Now that we covered the top 20 running backs, let’s take a look at the rest of the group. The first five or so on this list are pretty reliable options to help you, but after that there are a lot of questions about pretty much every single guy! It has become a case of needing depth at running back between injuries and committees, and choosing them has become somewhat of a crapshoot. Below are the next 30 running backs (and a few extras!) that can help fill out your fantasy roster.
Did you miss the first twenty running back rankings? Check out 1-20 here!
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2016 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings 21-50
21. Duke Johnson, Cleveland Browns
104 carries, 379 yards; 61 catches, 534 yards, 2 touchdowns
A third round pick last year, Johnson lost time to a hamstring injury in the preseason in 2015 and that allowed Isaiah Crowell to pass him on the depth chart. Johnson proved to be lethal as a pass catcher out of the backfield, and showed flashes of his ability in limited carries last season. Crowell has some legal issues to deal with and that could be enough for Johnson to get his shot. He is a dynamic talent and if he gets the carries he could be one of the bigger surprises of the 2016. He certainly has added value in PPR leagues.
#Browns RG3 to Duke Johnson for TD in Orange and Brown scrimmage pic.twitter.com/qemp4q0qzy
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 6, 2016
22. Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers
242 yards, 989 yards, 6 touchdowns; 16 catches, 99 yards, 1 touchdown (13 games)
Stewart has been in the league since 2008 and I think you can sum up his career in one word: Average. Most years his yards per carry were between 3.5 and 4.5, he only broke 1,000 yards once, and he hasn’t scored double digit touchdowns since 2009. Most years he had been in a time share with DeAngelo Williams, but he rarely was involved on passing downs. He had his best year in quite a while in 2015 with Williams in Pittsburgh, but it still was nothing to get excited about. With Kelvin Benjamin back, I think Stewart will end up with fewer carries in 2016 although not a drastic amount. I could see him gaining between 850-900 yards and probably scoring five or six times, but he is a borderline RB2 and not one I will be targeting this season.
23. Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati Bengals
223 carries, 794 yards, 11 touchdowns; 15 catches, 79 yards, 1 touchdown
The last thing we remember of Jeremy Hill in 2015 was that awful fumble that helped contribute to the Steelers comeback win in the playoffs. Not much has changed since last year, but you have to hope that he can improve on his 3.6 yards per carry. He will still have to contend with Giovani Bernard, who just got a contract extension this offseason. Hill has a hell of a knack for the endzone, and that gives him solid fantasy value. You are likely going to have to deal with the fact that he will put up some total duds some weeks, but if he can replicate last season’s number he will be a reasonable RB2.
24. Melvin Gordon, San Diego Chargers
184 carries, 641 yards; 33 catches, 192 yards
It was a horrendous rookie season for Gordon and he is still looking for his first NFL touchdown. Gordon was decently involved in the passing game, but sucked as a running back, and basically went down at the first threat of contact. He had microfracture surgery on his knee and looks to have a huge bounceback sophomore season. I’m not ready to trust Gordon, and I can’t trust him for anything outside of a flex role or even a bench spot for injury insurance. He won’t be very involved in the passing game, that’s Danny Woodhead’s job, but Gordon should be better than he was last season. That being said I think his upside is capped and you shouldn’t put too many eggs in his basket this year.
25. Dion Lewis, New England Patriots
49 carries, 234 yards, 2 touchdowns; 36 catches, 388 yards, 2 touchdowns (7 games)
Lewis tore his ACL in the beginning of November, and as of now it appears he could be ready for Week 1. People are really excited about him after a fairly successful rookie season, but I am not one of them. First, you try to figure out who Bill Belicheck is going to give the ball to on a consistent basis. Second, when Week 1 opens he will be just ten months removed from major knee surgery. Third, unless you are in a PPR league, I wouldn’t go anywhere near Lewis. Even if it is PPR, I’m still not all warm and fuzzy with the guy and think he is more of an RB3 or flex than someone you want to count on every week.
26. Chris Ivory, Jacksonville Jaguars
247 carries, 1,070 yards, 7 touchdowns; 30 catches, 217 yards, 1 touchdown
Despite being a second round pick, Jaguars running back T.J. Yeldon had a very forgettable rookie season. In fact, it was so bad that it prompted the Jaguars to go out and give Chris Ivory a five year contract. There is still some disagreement among fantasy experts of who will be the starting back, but I believe it will be Ivory. He runs with a purpose, he isn’t afraid of contact, and the first guy who touches him rarely takes him down. He is a bruiser. With the great passing game that Jacksonville has, that should leave defenses vulnerable to Ivory’s attack. As it is his first year on a new team it is a bit difficult to predict what kind of year he will have, but I think Ivory will be a solid second running back on your team, but you can probably draft him as your third runner or flex option.
