Fantasy football 2019: Running back tier rankings
By Bill Pivetz
Fantasy Football 2019 Running Back Tier Rankings
This tier is the start of the RB2s. They have a high ceiling but their floor is also a bit lower than the players in the top two tiers.
Henry finally had the breakout season we were hoping for. With DeMarco Murray out of the picture, Henry rushed 215 times for 1,059 yards and 12 touchdowns. Though, the team brought in Dion Lewis as their pass-catching option. Henry had just 15 receptions while Lewis had 59.
Henry is dealing with a calf injury but is expected to be ready for Week 1. He will be the workhorse for the Titans. FantasyPros believes he could lead the league in rushing yards. I don’t agree fully because I like to see that kind of performance more than once. The touchdowns aren’t going to be there because of the lack of weapons on the team.
Mack was second in 20-plus touches last season. Playing on a high-powered offense like the Colts will help with anyone’s production (which is why I like Devin Funchess, but that’s for another post). Mack rushed for 908 yards and nine touchdowns on 195 carries.
Mack has the potential to be a top-10 back but the presence of Nyheim Hines prevents that. Hines had 314 rushing yards and two touchdowns of his own. Hines was more of a presence in the passing game with 63 receptions, 425 yards and two more touchdowns.
Mack will be a lock as a top-20 running back.
With Kareen Hunt out, Damien Williams helped all of his owners in the fantasy playoffs. Between Weeks 15-17, he rushed for 203 yards and three touchdowns with 119 receiving yards and another score.
Williams will be the starting running back for Kansas City. His ceiling is a question mark because we don’t know how he’ll perform over a full season. Running backs usually perform well under an Andy Reid-coached team.
But with Carlos Hyde as the backup, Williams may not get the same number of touches as other running backs in this tier.
The Packers finally let Jones free and he didn’t disappoint. From Week 6 to 12, Jones had 495 yards and six touchdowns on 88 attempts. The Packers have been looking for a consistent rusher since Eddie Lacy’s 1,139-yard season in 2014. And even his stint with the team didn’t last long.
With a new coach in Green Bay, we may see Jones as a three-down back. Aaron Rodgers will still throw the ball 550 times but his weapons are not as deep as previous seasons. If given the opportunity, Jones could be a top-10 running back.
Gurley’s fall from the top has been noticed by everyone. From the injuries to losing his job in the playoffs to C.J. Anderson to the Rams trading up to draft Darrell Henderson in the third round, Gurley’s playing time with Los Angeles is slowly shrinking.
Though, in his 14 games last season, Gurley had 1,251 yards and 17 touchdowns on 256 rushing attempts. He also caught 59 passes for 580 yards and another four scores.
The Rams are a pass-first team with Jared Goff and his pass-catching trio in Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks and Cooper Kupp. Gurley will not get close to 250 rushing attempts this season. He is no longer worth a first-round pick.