ChiCitySports 2017 Fantasy Football preview
QB |
It could be said the best word to describe the 2017 running back market in fantasy football is “minefield”.
The top tier is thinning by the day, let alone chock full of injury concerns, and what’s left past RB1 options? A lot of wild cards.
If there’s a year to grab the sure thing near the top of the board, this is the year to do it at RB.
Suspensions and injuries have decimated value in this group already and we’re only at preseason week 2! Let’s get to the breakdown:
| Rank | Player | Team | Bye |
| 1 | David Johnson | ARI | 8 |
| 2 | Le’Veon Bell | PIT | 9 |
| 3 | LeSean McCoy | BUF | 6 |
| 4 | Devonta Freeman | ATL | 5 |
| 5 | Jordan Howard | CHI | 9 |
| 6 | Melvin Gordon | LAC | 9 |
| 7 | Jay Ajayi | MIA | 11 |
| 8 | Todd Gurley | LAR | 8 |
| 9 | DeMarco Murray | TEN | 8 |
| 10 | Leonard Fournette | JAC | 8 |
| 11 | Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | 6 |
| 12 | Lamar Miller | HOU | 7 |
It’s not often a player the caliber of Elliott watches his value plummet this close to the season.
With a (currently) six game suspension in tow, the first-round pick now becomes a third rounder going from RB3 to RB11.
If his suspension is reduced, it’s possible he jumps back into the top six. Meanwhile, when we are talking about a 29-year-old LeSean McCoy as the RB3, you can’t help but wonder how volatile this year will be.
The middle of this pack is high risk, high reward with Gordon, Ajayi, and Gurley. Gordon has to improve on the YPC, Ajayi show production in more than three games and Gurley just needs a competent offense. Have fun navigating your first pick at the position if you don’t snag one of the top five.
| 13 | Isaiah Crowell | CLE | 9 |
| 14 | Carlos Hyde | SF | 11 |
| 15 | Marshawn Lynch | OAK | 10 |
| 16 | Spencer Ware | KC | 10 |
| 17 | Dalvin Cook | MIN | 9 |
| 18 | Christian McCaffrey | CAR | 11 |
| 19 | C.J. Anderson | DEN | 5 |
| 20 | Joe Mixon | CIN | 6 |
| 21 | Ty Montgomery | GB | 8 |
| 22 | Eddie Lacy | SEA | 6 |
| 23 | Mike Gillislee | NE | 9 |
| 24 | Terrance West | BAL | 10 |
As we make our way into RB2 territory, we could label this group “Invasion of the Rookies”. Cook, McCaffrey and Mixon will all get their shot to become solid fantasy contributors this year. Considering the options surrounding them are all entrenched in some interesting RB platoons (Ware, Anderson, Montgomery, Lacy, Gillislee), a rookie may be the way to go for your RB2.
Out of this group, I’m most weary of Ware. It wouldn’t surprise me if Kareem Hunt is the starter by season’s end in KC.
| 25 | Bilal Powell | NYJ | 11 |
| 26 | Danny Woodhead | BAL | 10 |
| 27 | Ameer Abdullah | DET | 7 |
| 28 | Frank Gore | IND | 11 |
| 29 | Mark Ingram | NO | 5 |
| 30 | Tevin Coleman | ATL | 5 |
| 31 | Paul Perkins | NYG | 8 |
| 32 | LeGarrette Blount | PHI | 10 |
| 33 | Adrian Peterson | NO | 5 |
| 34 | Derrick Henry | TEN | 8 |
| 35 | Doug Martin | TB | 11 |
| 36 | Jonathan Stewart | CAR | 11 |
If the second tier was about rookies, this tier is all about the veterans.
Out of Woodhead, Gore, Blount, Peterson, Martin and Stewart, who can you count on to get you through one more season? Like many, I’m tired of betting against the never aging Gore.
Woodhead can pick up quite a few spots if you are looking at a full PPR league thanks to Dennis Dixon’s suspension/injury. The biggest questions in this group are Powell and Henry. Can they overcome sharing the rock with Forte and Murray respectively and watch their value vault up the board?
Only time will tell, but I think one of them will get that opportunity.
BEST OF THE REST
| 37 | Robert Kelley | WAS | 5 |
| 38 | Theo Riddick | DET | 7 |
| 39 | Matt Forte | NYJ | 11 |
| 40 | Samaje Perine | WAS | 5 |
| 41 | Kareem Hunt | KC | 10 |
| 42 | C.J. Prosise | SEA | 6 |
| 43 | Duke Johnson | CLE | 9 |
| 44 | Latavius Murray | MIN | 9 |
| 45 | James White | NE | 9 |
| 46 | Jeremy Hill | CIN | 6 |
| 47 | Darren McFadden | DAL | 6 |
| 48 | Jamaal Williams | GB | 8 |
| 49 | Thomas Rawls | SEA | 6 |
| 50 | Jacquizz Rodgers | TB | 11 |
| 51 | Giovani Bernard | CIN | 6 |
| 52 | Jamaal Charles | DEN | 5 |
| 53 | Darren Sproles | PHI | 10 |
| 54 | Joe Williams | SF | 11 |
| 55 | Dion Lewis | NE | 9 |
| 56 | Alvin Kamara | NO | 5 |
| 57 | DeAndre Washington | OAK | 10 |
| 58 | Jonathan Williams | BUF | 6 |
| 59 | Marlon Mack | IND | 11 |
| 60 | Charles Sims | TB | 11 |
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