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