Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

- Written by Rich Arleo
- Edited by Marc Caviglia
- Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF DECEMBER 10, 2011::

Week 14 is one of the more exciting weeks in fantasy football. In some leagues, the playoffs have just begun and in others, seeds will be finalized after a few crucial matchups in the final week of the “regular season.”

There are a few top-tier runners with good matchups this week, so the opportunity for some big performances is there. If you’re fortunate enough to be in a big game this week, the Fantasy Football Week 14 Running Back Rankings aim to help you make the right lineup decisions to get that crucial win.

Remember, we update our rankings throughout the week and finalize them on Saturday night before kickoff. Now it’s time to dive into our Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings for Week 12.

Standard Scoring

Pass TD: 4 points |  All Other TDs: 6 points
25 Passing Yards: 1 point |  All Turnovers: -2 points
10 Rushing Yards: 1 point |  10 Receiving Yards: 1 point

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1. Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Tampa Bay

MJD had yet another great game on Monday night in a losing effort. Pocket Hercules gained 188 total yards on 20 carries and six catches, with one catch going for a touchdown. He was the leading receiver in receptions by three and targets and continues to be one of the most reliable backs in fantasy football. He hasn’t scored less than eight fantasy points (standard scoring) in a game this year and has 13 or more in eight of 12 games. If you own him, you’ve probably already locked up a playoff spot and are in great shape for Week 14 with the Jags hosting a bad Tampa Bay run defense. The Buccaneers have allowed a league-high 17 rushing touchdowns to go along with 4.7 yards per carry (YPC) and 141.7 yards per game (YPG) averages. You probably won’t find a safer bet than MJD this week.
Point Projection: 24 points

2. Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens) vs. Indianapolis    

Rice tore up the Cleveland Browns Sunday with 204 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries (7.0 YPC) and 10 yards on two catches. Ray Ray had it going all game and the Ravens didn’t need to rely on the pass much at all (Joe Flacco had just 10 completions all game). It was a nice bounce back game for Rice, who gained just 59 yards on 21 carries last week, albeit against San Francisco’s top-ranked run defense. The game was a big boost to Rice’s march towards 1,000 rushing yards, which now sits at 926 to go along with 547 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Rice should be in for a big game in Week 14 as he’ll lineup against the Indianapolis Colts struggling run defense. The Colts have given up a league-high 17 rushing touchdowns along with 144.2 YPG. There’s a good chance we could see back-to-back games with 200 yards rushing for Rice.
Point Projection: 23 points

3. Arian Foster (Houston Texans) @ Cincinnati

Foster ran for 11 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries and caught three balls for 41 yards in another big performance for the Texans and his fantasy owners (not that he cares about you). Foster has eight touchdowns the past six games and has scored at least one time in every game. He has been great for the most part since returning from injury in Week 4, and last week proved that he can still put up big numbers even with Matt Schaub hurt. It looks like TJ Yates will be just good enough under center to keep defenses honest and the Texans will continue to lean on Foster, as well as backup Ben Tate, moving forward.  The Cincinnati Bengals run defense has good averages of 3.6 YPC and 96.3 YPG but have given up 12 touchdowns. He’s too important in this offense and just too talented to not expect big things from him, even against a challenging defense.
Point Projection: 20 points

4. LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles) @ Miami

Despite a pathetic performance from his team, McCoy had another big game with a touchdown and 84 yards on 17 carries to go along with another score and 49 yards on four catches. The scores were No. 14 and 15 for McCoy, who has a touchdown in all but one game this year. Shady will be tested in Week 14 as he faces a very underrated Miami Dolphins run stopping unit. The Fins are ranked No.5 in the NFL allowing just 96.3 YPG and with a 3.6 YPC average and just three touchdowns. Despite the tough matchup he is still a decent RB1 option
Point Projection: 18 points

5. Ryan Mathews (San Diego Chargers) vs. Buffalo

Mathews was extremely efficient on the ground Monday night. The sophomore ran for 112 yards and a touchdown on just 13 carries. He caught three passes as well but managed just two yards. He had seven more carries than Mike Tolbert, which is a great sign, but did lose a red zone carry to him that ended up going for a score. He’s not catching a ton of passes (just enough to get a slight boost in PPR leagues) but is leading the way in the backfield now that he’s healthy again. This should continue in Week 14 against the Buffalo Bills, and for the rest of the season. The Bills offer a nice soft matchup as they are allowing 4.7 YPC and 129.1 YPG and have given up 14 rushing scores. He looks to be back into form after a midseason rough patch, so get him in your lineup as a low-end RB1 because of the matchup.
Point Projection: 17 points

6. Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons) @ Carolina

As expected, Turner was held in check by a tough Houston defense Sunday. He managed just 44 yards on 14 carries amidst injury concerns, his second worst fantasy performance of the season and second straight lackluster week. Owners who are still alive do have reason for hope, however. Turner seems to be healthy and fortunately gets the Carolina Panthers in Week 14, a team he ran for a season-high 139 yards and two touchdowns again in Week 6. The Panthers did a nice job against LeGarrette Blount last week, but Turner is a more talented back than Blount and they are still giving up 132.5 YPG on the ground this season and have given up 15 rushing touchdowns. If all goes according to plan, the Burner will be on high Sunday.
Point Projection: 17 points

7. Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans) vs. New Orleans

It could be time to officially say “he’s back.” It may be too little too late for some owners, but CJ2K gained 153 yards and scored twice on 23 carries against Buffalo Sunday. It was his second straight big performance and three of his four 100-yard rushing games have come in the last four weeks.  Now, owners should be wary that his recent success has come against bad run defenses (Buffalo, Tampa Bay and Carolina) and Johnson has struggled mightily against the tougher run stoppers (Atlanta, Cincinnati, Houston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore).  Fortunately for his owners, Johnson gets a beatable New Orleans Saints run defense that is allowing 4.9 YPC to opposing runners this week. He’ll be able to continue to find running lanes and put up solid numbers again.
Point Projection: 16 points

8. Marshawn Lynch (Seattle Seahawks) vs. St. Louis

Beast Mode lived up to his nickname Thursday night with 148 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries against the Philadelphia Eagles. It was Lynch’s eighth straight game with a score as he has had a surprisingly productive season in Seattle. The year could get even better as Lynch owners have to be giddy over a Week 14 matchup against the St. Louis Rams. The Rams surprisingly took care of Frank Gore last week, but they are giving up 5.0 YPC and 157.8 YPG on the ground this year so Lynch should be able to continue his good season without any issues for at least one more week.
Point Projection: 16 points

9. Willis McGahee (Denver Broncos) vs. Chicago   **QUESTIONABLE - EXPECTED TO PLAY ON SUNDAY**

McGahee had yet another big game for the Broncos, running for 111 yards and a score on 20 carries (5.6 YPC). It’s been quite a renaissance for the 30-year-old back that clearly was able to regain his legs after a few seasons as a change of pace back in Baltimore. McGahee has run for over 100 yards in six games this season and he’s going to continue to get a ton of chances. This is one of the few run-first offenses in the NFL this season and he’s benefiting from that. The Chicago Bears have a top 10 run defense but have struggled since losing Jay Cutler. Now with Matt Forte out, the Broncos should have a lot of time on offense, which will mean a lot of carries for McGahee. Keep him in your lineups.
Point Projection: 15 points

10. Roy Helu (Washington Redskins) vs. New England

For the first time all season, there were no Shanahanigans involved in the Washington Redskins running game. Wisely enough, head coach Mike Shanahan finally committed to his talented rookie Roy Helu, and he responded with 100 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries and 42 yards on four catches. While the New England Patriots have been decent against the run allowing 102.1 YPG, they have given up nine rushing touchdowns and Helu should be able to find success as a receiver against this weak secondary. The rookie is red hot and will likely keep it going in Week 14…he can even be considered a high-end RB2.
Point Projection: 14 points

**BEAT THE BRUNO BOYS $350 WEEK 14 FREE CONTEST - TOP 20 PAID** 

We’ve partnered with DraftStreet.com to provide our fans an opportunity to play WEEKLY salary cap fantasy football against the Bruno Boys Staff.  Through the first nine weeks of the NFL season we have given away over $5,600 in cash prizes. This week, we are offering a $350 free roll in which the TOP 20 win prize money. Make sure to sign-up now for a chance to win money and take on the Bruno Boys… IT’S FREE!!

Please use this link to enter:  Week 14 $350 Contest  (click to register)

11. Frank Gore (San Francisco 49ers)  @ Arizona

Well that was disappointing. Gore got a crack at the worst run defense in the NFL and came up lame with 73 yards on 21 carries (3.5 YPC) and zero catches. Since getting hurt in Week 10, Gore has come up very small for his fantasy owners the past three games with just 200 yards on 59 carries (3.4 YPC) and no touchdowns.  He’s healthy enough to carry the ball over 20 times in a game, he’s just not getting it done. Gore saw the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11 and ran for 88 yards on 24 carries. The yardage is OK but he has to find a way to break the plane, something he hasn’t done since Week 8 and has only done five times. All year He’s getting the carries so you have to keep him in your lineup…you just have to keep your expectations a bit reserved until he proves otherwise.
Point Projection: 14 points

12. Reggie Bush (Miami Dolphins) vs. Philadelphia

Bush has really impressed this season and has managed to thrive as a starter in the second half of the season. He had another big game Sunday with 100 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. Bush surprisingly didn’t catch a pass but his fantasy owners can’t really complain after a performance like this. After it looked to be clear that the former Trojan couldn’t handle a heavy workload at the beginning of the season, he has proved everyone wrong and found success in that role of late. He’ll continue to see close to 20 touches per game and has a good matchup against a Philadelphia Eagles run defense giving up 115.6 YPG on the ground. Keep Bush in your lineups at all costs.
Point Projection: 14 points

