Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

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

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF DECEMBER 17, 2011::

Is it really Week 15 already? It seems like the NFL lockout just ended, but here we are in the fantasy football playoffs. If you have made it this far, you’ve clearly had a very solid season but for it to end prematurely would be a disappointment.

The slightest lineup mistakes can now cost you your season, so our Fantasy Football Week 15 Running Back Rankings are here to help you avoid those errors and make all the right choices to keep your leagues fantasy championship in the crosshairs.

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 15.

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. Arian Foster (Houston Texans) vs. Carolina

Foster was surprisingly held in check Sunday, running for just 41 yards on 15 carries with 33 yards on four catches. He lost a fumble, saw his six-game touchdown streak end and failed to gain at least 80 total yards for the first time since his season debut in Week 2. It was not the best time for fantasy owners to see Foster fail, but if you managed to survive his dud and advance, you can expect redemption in a big way Sunday. The Carolina Panthers run defense has given up 15 rushing touchdowns and are allowing 128.9 yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry averages this year. It would be an absolute shocker to see anything less than 100 total yards and a touchdown, and he should be able to easily eclipse those numbers for a big fantasy day.
Point Projection: 22 points

2. Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens) @ San Diego    

Rice got the job done against Indianapolis Sunday with 103 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries and 46 yards on six catches. He has been a monster in PPR leagues with 62 catches (second amongst running backs) and has amassed 1,622 total yards and 12 total touchdowns with three games to go. The Ravens are still fighting for the division crown with Pittsburgh so even though they are 10-3 and have all but clinched a playoff spot, Rice will continue to see work. The San Diego Chargers are giving up 128.9 YPG on the ground so there should be plenty of holes for Rice to run through Sunday night. He remains one of the safer running back options out there.
Point Projection: 21 points

3. Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars) @ Atlanta

As expected, MJD tore apart Tampa Bay Sunday, recording four touchdowns to go along with 136 total yards on 33 touches. He wasn’t extremely effective on the ground with 85 yards on 27 carries (3.1 YPC) but the Bucs couldn’t keep him out of the end zone and the amount of work he is getting bodes well for his success rounding out the regular season. The Atlanta Falcons pose a much tougher test for MJD this week. Their run defense is allowing just 95.2 YPG on the ground, No. 5 in the NFL. They have given up nine rushing touchdowns and MJD has been a touchdown magnet of late (seven touchdowns in five games) so while it may not be a repeat from last week, his production will be more than enough to carry your fantasy team and get them out to a fast start Thursday night.
Point Projection: 19 points

4. LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. New York Jets

McCoy made history Sunday…and not in a good way. Shady became the first player ever to rush 27 times and gain under 40 yards when he ran for just 38 yards against Miami to average a dreadful 1.4 YPC. Fortunately for McCoy owners, the thing that has made him so valuable this season is his nose for the end zone and he managed to score twice more Sunday. He added another 33 yards on three catches to salvage what would have been an otherwise dreadful day. McCoy now has a whopping 17 touchdowns to go along with his 1,482 total yards. The New York Jets have given up 11 rushing touchdowns this season, so it would be a surprise to see them keep Shady out of the end zone. They haven’t had as much success stopping the run as Miami has this year so expect a more effective game from McCoy Sunday.
Point Projection: 19 points

5. Roy Helu (Washington Redskins) @ New York Giants

Helu had a career-high 126 yards on 27 carries against New England Sunday. He also caught two passes for six yards (a low output for him), and has run for at least 100 yards all three games since being named the starter. Who knows why head coach Mike Shanahan kept this impressive rookie in his cage for so long, but he’s out and fantasy owners can rejoice. Expect another big game from Helu Sunday against the New York Giants. The Giants run defense has given up 13 touchdowns and are allowing 4.7 YPC and 127.9 YPG this season. The yardage will be there, just hope he can find the end zone once again and he will be in business.
Point Projection: 17 points

6. Beanie Wells (Arizona Cardinals) vs. Cleveland

Wells couldn’t break through for a second time against the No.1 run defense in the league. He gained just 27 yards on 15 carries and in two matchups against San Francisco he totaled just three fantasy points (standard scoring).  Wells and his fantasy owners will be pleased to see a much softer matchup this week as the Cardinals and a seemingly healthy Wells host the Cleveland Browns. The Browns are allowing 150.9 YPG on the ground, good for No. 31 in the NFL, and have allowed 10 rushing touchdowns. Consider Wells a borderline RB1 this week…there is a lot of potential here.
Point Projection: 16 points

7. Marshawn Lynch (Seattle Seahawks) @ Chicago

Lynch went into Beast Mode yet again Monday night and continued his surprisingly great season with 115 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries (5.0 YPC). He has now scored in nine straight games and will look to make it an even 10 in Week 15 against the Chicago Bears, who are allowing 4.4 YPC and 101.7 YPG on the ground this season. They can be considered a top ten run defense, but the Bears are spending a lot of time on defense lately due to injuries on the offensive side so Lynch will look to capitalize on that and continue his recent success. With the way he is playing right now he has to remain in your fantasy lineups.
Point Projection: 16 points

