September 8, 2009, 4:37 PM

Fantasy rankings: Running backs

The top running backs ranked for 2009 fantasy football season

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By Fantasy staff
ESPN.com
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Rankings sorted by running backs

Rank Player Bye Overall Auction
1 Adrian Peterson, MIN 9 1 $61
2 Michael Turner, ATL 4 2 $58
3 Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC 7 3 $56
4 Matt Forte, CHI 5 4 $54
5 Steven Jackson, STL 9 5 $53
6 DeAngelo Williams, CAR 4 6 $49
7 Chris Johnson, TEN 7 7 $46
8 LaDainian Tomlinson, SD 5 8 $44
9 Frank Gore, SF 6 10 $41
10 Brandon Jacobs, NYG 10 13 $38
11 Steve Slaton, HOU 10 15 $36
12 Clinton Portis, WAS 8 18 $31
13 Marion Barber, DAL 6 20 $28
14 Brian Westbrook, PHI 4 21 $27
15 Kevin Smith, DET 7 25 $24
16 Ronnie Brown, MIA 6 27 $22
17 Willie Parker, PIT 8 29 $20
18 Pierre Thomas, NO 5 31 $19
19 Thomas Jones, NYJ 9 35 $19
20 Ryan Grant, GB 5 37 $18
21 Marshawn Lynch, BUF 9 40 $17
22 Darren McFadden, OAK 9 43 $17
23 Joseph Addai, IND 6 46 $17
24 Larry Johnson, KC 8 49 $16
25 LenDale White, TEN 7 51 $15
26 Jonathan Stewart, CAR 4 53 $14
27 Knowshon Moreno, DEN 7 56 $13
28 Ray Rice, BAL 7 60 $12
29 Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG 10 63 $12
30 Derrick Ward, TB 8 66 $11
31 Reggie Bush, NO 5 67 $11
32 Jamal Lewis, CLE 9 69 $11
33 Cedric Benson, CIN 8 75 $9
34 Chris Wells, ARI 4 78 $9
35 Darren Sproles, SD 5 82 $8
36 Fred Taylor, NE 8 85 $8
37 Donald Brown, IND 6 89 $7
38 Carnell Williams, TB 8 92 $6
39 Felix Jones, DAL 6 96 $5
40 Le'Ron McClain, BAL 7 99 $4
41 LeSean McCoy, PHI 4 100 $4
42 Fred Jackson, BUF 9 105 $3
43 Chester Taylor, MIN 9 110 $3
44 Tim Hightower, ARI 4 114 $2
45 Willis McGahee, BAL 7 116 $2
46 Sammy Morris, NE 8 122 $1
47 Julius Jones, SEA 7 125 $1
48 Ricky Williams, MIA 6 126 $1
49 Jerious Norwood, ATL 4 128 $1
50 Leon Washington, NYJ 9 133 $1
51 Glen Coffee, SF 6 134 $1
52 Rashard Mendenhall, PIT 8 141 $1
53 Laurence Maroney, NE 8 163 $1
54 Shonn Greene, NYJ 9 166 $1
55 Earnest Graham, TB 8 170 $1
56 Chris Brown, HOU 10 173 $1
57 Michael Bush, OAK 9 174 $1
58 Justin Fargas, OAK 9 175 $1
59 Correll Buckhalter, DEN 7 176 $1
60 Samkon Gado, STL 9 178 $1
61 Ladell Betts, WAS 8 181 $1
62 Jamaal Charles, KC 8 187 $1
63 Tashard Choice, DAL 6 189 $1
64 Kevin Faulk, NE 8 190 $1
65 Maurice Morris, DET 7 193 $1
66 Bernard Scott, CIN 8 200 $1
67 Mewelde Moore, PIT 8 201 -
68 Brandon Jackson, GB 5 203 -
69 James Davis, CLE 9 204 -
70 Edgerrin James, SEA 7 206 -
71 LaMont Jordan, DEN 7 207 -
72 Danny Ware, NYG 10 208 -
73 Brian Leonard, CIN 8 211 -
74 Rashad Jennings, JAC 7 213 -
75 Jerome Harrison, CLE 9 214 -
76 Justin Forsett, SEA 7 217 -
77 Peyton Hillis, DEN 7 218 -
78 Ryan Moats, HOU 10 221 -
79 DeShawn Wynn, GB 5 222 -
80 Greg Jones, JAC 7 227 -
81 Patrick Cobbs, MIA 6 232 -
82 BenJarvus Green-Ellis, NE 8 238 -
83 Leonard Weaver, PHI 4 240 -
84 Garrett Wolfe, CHI 5 243 -
85 Arian Foster, HOU 10 245 -
86 Adrian Peterson, CHI 5 247 -
87 Gartrell Johnson, SD 5 249 -
88 Chauncey Washington, JAC 7 252 -
89 Mike Bell, NO 5 254 -
90 Heath Evans, NO 5 255 -
91 Lorenzo Booker, PHI 4 262 -
92 Mike Goodson, CAR 4 263 -
93 Warrick Dunn, FA   270 -
94 Deuce McAllister, FA   272 -
95 Jason Wright, ARI 4 274 -
96 Michael Pittman, FA   275 -
97 Michael Bennett, SD 5 276 -
98 Clifton Smith, TB 8 279 -
99 Dominic Rhodes, FA   281 -
100 Selvin Young, FA   286 -
101 DeDe Dorsey, CIN 8 287 -
102 Kenneth Darby, STL 9 294 -
103 Javon Ringer, TEN 7 295 -
104 Chris Ogbonnaya, STL 9 299 -
105 Kory Sheets, SF 6 305 -
106 Jacob Hester, SD 5 306 -
107 Cedric Peerman, BAL 7 308 -
108 Ian Johnson, MIN 9 309 -
109 Lynell Hamilton, NO 5 310 -
110 T.J. Duckett, FA   311 -
111 Quinton Ganther, TEN 7 313 -
112 Jalen Parmele, BAL 7 320 -
113 Michael Robinson, SF 6 340 -
114 Antonio Pittman, STL 9 351 -
115 Javarris Williams, KC 8 409 -
116 Gary Russell, OAK 9 496 -
117 Rudi Johnson, FA   458 -
118 Anthony Alridge, WAS 8 460 -
119 Kregg Lumpkin, GB 5 462 -
120 Chad Simpson, IND 6 464 -
121 Dwayne Wright, NYG 10 466 -
122 Xavier Omon, BUF 9 469 -
123 Lance Ball, IND 6 470 -
124 Devin Moore, SEA 7 473 -
125 Mike Karney, STL 9 475 -
126 Mike Hart, IND 6 478 -
127 Louis Rankin, OAK 9 481 -
128 James Johnson, CIN 8 484 -
129 Kolby Smith, KC 8 487 -
130 Andre Hall, HOU 10 491 -
131 Chris Perry, FA   494 -
132 Ahman Green, FA   498 -
133 P.J. Hill, NO 5 501 -
134 J.J. Arrington, FA   504 -
135 Andre Brown, NYG 10 507 -
136 Ryan Torain, FA   509 -
137 Kenny Watson, FA   511 -
138 Jeremiah Johnson, HOU 10 512 -
139 Kevin Jones, CHI 5 514 -