13. Shonn Greene (New York Jets) vs. Kansas City

Greene had his best game of the season Sunday as he found the end zone three times and ran for 88 yards on 22 carries. He even added 26 yards on three catches and the third year back was able to score more touchdowns in one game than he had all season leading up to the game (two). The odds of Greene scoring three times in a game again are slim, but if the Jets offense can continue playing like it did last week, Greene will certainly have more opportunities. He’s been pretty efficient lately and against a Kansas City Chiefs run defense that has given up 10 touchdowns and 130.3 YPG this year, he could be in for another good one. Keep him in your lineup as a low-end RB2.
Point Projection:  14 points

14. CJ Spiller (Buffalo Bills) @ San Diego

Spiller showed that he’s able to carry the load as he managed 83 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries to go along with 19 yards on three catches against Tennessee. Spiller isn’t going to put up Fred Jackson-esque numbers, but he can be very serviceable down the stretch with favorable matchups. In Week 14, he draws a San Diego Chargers run defense that is allowing 131.7 YPG on the year. This is one of those matchup Spiller should be able to take advantage of so if you own him, try to find a way to get him in your lineup.
Point Projection:  13 points

15. Michael Bush (Oakland Raiders) @ Green Bay

Bush had his worst game of the season as a starter as the Miami Dolphins shut him down to the tune of 18 yards on 10 carries. He did gain 27 yards on three catches but that was little consolation to Bush’s fantasy owners. Darren McFadden is unlikely to return this week so it looks like it will be Bush once against up against Green Bay. The Packers are a bit more beatable than Miami on the ground and have given up 4.9 YPC but offenses often get forced into throwing the ball to keep up with their high-powered passing attack. Bush is still a solid play this week and may see his bigger numbers as a receiver in this game. Keep him in your lineups and hope for a bounce back performance.
Point Projection: 13 points

16. Rashard Mendenhall (Pittsburgh Steelers) vs. Cleveland

It’s hard to explain, but Mendy apparently enjoys scoring against Cincinnati. He had two touchdowns against the Bengals for the second time this season, meaning half of his eight touchdowns have come against one team. His yardage totals were once again lackluster as h ran for 60 yards on 16 carries, and he has just one 100-yard game all year. In fact, that 100-yard game was the only time he ran for over 70 yards…so it’s clear that in order for Mendenhall to give your team more than a handful of fantasy points, he has to find the end zone. Mendy should be able to have his way against a Cleveland Browns run defense allowing 151.2 YPG and 10 touchdowns on the year. The matchup is there, so keep him in and hope for the best.
Point Projection: 13 points

17. DeMarco Murray (Dallas Cowboys) vs. New York Giants  

Murray had his worst game as a starter with just 38 yards on 12 carries, his lowest workload since he had eight carries in Week 8. The Cowboys abandoned the run and tried to force the pass as Tony Romo threw 42 times, but they couldn’t find success and came away with a loss. Felix Jones managed 36 yards on just six carries, so he was more efficient than Murray and was more involved in the offense than last game. It’s going to be interesting to see how Murray does, and what opportunities he’s afforded in a crucial game against the New York Giants. The Giants have had issues stopping the run this season and have given up 13 rushing touchdowns. They are giving up 4.6 YPC and 127 YPG and the Cowboys should go back to a balanced attack. Unfortunately there’s a chance the Cowboys get sucked into a shootout with the red hot Eli Manning, so while you should give Murray another shot you have to exercise caution this week.
Point Projection: 12 points

18. Toby Gerhart (Minnesota Vikings) @ Detroit

Gerhart ran for 91 yards on 21 carries and caught eight passes for 42 yards. He has impressed these last two games filling in for Adrian Peterson and if AD misses another game, he’s a safe play once again this week against the Detroit Lions. The Lions are allowing 4.8 YPC and 125 YPG on the ground this season and could be without both of their big defensive tackles Nick Fairley (injury) and Ndamukong Suh (suspension). Gerhart owners will have to keep a close eye on Peterson as the week progresses because if he plays, Gerhart will be bumped down to his backup role once again.
Point Projection: 12 points if no Peterson | 2 points if Peterson plays

19. Steven Jackson (St. Louis Rams) @ Seattle

As expected, S-Jax was unable to beat the best run defense in the NFL. He ran for just 19 yards on 10 carries with an 11-yard reception before being held out of the fourth quarter in a blowout. The Rams have a basically non-existent passing game so defenses are keyed in on Jackson, and he won’t have it much easier in Week 14 against the Seattle Seahawks. The Hawks are holding runners to an impressive 3.7 YPC and just 103.5 YPG. The way this offense is going right now, there isn’t much to get excited about for Jackson. Expect a little more than last week…just not too much.
Point Projection: 11 points

20. Ahmad Bradshaw (New York Giants) @ Dallas

Bradshaw returned after missing four games with a foot injury and wasn’t great, running for just 38 yards on 11 carries and catching two passes for nine yards. When fully healthy, Bradshaw can be a very safe option for steady points, so hopefully another week of rest has him fully healed up. The Dallas Cowboys are giving up only 100.5 YPG on the ground, so Bradshaw may struggle a bit while sharing carries with Brandon Jacobs. There’s always a chance he could get it going and he has upside as a receiver, so pencil him in as a flex option this week.
Point Projection: 11 points