With Le’Veon Bell out for the season, DeAngelo Williams becomes the No. 1 running back in Pittsburgh. (Getty)
The injury bug bit the running backs hard in Week 8.
The Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell will miss the remainder of the season with MCL and PCL injuries, while the Bears’ Matt Forte is expected to miss some time with what is believed to be a sprained MCL.
It’s unfortunate, but injuries are part of the game. So who is next in line for Pittsburgh and Chicago? Let’s take a look:
Jeremy Langford, Bears — Forte’s injury isn’t considered long-term, but he’s likely doubtful for Week 9 at San Diego. The Chargers have been one of the easiest teams to run against, so Langford might make his mark in the fantasy world right away. How long he’ll be relevant, though? Obviously it all depends on Forte’s recovery. After the Chargers, the next two weeks get tougher — at the Rams and home vs. Denver, both top 10 rush defenses.
DeAngelo Williams, Steelers — When Bell was out for the first 2 games of the season (suspension), Williams crushed it, rushing for over 200 yards and 3 touchdowns. He didn’t get many touches when Bell returned, but when Bell left the game in Week 8, Williams stood out once again. Bell is out for the season, so Williams is going to see most of the carries, making him a weekly must-start in Pittsburgh’s potentially high-powered offense.
Don’t forget to bookmark our fantasy football rankings 2015 page to keep up-to-date on the latest projections and rankings so you know you who to start and who to sit each week.
Bye weeks: Cardinals, Lions, Chiefs, Ravens, Seahawks and Texans
Here are my top 40 running back rankings for Week 9:
1. Devonta Freeman, Falcons, at 49ers
2. Todd Gurley, Rams, at Vikings
3. Adrian Peterson, Vikings, vs. Rams
4. Chris Ivory, Jets, vs. Jaguars
5. LeSean McCoy, Bills, vs. Dolphins
6. Mark Ingram, Saints, vs. Titans
7. DeMarco Murray, Eagles, at Cowboys
8. Latavius Murray, Raiders, at Steelers
9. Doug Martin, Buccaneers, vs. Giants
10. DeAngelo Williams, Steelers, vs. Raiders
11. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers, vs. Packers
12. Jeremy Hill, Bengals, vs. Browns
13. Lamar Miller, Dolphins, at Bills (questionable)
14. Eddie Lacy, Packers, at Panthers
15. Jeremy Langford, Bears, at Chargers
16. Frank Gore, Colts, vs. Broncos
17. C.J. Anderson, Broncos, at Colts
18. T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars, at Jets
19. Dion Lewis, Patriots, vs. Redskins
20. Melvin Gordon, Chargers, vs. Bears
21. Giovani Bernard, Bengals, vs. Browns
22. LeGarrette Blount, Patriots, vs. Redskins
23. Darren McFadden, Cowboys, vs. Eagles
24. Danny Woodhead, Chargers, vs. Bears
25. Antonio Andrews, Titans, at Saints
26. Ronnie Hillman, Broncos, at Colts
27. Ryan Mathews, Eagles, at Cowboys
28. Rashad Jennings, Giants, at Buccaneers
29. Kendall Gaskins, 49ers, vs. Falcons
30. Duke Johnson, Browns, at Bengals
31. Alfred Morris, Redskins, at Patriots
32. Charles Sims, Buccaneers, vs. Giants
33. Isaiah Crowell, Browns, at Bengals
34. James Starks, Packers, at Panthers
35. C.J. Spiller, Saints, vs. Titans
36. Dexter McCluster, Titans, at Saints
37. Tevin Coleman, Falcons, at 49ers
38. Darren Sproles, Eagles, at Cowboys
39. Matt Jones, Redskins, at Patriots
40. Karlos Williams, Bills, vs. Dolphins
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Fantasy Football Rankings 2015: Running Backs Week 9 NFL