Rankings are based on the Standard ESPN Fantasy Football game, comprised of 10 teams with a starting roster of one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one running back/wide receiver, one tight end, one defense/special teams unit, one kicker and seven bench spots for a total of 160 rostered players (10 teams x 16 players).

Auction values are based on the Standard ESPN Fantasy Football auction draft, comprised of 10 teams with a $200 budget to acquire the standard roster above, for a total of $2,000 distributed among 160 players. (A $1 value has been given to players 161-200 under the assumption that the desired player would replace one of the top 160 players).

Rankings were determined by consensus of ESPN's fantasy football experts and reflect risk, upside and positional tiers. For that reason, there are some subtle differences between them and the projected point totals for each player. Click here for complete ESPN fantasy football projections and profiles.

    2009 Football Draft Kit

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    Talented Mr. Roto

    • Matthew Berry: Draft-Day Manifesto
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    Stephania Bell

    • Key injuries to know before your draft

    Mock Draft

    • July 22: Peterson goes No. 1, LT at No. 3
    • Aug. 17: Peterson still No. 1; RBs shuffle
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    • Sep. 4: 12-team standard scoring
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    Analysis

    •  2009 sleepers and busts
    •  2009 sleepers and busts, Version 2
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    •  Michael Turner and the "Curse of 370"
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    •  Impact fantasy players on new teams

    Strategy

    •  Ken Daube: WR/WR could be the way to go
    •  Tristan Cockcroft: Auction drafts
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