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.
