Best Backs – Evan reveals his top running backs for 2012
He may be a vegan but Arian Foster is still one of the best options for 2012
Evan's Top Fantasy Running Backs for 2012
I ranked these backs in tiers to give you an idea where guys should end up on draft day. Keep an eye on injuries (like Ryan Mathews) prior to your draft to see if you need to make any changes.| Name | Team | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Bullet train | ||
| LeSean McCoy | Philadelphia Eagles | Best of the bunch for 2012 |
| Arian Foster | Houston Texans | Excels as both a runner and a receiver |
| Ray Rice | Baltimore Ravens | Ready to show he was worth a new contract |
| Maurice Jones-Drew | Jacksonville Jaguars | The defending rushing champ has to shoulder a huge load in Jacksonville |
| Riding the Acela | ||
| Chris Johnson | Tennessee Titans | Needs to show last year was simply a fluke |
| Ryan Mathews | San Diego Chargers | Everyone expects great things this year, will he deliver? |
| Matt Forte | Chicago Bears | With a new contract in hand, expect big things from the Bears back |
| Darren McFadden | Oakland Raiders | Can he stay healthy enough to be a marquee back this year? |
| DeMarco Murray | Dallas Cowboys | Will be the focal point of a good offense |
| Jamaal Charles | Kansas City Chiefs | A top 5 pick prior to last year's injury, Charles is a year away from being totally back |
| Steven Jackson | St. Louis Rams | May be slowing down- but only a little bit |
| Marshawn Lynch | Seattle Seahawks | Would have been higher if not for off-field issues |
| Adrian Peterson | Minnesota Vikings | Have to keep a close eye on whether or not he will be placed on the PUP list |
| Highway driving | ||
| Fred Jackson | Buffalo Bills | Buffalo will rely less on Jackson and more on others in 2012 |
| Michael Turner | Atlanta Falcons | 2012 should be the year we see Turner lose effectiveness |
| Frank Gore | San Francisco 49ers | Look for less of a workload for Gore in 2012 |
| Reggie Bush | Miami Dolphins | Can Bush repeat his 2011 performance? |
| Ahmad Bradshaw | New York Giants | Look for the Giants to get David Wilson a lot of touches in 2012 |
| Trent Richardson | Cleveland Browns | Will get every opportunity to excel in 2012 |
| Roy Helu | Washington Redskins | Will RGIII take some goal line opportunities away from Helu? |
| Darren Sproles | New Orleans Saints | Pass-catching ability makes him the best guy to grab in a crowded backfield |
| Riding the Subway | ||
| Isaac Redman | Pittsburgh Steelers | Mendenhall's injury gives Redman a chance to shine |
| Pierre Thomas | New Orleans Saints | Needs to make the most of a limited number of touches |
| BenJarvus Green-Ellis | Cincinnati Bengals | Do not expect the change of scenery to effect Green-Ellis much |
| Shonn Greene | New York Jets | This may be his last chance to be the main back for the Jets if he does not produce |
| Mikel Leshoure | Detroit Lions | Even more valuable if Jahvid Best cannot suit up |
| Willis McGahee | Denver Broncos | Do not expect a repeat of 2011 for McGahee |
| Beanie Wells | Arizona Cardinals | Expect a fairly even split in carries with Ryan Williams |
| Ryan Williams | Arizona Cardinals | See above |
| Stevan Ridley | New England Patriots | You never know what to expect from backs running for Bill Belichick |
| DeAngelo Williams | Carolina Panthers | Too many quality running options in Carolina for Williams to put up huge numbers |
| Jonathan Stewart | Carolina Panthers | See above |
| James Starks | Green Bay Packers | After not living up to expectations in 2011, Starks has company in the Green Bay backfield |
| Kendall Hunter | San Francisco 49ers | Hunter is going to need to make the most of his opportunities |
| Kevin Smith | Detroit Lions | Even more valuable if he wins the starting spot during training camp |
| Taking the Bus | ||
| LeGarrette Blount | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | The arrival of Doug Martin means less action for Blount |
| Peyton Hillis | Kansas City Chiefs | He will get carries in KC, but not nearly as many as he saw in Cleveland |
| CJ Spiller | Buffalo Bills | Has the big play ability to have a big week or two |
| Ronnie Hillman | Denver Broncos | Denver will keep McGahee fresh by using Hillman a lot |
| David Wilson | New York Giants | It will be interesting to see how his role evolves throughout the year |
| Toby Gerhart | Minnesota Vikings | More valuable early in the year as Adrian Peterson works back from injury |
| Donald Brown | Indianapolis Colts | Will not get enough opportunity to be a stud back |
| Felix Jones | Dallas Cowboys | Will see role reduced in 2012 |
| Ben Tate | Houston Texans | Arian Foster is too good to allow Tate to be a major factor |
| Michael Bush | Chicago Bears | Will he get all the goal line carries for the Bears? |
| Jacquizz Rodgers | Atlanta Falcons | Will see more action in 2012 to keep Michael Turner fresh |
| Daniel Thomas | Miami Dolphins | Thomas needs to show something in 2012 to prevent Miami from looking for a replacement |
| Tim Hightower | Washington Redskins | Mike Shanahan still like Hightower a bunch |
| Alex Green | Green Bay Packers | Green has a chance to grab a prominent role for the Pack |
| Mark Ingram | New Orleans Saints | Needs a better sophomore season to stay relevant |
| Jahvid Best | Detroit Lions | Health is the reason Best remains a wild card |
| Walking home | ||
| Danny Woodhead | New England Patriots | More valuable in PPR leagues |
| Bernard Scott | Cincinnati Bengals | Solid guy to have on your bench |
| Robert Turbin | Seattle Seahawks | Will be used only to spell Marshawn Lynch |
| Evan Royster | Washington Redskins | Not a lot of touches left in the DC backfield |
| Mike Goodson | Oakland Raiders | A lot of guys are fighting for carries that do not go to Darren McFadden |
| Taiwan Jones | Oakland Raiders | See above |
| Delone Carter | Indianapolis Colts | If Donald Brown is not productive, Carter could see more work |
| Isaiah Pead | St. Louis Rams | Pead should get a few touches when Steven Jackson needs a breather |
| Lamar Miller | Miami Dolphins | If Bush falters, look for Miller to get a lot of touches |
| Shane Vereen | New England Patriots | Will probably have 1 or 2 stellar games throughout the year |
| Dion Lewis | Philadelphia Eagles | Versatile back should be good when he gets on the field |
| Rashad Jennings | Jacksonville Jaguars | Value shoots up if MJD continues to hold out |
| Bilal Powell | New York Jets | There will be opportunities to earn playing time in New York this year |
| Dexter McCluster | Kansas City Chiefs | Needs to establish a role before he loses his roster spot |