(Bill Streicher, USA TODAY Sports)
To prepare for your fantasy football draft, get your cheat sheets in order. Using our fantasy football rankings is your foundation, but putting players into tiers is the best way to draft, so you can have a flexible strategy.
How do the running backs line up for 2015?
Complete running back rankings
(Note: Types of players are grouped together, but the exact order might not match up with the rankings completely.)
Studs
Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs
Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers
Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks
Shorter list than most years.
Any of the first four are in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick. There’s some trepidation to taking the 29-year-old Lynch in a PPR league, but he always seems to finish near the top of his position in those formats anyway. He’s safer than most others.
Anchors
Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins
Matt Forte, Chicago Bears
C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos
LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills
DeMarco Murray, Philadelphia Eagles
Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati Bengals
Questions marks abound: Forte’s mileage; Anderson’s, Hill’s and Murray’s workloads; McCoy’s surrounding offense; and Miller’s suddenly higher price.
But you should feel content with a Round 2 price for everyone but Miller, who can be landed at least one round later and, as reflected here, sports the best chance for return on investment in this group.
Make your own tiers every week. Play daily football.
Risky RB1/2
Justin Forsett, Baltimore Ravens
Melvin Gordon, San Diego Chargers
Andre Ellington, Arizona Cardinals
Forsett’s age and new system cast doubt. The rookie Gordon and the exciting but brittle Ellington are in the lead but not undisputed No. 1 options for their teams.
Breakout candidates
Latavius Murray, Oakland Raiders
Joseph Randle, Dallas Cowboys
Carlos Hyde, San Francisco Giants
These three figure to pay better dividends than the group above them. Murray has the highest floor because of what he did last year. Randle is in the best offense but has not pulled away from the pack. Hyde has the highest ceiling but isn’t likely to reach its max this year.
Value picks
Frank Gore, Indianapolis Colts
Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals
Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers
T.J. Yeldon, Jacksonville Jaguars
Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints
Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins
Gore’s new offense could squeeze one more top-flight year out of him. Bernard is still a dangerous PPR weapon as Cincy’s No. 2.
Stewart and Yeldon are sneaky touch hogs. Ingram is dangerous if too expensive but fits perfectly here after a true breakout.
Morris has an intriguing challenger in Matt Jones but should still plant plenty of RB1-type performances.
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X-factors
C.J. Spiller, New Orleans Saints
Ameer Abdullah, Detroit Lions
Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams
Spiller’s knee scope may not cost him any games. The potential PPR monster could be a steal in Round 6 or so, but monitor him.
Abdullah still has to hold off Joique Bell but could be a game-changer.
Gurley is powerful, but he’s already expected to miss at least a few contests.
PPR standbys
Shane Vereen, New York Giants
Danny Woodhead, San Diego Chargers
TD takers
LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots
Chris Ivory, New York Jets
Rashad Jennings, New York Giants
Joique Bell, Detroit Lions
Battles
Bishop Sankey, David Cobb and Antonio Andrews, Tennessee Titans
Doug Martin and Charles Sims, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, Atlanta Falcons
Duke Johnson, Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West, Cleveland Browns
Alfred Blue, Jonathan Grimes and Chris Polk, Houston Texans
The injury stash
Arian Foster, Houston Texans
Potential steals
Tre Mason, St. Louis Rams
Darren McFadden, Dallas Cowboys
Ryan Mathews, Philadelphia Eagles
No. 1 pick | Player to draft | Player to avoid
PPR filler
Roy Helu Jr., Oakland Raiders
Jerick McKinnon, Minnesota Vikings
Bilal Powell, New York Jets
Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles
Reggie Bush, San Francisco Giants
Denard Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars
Theo Riddick, Detroit Lions
Deep sleepers
Matt Jones, Washington Redskins
Charcandrick West, Kansas City Chiefs
Cameron Artis-Payne, Carolina Panthers
David Johnson and Chris Johnson, Arizona Cardinals
Backups
Ronnie Hillman and Montee Ball, Denver Broncos
Andre Williams, New York Giants
Jacquizz Rodgers, Chicago Bears
James White and Brandon Bolden, New England Patriots
DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers
Khiry Robinson, New Orleans Saints
James Starks, Green Bay Packers
Source: Fantasy Score