RB Rankings Week 13 (updated Saturday)

Welcome to the Week 13 Running Back Rankings!

I put in a few good hours on the backs already but there is still more work to do. I’ll have the flex level options ranked a bit tighter by the time I finalize everything this weekend.

There are a lot of moving backfields and backfield with new lead backs. We also have a few poorly timed injuries and one moronic suspension for Leonard Fournette. The injured backs are Melvin Gordon and Kerryon Johnson. Tough losses for those in need of Week 13 wins.

For DFS, it’ll be nice to have Todd Gurley back, and we have some other nice matchups as well. Kareem Hunt, Christian McCaffrey and Aaron Jones all look pretty good with Jones being the most cost-friendly. Phillip Lindsay is another money-saver with ceiling. I’ll get into my core group of Week 13 backs for DraftKings on the Saturday podcast.

I’ll be back in a bit with the tight ends.

These rankings will be updated on Saturday.

Week 13 Rankings:

All Rotobahn rankings are based on .5 PPR scoring.

RBRanksWk13V2-18

Rank	Name	Team	Cost	Matchup	The Skinny
1	Todd Gurley II	LAR	9.300	LAR@DET 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	He’s back and this is the only spot where he can be ranked when this offense is running well and he’s healthy.
2	Christian McCaffrey	CAR	8.800	CAR@TB 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	He’s on fire and this matchup is hardly a bucket of water.
3	Saquon Barkley	NYG	7.900	CHI@NYG 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	Tough matchup but he’s excelled in tough spots several time this year.
4	Aaron Jones	GB	6.700	ARI@GB 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	He could do a lot fo damage here.
5	James Conner	PIT	7.300	LAC@PIT 12/02/2018 08:20PM ET	He’s locked into the lead role so volume is going to be there despite the tough matchup.
6	Nick Chubb	CLE	7.000	CLE@HOU 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	Tough matchup this week. He’ll need the touchdowns, so Mayfield moving the ball is key.
7	Phillip Lindsay	DEN	5.400	DEN@CIN 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	Great matchup for him. I could see some big plays against this team.
8	David Johnson	ARI	7.400	ARI@GB 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	They need to get him more targets and a more diverse array of targets, but he’s viable here as the Pack gives up rushing yardage. He’s a has floor, but lacks his rightful ceiling due to this lost-at-sea organization. Leftwich has helped since taking over the Offense, but it’s still low end stuff due to a rookie QB and a mediocre OL.
9	Joe Mixon	CIN	7.300	DEN@CIN 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	Tough matchup and he’s playing less—probably because his knee is still less than 100%. He’s only hit 20 carries once since Week 5. This is a fairly tough rushing matchup.
10	Austin Ekeler	LAC	5.400	LAC@PIT 12/02/2018 08:20PM ET	Volume is locked in with Gordon out.
11	Matt Breida	SF	5.800	SF@SEA 12/02/2018 04:25PM ET	Has a sore ankle but the way he’s played though it means you stick with him. Breida’s been incredible—playing hurt for a struggling team and getting it done most fo the time.
12	Lamar Miller	HOU	4.600	CLE@HOU 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	Had him way too low by accident on Thursday. He’s a solid RB2.
13	Chris Carson	SEA	5.200	SF@SEA 12/02/2018 04:25PM ET	No reason to shy away here in a solid matchup and a must-win game. Seattle is making a legit playoff push, and Wilson makes them a potentially tough out. They will lean on Carson in this game as they are all-in to win. He can rest his hip later.
14	Dalvin Cook	MIN	6.200	MIN@NE 12/02/2018 04:25PM ET	Has plenty of upside in this matchup. He profiles as a back who could give NE problems both on the ground and as a receiver.
