Fantasy Football Top 10 Running Backs

Fantasy football season is approaching quickly and it's time to begin preparing. Your fantasy football league (FFL) will probably be drafting in the near future and it is important to look at the players you might be targeting with your picks.

The cornerstone of any fantasy team is the running back position. In a typically draft, many of the top-flight running backs will fly off the board in the early rounds. There are premium players for the other positions, of course, but you want to give considerable thought to who your running backs will be.

Now, the position you are drafting from and your fantasy league's settings will impact the running backs you will want to target. With regard to position, if you have the seventh overall pick, it is safe to say you will not have a chance to draft Adrian Peterson. Accordingly, you will have to look at other options. If your league rewards points per reception (PPR) you will consider different players than if your FFL doesn't. Maurice Jones-Drew is a potential #1 overall pick in a PPR format, since he catches a ton of passes.

The running back rankings we are looking at today are assuming a PPR league. If your league is either standard or touchdown only, you will want to follow the rankings listed in that column.

1. Adrian Peterson. Even in a league which rewards points per reception, Peterson is the clear-cut #1 overall player. His upside, over 2,000 total yards and 15 - 20 touchdowns, is just too much to pass up on. And he is not a Michael Turner, who doesn't catch passes out of the backfield (only 6 receptions). AP might not end up with as many receiving points, but he'll more than make up for the difference with his ground work.

2. Maurice Jones-Drew. Fred Taylor is out of the picture in Jacksonville and MJD will reap the benefits. For the past couple of years, Jones-Drew has proven himself as an all-around threat. He can run, catch, and even return kicks. On any given Sunday, he will be able to potentially give your team the points from a couple touchdowns.

3. Matt Forte. Forte stepped into the scene in a major way last year, but look for a step up in his sophomore campaign. Like MJD, he is a rushing and receiving threat from the backfield. In Chicago, he doesn't face a running back by committee (RBBC) situation and the show is his own to run. There is tremendous upside for this youngster and he should be selected after Jones-Drew is off the board.

4. Steven Jackson. Sjax would be higher up on this list (perhaps consideration for the top spot), but there are big questions in a couple key areas. His talent is undisputed, as Jackson is definitely capable of popping off over 150 total yards every single Sunday. So why isn't he ranked higher? The past two years he suffered serious injuries which have kept him out of multiple games. The man runs hard and it puts him at risk to be injured. The other question mark involves his team, the St. Louis Rams. Donnie Avery, the Rams' main WR, is going to be missing time with a broken foot and the team doesn't have much beyond him. As such, Steven Jackson is basically all they have on offense. On one hand, you know he's going to have a lot of opportunities with the rock in his hand. Unfortunately, the defenses will know that, too, and key in on him. He is a very high risk/reward player. The reward side keeps him this high and the risk side keeps him from being even higher.

5. Michael Turner. As mentioned in the Adrian Peterson analysis, Turner does not catch a lot of passes. What he does do, however, is score a lot of touchdowns. Turner has great size, coupled with blazing speed. He will bowl over defenses and get his... just don't expect it to come via an aerial assault.

6. LaDainian Tomlinson. LT's reign as the greatest fantasy player took a southward dive last season, but don't look towards the past. He is getting older, but the man keeps himself in tremendous shape and has an outstanding work ethic. Last year he was hurt, but this year he will be coming back with something to prove. San Diego is committing heavily to the run, but LT has a ton of value in the passing game as well. Don't let last year keep you away from the great season he is going to have this year!

7. DeAngelo Williams. Williams broke onto the scene with 20 touchdowns last year. He had a phenomenal season and the pieces are in place for it to happen again. Why is he this far down on the list then? To start with, a highly-touted rookie also broke out last year (Jonathan Stewart) and grabbed ten touchdowns of his own. This means Williams is, and will be, in a timeshare. The guys ahead of him on this list are not sharing the ball nearly as much as he will be. In addition to the RBBC situation, Williams is going to face tough defenses in the NFC South.

8. Chris Johnson. Johnson was another rookie last year who showed the world that he was more than ready to hang with the big boys. His speed is the stuff of legends and he is capable of crossing the goal line from anywhere on the field. As with DeAngelo Williams, he would be higher on the list if not for being part of an RBBC. LenDale White also shares the backfield and vultures touchdowns by being the goal line back.

9. Frank Gore. With San Francisco coach Mike Singletary committing firmly to the ground game, Gore is primed to have a huge season. The Niners will employee Gore's talent frequently, and he has shown the skills needed to deliver. He will make his FFL owners very happy they drafted him.

10. Steve Slaton. The third sophomore running back to appear in this top-ten list is Houston's Slaton. When injuries brought down the two RB's ahead of him on the depth chart, Slaton grabbed a hold of the starting gig for the Texans and never looked back. Slaton has decent hands and will definitely haul in passes from QB Matt Schaub. The team has a balanced attack, so he will not face eight defenders in the box. If the other options have already been picked, you can feel safe by taking Slaton as your #1 RB.