First off, if you’re reading this, you likely have advanced to the championship round of your fantasy league, and for that, we here at SB Nation salute you.
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And now, the season comes down to one week. No more stash-and-hope. No more handcuffing and building depth. You play your top guys and hope for the best.
Of course, if you have any of the top 10 in our weekly rankings of the best PPR league running backs, you are going to roll with them. Guys like Le’Veon Bell – especially Bell with Antonio Brown sidelined – Todd Gurley, Kareem Hunt, Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, Devonta Freeman and LeSean McCoy are obvious must-plays. Melvin Gordon and Leonard Fournette carry a little more risk, but you’re not really going to sit them now, are you?
Now, for most players, especially in 12- and 14-team leagues, having two of that group on your team is probably unlikely. It’s that No. 2 RB slot that deserves the most attention. Here are a few of the top matchups for the “non-stud” backs in PPR leagues heading into the weekend:
The Packers were knocked out of playoff contention on Monday night, so expect the see them rest some of their key players on both sides of the ball with nothing to play for. Aaron Rodgers won’t play, which should give the Vikings lots of extra chances to possess the ball with good field position. The Packers are second-to-last in the league in allowing points to running backs in PPR leagues. McKinnon caught seven of eight targets for 114 yards last week against Cincinnati. McKinnon had 24 fantasy points against the Packers in Week 6, the game where Rodgers left early with his collarbone injury.
McCaffrey has only had one game with fewer than five targets all season, and this week faces a Tampa Bay defense ranked 26th in fantasy points allowed to PPR RBs, 22nd in run DVOA and 23rd in DVOA to pass-catching backs. The Bucs are also playing on a short week after Freeman lit them up on Monday night. It’s a great spot for McCaffrey, who has hit double-digit fantasy points in five of his past six games.
The Bills rank dead last in fantasy points allowed to running backs in PPR leagues, and with Rex Burkhead out this week with a knee injury, Lewis’ usage should see a spike. James White should also see an increase in production, and his pass-catching ability makes him viable for owners looking to replace Burkhead, but Lewis is the No. 1 target against this terrible run defense.
Drake has 23, 22, and 22 points in PPR leagues in the past three weeks. In four games between Weeks 10-13, Drake had a total of 9 receptions on 14 targets. In Weeks 14 and 15, Drake had 11 catches combined on 17 targets. The Chiefs are middle of the road in terms of fantasy points allowed to PPR backs, but they are 31st in run DVOA. Love the Drake!
Running back (PPR) rankings, Week 16
(SK: Scott Kaliska; JG: Jeff Goldberg; DG: Derek Gordon; KB: Kyle Bennett; ZS: Zach Senvisky; JM: Jason Marcum)
RB PPR rankings, Week 16
Rk | Consensus | Tm | Opp | SK | JG | DG | KB | ZS | JM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Le'Veon Bell | PIT | @ HOU | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | Todd Gurley | LAR | @ TEN | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | Kareem Hunt | KC | vs. MIA | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | LeSean McCoy | BUF | @ NE | 8 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
| 5 | Mark Ingram | NO | vs. ATL | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 |
| 7 | Devonta Freeman | ATL | @ NO | 9 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 6 |
| 8 | Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | vs. SEA | 4 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 11 |
| 8 | Melvin Gordon | LAC | @ NYJ | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 5 |
| 9 | Alvin Kamara | NO | vs. ATL | 3 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 12 |
| 10 | Dion Lewis | NE | vs. BUF | 13 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 4 |
