Running Backs

Always start your studs: Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, Arian Foster, Michael Turner, Rashard Mendenhall, Maurice Jones-Drew, Peyton Hillis, and Darren McFadden —although I don’t like that Michael Bush had more carries last week…just something to keep an eye on.

Start 'Em:
Running Backs Who Will Outperform Relative To Their Draft Position And Recent Hype

Tim Hightower vs. DEN
Hightower averages just 43 yards a game, but that’s off an average of only 9 carries for an impressive 4.7 ypc average. He has only 3 TDs on the year but is in the top 10 in 20-plus yard runs. This week he takes on the Denver Broncos with their new interim head coach and their 31st-ranked run defense. Denver gives up 145 yards a game, and they’ve allowed the most rushing TDs (16) and the fifth-most big plays in the NFL. They’ve also given up 28 points per game. So even if the Cardinals do start rookie John Skelton (yes, another rookie quarterback for the Cards), Hightower could make some noise this week if he gets the ball.

Knowshon Moreno @ ARI
Moreno is quietly having a solid year. He’s 14th in the league with 70 yards a game, and while he has just 4 TDs on the ground, he’s had another 3 through the air (to go along with his 35 receiving yards per game). He had a season-high 161 yards rushing last week against Kansas City, which has a much better run defense than the Arizona. The Cardinals rank 30th against the run, allowing 144 yards per game, the second-most rushing TDs on the year (15), and the second-most big plays in the league. Josh McDaniels was just shown the door, and interim coach Eric Studesville could be off to a rough start if he doesn’t feed Moreno the ball all day long.

LeSean McCoy @ DAL
McCoy is still managing to stay relevant amid the Michael Vick hype. He ranks 17th in the league with 69 yards per game. He also has 7 rushing TDs on the year for ninth-best in the league. In addition to that, McCoy gets his owners nearly 50 receiving yards per game, and he also has 2 TDs through the air this year. This week he travels to Dallas to take on the resurgent Cowboys, whose 15th-ranked run defense gives up 108 yards and 1 TD per game. McCoy will remain second or third fiddle to Vick in this game (and for the rest of the year), but he’s worth a start. He and the Eagles should show the Cowboys why Philadelphia is in first place in the NFC East.

James Starks @ DET
Detroit’s 25th-ranked run defense comes into this divisional game allowing 127 yards a game. They’ve also given up 15 rushing TDs on the year—second-most in the NFL. Their 4.6 ypc average allowed is fourth-worst, and their 26 points per game allowed ranks in the bottom five of the league. Now the beneficiary of this lowly Detroit run defense could be rookie James Starks, rather than the disappointing Brandon Jackson. Starks lead the team in rushing in his debut last week, running 18 times for 73 yards. This week against the Lions, Starks could take a big step toward locking up the backup job for next season and show that he deserves increased playing time this year.

Bench 'Em:
Running Backs Who Will Under Perform Relative To Their Draft Position And Recent Hype

Cedric Benson @ PIT
Benson is still a top 20 RB (ranked 16th), averaging 70 yards a game and 7 TDs on the year (1 receiving). But since having a big game against Buffalo three weeks ago, he’s struggled to gain yardage (just 90 total yards on 2.4 ypc)—although he did get 2 rushing TDs last week. Still, the pattern is not good, and against the Steelers and their No. 1 rush defense, it looks to only get worse. Pittsburgh has given up just 62 rushing yards per game, a league-low 4 TDs on the season, and a league-low 1 big play for the year. They are the only team in the NFL to not have given up 1,000 yards rushing this season (they haven’t even given up 800 yet), and they allow opposing RBs just 3 ypc—also, you guessed it, a league low.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis @ CHI
“The Law Firm” and the entire Patriots team had a field day against the Jets last week, as Rex Ryan's boys weren't able to back up their big mouths at all. This week BJGE puts his 58 yards per game (only 26th in the NFL, although he is tied for second with 11 rushing TDs, thanks to 5 over the last three weeks) on the line against the Bears' second-ranked run defense. Chicago allows just 85 yards a game on only 3.7 ypc, but they do give up big plays and TDs (10), so that’s something to consider. Still, coming off a huge emotional win against the hated Jets has got to result in some sort of letdown, so be aware and make sure he’s truly one of your two best options at RB before you start him this week.

Ricky Williams @ NYJ
I chose Ricky over teammate Ronnie Brown based on average yards per carry. They are nearly identical in yards per game (49 for Brown, 45 for Ricky) and TDs (3 rushing for Brown and 2 rushing, 1 receiving for Ricky), but Brown is struggling with just 3.8 ypc while Williams is doing better at 4.5. I wanted to identify the better option as a candidate to bench this week since recommending benching the better RB would imply benching the other as well. The Jets’ third-ranked run defense is giving up just 88 yards a game and the second-lowest ypc average (3.4), behind only Pittsburgh. They’ve given up 8 TDs (2 of those last week during the New England blowout loss) and, again, I think the Jets are going to come at the Dolphins extremely hard, so I would hesitate to play any Miami player.

Jonathan Stewart vs. ATL
Stewart is averaging just 40 yards a game and has just 2 rushing TDs all year. While injuries have been the main reason for this lack of production, playing on a horrible team with no QB doesn’t help. Even though he’s rushed for 98 and 92 yards and a TD, respectively, in the past two weeks, this week’s challenge will be a little tougher than that offered by his last two opponents (Cleveland and Seattle). The Falcons come into this game with the eighth-best run defense, giving up only 99 yards a game and allowing just 5 TDs all year (third-best in the NFL). Atlanta needs to keep pace with the Saints, and Carolina’s only playing for the No. 1 overall draft pick at this point, so look for Atlanta to be focused and intense and to zero in on Stewart and the Panthers running game this week.

Wide Receivers