15	Spencer Ware	KC	4.000	KC@OAK 12/02/2018 04:05PM ET	He’s now the lead back in the wake of Hunt’s demise. We’ll have to see how they use him, but he could end up being a strong RB2 option the rest of the way.
16	James White	NE	6.500	MIN@NE 12/02/2018 04:25PM ET	They have more backs healthy now so White’s back to being a RB2.
17	Sony Michel	NE	6.100	MIN@NE 12/02/2018 04:25PM ET	Tough week to run. Minny ground support is strong.
18	Tarik Cohen	CHI	5.600	CHI@NYG 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	His playing time has been shrinking over the last three weeks for some reason. Taquan Mizzell stole some time last week. That’s something to keep an eye on, but I expect them to get back to Cohen for obvious reasons.
19	Marlon Mack	IND	5.000	IND@JAX 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	He has a concussion and a tough matchup. He’s a RB2 if he goes, and he probably will.
20	Gus Edwards	BAL	4.800	BAL@ATL 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	Should get plenty of work again with Collins banged up. Has an ankle injury so keep tabs on his status, but should be ok. *UPDATE* He’s likley to play but may not have the high volume role we’ve seen recently.
21	LeSean McCoy	BUF	4.900	BUF@MIA 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
22	Tevin Coleman	ATL	4.500	BAL@ATL 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
23	T.J. Yeldon	JAX	4.400	IND@JAX 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	He should get the most action but Hyde should factor in as well with Fournette out on suspension. Figure Yeldon will see a lot of passing game work and some carries as well. Hyde should get more carries early but this game should end up requiring more work from Yeldon as I expect the Colts to win cleanly.
24	Dion Lewis	TEN	5.300	NYJ@TEN 12/02/2018 04:05PM ET	Derrick Henry has played more recently and that’s something to watch. It makes sense, but it’s bad for Lewis in fantasy terms.
25	Carlos Hyde	JAX	3.300	IND@JAX 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
26	Kenyan Drake	MIA	4.600	BUF@MIA 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
27	Chris Thompson	WAS	4.500	WAS@PHI 12/03/2018 08:15PM ET	Expected to return (ribs) this week. He’s now off the injurt report so good to go.
28	LeGarrette Blount	DET	3.900	LAR@DET 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	Will be the lead back but in a blowout that’s going in the other direction.
29	Josh Adams	PHI	4.700	WAS@PHI 12/03/2018 08:15PM ET	He’s looking very good and has the gig now. *UPDATE* He’s now questionable with a hip injury suffred in practice. Tough spot since he’s going Monday night. Roster Clement or Smallwood if you plan to push the envelope with Adams.
30	Peyton Barber	TB	3.700	CAR@TB 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
31	Jordan Howard	CHI	4.000	CHI@NYG 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
32	Adrian Peterson	WAS	5.100	WAS@PHI 12/03/2018 08:15PM ET	Tough matchup and he’s banged up for sure with a sore shoulder and other things. Making this worse will be Chris Thompson’s return. This feel like a Thompson game too.
33	Doug Martin	OAK	4.200	KC@OAK 12/02/2018 04:05PM ET	He’ll get a shot at controlling the game but who knows how it’ll work. Once they get behind, it’ll be Richard and Washington.
34	Isaiah Crowell	NYJ	3.800	NYJ@TEN 12/02/2018 04:05PM ET
35	Derrick Henry	TEN	3.800	NYJ@TEN 12/02/2018 04:05PM ET
36	Jalen Richard	OAK	4.300	KC@OAK 12/02/2018 04:05PM ET
37	Frank Gore	MIA	3.500	BUF@MIA 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
38	Theo Riddick	DET	4.700	LAR@DET 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	Gets a small bump in PPR.
39	Nyheim Hines	IND	4.100	IND@JAX 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
40	Elijah McGuire	NYJ	3.600	NYJ@TEN 12/02/2018 04:05PM ET
41	Mike Davis	SEA	3.800	SF@SEA 12/02/2018 04:25PM ET
