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Welcome to our Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings for Week 1 of the 2020 NFL regular season. In this week’s column, we discuss Washington running back Antonio Gibson’s meteoric rise up draft boards, and whether he can live up to the hype come game time.
That, plus a former first-round pick being undervalued.
* If you’re looking for more information on how to best set your lineup this coming week check out our Week 1 RB Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em.
Reminder: These rankings are based on full-PPR scoring formats.
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Running Back Outlook Week 1
If you haven’t drafted yet, do yourself a favor and buy as much Josh Jacobs (RB3) stock as possible. The fact that the Raiders second-year back is being selected behind the likes of Miles Sanders (RB11) is certainly a bit puzzling, if not for anything but sheer volume alone. Jacobs averaged nearly 19 rushing attempts per game a season ago. Sanders, on the other hand, carried the rock 13-plus times on just four occasions in 2019.
Jacobs faces off against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, who allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs last season (29.96), and that was with linebacker Luke Kuechly in the lineup. Sanders is still a quality play this week, but Jacobs has a chance to lead all running backs in points.
No one has enjoyed a surge up draft boards quite like Antonio Gibson (RB33) in recent days. Washington appears primed to feature the former Memphis standout in their backfield, or at least that’s what Adrian Peterson told the world upon his release last week.
I’m willing to reach slightly for Gibson in fantasy drafts, as his ceiling is high. Yet, when it comes to plugging him in my lineup, it’s hard to fully commit to a running back who carried the football a grand total of 33-times over his collegiate career. It also doesn’t help that Philadelphia, his opponents this week, allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing running backs last season.
He’s likely still a viable flex option due to his abilities as a receiver, but don’t be surprised if Bryce Love, JD McKissic and Peyton Barber eat into Gibson’s workload in the ground game.
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Week 1 Fantasy Rankings: Running Back
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- Matchup: Great l Avg l Tough
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# Running Backs TEAM Opp. 1
Christian McCaffrey CAR vs. LV
2
Ezekiel Elliott DAL @ LAR
3
Josh Jacobs LV @ CAR
4
Saquon Barkley NYG vs. PIT
5
Alvin Kamara NO vs. TB
6
Dalvin Cook MIN vs. GB
7
Austin Ekeler LAC @ CIN
8
Joe Mixon CIN vs. LAC
9
C, Edwards-Helaire KC vs. HOU
10
Derrick Henry TEN @ DEN
11
Miles SandersPHI O@ WAS
12
Mark Ingram II BAL vs. CLE
13
Kenyan Drake ARI @ SF
14
David Johnson HOU @ KC
15
Aaron Jones GB @ MIN
16
Nick Chubb CLE @ BAL
17
Boston Scott PHI @ WAS
18
Todd Gurley ATL vs. SEA
19
James White NE vs. MIA
20
Chris Carson SEA @ ATL
21
Le’Veon Bell NYJ @ BUF
22
Jonathan Taylor IND @ JAC
23
James Conner PIT @ NYG
24
Raheem Mostert SF vs. ARI
25
Kareem Hunt CLE @ BAL
26
Melvin Gordon DEN vs. TEN
27
Devin Singletary BUF vs. NYJ
28
Leonard Fournette TB @ NO
29
Tarik Cohen CHI @ DET
30
Cam Akers LAR vs. DAL
31
David Montgomery CHI @ DET
32
Kerryon Johnson DET vs. CHI
33
Jordan Howard MIA @ NE
34
Antonio Gibson WAS vs. PHI
35 Ronald Jones II TB @ NO
36
Phillip Lindsay DEN vs. TEN
37
Nyheim Hines IND @ JAC
38
Sony Michel NE vs. MIA
39
J.K. Dobbins BAL vs. CLE
40
Chris Thompson JAC vs. IND
41
D’Andre Swift DET vs. CHI
42
Matt Breida MIA @ NE
43
Marlon Mack IND @ JAC
44
Zack Moss BUF vs. NYJ
45
Tevin Coleman SF vs. ARI
46
Latavius Murray NO vs. TB
47
Duke Johnson HOU @ KC
48
Damien HarrisNEIRvs. MIA
49
Chase Edmonds ARI @ SF
50
Darrell Henderson LAR vs. DAL
51
Devine OzigboJACIRvs. IND
52
Carlos Hyde SEA @ ATL
53
Joshua Kelley LAC @ CIN
54
Alexander Mattison MIN vs. GB
55
Anthony McFarland Jr. PIT @ NYG
56
Jamaal Williams GB @ MIN
57
James Robinson JAC vs. IND
58
Giovani Bernard CIN vs. LAC
59
Tony Pollard DAL @ LAR
60
Rex Burkhead NE vs. MIA
61
A.J. Dillon GB @ MIN
62
Wayne Gallman NYG vs. PIT
63
Adrian Peterson DET @ CHI
64
Jalen Richard LV @ CAR
65
Benny Snell Jr. PIT @ NYG
66
Ke’Shawn Vaughn TB @ NO
67
Darrynton Evans TEN @ DEN
68
Frank Gore NYJ @ BUF
69
Bryce Love WAS vs. PHI
70
Brian Hill ATL vs. SEA
71
JD McKissic WAS vs. PHI
72
Justin Jackson LAC @ CIN
73
DeeJay Dallas SEA @ ATL
74
Jerick McKinnon SF vs. ARI
75
Dion Lewis NYG vs. PIT
76
Ryquell Armstead JAC COV vs. IND
77
Lamical Perine NYJ @ BUF
78
Royce Freeman DEN vs. TEN
79
Malcolm Brown LAR vs. DAL
80
Jaylen Samuels PIT @ NYG
81
Lynn Bowden Jr. MIA @ NE
82
Peyton Barber WAS vs. PHI
83
Justice Hill BAL vs. CLE
84
Ito Smith ATL vs. SEA
- *Check out our Week 1 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Ems to further optimize your lineups
- Start-Sit [QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | DEF | Ks]
READ NEXT
- Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings: WR
- Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings: QB
- Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings: TE
- Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings: Flex/Top-100
- Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings: DEF
- Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings: K