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Dynasty running backs

Bell, Gurley the clear top 2 at the running back position

It’s a key time in dynasty leagues. Some in those leagues are picking up players to potentially help in playoff games in Weeks 14-16, but others are acquiring players who might develop into something in 2016 or even 2017. With that in mind, I’ve been posting overall boards for that kind of format. Posted the wide receivers and tight ends on the weekend. Here are the running backs.

Two guys at the top stand way above the rest – LeVeon Bell and Todd Gurley. They’re both really good, and they’re post also the right age – 23 and 21. As good as guys like Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte and Marshawn Lynch are, how much football do those guys have left?

I went with Devonta Freeman at #3. On the one hand, they have another back there who might be more talented (Tevin Coleman), so who knows where those guys will stand in the middle of 2016. But Freeman has been really productive in the passing game, and I think that’s a weakness of Coleman.

I wasn’t sure what to make of Thomas Rawls. Young guy and a really good team. I am aggressively sticking him at #4, figuring Lynch might not be back next year (or might simply break down or retire).

I might be overestimating the impact of age, but I’m putting three other young guys who really haven’t played that much in my top 10 – Carlos Hyde, Jeremy Langford and Matt Jones. With this kind of thing you need to make some assumptions, and I’m figuring Forte and Alfred Morris probably won’t be back with those teams.

Well down the list, one guy caught my eye this weekend. Mike Gillislee of the Bills. He ran hard. Looked a lot better for them than he ever did in Miami. He could be one of those guys who works on his game and gets better, finally making an impact as a few years in the league. I think he's got a good chance to be a No. 2 somewhere next year.

For ages, I’m going with their current age (not their age on opening day next year or whatever). On that front, I notice that it is Forte’s birthday today. Turns 30. I wonder where he’ll play next year (as a one- or two-year solution) because I can’t imagine the Bears will want to pay him anything close to what he’s worth.

Let me know which guys you think I’m way off on …

DYNASTY LEAGUE RUNNING BACKS
RkTeamPlayerAge
1.PITLeVeon Bell23
2.STLTodd Gurley21
3.ATLDevonta Freeman23
4.SEAThomas Rawls22
5.SFCarlos Hyde24
6.TBDoug Martin26
7.NOMark Ingram25
8.CHIJeremy Langford24
9.WASMatt Jones22
10.JACT.J. Yeldon22
11.MINAdrian Peterson30
12.NEDion Lewis25
13.CINGiovani Bernard24
14.BUFLeSean McCoy27
15.KCJamaal Charles28
16.MIALamar Miller24
17.OAKLatavius Murray25
18.PHIRyan Mathews28
19.NYJChris Ivory27
20.ARIDavid Johnson23
21.CINJeremy Hill23
22.BUFKarlos Williams22
23.CHIMatt Forte30
24.CLEDuke Johnson22
25.CARJonathan Stewart28
26.SEAMarshawn Lynch29
27.DENC.J. Anderson24
28.TBCharles Sims25
29.KCCharcandrick West24
30.ATLTevin Coleman22
31.CLEIsaiah Crowell22
32.MIAJay Ajayi22
33.WASAlfred Morris26
34.PHIDeMarco Murray27
35.DETAmeer Abdullah22
36.SDMelvin Gordon22
37.NELeGarrette Blount29
38.SDDanny Woodhead30
39.DENRonnie Hillman24
40.BALJavorius Allen24
41.NYGShane Vereen26
42.GBJohn Crockett23
43.KCSpencer Ware24
44.ARIAndre Ellington26
45.MINJerick McKinnon23
46.GBEddie Lacy25
47.HOUArian Foster29
48.ARIChris Johnson30
49.GBJames Starks29
50.DETTheo Riddick24
51.NYJBilal Powell27
52.NYGOrleans Darkwa23
53.STLTre Mason22
54.BALJustin Forsett30
55.JACDenard Robinson25
56.HOUChris Polk25
57.TENDavid Cobb22
58.CARCameron Artis-Payne25
59.SFMike Davis22
60.DETJoique Bell29
61.NEJames White23
62.SDBranden Oliver24
63.NOKhiry Robinson25
64.INDAhmad Bradshaw29
65.NYJStevan Ridley26
66.HOUJonathan Grimes25
67.TENAntonio Andrews23
68.PITDeAngelo Williams32
69.BUFMike Gillislee25
70.DALDarren McFadden28
71.NOC.J. Spiller28
72.NYGRashad Jennings30
73.HOUAlfred Blue24
74.TENDexter McCluster27
75.CHIKaDeem Carey23
76.BALLorenzo Taliaferro23
77.INDFrank Gore32
78.NYGAndre Williams23
79.OAKJamize Olawale26
80.DALRobert Turbin26
81.DETZach Zenner24
82.WASChris Thompson25
83.INDJosh Robinson23
84.KCKnile Davis24
85.BALTerrance West24
86.DALLance Dunbar25
87.PHIDarren Sproles32
88.INDBoom Herron26
89.NEBrandon Bolden25
90.CARMike Tolbert30
91.NYJZac Stacy24
92.MINMatt Asiata28
93.TENBishop Sankey23
94.MIAJonas Gray25
95.STLBenny Cunningham25
96.SFTravaris Cadet26
97.OAKMarcel Reece30
98.DENJuwan Thompson23
99.JACBernard Pierce24

—Ian Allan

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