42	Giovani Bernard	CIN	4.000	DEN@CIN 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
43	Rashaad Penny	SEA	3.500	SF@SEA 12/02/2018 04:25PM ET
44	Latavius Murray	MIN	3.700	MIN@NE 12/02/2018 04:25PM ET
45	Jacquizz Rodgers	TB	3.200	CAR@TB 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
46	Royce Freeman	DEN	3.600	DEN@CIN 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
47	Justin Jackson	LAC	3.600	LAC@PIT 12/02/2018 08:20PM ET
48	Jordan Wilkins	IND	3.300	IND@JAX 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
49	Alfred Blue	HOU	3.500	CLE@HOU 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
50	Rex Burkhead	NE	3.300	MIN@NE 12/02/2018 04:25PM ET	No idea how much he’ll play.
51	Corey Clement	PHI	3.300	WAS@PHI 12/03/2018 08:15PM ET
52	Jamaal Williams	GB	3.500	ARI@GB 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
53	Malcolm Brown	LAR	3.800	LAR@DET 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
54	Ito Smith	ATL	3.400	BAL@ATL 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
55	Javorius Allen	BAL	3.200	BAL@ATL 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
56	Wendell Smallwood	PHI	3.000	WAS@PHI 12/03/2018 08:15PM ET
57	Chris Ivory	BUF	3.400	BUF@MIA 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
58	Devontae Booker	DEN	3.400	DEN@CIN 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
59	Chase Edmonds	ARI	3.800	ARI@GB 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
60	Ty Montgomery	BAL	3.600	BAL@ATL 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
61	Wayne Gallman Jr.	NYG	3.600	CHI@NYG 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
62	Jaylen Samuels	PIT	3.600	LAC@PIT 12/02/2018 08:20PM ET
63	DeAndre Washington	OAK	3.000	KC@OAK 12/02/2018 04:05PM ET
64	Damien Williams	KC	3.000	KC@OAK 12/02/2018 04:05PM ET
65	Kapri Bibbs	WAS	3.700	WAS@PHI 12/03/2018 08:15PM ET
66	Jeff Wilson Jr.	SF	3.000	SF@SEA 12/02/2018 04:25PM ET
67	Alfred Morris	SF	3.300	SF@SEA 12/02/2018 04:25PM ET
68	Darren Sproles	PHI	3.400	WAS@PHI 12/03/2018 08:15PM ET	Could return this week.
69	Kyle Juszczyk	SF	3.100	SF@SEA 12/02/2018 04:25PM ET
70	Ronald Jones II	TB	3.100	CAR@TB 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	Could return this week (hamstring)
71	Kenneth Dixon	BAL	3.000	BAL@ATL 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	He’s been activated.
72	Cameron Artis-Payne	CAR	3.000	CAR@TB 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
73	Zach Zenner	DET	3.000	LAR@DET 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET
74	Samaje Perine	WAS	3.000	WAS@PHI 12/03/2018 08:15PM ET
75	Melvin Gordon III	LAC	8.500	LAC@PIT 12/02/2018 08:20PM ET	Week-to-week, but OUT for Week 13. (knee)
76	Leonard Fournette	JAX	7.200	IND@JAX 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	Suspended (and, yes, I’m bitter)
77	Kerryon Johnson	DET	5.300	LAR@DET 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	Looking like a longshot again. No practice through Thursday. *OUT*
78	Ezekiel Elliott	DAL	8.000	NO@DAL 11/29/2018 08:20PM ET	(ALREADY PLAYED) His volume makes him a great play all the time. maybe they can shut him down but it’s only happened twice all year. He’s has 22 receptions over the last four weeks and is up to 47 on the season.
79	Alvin Kamara	NO	8.400	NO@DAL 11/29/2018 08:20PM ET	(ALREADY PLAYED) He should crush it here. Volume is a mild concern with Ingram involved.
80	Mark Ingram	NO	5.700	NO@DAL 11/29/2018 08:20PM ET	(ALREADY PLAYED) Could get some goal line love in this game, but the game flow should work for him. That’s the bigger factor.
81	Rod Smith	DAL	4.000	NO@DAL 11/29/2018 08:20PM ET	(ALREADY PLAYED)
82	Alex Collins	BAL	3.900	BAL@ATL 12/02/2018 01:00PM ET	Foot (IR)
83	Kareem Hunt	KC	7.800	KC@OAK 12/02/2018 04:05PM ET	Smash spot. *UPDATE* He’s been released and is doen for 2018.
Rank	Name	Team	Cost	Matchup	The Skinny