| 11 | Leonard Fournette | JAC | @ SF | 12 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 9 |
| 11 | Christian McCaffrey | CAR | vs. TB | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| 13 | Jordan Howard | CHI | vs. CLE | 15 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 10 |
| 14 | Kenyan Drake | MIA | @ KC | 10 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 16 |
| 15 | Jay Ajayi | PHI | vs. OAK | 19 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
| 16 | Carlos Hyde | SF | vs. JAC | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 |
| 17 | Latavius Murray | MIN | @ GB | 18 | 19 | 24 | 16 | 15 | 15 |
| 17 | Alex Collins | BAL | vs. IND | 14 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 22 |
| 19 | Mike Davis | SEA | @ DAL | 32 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 20 |
| 20 | Jerick McKinnon | MIN | @ GB | 16 | 14 | 23 | 17 | 28 | 27 |
| 21 | DeMarco Murray | TEN | vs. LAR | 21 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 25 | 18 |
| 22 | Samaje Perine | WAS | vs. DEN | 25 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 19 |
| 23 | Joe Mixon | CIN | vs. DET | 31 | 25 | 16 | 23 | 21 | 23 |
| 24 | Lamar Miller | HOU | vs. PIT | 20 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 25 |
| 24 | Jamaal Williams | GB | vs. MIN | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 24 |
| 26 | Peyton Barber | TB | @ CAR | 38 | 23 | 19 | 26 | 24 | 21 |
| 27 | Marshawn Lynch | OAK | @ PHI | 22 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
| 28 | Frank Gore | IND | @ BAL | 33 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
| 29 | Derrick Henry | TEN | vs. LAR | 39 | 30 | 32 | 37 | 31 | 31 |
| 30 | Orleans Darkwa | NYG | @ ARI | 47 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 40 | 29 |
| 31 | Kerwynn Williams | ARI | vs. NYG | 42 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 26 | 35 |
| 32 | Duke Johnson Jr. | CLE | @ CHI | 24 | 39 | 38 | 30 | 37 | 36 |
| 33 | Tevin Coleman | ATL | @ NO | 43 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 32 | 30 |
| 34 | C.J. Anderson | DEN | @ WAS | 23 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 38 | 37 |
| 35 | Jonathan Stewart | CAR | vs. TB | 36 | 35 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 34 |
| 36 | Matt Forte | NYJ | vs. LAC | 40 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 47 |
| 37 | Mike Gillislee | NE | vs. BUF | -- | 32 | 28 | 32 | 39 | 33 |
| 38 | Isaiah Crowell | CLE | @ CHI | 28 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 36 | 39 |
| 39 | Giovani Bernard | CIN | vs. DET | 27 | 42 | 46 | 39 | 35 | 38 |
| 40 | Buck Allen | BAL | vs. IND | 46 | 36 | 35 | 38 | 33 | 40 |
| 41 | Theo Riddick | DET | @ CIN | 29 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 45 | 45 |
| 41 | Tarik Cohen | CHI | vs. CLE | 41 | 40 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 |
| 43 | Bilal Powell | NYJ | vs. LAC | 35 | 45 | 47 | 44 | 50 | 32 |
| 44 | James White | NE | vs. BUF | 30 | 47 | 40 | 41 | 48 | -- |
| 45 | Ameer Abdullah | DET | @ CIN | 44 | 44 | 44 | 47 | 46 | 44 |
| 46 | Devontae Booker | DEN | @ WAS | -- | 41 | 45 | 46 | 44 | 43 |
| 47 | LeGarrette Blount | PHI | vs. OAK | -- | 46 | 48 | 50 | 41 | 41 |
| 48 | Alfred Morris | DAL | vs. SEA | -- | 49 | 41 | 45 | 43 | -- |
| 49 | Wayne Gallman | NYG | @ ARI | 37 | 50 | -- | 49 | 49 | -- |
| 50 | Danny Woodhead | BAL | vs. IND | 34 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Marlon Mack | IND | @ BAL | -- | 48 | 49 | 48 | 47 | 49 |
| -- | JD McKissic | SEA | @ DAL | 45 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 50 |
| -- | Chris Ivory | JAC | @ SF | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 46 |
| -- | Rod Smith | DAL | vs. SEA | 49 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 48 |
| -- | Elijhaa Penny | ARI | vs. NYG | 48 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Matt Breida | SF | vs. JAC | -- | -- | 50 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Kapri Bibbs | WAS | vs. DEN | 50 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
