The 2021-22 NFL season has only two weeks left. Bye weeks are over and a majority of leagues are in their fantasy championship. This time of year COVID-19 is running rampant which makes it important to have backup options on your fantasy roster. On top of that injuries are continuing to mount up. It is always a great idea to evaluate backup options so that way fantasy managers are prepared if star players miss time. Here are the Fantasy Football Week 17 running back rankings.

*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 causes 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	Jonathan Taylor	vs Las Vegas Raiders	RB1
Must Start	Dalvin Cook	vs Green Bay Packers	RB2
Must Start	Austin Ekeler	vs Denver Broncos	RB3
Starting RB1	David Montgomery	vs New York Giants	RB4
Starting RB1	D’Andre Swift*	vs Seattle Seahawks	RB5
Starting RB1	Joe Mixon	vs Kansas City Chiefs	RB6
Starting RB1	Alvin Kamara	vs Carolina Panthers	RB7
Starting RB1	Najee Harris	vs Cleveland Browns	RB8
Starting RB1	Antonio Gibson*	vs Philadelphia Eagles	RB9
High-End RB2	Nick Chubb	vs Pittsburgh Steelers	RB10
High-End RB2	Ronald Jones	vs New York Jets	RB11
High-End RB2	Aaron Jones	vs Minnesota Vikings	RB12
Starting RB2	Elijah Mitchell*	vs Houston Texans	RB13
Starting RB2	Devin Singletary	vs Atlanta Falcons	RB14
Starting RB2	Ezekiel Elliott	vs Arizona Cardinals	RB15
Starting RB2	Javonte Williams	vs Los Angeles Chargers	RB16
Starting RB2	Sony Michel	vs Baltimore Ravens	RB17
Low RB2	Rashaad Penny	vs Detroit Lions	RB18
Low RB2	Damien Harris	vs Jacksonville Jaguars	RB19
Low RB2	Josh Jacobs	vs Indianapolis Colts	RB20
Low RB2	Saquon Barkley*	vs Chicago Bears	RB21
Flex	Clyde Edwards-Helaire*	vs Cincinnati Bengals	RB22
Flex	Cordarrelle Patterson	vs Buffalo Bills	RB23
Flex	Melvin Gordon	vs Los Angeles Chargers	RB24
Flex	Kareem Hunt*	vs Pittsburgh Steelers	RB25
Flex	Dare Ogunbowale	vs New England Patriots	RB26
Flex	A.J. Dillon	vs Minnesota Vikings	RB27
Flex	Jordan Howard*	vs Washington Football Team	RB28
Flex	Darrel Williams	vs Cincinnati Bengals	RB29
Flex	Michael Carter	vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers	RB30
Deep League Flex	Boston Scott	vs Washington Football Team	RB31
Deep League Flex	Rex Burkhead	vs San Francisco 49ers	RB32
Deep League Flex	Chase Edmonds*	vs Dallas Cowboys	RB33
Deep League Flex	Ke’Shawn Vaughn	vs New York Jets	RB34
Deep League Flex	Devonta Freeman	vs Los Angeles Rams	RB35
Deep League Flex	James Conner*	vs Dallas Cowboys	RB36
Deep League Flex	Tony Pollard	vs Arizona Cardinals	RB37
Deep League Flex	Rhamondre Stevenson	vs Jacksonville Jaguars	RB38
Deep League Flex	Justin Jackson	vs Denver Broncos	RB39
Deep League Flex	Devontae Booker	vs Chicago Bears	RB40
Deep League Flex	D’Onta Foreman	vs Miami Dolphins	RB41
Deep League Flex	Ameer Abdullah	vs New Orleans Saints	RB42
Deep League Flex	Duke Johnson Jr.	vs Tennessee Titans	RB43
Leave on the Bench	Brandon Bolden	vs Jacksonville Jaguars	RB44
Leave on the Bench	Chuba Hubbard	vs New Orleans Saints	RB45
Leave on the Bench	Myles Gaskin	vs Tennessee Titans	RB46
Leave on the Bench	Zack Moss	vs Atlanta Falcons	RB47
Leave on the Bench	Jamaal Williams	vs Seattle Seahawks	RB48
Leave on the Bench	Phillip Lindsay	vs Tennessee Titans	RB49
Leave on the Bench	Latavius Murray	vs Los Angeles Rams	RB50
Leave on the Bench	Kenneth Gainwell*	vs Washington Football Team	RB51
Leave on the Bench	Dontrell Hilliard	vs Miami Dolphins	RB52
Leave on the Bench	Samaje Perine	vs Kansas City Chiefs	RB53
Leave on the Bench	Craig Reynolds	vs Seattle Seahawks	RB54
Leave on the Bench	Cam Akers*	vs Baltimore Ravens	RB55
Leave on the Bench	Mike Davis	vs Buffalo Bills	RB56
Leave on the Bench	Jeremy McNichols	vs Miami Dolphins	RB57
Leave on the Bench	DeeJay Dallas	vs Detroit Lions	RB58
Leave on the Bench	Mark Ingram	vs Carolina Panthers	RB59
Leave on the Bench	Nyheim Hines	vs Las Vegas Raiders	RB60
Leave on the Bench	Derrick Gore	vs Cincinnati Bengals	RB61
Leave on the Bench	Alexander Mattison	vs Green Bay Packers	RB62
Leave on the Bench	Kyle Juszczyk	vs Houston Texans	RB63
Leave on the Bench	Jaret Patterson	vs Philadelphia Eagles	RB64
Leave on the Bench	David Johnson*	vs San Francisco 49ers	RB65
Leave on the Bench	Jeff Wilson Jr.	vs Houston Texans	RB66
Leave on the Bench	Peyton Barber	vs Indianapolis Colts	RB67
Leave on the Bench	Tevin Coleman	vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers	RB68
Leave on the Bench	JaMycal Hasty	vs Houston Texans	RB69
Leave on the Bench	Le’Veon Bell	vs New York Jets	RB70

