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 faces the New York Jets this week. We're projecting him for 17.3 carries, 91.9 yards and 0.8 touchdowns. McCaffrey had a bye last week.
2. Jahmyr Gibbs - RB (DET)
Jahmyr Gibbs is against the Rams this week and is projected for 14.8 carries, 83.5 yards and 0.7 touchdowns. Gibbs had a bye last week.
3. Breece Hall - RB (NYJ)
Our system projects Breece Hall for 21.3 carries, 92.4 yards and 0.7 touchdowns versus the 49ers this week. Hall was off last week with a bye.
4. James Cook - RB (BUF)
James Cook is playing against the Arizona Cardinals this week. He is projected for 15.9 carries, 83.1 yards and 0.8 touchdowns. Cook was off last week with a bye.
5. Saquon Barkley - RB (PHI)
Saquon Barkley was on bye last week. Saquon Barkley is against the Packers this week and is projected for 17.6 carries, 84.6 yards and 0.6 touchdowns.
6. Kenneth Walker III - RB (SEA)
Kenneth Walker III was off last week with a bye. We're projecting 17.8 carries, 74.3 yards and 0.7 touchdowns for Kenneth Walker III this week as he faces the Broncos.
7. Joe Mixon - RB (HOU)
Joe Mixon had a bye last week. He is playing against the Indianapolis Colts this week. We're projecting him for 20.9 carries, 82.8 yards and 0.5 touchdowns.
8. Aaron Jones - RB (MIN)
Our system projects Aaron Jones for 15.0 carries, 78.1 yards and 0.6 touchdowns versus the Giants this week. Jones was off last week with a bye.
9. Javonte Williams - RB (DEN)
Javonte Williams had a bye last week. We're projecting 17.9 carries, 78.5 yards and 0.5 touchdowns for Javonte Williams this week as he faces the Seahawks.
10. Kyren Williams - RB (LAR)
Kyren Williams was off last week with a bye. Our system projects Kyren Williams for 16.4 carries, 81.9 yards and 0.7 touchdowns versus the Lions this 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.
