Advertisement

Fantasy Football: Week 7 running back rankings

By Alex Butler
Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley II gets away from Seattle Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor in the first half on October 8 at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. Photo by Lori Shepler/UPI
1 of 3 | Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley II gets away from Seattle Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor in the first half on October 8 at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. Photo by Lori Shepler/UPI | License Photo

Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Kansas City Chiefs breakout rookie Kareem Hunt claims our top spot once again in the Week 7 fantasy football running back rankings.

Just Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick and Lamar Miller are on bye weeks in Week 7, meaning there is a plethora of rushing talent available to plug into your running back slots.

Advertisement

That also means you could be facing some tough choices of who to sit and who to start, which could make the difference between a win and a loss for your fantasy football squad. If you have a Detroit Lions back or Miller, you might need to snag someone off of the waiver wire. You should also look there for depth at this time of the year, as injuries start occurring more frequently. If you need help immediately at the position, check out our add/drop article for Week 7.

Advertisement

Here are my Top 30 options at the position this week.

TOP 30 WEEK 7 RANKINGS BELOW

TOP SHELF

Devonta Freeman is our No. 3 option at the position. The Atlanta Falcons star had five touchdowns through his first four games this season before being kept out of the end zone in Week 6. I see Freeman reaching pay dirt again here Sunday against the New England Patriots. New England is allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs and has allowed the most receiving yards and receiving scores to the position.

Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley has rushed for at least 113 yards in three of his last four games. He also already has seven touchdowns on the season. I like Gurley this week against the Arizona Cardinals mostly because of his workload and talent. Look for a ton of carries on Sunday from the Rams' bell cow.

SNEAKY PLAYS

San Francisco 49ers star Carlos Hyde is my No. 12 option for Week 7. Hyde is facing a Dallas Cowboys defense tied for allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. He also has four touchdowns in his last four games, after getting int eh end zone twice last week against the Washington Redskins. Put simply, you might not have better options at the position and Hyde will see a heavy workload as the 49ers look to battle to control the pace of this contest.

Advertisement

Adrian Peterson is back. The Arizona Cardinals running back made a big splash in his debut. The veteran ripped off 134 rushing yards and two scores in the Cardinals' 38-33 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'm looking for the Cardinals to give Peterson another decent workload Sunday against the Rams. Los Angeles is allowing the most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs and has allowed a league-high seven scores to the position. Peterson is a high-end RB2.

LONGSHOTS

Cincinnati Bengals rookie Joe Mixon scored his first NFL touchdown in Week 5 and rested in Week 6 during his team's bye week. The Bengals might have found something in this second-round draft pick and the offense seems to have turned things around under a new offensive coordinator. Pittsburgh might be stout against the pass, but the Steelers have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. Mixon is an RB2 and comes in as my No. 21 option for Week 7.

Fellow rookie Christian McCaffrey is my No. 18 option for Week 7. The Carolina Panthers weapon has touchdowns in back-to-back games and is being targeted a ton in the passing game. In fact, McCaffrey's 50 receiving targets are the most for any running back. McCaffrey has been a consistent producer this season and when he makes his way to the end zone he finds himself on the RB2 radar in standard leagues. This week he faces the Chicago Bears in a game that I think the Panthers dominate. Look for McCaffrey to be a huge part of that success.

Advertisement

Week 7 Running Back Rankings

Latest Headlines