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USATSI

Running backs are going to help decide Fantasy Football championships. That's never been the question. It's just that, some of those running backs might be named Zonovan Knight and Rachaad White and Raheem Mostert -- not exactly what we pictured way back when we were drafting before the season. 

Before we get to my Week 15 running back rankings, here are my thoughts on three of the biggest questions about the position this week: 

Can you trust Alvin Kamara?

The diminishment of Kamara's role over the past month-plus is one of the most genuinely confusing trends in the NFL right now. From Weeks 5 through 8, he averaged 145.3 total yards on 17.8 carries and 8.5 targets per game; in five games since, he has maxed out at 12 carries, with more than four catches in just one game. It doesn't make any sense, but maybe he's been nursing some sort of hidden injury that the bye week allowed him to get past. Or maybe Mark Ingram's season-ending knee injury will clear up a few more opportunities for him -- Ingram somehow out-targeted Kamara, five to three, in Week 13. I'm hopeful Kamara gets back to being a focal point for the Saints heading into a playoff stretch with dream matchups against the Falcons and Browns, but I can't rank it as I expect it. Because I don't. I'm starting him for the upside. 

Is Zonovan Knight a must-start RB?

Even with Michael Carter back in Week 14, Knight was the clear lead back for the Jets, with 17 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown. That seems to indicate he's going to be in line for a big workload moving forward, but there is one hold-up for his Fantasy value -- Carter actually played more snaps than Knight and was much more involved in the passing game. Knight should have plenty of room to run well against the Lions, but if this game turns into a track meet, Knight could end up getting squeezed out of passing situations. That limits him to more of an RB2 role. 

What should we do with the Buccaneers running backs? 

In Week 13, Leonard Fournette and Rachaad White split touches pretty much equally, with Fournette getting a slight edge in playing time and in-close opportunities. In Week 14, White got 14 carries to just four for Fournette, while Fournette got a slight edge in passing downs snaps. The fact that Fournette was pretty close in playing time despite dealing with an injury last week makes me think he might have the edge when healthy, but it's pretty clear this is going to be a split moving forward. It's a bad offense, but one that throws to the running backs a ton, so I think that keeps both in the low-end RB2 discussion. There's top-12 potential here for someone, but not in this current configuration. 

Here are my initial rankings for Week 15:

  1. Austin Ekeler vs. TEN
  2. Josh Jacobs vs. NE
  3. Derrick Henry @LAC
  4. Joe Mixon @TB
  5. Rhamondre Stevenson @LV
  6. Aaron Jones vs. LAR
  7. David Montgomery vs. PHI
  8. Saquon Barkley @WAS
  9. Alvin Kamara vs. ATL
  10. James Conner @DEN
  11. Tony Pollard @JAX
  12. Miles Sanders @CHI
  13. Najee Harris @CAR
  14. Travis Etienne vs. DAL
  15. Rachaad White vs. CIN
  16. Zonovan Knight vs. DET
  17. Ezekiel Elliott @JAX
  18. Isiah Pacheco @HOU
  19. D'Andre Swift @NYJ
  20. Leonard Fournette vs. CIN
  21. Antonio Gibson vs. NYG
  22. D'Onta Foreman vs. PIT
  23. Latavius Murray vs. ARI
  24. AJ Dillon vs. LAR
  25. Jerick McKinnon @HOU
  26. Brian Robinson Jr. vs. NYG
  27. Cordarrelle Patterson @NO
  28. Rex Burkhead vs. KC
  29. Cam Akers @GB
  30. Chuba Hubbard vs. PIT
  31. Jamaal Williams @NYJ
  32. Michael Carter vs. DET
  33. Tyler Allgeier @NO
  34. Kyren Williams @GB
  35. Samaje Perine @TB
  36. Dontrell Hilliard @LAC
  37. Joshua Kelley vs. TEN
  38. Pierre Strong @LV
  39. Justin Jackson @NYJ
  40. Matt Breida @WAS
  41. Jamycal Hasty vs. DAL
  42. Kenneth Gainwell @CHI
  43. Boston Scott @CHI
  44. Jaylen Warren @CAR
  45. Dwayne Washington vs. ATL