You are the die-hards. You are the gluttons for punishment. You are the risk takers and the stress makers. You are in a Week 17 championship game. We don’t know how (or why) you do it.
Fantasy football rankings, Week 17: Consensus running backs for standard leagues
The SB Nation fantasy team reveals which running backs rank in the top 50 for standard leagues heading into Week 17.
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But do it you do and here you are, hoping the players you’re putting on the field in your league championship actually takes the field in real life.
Our final weekly look at standard-league running backs may already have some casualties. Mike Tomlin suggested on Tuesday that Le’Veon Bell, among other key players on the Steelers offense, will not suit up in an otherwise prime matchup against the 1-15 Browns.
And Lamar Miller, who has been a top-10 back in our rankings all season, is unlikely to play in Houston’s final -- and essentially meaningless -- regular season game against Tennessee.
So all you Bell and Miller owners -- and to be sure, there will be others by week’s end -- must scramble and adjust. If you were smart and saw some of this coming, you already handcuffed those stars with DeAngelo Williams and Alfred Blue.
If you didn’t, or couldn’t, then hope and pray the rest of the backs on your roster have a reason to play this weekend. There are going to be some creative lineups in Week 17 title matchups. Let’s see how we can help yours.
First and foremost, stay glued to whatever NFL news source you trust the most. Of course, you needn’t look any further than the crack update staff at SB Nation, who will be all over any news regarding starting players sitting out this week. And we will tell you who to go after to fill those voids.
Backs like Jacquizz Rodgers, Mike Gillislee, Bilal Powell, Derrick Henry, and Ronnie Hillman suddenly have real value, as they could see the majority of carries for their teams with otherwise prized backs not risked for injury in a game that does not matter.
And if you have a back in a game that does matter, you are golden. Oakland’s Latavius Murray is probably in the best spot imaginable, taking on a Denver defense hemorrhaging rushing yards and now unmotivated after being eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday night. On the flip side, the Raiders need a win to clinch a first-round bye, and will look to go run-heavy to keep the pressure off new starting quarterback Matt McGloin.
Ty Montgomery and Zach Zenner are another pair whose teams will go all out to win. The Packers and Lions play the final regular season game of 2016, with the winner taking the NFC North and -- possibly -- the loser not making the playoffs at all. Montgomery has had some big games for the Packers, and also contributes as a kick returner, while Zenner looked shot out of a cannon on Monday night and should get more looks if Theo Riddick remains out.
Again, keep an eye on the news, read the tea leaves, and grab that free agent that could find himself with 15-20 carries on Sunday. The last move is likely the winning one.
Running backs (standard), Week 17
(SK: Scott Kaliska, JG: Jeff Goldberg, JM: Jason Marcum)
| Rk | Consensus | Tm | Opp. | SK | JG | JM |
| 1 | David Johnson | ARI | @ LA | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | LeSean McCoy | BUF | @ NYJ | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Jordan Howard | CHI | @ MIN | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Devonta Freeman | ATL | vs. NO | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | DeMarco Murray | TEN | vs. HOU | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| 6 | LeGarrette Blount | NE | @ MIA | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| 7 | Bilal Powell | NYJ | vs. BUF | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| 8 | Mark Ingram | NO | @ ATL | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | Jay Ajayi | MIA | vs. NE | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 10 | Latavius Murray | OAK | @ DEN | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 11 | Robert Kelley | WAS | vs. NYG | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| 12 | Spencer Ware | KC | @ SD | 13 | 12 | 13 |
| 13 | Frank Gore | IND | vs. JAC | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 14 | Jonathan Stewart | CAR | @ TB | 14 | 14 | 12 |
| 15 | Todd Gurley | LA | vs. ARI | 15 | 16 | 15 |
| 16 | Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | @ PHI | 16 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | Le'Veon Bell | PIT | vs. CLE | 17 | 18 | 17 |
| 18 | Isaiah Crowell | CLE | @ PIT | 18 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | Tevin Coleman | ATL | vs. NO | 19 | 19 | 21 |
| 20 | Kenneth Dixon | BAL | @ CIN | 21 | 20 | 19 |
| 21 | Jacquizz Rodgers | TB | vs. CAR | 20 | 21 | 28 |
| 22 | Terrance West | BAL | @ CIN | 26 | 22 | 23 |
| 23 | Alfred Blue | HOU | @ TEN | 24 | 24 | 24 |
| 24 | Jeremy Hill | CIN | vs. BAL | 23 | 23 | 27 |
| 25 | Jerick McKinnon | MIN | vs. CHI | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| 26 | Derrick Henry | TEN | vs. HOU | 28 | 27 | 20 |
| 27 | Alex Collins | SEA | @ SF | 22 | 26 | 35 |
| 28 | Mike Gillislee | BUF | @ NYJ | 32 | 28 | 26 |
| 29 | Chris Ivory | JAC | @ IND | 30 | 29 | 30 |
| 30 | Dion Lewis | NE | @ MIA | 27 | 30 | 32 |
| 31 | Paul Perkins | NYG | @ WAS | 31 | 31 | 31 |
| 32 | Darren Sproles | PHI | vs. DAL | 29 | 32 | 33 |
| 33 | DeAngelo Williams | PIT | vs. CLE | 37 | 33 | 29 |
| 34 | Rashad Jennings | NYG | @ WAS | 34 | 34 | 34 |
| 35 | Thomas Rawls | SEA | @ SF | 46 | 37 | 22 |
| 36 | Ronnie Hillman | SD | vs. KC | 33 | 36 | 37 |
| 37 | Tim Hightower | NO | @ ATL | 36 | 35 | 36 |
| 38 | Darren McFadden | DAL | @ PHI | 35 | 40 | 40 |
| 39 | Charles Sims | TB | vs. CAR | 40 | 39 | 39 |
| 40 | Shaun Draughn | SF | vs. SEA | 39 | 38 | 46 |
| 41 | DuJuan Harris | SF | vs. SEA | 42 | 41 | 42 |
| 42 | Rex Burkhead | CIN | vs. BAL | 43 | 42 | 41 |
| 43 | Justin Forsett | DEN | vs. OAK | 38 | 43 | 48 |
| 44 | Duke Johnson | CLE | @ PIT | 50 | 44 | 38 |
| 45 | Chris Thompson | WAS | vs. NYG | 45 | 46 | 45 |
| 46 | DeAndre Washington | OAK | @ DEN | 44 | 45 | 49 |
| 47 | Zach Zenner | DET | vs. GB | 41 | -- | -- |
| 48 | Theo Riddick | DET | vs. GB | -- | -- | 43 |
| 49 | Devontae Booker | DEN | vs. OAK | 48 | 47 | 50 |
| 50 | Wendell Smallwood | PHI | vs. DAL | -- | -- | 44 |
| -- | Robert Turbin | IND | vs. JAC | -- | 48 | 47 |
| -- | Matt Asiata | MIN | vs. CHI | 47 | 49 | -- |
| -- | James White | NE | @ MIA | 49 | 50 | -- |