27. Justin Forsett, Baltimore Ravens
151 carries, 641 yards, 2 touchdowns; 31 catches, 153 yards (10 games)
I was a huge Forsett fan heading into 2015 and even had him in my top ten running backs before the season started. That may have been my biggest swing and miss of the year. Actually, I hope it was my biggest miss because it was a huge one. Even before an injury cost him the last six weeks of the season, he was awful except for two weeks of the year. Forsett still appears to be the starter heading into 2016, but I don’t feel that the Ravens did anything to improve their running game. He can be very involved in the passing game out of the backfield, but Forsett is nothing more than a flex position runner for your fantasy team.
28. Jay Ajayi, Miami Dolphins
49 carries, 187 yards, 1 touchdown; 7 catches, 90 yards (9 games)
The Dolphins let their top back, Lamar Miller, go although they did pick Kenyan Drake in the third round of this year’s draft. A fifth round pick himself, Ajayi didn’t get on the field too much in his rookie season after injuries cost him the first half of the year. He showed flashes in his limited touches in 2015, and while you like his potential, you also have to remember the injury troubles he had in college. The Dolphins also signed Arian Foster in the middle of July and this puts a serious damper on his value. Ajayi looks to be in a committee with Foster, but he is likely to be on the wrong side of this partnership.
29. Rashad Jennings, New York Giants
195 carries, 863 yards, 3 touchdowns; 29 catches, 296 yards, 1 touchdown
Jennings was very underwhelming last season until the last four weeks which turned to make his numbers fairly respectable. He only has to beat out Andre Williams who obviously sucks, and fifth round pick Paul Perkins for carries. It is pretty obvious that Jennings will be the back who gets the vast majority of carries. He is also fairly adept at catching passes out of the backfield which kind of makes him a complete back. While I like him and his capabilities, I also understand that the Giants are a run first team, and Jennings is 31 years old. If you can get him as your third running back you are doing really well and can not count on him too much in 2016.
30. Ameer Abdullah, Detroit Lions
143 carries, 597 yards, 2 touchdowns; 25 catches, 183 yards, 1 touchdown
Outside of signing Stevan Ridley, the Lions didn’t do anything to upgrade their running back position meaning Abdullah will have every opportunity to carry the load in 2016. He is a very exciting player, has great hands out of the backfield, but he also had ball control issues in his rookie season. While the chance at excitement is there, Abdullah was still very average in his first season. There is no more Calvin Johnson so the team could be slightly more reliant on the running game, but there’s no reason to be overly excited about Abdullah entering 2016. He has a world of potential but is no more than a third running back or a flex option in 2016.
31. Ryan Mathews, Philadelphia Eagles
106 carries, 539 yards, 6 touchdowns; 20 catches, 146 yards, 1 touchdown (13 games)
During his time with the Chargers, Mathews always teased fantasy owners with his ability, but also broke their hearts with his inability to stay healthy. Last season he was part of a committee with Demarco Murray, and despite reports this season, I believe he will carry most of the load if he is able to stay on the field. That being said, I’m a LONG way from being a Mathews fan. He has always had an issue with losing fumbles, and he goes down too easy after first contact. He is a viable starting fantasy back, but to me he is more of a flex guy or at absolute best a very low end RB2.
32. Arian Foster, Miami Dolphins
63 rushes, 163 yards, 1 touchdown; 22 catches, 227 yards, 2 touchdowns (4 games)
Many are aboard the Arian Foster bandwagon, but I’m not gonna hop on that train
Many in the fantasy community were quick to anoint Foster a fantasy force again in 2016 after signing with the Dolphins, but color me skeptical. It has been three years since Foster played a full season, and the Achilles tear he suffered last season was the second major injury in three seasons. I’m sorry that I’m not in love with a guy who is rehabbing a major foot injury not long after a neck injury threatened to end his career not long ago. If healthy I think Foster splits carries with Ajayi and is more involved in the passing game. Foster has more value in PPR leagues, but I am still not sold he is anything more than a flex option.
33. Frank Gore, Indianapolis Colts
260 carries, 967 yards, 6 touchdowns; 34 catches, 267 yards, 1 touchdown
I’ve never really been a big fan of Gore’s, despite being a 49er fan my entire life. He is slower than molasses, and even when he breaks a big run, he is always caught from behind. He isn’t really a big pass catcher out of the backfield, and the Colts are clearly a pass-first team. Gore has a lot of miles on those 33 year old legs, and I would be shocked if he was an every down back. I don’t expect him to approach 1,000 yards or score more than five times. Gore has had a great career, but I think it is on the way down.
