Home » Chris Thomas’ Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings for Week 16

Chris Thomas’ Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings for Week 16

Publish Date: December 25, 2020

This year more than ever it has been difficult to make decisions about fantasy football lineups because of injuries, byes, and Covid-19 concerns. This week is championship week so owners may have a few running backs on their roster that they have been flipping between all season. Deciding between them could be the difference between winning and losing. For owners who have to stream a running back this week, it may be difficult to choose who to put into the lineup.

Here are my running back rankings for Week 16 of the 2020 NFL Season.

*Ratings are subject to change due to injury reports or possible move to reserve/COVID-19 list*

(Check out the section below for details on players already rumored to possibly miss this week and how their replacement options rank for the week)

Key:
Must Start- a player who is in your lineup regardless of the matchup or most circumstances. They Will likely finish near the top of the league in points that week and in most weeks.
Starting RB1- a player who makes fantasy owners comfortable starting week after week. Regardless of the matchup, this player has a high floor.
High-End RB2- a player who may isn’t likely to carry a lineup that week, but has the ability to have a breakout game and is teetering between RB1 and RB2 category.
Starting RB2- a player who should be started in most lineups and should reach their point projection. This player is started is because of their consistency and moderately high floor
Low RB2- a player who may not be a lock to start for a team every week, but will start more times than not. Their production may not be pretty or win a person their lineup but the production is consistent enough to make a fantasy owner comfortable starting them.
Flex- a player who could float around the territory of being benched, but is started due to the potential to play better than their point projection. However, this player has the potential to flop and cause a fantasy team to lose if he has a bad game.
Deep League Flex- a player who is more of a Hail Mary throw at the position. There are enough reasons to leave this player on the bench, but their upside makes them an attractive option. Desperate times may call for a player like this to be inserted into starting lineups.
Leave on the Bench- a player who should be avoided in all lineups that week. Many times this player could even be left on waivers.
Category Name Opponent Ranking
Must Start Derrick Henry vs Green Bay Packers RB1
Must Start Christian McCaffrey* vs Washington Football Team RB2
Must Start Dalvin Cook vs New Orleans Saints RB3
Starting RB1 David Montgomery vs Jacksonville Jaguars RB4
Starting RB1 Nick Chubb vs New York Jets RB5
Starting RB1 Alvin Kamara vs Minnesota Vikings RB6
Starting RB1 Antonio Gibson* vs Carolina Panthers RB7
Starting RB1 Austin Ekeler vs Denver Broncos RB8
Starting RB1 Aaron Jones vs Tennessee Titans RB9
Starting RB1 Miles Sanders vs Dallas Cowboys RB10
High End RB2 Jonathan Taylor vs Pittsburgh Steelers RB11
Starting RB2 Josh Jacobs vs Miami Dolphins RB12
Starting RB2 James Robinson* vs Chicago Bears RB13
Starting RB2 D’Andre Swift vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB14
Starting RB2 Kenyan Drake vs San Fransisco 49ers RB15
Starting RB2 Melvin Gordon vs Los Angeles Chargers RB16
Starting RB2 Chris Carson vs Los Angeles Rams RB17
Starting RB2 Jeff Wilson Jr. vs Arizona Cardinals RB18
Low RB2 Giovanni Bernard vs Houston Texans RB19
Low RB2 Leonard Fournette vs Detroit Lions RB20
Low RB2 David Johnson vs Cincinatti Bengals RB21
Low RB2 Darrell Henderson vs Seattle Seahawks RB22
Low RB2 Myles Gaskin vs Las Vegas Raiders RB23
Low RB2 J.K. Dobbins vs New York Giants RB24
Flex Kareem Hunt vs New York Jets RB25
Flex Ezekiel Elliot* vs Philadelphia Eagles RB26
Flex Damien Harris* vs Buffalo Bills RB27
Flex Devin Singletary vs New England Patriots RB28
Flex Clyde Edwards-Helaire* vs Atlanta Falcons RB29
Flex Wayne Gallman vs Baltimore Ravens RB30
Deep League Flex Salvon Ahmed vs Las Vegas Raiders RB31
Deep League Flex  Nyheim Hines  vs Pittsburgh Steelers RB32
Deep League Flex  Chase Edmonds  vs San Fransisco 49ers RB33
Deep League Flex James Conner* vs Indianapolis Colts RB34
Deep League Flex J.D. McKissic vs Carolina Panthers RB35
Deep League Flex Frank Gore vs Cleveland Browns RB36
Deep League Flex Tony Pollard vs Philadelphia Eagles RB37
Deep League Flex Ito Smith vs Kansas City Chiefs RB38
Deep League Flex Duke Johnson* vs Cincinatti Bengals RB39
Deep League Flex Le’Veon Bell vs Atlanta Falcons RB40
Deep League Flex Jerick McKinnon vs Arizona Cardinals RB41
Deep League Flex Gus Edwards vs New York Giants RB42
Deep League Flex James White vs Buffalo Bills RB43
Leave on the Bench Carlos Hyde vs Los Angeles Rams RB44
Leave on the Bench Jamaal Williams* vs Tennessee Titans RB45
Leave on the Bench Kallen Ballage vs Denver Broncos RB46
Leave on the Bench Tevin Coleman vs Arizona Cardinals RB47
Leave on the Bench Devontae Booker vs Miami Dolphins RB48
Leave on the Bench Malcom Brown vs Seattle Seahawks RB49
Leave on the Bench Zack Moss vs New England Patriots RB50
Leave on the Bench Todd Gurley vs Kansas City Chiefs RB51
Leave on the Bench Matt Breida vs Las Vegas Raiders RB52
Leave on the Bench Devonta Freeman vs Baltimore Ravens RB53
Leave on the Bench Latavius Murray vs Minnesota Vikings RB54
Leave on the Bench Philip Lindsay vs Los Angeles Chargers RB55
Leave on the Bench Ty Johnson vs Cleveland Browns RB56
Leave on the Bench Boston Scott vs Dallas Cowboys RB57
Leave on the Bench Benny Snell vs Indianapolis Colts RB58
Leave on the Bench Samaje Perine vs Houston Texans RB59
Leave on the Bench Mike Davis vs Washington Football Team RB60
Leave on the Bench LeSean McCoy vs Detroit Lions RB61
Leave on the Bench Cordarrelle Patterson vs Jacksonville Jaguars RB62
Leave on the Bench Adrian Peterson vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB63
Leave on the Bench Sony Michel vs Buffalo Bills RB64
Leave on the Bench Peyton Barber vs Carolina Panthers RB65
Leave on the Bench Anthony McFarland vs Indianapolis Colts RB66
Leave on the Bench Darrell Williams vs Atlanta Falcons RB67
Leave on the Bench Dare Ogunbowale vs Chicago Bears RB68
Leave on the Bench A.J. Dillon vs Tennessee Titans RB69

