Weekly Fantasy Football - Week 2 Running Back Picks

1. Ray Rice

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By piling up 149 total yards and 2 touchdowns against one of the best defenses in the NFL and the defending AFC champions in week 1, Ray Rice made a statement that he is on the short list of top running backs in the league. However, the Ravens looked to have a little more motivation last week after being knocked out of the playoffs by their rivals. I am not sure Rice can duplicate that performance, but he should put up similar numbers against a weaker Tennessee defense.

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2. Lesean McCoy

Michael Vick will lead his new "Dream Team" into Atlanta against his old team in what should be a shootout on Sunday Night Football. The Eagles feel pressure to show off after all their offseason moves, and Atlanta will be fighting for their lives not to go down 0-2. McCoy had 122 yards and a TD rushing last week, and could put up bigger numbers as both these teams will light up the scoreboard.

3. Darren McFadden

McFadden looked great with 150 yards mostly up the middle in Denver in week 1. The Raiders likely will return to old form and fall apart as the season moves on, but right now they looked like a contender in the AFC West. Lost in the Bills beat down of the Chiefs was that Jamaal Charles had a solid game against a soft run defense. McFadden will be able to exploit this defense as well for a big day.

4. Matt Forte

The Bears will need to put up a lot of points to keep up with the Saints this week. Forte should be able to run through New Orleans' weak rush defense, and even if Chicago falls behind, he is a great weapon out or the backfield in the passing game.

5. Ahmad Bradshaw

Bradshaw had limited carries in week 1 at Washington. After falling behind early, the Giants threw the ball most of the game. They should settle into a more balanced attack against the Rams, who had a slew of injuries in week 1. If the Giants can get ahead early, Bradshaw should receive a solid workload to shorten the game and beat down the already thin Rams defense.

Sleeper: Willis McGahee

The Broncos are a bad team, but the Bengals are even worse. With Knowshon Moreno, slightly injuring his hamstring in week 1, McGahee may become the starting tailback against a terrible defense. Even if Moreno returns, McGahee will be a weapon in the passing game and will potentially be used on goal line situations, which means fantasy points.

Weekly Fantasy Football - Week 2 Running Back Picks

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Weekly Fantasy Football - Week 3 Running Back Picks

1. Ray Rice

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Rice had a down game in week 2 against Tennessee, but that was still good for 96 total yards and a touchdown. Rice is becoming the most consistent fantasy back in the NFL, and he should have a big game against an injured Rams team that has struggled to stop anyone through the first two weeks.

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2. Adrian Peterson

The Vikings have gotten off to a slow start, but it is not fault of Peterson who has 218 rushing yards and two touchdowns in his first two games. Peterson is remarkably consistent even as the rest of the offense struggles. With McNabb not providing the passing threat the Vikings were looking for, they will lean more on Peterson to shorten the game against an explosive Lions offense. If they fall behind, he will also play a significant roll in the passing game.

3. Rashard Mendenhall

With Isaac Redman getting more carries in week 2 for the Steelers, fantasy owners are starting to worry about Mendenhall. However, he still had a decent day, including a touchdown, and if he is going to get on track, he should do it against a really bad Colts defense that was beaten down by Peyton Hillis in week 2. Expect Mendenhall to have strong day as he solidifies himself as Pittsburgh's number one running back.

4. Mike Tolbert

Tolbert is another player that underperformed under large expectations in week 2. On a positive note, he had 73 receiving yards. He and the rest of the Chargers offense will put up big fantasy numbers hosting a Chiefs team that gave up 89 points in their first two games. Kansas City's goal line defense is much more porous than New England's, which should provide Tolbert with at least one goal line touchdown.

5. LeSean McCoy

McCoy sustained a hand injury Sunday against the Falcons, but he indicated it will not hold him out against the Giants. He also rushed for 95 yards and two touchdowns in Atlanta. Although the Giants are a division rival and still have an aggressive defensive line, their linebackers are nearly all out with injuries. The injuries to this unit will make it easier for McCoy to find and accelerate through rushing lanes. He will exploit this weakness for a big day.

Sleeper: Daniel Thomas

This rookie did not play in week 1, but he had a strong debut, rushing for 107 yards against the Texans. He will split time with Reggie Bush, but if Bush can't handle being a full time back, a struggle he had in New Orleans, Thomas will continue to gain more playing time.

Weekly Fantasy Football - Week 3 Running Back Picks

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Weekly Fantasy Football - Week 1 Running Back Picks

The biggest advantage of weekly fantasy football leagues is you can draft players based on matchups, which is a huge advantage with running backs. Generally, you want to stay away from the Jets and Steelers defenses and take advantage of the Bills and Bengals.

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Week 1:

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1. Chris Johnson

There has been a small backlash against Johnson because of his contract holdout. I do not expect him to miss a beat. Matt Hasselbeck will be good enough to keep Jacksonville's defense honest, but he knows Johnson is the playmaker and will lean on him heavily. Also, with the Jags cutting ties with David Garrard and counting on Luke McCown, their offense will struggle big time, which should give Tennessee plenty of opportunities to put up points.

2. Jamaal Charles

Charles is a great back, but I believe he and the Chiefs will regress from last year. However, they will have no trouble this week with Buffalo. The Bills had the worst rush defense in the league last year, and Charles should easily put up over 100 yards and a couple TD's this week.

3. Adrian Peterson

Similar to Tennessee, the Vikings brought in a new, veteran quarterback who will do a lot of handing off to Peterson while he gets acclimated with the offense. I also expect Peterson to get more receiving yards since McNabb will check down to him more often as he gets comfortable with his new receiving corps.

4. Arian Foster

There is still some concern about Foster's hamstring, but I expect him to start and get a normal workload this week. He will break down the Colts/ poor run defense. Peyton Manning's injury will also really hurt the Colts' defense. If Kerry Collins is unproductive, Foster could be pounding a worn down Colts' D that cannot get off the field.

5. Frank Gore

Gore is a force, and with the 49ers sticking with Alex Smith, Gore should get plenty of work this week. Gore has a tendency to get injured, but the first few weeks, while he is healthy and fresh, he will rack up big fantasy points.

Sleeper: LeGarrette Blount

The Lions seem to be a hot sleeper pick, but I am not buying the hype just yet. Suh is a beast, but he is better at getting after the quarterback than at stuffing the running game. Blount has gone from a free agent pickup no one wanted to the starter in a strong young offense. Blount doesn't have the speed to bust huge runs like Chris Johnson, but he is a powerful short yardage rusher that will convert from the 1 yard line. He has also improved in the passing game, which adds to his value.

Weekly Fantasy Football - Week 1 Running Back Picks

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