankings, Week 6 (Standard)

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

Rank	Consensus	Team	Opponent	DK	JD	SK
1	Matt Forte	CHI	@ATL	2	1	1
2	Marshawn Lynch	SEA	DAL	1	3	2
3	Le'Veon Bell	PIT	@CLE	5	2	3
4	Arian Foster	HOU	IND	4	6	4
5	DeMarco Murray	DAL	@SEA	3	5	7
6	Giovani Bernard	CIN	CAR	8	4	5
7	Eddie Lacy	GB	@MIA	7	7	6
8	Andre Ellington	ARI	WAS	6	9	9
9	LeSean McCoy	PHI	NYG	9	8	8
10	Frank Gore	SF	@STL	12	11	10
11	Ben Tate	CLE	PIT	13	10	11
12	Branden Oliver	SD	@OAK	14	15	12
13	Andre Williams	NYG	@PHI	17	12	13
14	Ahmad Bradshaw	IND	@HOU	18	13	14
15	Fred Jackson	BUF	NE	11	17	18
16	Alfred Morris	WAS	@ARI	10	21	16
17	Justin Forsett	BAL	@TAM	19	14	17
18	Lamar Miller	MIA	GB	23	20	15
19	Zac Stacy	STL	SF	16	23	25
20	Steven Jackson	ATL	CHI	24	22	19
21	Knowshon Moreno	MIA	GB	20	16	35
22	Matt Asiata	MIN	DET	34	18	24
23	Bishop Sankey	TEN	JAC	27	19	30
24	Chris Ivory	NYJ	DEN	21	34	22
25	Ronnie Hillman	DEN	@NYJ	15	36	28
26	Stevan Ridley	NE	@BUF	33	26	20
27	Doug Martin	TAM	BAL	25	31	23
28	C.J. Spiller	BUF	NE	30	29	21
29	Darren Sproles	PHI	NYG	28	25	31
30	Joique Bell	DET	@MIN	26	33	26
31	Shane Vereen	NE	@BUF	22	38	27
32	Trent Richardson	IND	@HOU	32	24	32
33	Reggie Bush	DET	@MIN	31	--	29
34	Jerick McKinnon	MIN	DET	35	39	37
35	Lorenzo Taliaferro	BAL	@TAM	37	37	40
36	Bobby Rainey	TAM	BAL	46	27	42
37	Darren McFadden	OAK	SD	39	43	34
38	George Winn	DET	@MIN	41	30	48
39	Benny Cunningham	STL	SF	36	40	44
40	Antone Smith	ATL	CHI	38	41	41
41	Carlos Hyde	SF	@STL	47	35	39
42	Chris Johnson	NYJ	DEN	40	45	38
43	Jeremy Hill	CIN	CAR	48	44	33
44	Isaiah Crowell	CLE	PIT	--	32	43
45	Devonta Freeman	ATL	CHI	--	28	50
46	C.J. Anderson	DEN	@NYJ	29	--	--
47	Shonn Greene	TEN	JAC	--	--	36
48	Juwan Thompson	DEN	@NYJ	45	42	--
49	Darrin Reaves	CAR	@CIN	42	50	47
50	Toby Gerhart	JAC	@TEN	43	--	45
--	Bernard Pierce	BAL	@TAM	44	--	46
--	Chris Ogbonnaya	CAR	@CIN	--	46	--
--	Storm Johnson	JAC	@TEN	--	47	--
--	James Starks	GB	@MIA	--	48	--
--	LeGarrette Blount	PIT	@CLE	50	--	49
--	Maurice Jones-Drew	OAK	SD	49	--	--
--	Alfred Blue	HOU	IND	--	49	--

Running back rankings, Week 6 (PPR)

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

Rank	Consensus	Team	Opponent	DK	JD	SK
1	Matt Forte	CHI	@ATL	1	1	1
2	Le'Veon Bell	PIT	@CLE	2	2	4
3	Marshawn Lynch	SEA	DAL	4	4	2
4	Arian Foster	HOU	IND	5	6	3
5	Giovani Bernard	CIN	CAR	7	3	5
6	DeMarco Murray	DAL	@SEA	3	5	9
7	Andre Ellington	ARI	WAS	6	7	6
8	LeSean McCoy	PHI	NYG	8	9	7
9	Eddie Lacy	GB	@MIA	9	8	8
10	Ben Tate	CLE	PIT	17	11	10
11	Frank Gore	SF	@STL	15	12	13
12	Fred Jackson	BUF	NE	10	16	15
13	Justin Forsett	BAL	@TAM	14	15	12
14	Branden Oliver	SD	@OAK	13	14	16
15	Ahmad Bradshaw	IND	@HOU	16	13	14
16	Andre Williams	NYG	@PHI	18	10	17
17	Lamar Miller	MIA	GB	23	18	11
18	Alfred Morris	WAS	@ARI	11	22	20
19	Shane Vereen	NE	@BUF	19	28	18
20	Darren Sproles	PHI	NYG	22	21	22
21	Matt Asiata	MIN	DET	31	19	21
22	Steven Jackson	ATL	CHI	26	23	23
23	Ronnie Hillman	DEN	@NYJ	12	37	24
24	Knowshon Moreno	MIA	GB	20	17	36
25	Zac Stacy	STL	SF	21	24	28
26	Doug Martin	TAM	BAL	28	32	19
27	C.J. Spiller	BUF	NE	30	26	25
28	Bishop Sankey	TEN	JAC	29	20	32
29	Joique Bell	DET	@MIN	27	29	26
30	Trent Richardson	IND	@HOU	32	25	31
31	Chris Ivory	NYJ	DEN	25	36	29
32	Stevan Ridley	NE	@BUF	39	30	30
33	Reggie Bush	DET	@MIN	24	--	27
34	Jerick McKinnon	MIN	DET	34	40	34
35	Darren McFadden	OAK	SD	37	44	33
36	Bobby Rainey	TAM	BAL	42	31	46
37	George Winn	DET	@MIN	43	27	--
38	C.J. Anderson	DEN	@NYJ	33	--	39
39	Benny Cunningham	STL	SF	35	42	47
40	Antone Smith	ATL	CHI	36	38	--
41	Chris Johnson	NYJ	DEB	38	46	42
42	Isaiah Crowell	CLE	PIT	--	33	44
43	Carlos Hyde	SF	@STL	48	35	45
44	Jeremy Hill	CIN	CAR	49	43	37
45	Devonta Freeman	ATL	CHI	--	34	--
46	Juwan Thompson	DEN	@NYJ	46	39	--
47	Shonn Greene	TEN	JAC	--	--	35
48	Lorenzo Taliaferro	BAL	@TAM	45	41	--
49	Roy Helu Jr.	WAS	@ARI	47	--	40
50	Jacquizz Rodgers	ATL	CHI	--	--	38
--	Darrin Reaves	CAR	@CIN	41	49	--
--	Toby Gerhart	JAC	@TEN	40	--	--
--	Dexter McCluster	TEN	JAC	--	--	41
--	Robert Turbin	SEA	DAL	--	--	43
--	Storm Johnson	JAC	@TEN	--	45	49
--	Bernard Pierce	BAL	@TAM	44	--	--
--	Chris Ogbonnaya	CAR	@CIN	--	47	48
--	Alfred Blue	HOU	IND	--	48	--
--	Denard Robinson	JAC	@TEN	50	--	--
--	James Starks	GB	@MIA	--	50	--
--	Maurice Jones-Drew	OAK	SD	--	--	50