Possible Changes that can occur before Sunday

RB5 D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions

D’Andre Swift returned to practice last Wednesday after missing the last three games with a shoulder injury. However, he did miss last week’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.If Swift is inactive against the Seattle Seahawks then Jamaal Williams will move up to RB19 between Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs. Craig Reynolds would then move up to RB25 between Melvin Gordon and Kareem Hunt.

RB9 Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team

Antonio Gibson was limited in practice Wednesday with a hip injury. This is the third different injury that has caused Gibson to be limited or miss practice this season. If he doesn’t play this week Jaret Patterson would then move up to RB26 between Dare Ogunbowale and A.J. Dillon.

RB13 Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers

Elijah Mithcell has missed the past three games with both a concussion and knee injury. There is a belief that Mitchell could return this week. If Mitchell doesn’t return this week then Jeff Wilson Jr. will move up to RB15 between Ezekiel Elliott and Javonte Williams. JaMycal Hasty would then move up to RB45 between Brandon Bolden and Chuba Hubbard. Trey Sermon could also return from Injured Reserve this week.

RB21 Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

There is speculation about the New York Giants potentially shutting down Saquon Barkley for the year who has been dealing with an ankle injury for a majority of the year. If Barkley was to miss this week’s game against Chicago Bears then Devontae Booker would move up to RB20 between Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs.

RB22 Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs

Clyde Edwards-Helaire is considered week to week with a collarbone injury. He will most likely miss this week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. If he was to miss this week’s game then Darrel Williams would move up to RB19 between Rashaad Penny and Damien Harris. Derrick Gore would then move up to RB40 between Justin Jackson and Devontae Booker.

RB25 Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns

Kareem Hunt missed practice Tuesday because of an ankle injury. He missed last week’s game because he was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. If Hunt is to miss this week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers then D’Ernest Johnson would join the list at RB41 between Devontae Booker and D’Onta Foreman.

Philadelphia Eagles Running Backs: RB28 Jordan Howard & RB51 Kenneth Gainwell

Miles Sanders has already been ruled out this week with a broken hand. Jordan Howard is dealing with a stinger. Kenneth Gainwell was limited in practice Wednesday with an ankle injury. If both Howard and Gainwell were to miss this week’s game against the Washington Football Team then Boston Scott would move up to RB16 between Ezekiel Eliott and Javonte Williams.

However, if Howard were to miss this week’s game and Gainwell was to be active then Boston Scott would move up to RB19 between Rashaad Penny and Damien Harris.

If Gainwell was to miss this week’s game and Howard was to be active both Howard and Scott would retain their current rankings for the week.

Arizona Cardinals Running Backs: RB33 Chase Edmonds & RB36 James Conner

James Conner missed last weekend’s game against the Indianapolis Colts with a heel injury. Now Chase Edmonds is dealing with a back injury that limited him in practice Wednesday. If both were to miss this week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys then Eno Benjamin would become the RB36 between Devonta Freeman and Tony Pollard.

But if Conner was to miss this week’s game and Chase Edmonds was to play then Edmonds would move up to RB25 between Melvin Gordon and Kareem Hunt.

If Edmonds was to miss this week’s game and James Conner was to play then Conner would move up to RB20 between Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs.

RB55 Cam Akers, Los Angeles Rams

Now that Darrell Henderson has been placed on Injured Reserve Cam Akers has the opportunity to return this week from his Achilles tear. It would be bold to play Akers this week considering this is his first action since the Summer and he will likely be on a pitch count. If the Rams were to hold Akers out this week against the Baltimore Ravens then Jake Funk would slot in at RB65 between Jaret Patterson and David Johnson.

RB65 David Johnson, Houston Texans

David Johnson was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. If he is to miss this week’s game against the San Francisco 49ers then Royce Freeman would join the list at RB67 between Peyton Barber and Tevin Coleman.