A
Jesus Aguilar Jersey lot has changed in the fantasy football landscape since we drafted last August or September, but one thing has stayed the same: The importance of running backs. Few would have suspected guys like Kyren Williams, Raheem Mostert, and Ezekiel Elliott (!) would be top-15 backs in our Week 17 fantasy RB PPR rankings, but here we are, and you're title hopes might depend on them.Of course, there are plenty of surprising names dotting the RB2 and flex tiers, too, as injuries have done their usual number on fantasy's most important position. Just last week, we saw at least one more key back go down (Isiah Pacheco), putting his status for Week 17 in danger while opening the door for a new sleeper to emerge.Let's get to it and break down our Week 17 RB rankings so you can take home a title.WATCH YOUR FANTASY PLAYERS ON NFL REDZONE WITH SLING TVWho are the best fantasy RBs in Week 17?Once again, Christian McCaffrey (@ Commanders in Week 17) is atop our rankings, with Kyren Williams (@ Giants), Travis Etienne (vs. Panthers), Austin Ekeler (@ Broncos), and Jonathan Taylor (vs. Raiders) joining him in the top five. Ekeler probably feels too high, but the Broncos allow the second-most fantasy points to RBs, so we're willing to ride with him in a must-win matchup after he got 18 touches last week.WEEK 17 PPR RANKINGS: | | | | Kenneth Walker III (vs. Steelers), Josh Jacobs (@ Colts), Saquon Barkley (vs. Rams),
Domingo Santana Jersey Breece Hall (@ Browns), and Alvin Kamara (@ Buccaneers) round out our top 10. Not everyone in this group has a favorable matchup, but their TD/reception upside makes them safe plays in PPR leagues.WEEK 17 STANDARD RANKINGS: | | | | | Who are the best fantasy RB sleepers, waiver pickups Week 17?Deciding whether to play Ty Chandler (vs. Packers) and Jerome Ford (vs. Jets) usually comes down to matchups, and both face defenses that entered last week in the top 10 in fantasy points allowed to RBs. You can feel comfortable with both in 12-team leagues. Ditto for Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren (@ Seahawks), who have an even better matchup against Seattle's bottom-five RB defense.Clyde Edwards-Helaire (vs. Bengals) will be a must-start if Isiah Pacheco (concu sion) is out, and even if Pacheco is cleared, CEH has upside given the matchup and Jerick McKinnon's groin injury.In deep leagues, you can consider using handcuffs Tyjae Spears (@ Texans), Kenneth Gainwell (vs. Cardinals), and Kareem Hunt (vs. Jets). All have favorable matchups, with Spears (targets) and Gainwell (best po sible matchup) having the most upside.WEEK 17 DFS: | | Who are the biggest potential fantasy RB busts in Week 17?Tony Pollard (vs. Lions), Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery (@ Cowboys), De'Von Achane (vs. Dolphins), James Conner
Glenn Robinson Jersey (@ Eagles), Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon (@ Vikings), and Gus Edwards and Justice Hill (vs. Dolphins) all have tough matchups against defenses that entered Week 16 in the bottom 12 in fantasy points allowed to running backs. We know their ceilings are solid (especially Gibbs), but you might be able to find "safer" or higher-upside options. Montgomery and Edwards have especially low floors since they're rarely involved in their teams' pa sing games, but they're always good candidates for touchdowns.We wouldn't touch any of the Bears' RBs (vs. Falcons) or Commanders' RBs (vs. 49ers). Even if Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) is back, Washington mixes its backs too much to trust in a bottom-seven matchup. You can get away with Chris Rodriguez Jr. (ankle) in standard leagues if he plays, but the TD-dependent back loses value in PPR formats.WEEK 17 FANTASY ADVICE: | | | What are the biggest RB injuries in Week 17?Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle), Josh Jacobs (quad), and Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) have both mi sed at least the past two games, and they're all up in the air for this week. We're pretty pe simistic about Stevenson's and Robinson Jr.'s chances of returning, but Jacobs seems likely to give it a go after almost returning last week.Isiah Pacheco is in concu sion protocol and figures to have a tough time returning given the short week. With Jerick McKinnon (groin) on IR, Clyde Edwards-Helaire would dominate touches in the backfield. Chris Rodriguez Jr. (ankle) also limped off early in his game and will have to be monitored in practice.We'll be updating these RB PPR rankings all week, so check back for the latest player movement.Fantasy RB PPR Rankings Week 17: Who to start, sit at running backRankings based on full-point PPR scoring formatsRank Player1 Christian McCaffrey, 49ers @ Commanders2 Kyren Williams, Rams @ Giants3 Travis Etienne, Jaguars vs. Panthers4 Austin Ekeler, Chargers @ Broncos5 Jonathan Taylor, Colts vs. Raiders6 Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks vs. Steelers7 Saquon Barkley, Giants vs. Rams8 Breece Hall, Jets @ Browns9 Alvin Kamara, Saints @ Buccaneers10 D'Andre Swift, Eagles vs. Cardinals11 Rachaad White, Buccaneers vs. Saints12 Ezekiel Elliott, Patriots @ Bills13 Bijan Robinson, Falcons @ Bears14 Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs vs. Bengals15 Zamir White, Raiders @ Colts16 Ty Chandler, Vikings vs. Packers17 De'Von Achane, Dolphins @ Ravens18 Javonte Williams, Broncos vs. Chargers19 Devin Singletary, Texans vs. Titans20 James Cook, Bills vs. Patriots21 Derrick Henry, Titans @ Texans22 Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions
Eric Thames Jersey @ Cowboys23 Joe Mixon, Bengals @ Chiefs24 Najee Harris, Steelers @ Seahawks25 Chuba Hubbard, Panthers @ Jaguars26 Jaylen Warren, Steelers @ Seahawks27 Jerome Ford, Browns vs. Jets28 Tony Pollard, Cowboys vs. Lions29 James Conner, Cardinals @ Eagles30 Aaron Jones, Packers @ Vikings31 David Montgomery, Lions @ Cowboys32 Brian Robinson Jr., Commanders vs. 49ers33 Tyjae Spears, Titans @ Texans34 Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles vs. Cardinals35 Clyde Edwards-
Ben Gamel Jersey Helaire, Chiefs vs. Bengals36 Gus Edwards, Ravens vs. Dolphins37 Justice Hill, Ravens vs. Dolphins38 Jeff Wilson Jr., Dolphins @ Raiders39 Chase Brown, Bengals @ Chiefs40 Tyler Allgeier, Falcons @ Bears41 Antonio Gibson, Commanders vs. 49ers42 Khalil Herbert, Bears vs. Falcons43 Kareem Hunt, Browns vs. Jets44 AJ Dillon, Packers @ Vikings45 Elijah Mitchell, 49ers @ Commanders46 Alexander Mattison, Vikings vs. Packers47 Joshua Kelley, Chargers @ Broncos48 D'Onta Foreman, Bears vs. Falcons49 Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks vs. Steelers50 Chase Edmonds, Buccaneers vs. Saints51 Roschon Johnson, Bears vs. Falcons52 Isaiah Spiller, Chargers @ Broncos53 Jaleel McLaughlin, Broncos vs. Chargers54 Dameon Pierce, Texans vs. Titans55 Miles Sanders, Panthers @ Jaguars56 Dalvin Cook, Jets @ Browns57 Deuce Vaughn, Cowboys vs. Lions58 Jamaal Williams, Saints @ Buccaneers59 Ameer Abdullah, Raiders @ Colts60 Trey Sermon, Colts vs. Raiders61 Kevin Harris, Patriots @ Bills62 Samaje Perine, Broncos vs. Chargers63 Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons @ Bears64 Leonard Fournette, Bills vs. Patriots65 Ronnie Rivers, Rams @ Giants66 D'Ernest Johnson, Jaguars vs. Panthers67 Matt Breida, Giants vs. Rams68 Boston Scott, Eagles vs. Cardinals