The 2016 NFL Season continues to inch a little closer as the first week of preseason football is in the bags. While this means the season is only a few weeks away it also means we have very little time to prepare ourselves for our upcoming fantasy football drafts and daily fantasy football seasons.
Now for fantasy football owners the running back position is one of those positions that can make or break your season as we don’t get to see as many sleepers bust on the scene unless an injury pops up. That means we all have to hit at this position landing three stud running backs to also help you come bye week time.
Today we are going to turn our next attention of Fantasy Football Training Camp to the running back position. We are going to tell you who we like, who to pass up, who might surprise you as well as putting together our Power 50 list of running backs in order of the guys we like entering 2016.
NFL Running Backs We Like in 2016
Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers: Lacy might not be the top fantasy option on the board but if you have a later first round/early second round pick you might want to skip a few of those other names to grab a stud quarterback/wide receiver duo. Lacy has lost a ton of weight this offseason, which should help him to be a little more elusive while also playing a key role in the Packers passing attack.
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys: Now we love Elliott as a rookie simply based on him landing on with a Cowboys team that might have the best offensive line in all of football. Downside to going with Elliott is a key injury to Tony Romo could limit the Cowboys offense which could force teams to put eight guys in the box to slow him down.
Other NFL running backs we like in 2016 include Adrian Peterson, Thomas Rawls and DeMarco Murray.
NFL Running Backs To Pass Up in 2016
Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins: While Miller put up some solid numbers in Miami we are just not sure what to expect from him in his first season with the Houston Texans. Add in the fact the team has another solid option in Alfred Blue in the back field and a big question mark with Brock Osweiler we would stay away from Miller.
Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers: We are not taking anything away from the Steelers running back and his ability to put up numbers. For us it will be hard to take a stud running back who will miss the first four games of the season. Add in the fact he has been speaking of a crazy contract this offseason could have the Steelers looking to go in a different direction at the running back position.
Other NFL running backs to pass up on in 2016 include Doug Martin, Jamaal Charles and David Johnson (unless he falls in fantasy drafts).
NFL Running Back Surprises in 2016
Terrance West, Baltimore Ravens: West is one of those running backs who could sneak his way into the starting back position in Baltimore. While he might find himself currently behind Justin Forsett on the depth chart, we have heard nothing but good reports from the Ravens camp on the Baltimore native during the early weeks of training camp. Along with West we like Duke Johnson as another sleeper option
2016 NFL Running Back Power 50
- Adrian Peterson
- Todd Gurley
- Ezekiel Elliott
- Eddie Lacy
- Thomas Rawls
- David Johnson
- Le’Veon Bell (Question marks with suspension)
- Latavius Murray
- Devonta Freeman
- DeMarco Murray
- Mark Ingram
- LeSean McCoy
- Jamaal Charles
- Lamar Miller
- Carlos Hyde
- DeAngelo Williams (Great pickup for weeks 1-4)
- Jonathan Stewart
- Doug Martin
- T.J. Yeldon
- Matt Forte
- C.J. Anderson
- Jeremy Hill
- Jeremy Langford
- Dion Lewis
- Ryan Mathews
- Derrick Henry
- Terrance West
- Ameer Abdullah
- Matt Jones
- Arian Foster (Injury Concerns, Great later round pickup)
- Giovani Bernard
- Melvin Gordon
- Justin Forsett
- Duke Johnson
- Wendell Smallwood
- Spencer Ware
- Devontae Booker
- LeGarrette Blount (Could see him getting a ton of reps)
- Danny Woodhead (Look at him higher in PPR leagues)
- Frank Gore
- Rashad Jennings
- Alfred Morris
- Kenyan Drake
- Charles Sims
- Shane Vereen
- Cameron Artis-Payne (Stewart injury concerns is key)
- Theo Riddick
- Bilal Powell
- Isaiah Crowell
- Kadeem Carey