Fantasy Football 2011: Top 25 Running Back Rankings Printable Cheat Sheet

NFL running backs are the most important players in most fantasy football leagues. The first running back chosen or saved by a fantasy football owner will make or break a fantasy football season. Chris Johnson is predicting 2,500 yards rushing, while many fantasy football owners are drooling over San Diego Chargers rookie Ryan Mathews. The following are the top 25 fantasy football running backs in order.

Fantasy Football's Best Upper Tier Running Backs for 2011

No.1. Chris Johnson: Tennessee Titans

Chris Johnson will now be the number one offensive weapon for Jeff Fisher and the Tennessee Titans will hitch their sled to Johnson in the 2011 NFL regular season. Johnson was embarrassed by his downturn in production and he will be working hard in the off season to achieve his 2010 goal of a 2,500 yard season.

No.2. Adrian Peterson: Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson also struggled in the 2010 NFL season but he will rebound and be rejuvenated under the watchful eye of Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frasier. Peterson is a hard runner that has shown a proclivity for injuries in the past. Frasier will fire him up for 25 carries a game minimum all season long so think about making a big trade with another fantasy football owner around Week 13 or 14 when Peterson begins to wear down.

No.3. Jamaal Charles: Kansas City Chiefs

Jamaal Charles came into his own in the 2010 NFL season with the Kansas City Chiefs. With teammate Thomas Jones clearing the way for him and softening up defenses Jamaal Charles rushed for 1,467 yards and also tallied up 468 yard receiving. Charles hurt his owners in fantasy football leagues that are heavily waited for touchdowns. He only scored eight. This is a stat that will improve slightly in 2011 but do not expect over 12 TD's from Charles.

No.4. Arian Foster: Houston Texans

The Houston Texans changed philosophy and they named their new strategy Arian Foster. Fantasy football owners that were ahead of the curve had Foster on their radar before the draft and now they are saving him as a keeper for the 2011 season. Don't expect Foster to romp for as many yards in 2011but he will still be an asset to any fantasy football team.

No.5. LeSean McCoy: Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles LeSean McCoy was another running back that burst onto the scene in fantasy football in 2010. McCoy was a pleasant surprise to fantasy football owners looking for a third running back. McCoy will decline from the 2010 fantasy football numbers but he will still be a strong asset and number one back for a fantasy football owner.

No.6. Frank Gore: San Franciso 49ers

Frank Gore will be fully recovered from his broken hip and he will be a solid top ten fantasy football running back. Gore will be a focal point of San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh's offense.

No.7. Michael Turner: Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are a balanced offense and Michael Turner is the key to this offense. If he stays healthy he will rush for his 1,300-1,500 yards and have his share of receptions.

No.8. Maurice Jones-Drew: Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars Maurice Jones-Drew is a solid running back for any fantasy football owner. He is also a good get if he is available in the second round.

No.9. Peyton Hillis: Cleveland Browns

Peyton Hillis was the steal of the 2010 fantasy football season and he was a workhorse early in the season for the Cleveland Browns. Hillis never carried the ball as much in his career as he did in 2010 and he wore down in the last five weeks.

Fantasy Football's Best Second Tier Running Backs for 2011

No.10. Darren McFadden: Oakland Raiders

Darren McFadden may be sharing the Oakland Raiders back field with a rookie in 2011 if Michael Bush is allowed to hit the road. McFadden performs better the more carries he has but he did suffer a few injuries in 2010 that hurt his fantasy football owners.

No.11 Ray Rice: Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens anemic offense hurt Ray Rice and he took a sharp downturn in value over the course of the 2010 fantasy football season. He may be a steal in the 2011 fantasy football draft. If Rice is still around in round three jump on him.

No.12. Steven Jackson: St Louis Rams

St Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson is another fantasy football back that dropped in 2010. 2011 is a season that can go wither way for hard hitting running back and he may drop to a second or third string fantasy football running back.

No.13 Matt Forte: Chicago Bears

Matt Forte and the Chicago Bears offense struggled all season long in 2010 but they made a deep run in the NFL Playoffs. Forte was an inconsistent running back for fantasy football owners.

No.14 Ahmad Bradshaw: New York Giants

The New York Giants and Ahmad Bradshaw had a solid running game all season but Bradshaw may not be the best fantasy football running back to draft early.

No.15 DeAngelo Williams: Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers under Ron Rivera will once again be a hard hitting defense and a pounding running game.

No.16 Ryan Mathews San Diego Chargers

Ryan Mathews was a disappointment to fantasy football fans and the San Diego Chargers brass. Mathews is a gamble in the 2011 fantasy football draft but not a bad one if he can be had in the middle rounds.

No.17 Rashard Mendenhall Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Rashard Mendenhall established a decent running game in 2010. The 2011 fantasy football season can go either way for Mendenhall and his value may go up as the season draws closer.

No.18 Shonn Greene New York Jets

Shonn Greene and the New York Jets ran a platoon running game in 2010. Platoon is a dirty word to fantasy football owners. 2011 will be more of the same for Greene so be careful.

No.19 Knowshon Moreno: Denver Broncos

Knowshon Moreno was another running back that struggled in 2010. As a fantasy football owner it makes sense to draft Moreno as a third back with John Fox now taking up residence with the Denver Broncos.

No.20 Ryan Grant: Green Bay Packers

Ryan Grant will slide under the radar in most 2011 fantasy football drafts. he may have to be moved up the fantasy football draft board as the season gets closer. Keep an eye on Ryan Grant news in the off season.

Fantasy Football's Third Tier Running Backs for 2011

No.21 CJ Spiller: Buffalo Bills

CJ Spiller killed the Buffalo Bills or did the Buffalo Bills OC kill CJ Spiller? This is a question fantasy football owners must ask themselves before drafting Spiller. He is a good gamble late in a fantasy football draft.

No.22 Ronnie Brown: Miami Dolphins

Injuries lead to Ronnie Brown ranking so low and the apparent abandonment of the wild cat offense by the Miami Dolphins. Brown is a gamble but a good one for fantasy football owners.

No.23 Jonathan Stewart: Carolina Panthers

Always a red flag to rank two running backs on the same team but Ron Rivera will use both of these backs in every game in the new Carolina Panthers offense.

No.24 LaGarrette Blount: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back LaGarrette Blount did not run around defenders, he ran through them in 2010. Fantasy football owners that jumped on Blount when he went to Tampa Bay were rewarded. He is volatile so keep an eye on him before the fantasy football draft.

No.25 Joseph Addai: Indianapolis Colts

Injuries are why Joseph Addai ranks so low. The Indianapolis Colts offense will be in need of Addai and so will desperate fantasy football owners that are forced to take Addai.

More from Yahoo Contributor Network:

Fantasy Football 2011: Top 25 Quarterbacks Printable Cheat Sheet

Fantasy Football 2010: Top 25 Running Backs Cheat Sheet

Five Best Locations in Las Vegas to Hold NFL Fantasy Football Drafts

NFL Fantasy Football 2010: Why Should Chris Johnson Drop in RB Rankings?

Statistical sources:

www.fantasy.yahoo.com football statistics,
www.lasvegasinsideinfo.com fantasy football statistics,
www.nfl.com fantasy football statistics,