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Dynasty Leagues

Long-term running back rankings

Trio of superstar runners stand above the rest

There are three weeks left in the regular season, so time for those in dynasty leagues to make final adjustments to their rosters, trying to latch onto players who might emerge in 2019. With that in mind, I offer my revised top 100 running backs list.

There are compiled differently than our typical rankings, which involve stat projections for each player. For these ones, I’ve just got the list of all of the running running backs in front of me. I spend 30-45 minutes coming over the list, moving guys a few spots up or down until it feels right.

Seems like there are three super-elite running backs at the top, and I don’t care much what order they’re in. I put Saquon Barkley slightly ahead of Todd Gurley and Ezekiel Elliott because he’s younger.

Running back is a young man’s position, and the oldest in my top 10 is Melvin Gordon (who’s just 25). Only one player in my top 30 is older than 26. That’s Mark Ingram, who’s slotted 20th.

The most interesting names in the top 20, I think, are LeVeon Bell and Kareem Hunt. With those guys, you don’t where they’re playing in 2019. With Hunt, I’m assuming he’ll miss the first half of the 2019 season, but I think he’s a second-chance guy. I don’t think he’s going to be treated like another Ray Rice or Colin Kaepernick, where teams aren’t willing to sign him.

I struggled with the Seattle running backs. Chris Carson is really good. He’s a starting NFL running back. But they also spent a first-round pick on Rashaad Penny, and he’s had a few carries where he’s looked just fine. I imagine those guys will be a one-two punch in 2019. With both of them being violent, high-contact running backs, I imagine both will miss some games with injuries.

Rankings assume standard scoring, with fantasy teams allowed to keep players indefinitely.

DYNASTY RANKINGS (running backs)
RkTeamPlayerAge
1.NYG• Saquon Barkley21
2.LARTodd Gurley24
3.DALEzekiel Elliott23
4.CARChristian McCaffrey22
5.NOAlvin Kamara23
6.LACMelvin Gordon25
7.PITJames Conner23
8.CLE• Nick Chubb22
9.CINJoe Mixon22
10.MINDalvin Cook23
11.ARIDavid Johnson26
12.GBAaron Jones24
13.DEN• Phillip Lindsay24
14.NE• Sony Michel23
15.PITLeVeon Bell26
16.JACLeonard Fournette23
17.DET• Kerryon Johnson21
18.ATLDevonta Freeman26
19.UFAKareem Hunt23
20.NOMark Ingram28
21.CHITarik Cohen23
22.SFMatt Breida23
23.INDMarlon Mack22
24.NEJames White26
25.SEAChris Carson24
26.TENDerrick Henry24
27.ATLTevin Coleman25
28.WAS• Derrius Guice21
29.SEA• Rashaad Penny22
30.CHIJordan Howard24
31.MIAKenyan Drake24
32.TENDion Lewis28
33.PHIJay Ajayi25
34.HOUD'Onta Foreman22
35.NYJIsaiah Crowell25
36.CLEDuke Johnson25
37.PHI• Josh Adams22
38.HOULamar Miller27
39.LACAustin Ekeler23
40.IND• Nyheim Hines22
41.DEN• Royce Freeman22
42.BUFLeSean McCoy30
43.TBPeyton Barber24
44.NYJElijah McGuire24
45.ATL• Ito Smith23
46.WASChris Thompson28
47.CINGiovani Bernard27
48.SFJerick McKinnon26
49.NERex Burkhead28
50.MINLatavius Murray28
51.DETTheo Riddick27
52.LARMalcolm Brown25
53.GBJamaal Williams23
54.KCSpencer Ware27
55.OAKJalen Richard25
56.BALGus Edwards23
57.LACJustin Jackson22
58.TB• Ronald Jones21
59.KCDamien Williams26
60.IND• Jordan Wilkins24
61.JACT.J. Yeldon25
62.NYGWayne Gallman24
63.PIT• Jaylen Samuels22
64.BALKenneth Dixon24
65.WASAdrian Peterson33
66.OAKDoug Martin29
67.MIA• Kalen Ballage22
68.JACCarlos Hyde27
69.ARI• Chase Edmonds22
70.OAKMarshawn Lynch32
71.PHICorey Clement24
72.SEAMike Davis25
73.HOUAlfred Blue27
74.DENDevontae Booker26
75.OAK• Chris Warren22
76.DETLeGarrette Blount32
77.CIN• Mark Walton21
78.BALAlex Collins24
79.MIAFrank Gore35
80.BUFChris Ivory30
81.NYJTrenton Cannon24
82.LAR• John Kelly22
83.SFJeff Wilson23
84.NEJeremy Hill26
85.JACCorey Grant26
86.DALRod Smith26
87.BALTy Montgomery25
88.CARCameron Artis-Payne28
89.TBJacquizz Rodgers28
90.LACDetrez Newsome24
91.SFRaheem Mostert26
92.KCDarrel Williams23
93.UFAC.J. Anderson27
94.LARJustin Davis23
95.BUFMarcus Murphy27
96.SFKyle Juszczyk27
97.MIN• Mike Boone23
98.DETZach Zenner27
99.NYJBilal Powell30
100.PHI• Boston Scott23

Note that these rankings around going up on Saturday in the a.m. -- before the games between the Jets-Texans and Browns-Broncos.

Next week: tight ends.

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index