Possible Changes that can occur before Sunday

RB2 Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers

After the hope of returning earlier this week, Christian McCaffrey is listed as doubtful for this week. If McCaffrey cannot go on Sunday, Mike Davis will be RB20 on the week between Giovanni Bernard and Leonard Fournette.

RB7 Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team

Antonio Gibson has missed the past two games with a turf toe injury. There is a chance that he could return this week. But if Gibson misses this week, J.D. McKissic becomes RB16 between Melvin Gordon and Chris Carson. While Peyton Barber moves up to RB43 between James White and Carlos Hyde.

RB13 James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

Last week James Robinson suffered an ankle injury. The injury is the reason why Robinson will not practice all week. If Robinson were to miss this week’s game against the Chicago Bears, Dare Ogunbowale becomes RB38 between Tony Pollard and Ito Smith.

RB26 Ezekiel Elliot, Dallas Cowboys

The biggest news that came out before games last Sunday was the late scratch of Ezekiel Elliot. Tony Pollard took over the Cowboys backfield last week. If Elliot misses this week as well Pollard will become RB24 on the week between Myles Gaskin and J.K. Dobbins.

RB27 Damien Harris, New England Patriots

Damien Harris missed last week’s game against the Buffalo Bills. Sony Michel did a solid job filling in for Harris. If Michel was to start over Harris he would be RB29 between Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Wayne Gallman.

RB29 Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs

During last week’s game against the New Orleans Saints, Clyde-Edwards-Helaire suffered a high ankle sprain and sprained him that will likely keep him out for the rest of the regular season. That would mean that Le’Veon Bell would become RB30 between Wayne Gallman and Salvon Ahmed making him a solid flex option. While Darrell Williams would move up to RB47 between Kallen Ballage and Tevin Coleman.

RB34 James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers

James Conner has not played great this season and on top of that has been dealing with an injury to his quad that held him out of last week’s game. If Conner is to miss this week as well Benny Snell would move up to RB35 between J.D. McKissic and Frank Gore. Anthony McFarland moves up to RB51 between Zack Moss and Todd Gurley.

RB39 Duke Johnson Jr., Houston Texans

Last week the Houston Texans did not have Duke Johnson because of a neck injury. During that game, David Johnson has 11 targets in the passing game. If Duke Johnson misses this week too David Johnson moves up to RB17 on the week between Melvin Gordon and Chris Carson.

RB45 Jamaal Williams, Green Bay Packers

Jamaal Williams missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday this week with a quad issue. If Williams doesn’t play A.J. Dillon would take his role in the offense. Dillon would become RB47 on the week between  Tevin Coleman and Devontae Booker.

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