[Ed Note] Football is back, and that means fantasy football is back. Our friends over SB Nation’s fantasy blog, Fake Teams, has provided us with fantasy football rankings for each position in anticipation of your draft. [End Note]
2011 NFL Fantasy Football Rankings: Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson Are Top Running Backs
With NFL football back in action, that means fantasy football is about to begin. SB Nation provides you rankings for each fantasy position, including this ranking of running backs.
Article re-printed by permission of SB Nation fantasy blog, Fake Teams. Visit them for all your fantasy sports needs.
Next up on the staff fantasy rankings is the most volatile position in the NFL, the running back. Outside of the top five, we have so many discrepancies in the ranks. This is due to the dreaded two-headed committee craze that has taken over in the NFL. The top 18 backs on our list have little to no competition for carries (unless injuries arise), while the rest of the field is surrounded by question marks.
Rankings compiled by the best of the best: TJ Mahoney (mahoney1213), Evan Levine (eklevine), Scott Kaliska (dukeallstar) and Kenny Stein (Humbled Fan).
| TM | EL | SK | KS | |
1 | Chris Johnson, Titans | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
2 | Adrian Peterson, Vikings | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | |
4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | |
5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | |
6 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | |
7 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 6 | |
8 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 7 | |
9 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 9 | |
10 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 13 | |
11 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 16 | |
12 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 12 | |
13 | Steven Jackson, Rams | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | |
15 | 24 | 14 | 11 | 10 | |
16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | |
17 | LeGarrette Blount, Bucs | 20 | 19 | 16 | 20 |
18 | 10 | 21 | 27 | 24 | |
19 | 21 | 28 | 19 | 18 | |
20 | 22 | 25 | 23 | 21 | |
21 | 25 | 17 | 29 | 25 | |
22 | 31 | 22 | 25 | 19 | |
23 | 19 | 30 | 28 | 22 | |
24 | 23 | 27 | 20 | 29 | |
25 | 16 | 32 | 31 | 23 | |
26 | 29 | 26 | 22 | 26 | |
27 | DeAngelo Williams, Panthers | 18 | 20 | 18 | - |
28 | 32 | 24 | 26 | 32 | |
29 | 27 | 18 | - | 30 | |
30 | 28 | 23 | - | 27 | |
31 | - | - | 21 | 15 | |
32 | Brandon Jacobs, Giants | - | 31 | 24 | - |
33 | Ryan Torain, Redskins | - | - | 30 | 28 |
34 | Pierre Thomas, Saints | - | 29 | 32 | - |
35 | 26 | - | - | - | |
36 | Roy Helu, Redskins | 30 | - | - | - |
37 | Ryan Williams, Cardinals | - | - | - | 31 |
My 2 cents: As evidenced above, clearly not many backs can be trusted. 2011 is the year to own a top-5 pick. Any of the backs in the top 5 can make a case for the # 1 overall pick. CJ2K has a new head coach (former O-Line Coach) with a heavy focus on the run, AP is AP, Jamaal Charles becomes the lead back in K.C., Arian Foster was the # 1 player in fantasy in 2010, and Ray Rice has replaced TD-vulture Willis McGahee with top-blocking fullback Vonta Leach to create holes for him.
Outside of the top-5 picks, I’d feel comfortable with a top-flight Wide Receiver, a McFadden or a Mendenhall, and then stockpile RB’s in the middle and end of the draft.
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