8. Cedric Benson (Cincinnati Bengals) @ St. Louis

Benson had a solid game in Week 14 against one of the league’s top run defenses, the Houston Texans, racking up 91 yards on 21 carries. While Benson has been up and down all season, scoring seven or less fantasy points in six games and 10 or more in five (standard scoring), this could be one of those big weeks as he faces the lowly St. Louis Rams. Ranked dead last at No. 32 in the NFL in YPG (156.8), the Rams have been run all over for most of the season. They’ve given up an average of 5.0 YPC and have surrendered 10 rushing scores. Most of Benson’s success this season has come against weaker run defenses like Cleveland, Buffalo and Indianapolis, so this matchup comes at a great time for his fantasy owners. Deploy Benson as a high-end RB2 this week.
Point Projection: 16 points

9. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings) vs, New Orleans     **QUESTIONABLE - EXPECTED TO START ON SUNDAY**
Peterson missed his third straight game with a high ankle sprain. He seems very determined to return and the latest news is that the Vikings fully expect him to return, and on Friday Peterson said he was going to play for all of his fantasy football owners.  If you are in the semis and have been waiting for AD to return, plug him into your lineup. Even if his workload is monitored, he is still a RB1 play each and every week.
Point Projection: 16 points

10. Shonn Greene (New York Jets) @ Philadelphia

Greene had a season-high 187 total yards Sunday in a romp over Kansas City; gaining 129 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries with a team-high 58 yards on three catches. Greene has really turned it on the past few weeks and will look to continue that against Philadelphia in Week 15. The Eagles have improved of late against the run but are still allowing 4.4 YPC and 115.1 YPG on the ground to go along with 11 touchdowns. The Jets have gotten back to the ground and pound offense that has been so successful the last few years and Greene is finally proving he can handle the full workload. Keep him in your lineups for your fantasy playoff matchups.
Point Projection:  15 points

11. Reggie Bush (Miami Dolphins) @ Buffalo

Bush continued his breakout season Sunday with 103 yards on 14 carries and 27 yards on five catches. He didn’t score a touchdown, but he managed his third 100-yard game this season after having just one in his previous five seasons with New Orleans. Rookie Daniel Thomas has been unable to perform well enough to pose a threat to Bush, who has a firm grasp on the starting job and should continue to help fantasy owners in Week 15 against the Buffalo Bills. Last time out against the Bills, Bush finished with 66 total yards and a touchdown. That performance wasn’t nearly his best this season but he did manage to score and is hotter right now than he has been all season. Expect big things against a run defense allowing 130.7 YPG this season.
Point Projection: 15 points

12. Felix Jones (Dallas Cowboys) @ Tampa Bay 

Rookie starter DeMarco Murray broke his ankle early in the game Sunday night and Jones responded with his best performance since way back in Week 3, running for 106 yards on 16 carries and 31 yards on six catches. Things couldn’t have fell into place better for Jones who is now fully healthy and has the starting gig once again, just in time to face a Tampa Bay run defense that is one of the worst in the league. The Bucs have given up a league-high 19 rushing touchdowns and a 139.7 YPG average against. Jones goes from waiver wire fodder to must-start in a matter of a few days. If you were smart enough to hold onto him or lucky enough to pick him up, plug him into your lineup and hope he can stay on the field and run all over Tampa Bay.
Point Projection: 15 points

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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 14 weeks of the NFL season we have given away over $5,900 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 15 $350 Contest  (click to register)

13. Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans) @ Indianapolis

Headaches. That’s what Johnson has given his owners all season and after it looked like he was finally back to form, CJ2K reverted back to CJ1K and gained just 23 yards on 11 carries. He did manage 43 yards on five catches, but that is not going to make his standard league owners happy. At this point, it’s really a crapshoot as to what to expect from Johnson on a weekly basis. Many of his big games have come against the worst run defenses in the league, and he has yet to prove he can beat a good run stopping unit this season. Fortunately for him, he won’t need to prove it this week as he gets an awful Indianapolis defense. The Colts have given up 18 rushing touchdowns and are allowing 144.3 YPG on this season. Johnson got a crack at them earlier this season and he disappointed with just 34 yards on 14 carries and 17 yards on three catches without a score. It’s impossible to predict what you’ll get from him, and if you own CJ your season is probably over anyway. If you were lucky enough to make it this far despite Johnson, keep him in your lineup, cross your fingers, close your eyes and pray…that’s really all you can do.
Point Projection: 15 points

