For months we were told that Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley would never be the same. That the former all-pro was damaged goods, and that Gurley was past his fantasy football prime. However, the former Georgia Bulldog looked pretty darn good in week one.
Gurley ran with a spring in his step a week ago, looking as quick and nimble as ever. Gurley averaged nearly seven yards a pop on 14 carries vs. the Carolina Panthers. This week’s matchup vs. the New Orleans Saints bodes well for Gurley truthers. The Saints forfeited a massive 7.3 ypc average to Houston Texans running back duo of Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson in week one.
Can Gurley jump the likes of Alvin Kamara and Ezekiel Elliott to reclaim his place atop the fantasy football running back’s rankings? Find out below, as well as which players are primed to outperform their usual ranking, and which players might bust in week two.
* Player rankings are based off of full-PPR scoring formats.
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Better Than Usual
Sony Michel @ Miami Dolphins
Buy-low on Sony Michel this week. While it may be difficult to warrant inserting Michel in your lineup after his week one blunder (0.9 ypc), the running back is primed to bounce back in a big way vs. Miami.
The Dolphins allowed 265 rushing yards to the Baltimore Ravens a week ago and have the makings of being the worst defensive unit in all of football.
For all the hype the Patriots passing game got vs. Pittsburgh, the offense is still predicated on the run game. Michel’s has touted the rock nearly 19 times per game over his last ten contests (including playoffs).
Michel cost a lot of fantasy owners a week one victory, however, he may be the driving force in securing those same owners a week two win.
Austin Ekeler @ Detroit Lions
No Melvin Gordon, no worries for the Chargers. Austin Ekeler scored 39.4 fantasy points in week one, second to only Christian McCaffrey. Ekeler affected the game through the air as much as on the ground last Sunday. Ekeler nearly topped 100-yards receiving vs. Indianapolis while reeling in two of his three total touchdowns on Philip Rivers passes.
“GET OUT OF MY WAY.” – @AustinEkeler 💪 #INDvsLAC
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The Lions have a ferocious front seven, arguably one of the most feared in all of football. However, they struggled at defending Cardinals multi-purpose back David Johnson in week one. Johnson accumulated 137 total yards and a receiving touchdown vs. Detroit.
Ekeler has staked claim to the Bolts RB1 spot, now it’s time for him to insert himself in the RB1 fantasy conversation.
Worse Than Usual
David Johnson @ Baltimore
Speaking of David Johnson, the Arizona running back has a tremendously difficult matchup on his hands this Sunday.
Johnson rewarded owners who bought into his fantasy hype this offseason with 25.7 points in week one. However, Johnson will faceoff with a stellar Ravens defense this week.
Baltimore held Miami Dolphins running backs to just 12-yards on ten carries a week ago. Johnson is bound to receive a heavier workload than just ten carries this week. Yet he may struggle to find running lanes within the Ravens front-seven. Baltimore has held opponents to under 3.6 ypc in seven of their last eight games.
Marlon Mack @ Tennessee
Colts RB Marlon Mack
No running back took a more drastic fall in fantasy rankings than Marlon Mack over the past few weeks. After the retirement of QB Andrew Luck, Mack went freefalling in fantasy drafts. However, Mack rewarded owners in week one who showed faith in the Colts’ back.
Mack rushed for 174 yards vs. the Chargers and currently leads the entire NFL in rushing yards after one week of play. This production isn’t new for Mack as he’s topped 118 rushing yards in four of his last six games.
Mack will find it hard to come close to those numbers in week two vs. a menacing Tennessee defense. The Titans surrendered just 13-points while registering five sacks, three turnovers and a touchdown vs. the Browns in week one. If Tennessee can force a few turnovers and jump ahead of Indy early, the Colts will be forced to move away from the run. Meaning Nyheim Hines, not Mack will receive the bulk of the touches from the running back position.
Week 2 PPR Fantasy Rankings: Running Backs
[ QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | Flex | DEF & K]
| Rank | Player | Opp |
| 1. | Christian McCaffrey (RB – CAR) | vs. TB |
| 2. | Alvin Kamara (RB – NO) | vs. LAR |
| 3. | Ezekiel Eliott (RB-DAL) | @ WAS |
| 4. | Saquon Barkley (RB-NYG) | vs. BUF |
| 5. | Todd Gurley (RB-LAR) | vs. NO |
| 6. | Josh Jacobs (RB-OAK) | vs. KC |
| 7. | Le’Veon Bell (RB – NYJ) INJ ⬇️ | vs. CLE |
| 8. | Nick Chubb (RB-CLE) | @ NYJ |
| 9. | Derrick Henry (RB-TEN) | vs. IND |
| 10. | Chris Carson (RB-SEA) | @ PIT |
| 11. | Austin Ekeler (RB-LAC) | @ DET |
| 12. | Mark Ingram (RB-BAL) | vs. ARI |
| 13. | Dalvin Cook (RB-MIN) | @ GB |
| 14. | James Conner (RB-PIT) | vs. SEA |
| 15. | David Johnson (RB-ARI) | @ BAL |
| 16. | Sony Michel (RB NE) | @ MIA |
| 17. | Kerryon Johnson (RB-DET) | vs. LAC |
| 18. | Marlon Mack (RB-IND) | @ TEN |
| 19. | Leonard Fournette (RB-JAC) | @ HOU |
| 20. | Damien Williams (RB-KC) | @ OAK |
| 21. | James White (RB-NE) | @ MIA |
| 22. | Matt Breida (RB-SF) | @ CIN |
| 23. | Tarik Cohen (RB-CHI) | @ DEN |
| 24. | Aaron Jones (RB-GB) | vs. MIN |
| 25. | Miles Sanders (RB-PHI) | @ ATL |
| 26. | Joe Mixon (RB-CIN) – INJ | vs. SF |
| 27. | Duke Johnson (RB-HOU) | vs. JAC |
| 28. | Devonta Freeman (RB-ATL) | vs. PHI |
| 29. | LeSean McCoy (RB-KC) | @ OAK |
| 30. | Chris Thompson (RB-WAS) | vs. DAL |
| 31. | Devin Singletary (RB-BUF) | @ NYG |
| 32. | David Montgomery (RB-CHI) | @ DEN |
| 33. | Adrian Peterson (RB-WAS) | vs. DAL |
| 34. | Phillip Lindsay (RB-DEN) | vs. CHI |
| 35. | Carlos Hyde (RB-HOU) | vs. JAC |
| 36. | Gio Bernard (RB-CIN) | vs. SF |
| 37. | Kenyan Drake (RB-MIA) | vs. NE |
| 38. | Latavius Murray (RB-NO) | @ LAR |
| 39. | Malcolm Brown (RB-LAR) | vs. NO |
| 40. | Royce Freeman (RB-DEN) | vs. CHI |
| 41. | Jordan Howard (RB-PHI) | @ ATL |
| 42. | Rex Burkhead (RB-NE) | @ MIA |
| 43. | Gus Edwards (RB-BAL) | vs. ARI |
| 44. | Mike Davis (RB-CHI) | @ DEN |
| 45. | Dion Lewis (RB-TEN) | vs. IND |
| 46. | Justice Hill (RB-BAL) | vs. ARI |
| 47. | Darren Sproles (RB-PHI) | @ ATL |
| 48. | Ronald Jones (RB-TB) | @ CAR |
| 49. | Rashaad Penny (RB-SEA) | @ PIT |
| 50. | Nyheim Hines (RB-IND) | @ TEN |
READ NEXT: Fantasy: Week 2 QB Rankings
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Fantasy Football Week 2 RB Rankings: Buy Todd Gurley vs. Saints