34. Danny Woodhead, San Diego Chargers
98 carries, 336 yards, 3 touchdowns; 80 catches, 755 yards, 6 touchdowns
My friend Ron drafted Danny Woodhead last season and I basically laughed in his face. I told him he was too slow, too white, and Melvin Gordon was going to rule the Charger backfield. Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong, while Woodhead only averaged about six carries a game, he was a huge part of the Charger passing game. Woodhead had huge value in PPR leagues with his 80 catches and nine total touchdowns. I fully expect him to retain the role that worked so well in 2016, and if you are in a PPR league and are looking for a flex back, I think you will do just fine with Woodhead.
35. Tevin Coleman, Atlanta Falcons
87 carries, 392 yards, 1 touchdown; 2 catches, 14 yards (12 games)
Coleman won the starting job out of the preseason and had a very solid first week with 20 carries for 80 yards. He went down to injury in Week 2 and Devonta Freeman ran with his job and never looked back. Even when he returned, Coleman couldn’t really sniff the field much. When Freeman was hurt, Coleman performed well, but had a real problem with ball security. The Falcons recognized that they basically ran Freeman into the ground last year, and want to give Coleman more of a role in 2016. He needs to stop the fumbling if he wants to stay on the field, but Coleman definitely has the capabilities to be a solid fantasy running back, but will need an injury to be a guy that you will play on a week to week basis.
#Falcons look to give Tevin Coleman bigger workload behind Devonta Freeman: https://t.co/sRtmF1yEPi pic.twitter.com/DQncnxU6gr
— Pro Football Weekly (@PFWeekly) July 29, 2016
36. Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals
154 carries, 730 yards, 2 touchdowns; 49 catches, 472 yards
It was a very complicated season in the Bengals backfield as both Jeremy Hill and Bernard both struggled to produce consistently. Bernard was far more involved in the passing game, while Hill was the one who scored all of the touchdowns. They both rushed for a similar number of yards, but I believe that Hill will be on the better side of the committee. Bernard will be a bench option, but a must handcuff if you decided to pick Hill.
37. Chris Johnson, Arizona Cardinals
196 carries, 814 yards, 3 touchdowns; 6 catches, 58 yards (11 games)
After a disappointing 2014 with the Jets, Johnson bounced back in a big way as he claimed the starting running back job for a while in Arizona. He kept the rookie sensation David Johnson in a limited role until eventually the injury bug got him. Between the breakout of David Johnson, and Chris Johnson’s advancing age, I don’t expect him to be a starter in 2016. However, I do expect Johnson to have somewhat of a role on passing downs and to get six to eight carries a game. He is also a must have in case you draft David Johnson and he doesn’t quite live up to expectations.
38. Buck Allen, Baltimore Ravens
137 carries, 514 yards, 1 touchdown; 45 catches, 353 yards, 2 touchdowns
Justin Forsett was one of the bigger disappointments of the 2015 fantasy football season, and when he went out with injury it gave an opportunity for Allen to get some reps. He showed both the ability to run between the tackles, but he also proved to be a great pass catcher out of the backfield. If I had to make a guess going into training camps, I would think that Forsett is likely to begin the preseason as the starter. However, with Forsett at age 30 and Allen at age 24, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see Buck take the majority of the carries when the season began. Running back is becoming a young man’s position, and if you want to take a gamble on Allen being the starter, I don’t think there is anything wrong with that gamble. Forsett had one really big year in his career and the rest has been a whole lot of average.
39. Isaiah Crowell, Cleveland Browns
185 carries, 706 yards, 4 touchdowns; 19 catches, 182 yards, 1 TD
Well the good thing for Crowell is there aren’t negative points for being a knucklehead. After some of the events this summer with police and civilians, Crowell thought it would be appropriate to post a picture on Instagram of a cop being stabbed in the neck. He took the picture down and apologized repeatedly, and he was lucky he wasn’t cut. I still think that Duke Johnson is the better back, but I am sure that Crowell will be a part of the offense as well. There aren’t a lot of scores to go around in the Browns offense, but Crowell could factor in if he gets off to a good start.
40. Devontae Booker, Denver Broncos
268 carries, 1,261 yards, 11 touchdowns; 37 catches, 316 yards (at Utah)
A fourth round pick out of the University of Utah, Booker finds himself in a great situation. The Broncos are going to run the ball more than any other team perhaps, and although he won’t be the starter, Booker will have a role. He has shown both great hands and the ability to pass block, both of which will help him get on the field over Ronnie Hillman. An injury to C.J. Anderson makes him very valuable, but even without that I expect this rookie to carve himself out some value on this team and some later round fantasy consideration.
More to Watch
41. Charcandrick West, Kansas City Chiefs
42. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
43. LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots
44. Theo Riddick, Detroit Lions
45. Spencer Ware, Kansas City Chiefs
46. DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers
47. Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears
48. DeAndre Washington, Oakland Raiders
49. TJ Yeldon, Jacksonville Jaguars
50. Jerick McKinnon, Minnesota Vikings
51. C.J. Prosise, Seattle Seahawks
52. James Starks, Green Bay Packers
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