14. Michael Bush (Oakland Raiders) vs. Detroit

Bush ran for 78 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries and added three catches for 19 yards Sunday against Green Bay. Considering the game was such a blowout, it’s a bit of a surprise Bush saw so much work but that just proves how vital he is to this offense right now. It would be a surprise if Darren McFadden returned this week, so expect Bush to continue to shoulder the load in Week 15 against Detroit. The Lions have been bad against the run, giving up 5.1 YPC and 136.1 YPG. Outside of a disappointing Week 13, Bush has been nothing but great replacing McFadden and that success should continue this week.
Point Projection: 15 points

15. Toby Gerhart (Minnesota Vikings) vs. New Orleans

Gerhart continued his solid play in place of Adrian Peterson in Week 14 with 90 yards on 19 carries (4.7 YPC) and a touchdown and 19 yards on three catches. The good times may be ending soon for Gerhart as Adrian Peterson is expected back this week. There is no definite word just yet, but if he does come back Gerhart would return to backup duties and be rendered useless in fantasy. If Peterson suffers a setback and Gerhart gets the start once again, he should have no problem doing damage against a New Orleans Saints run defense that has given up 10 rushing touchdowns and is allowing 4.9 YPC this year.
Point Projection: 13 points if Peterson is out, 2 points if Peterson plays.

16. Ryan Mathews (San Diego Chargers) vs. Baltimore

Mathews ran for 114 yards on 20 carries (5.7 YPC) and caught six balls for another 34 yards. He has been racking up the yardage the past three games with 363 yards on 55 carries (6.6 YPC). He hasn’t been scoring much, however, and has just one touchdown since Week 3 while Mike Tolbert, who is now the clear backup, has still scored the past two games. The scoring chances are unfortunately lacking, and his matchup against the Baltimore Ravens,who are allowing just 3.3 YPC and 85.8 YPG on the ground this season, is not an easy one. Given the fact that he doesn’t score and relies on yardage, it’s going to be tough for him to get solid fantasy points this week. It’s really hard to bench him the way he’s been running and he could certainly surprise everyone with a big game, just don’t expect more than low-end RB2/high-end flex production form him this week.
Point Projection: 12 points

17. Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Jacksonville

Turner’s late-season slide continued Sunday as he failed to capitalize on a favorable matchup and finished with just 76 yards on 21 carries against Carolina. Turner unceremoniously earned his third career 1,000-yard rushing season, but the Burner has been cool lately. In the past three games he has just 180 yards on 54 carries (3.4 YPC) with no touchdowns. He may be playing hurt, but the bottom line is that he is playing and not performing for his team or for his fantasy owners at a crucial time of the year. The Jacksonville jaguars are beatable on the ground, allowing 111.5 YPG and 12 touchdowns this season. Unfortunately, if he wasn’t able to capitalize against the Panthers it’s difficult seeing him do much this week, unless he has gotten healthier or something else changes. He should remain in your lineups but don’t think he will carry your team to glory by his lonesome.
Point Projection: 12 points

18. Willis McGahee (Denver Broncos) vs. New England

McGahee was shut down by the Chicago Bears Sunday, running for just 34 yards on 17 carries. He was questionable with a knee injury leading up to the game and while he was healthy enough to carry the ball 17 times, he didn’t look his best. Hopefully he can bounce back in Week 15 against the New England Patriots. The Pats are OK against the run but have allowed nine rushing touchdowns and the Broncos will obviously force the issue and run the ball as much as possible…that’s just the way they are built right now. Start him as a high-end flex option.
Point Projection: 12 points

19. LeGarrette Blount (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) vs. Dallas

Blount was decent Sunday against Jacksonville, running for 74 yards and a score on 18 carries. It was a nice bounce back from a dreadful 19 yards on 11 carries the previous game against Carolina. He has been very inconsistent this season and is tough to rely on, but the fact that he is the only back on the team that gets consistent carries helps him retain his value.  The Dallas Cowboys are OK against the run but have struggled of late. After a great start to the season, the Boys are now allowing 4.2 YPC and 101.2 YPG and have given up nine rushing touchdowns. The numbers are still respectable, but they struggled against another big back in Brandon Jacobs last game and it could be the same story again this week. If the Bucs fall behind early, though, Blount could become an afterthought very fast. As with every week, he comes with risk but has upside. Start him in your flex and hope for the best.
Point Projection: 11 points

20. Marion Barber (Chicago Bears) vs. Seattle

Barber had a good game from a fantasy perspective, rushing for 108 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries (4.0 YPC) with 32 yards on two catches. He unfortunately had two boneheaded plays late that cost the Bears the game, running out of bounds when he wasn’t supposed to and fumbling the ball away when the Bears were about to set up a game-winning field goal attempt. There’s a small chance we could see Barber wind up in Lovie Smith’s doghouse, but with injuries decimating this offense he’s arguable their best weapon right now. The Seattle Seahawks are pretty solid against the run, allowing just 3.7 YPC and 104.3 YPG, but if Barber gets over 25 carries again he could do some damage. We know he’s still a beast at the goal line so if the Bears can get there he’ll get his scoring opportunities. He’s a solid flex play as long as we don’t hear anything about getting benched by his coach.
Point Projection: 11 points