True stud running backs are difficult to find in fantasy football.
It's not easy to just draft a couple of great RBs and then plug them in every week. You need to draft many running backs, scour the waiver wire, watch for injuries and play the matchups.
And with most leagues requiring you to start two, three or even four running backs, it means that you have to be smart and dig deep at the position.
To help you out, I put together this summary of our top 10 ranked running backs for week 1.
You can also check out our full list of RB rankings or use our free who should I start tool for an interactive way to use our fantasy football rankings.
For custom advice tailored to your fantasy team, our premium league sync tools instantly tell you who to start or sit every week.
No teams have a bye week this week, so you have a full slate of players to choose from.
Week 1 Rankings Home | Week 1 QB Rankings | Week 1 WR Rankings | Week 1 TE Rankings | Week 1 Kicker Rankings | Week 1 Defense Rankings
Full Rankings
If you want to dive head-first into the full set of projections for this week, here are our rankings for each format:
You can also get custom rankings tailored to your league with our import tool. It's part of the Premium Membership.
Rankings Summary
1. Christian McCaffrey - RB (SF)
Christian McCaffrey is up against the Jets this week. He is projected for 17.3 carries, 91.9 yards and 0.8 touchdowns. McCaffrey was off last week with a bye.
2. Jahmyr Gibbs - RB (DET)
Jahmyr Gibbs is up against the Rams this week. Our system projects him for 14.8 carries, 83.5 yards and 0.7 touchdowns. Gibbs was off last week with a bye.
3. Breece Hall - RB (NYJ)
Breece Hall had a bye last week. We're projecting 21.3 carries, 92.4 yards and 0.7 touchdowns for Breece Hall this week as he faces the 49ers.
4. James Cook - RB (BUF)
Our system projects James Cook for 15.9 carries, 83.1 yards and 0.8 touchdowns versus the Cardinals this week. Cook was off last week with a bye.
5. Saquon Barkley - RB (PHI)
Saquon Barkley faces the Green Bay Packers this week. He is projected for 17.6 carries, 84.6 yards and 0.6 touchdowns. Barkley was on bye last week.
6. Kenneth Walker III - RB (SEA)
Kenneth Walker III was on bye last week. Our system projects Kenneth Walker III for 17.8 carries, 74.3 yards and 0.7 touchdowns versus the Broncos this week.
7. Joe Mixon - RB (HOU)
Joe Mixon had a bye last week. Joe Mixon is against the Colts this week and is projected for 20.9 carries, 82.8 yards and 0.5 touchdowns.
8. Aaron Jones - RB (MIN)
Aaron Jones was off last week with a bye. Aaron Jones is against the Giants this week and is projected for 15.0 carries, 78.1 yards and 0.6 touchdowns.
9. Javonte Williams - RB (DEN)
Javonte Williams was off last week with a bye. He faces the Seahawks this week. We're projecting him for 17.9 carries, 78.5 yards and 0.5 touchdowns.
10. Kyren Williams - RB (LAR)
Kyren Williams is against the Lions this week and is projected for 16.4 carries, 81.9 yards and 0.7 touchdowns. Williams was on bye last week.
For more, check out our full rankings here.
Import Your League For Custom Advice
One thing that people frequently say is that they wish it could be easier to see these rankings and projections next their own fantasy team roster.
Luckily, you can do that easily with our premium league sync tools. They work with ESPN, CBS, Yahoo, NFL.com, Sleeper and MyFantasyLeague. Plans start at just $2.99 per month with a full 30-day money back guarantee.
