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Fantasy football: Week 7 running back rankings

By Alex Butler
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette (R) ranks third in the NFL with 584 rushing yards this season. He is averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette (R) ranks third in the NFL with 584 rushing yards this season. He is averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo

Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Leonard Fournette, David Johnson, Dalvin Cook, Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott top my Week 7 fantasy football running back rankings for 2019.

Derrick Henry, Marlon Mark, Mark Ingram, Chris Carson and Tevin Coleman round out my top 10 options for Week 7.

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There are plenty of other running backs with great matchups this week. If you need help at the position, check out my weekly waiver wire article. Try to find players who will be on the field for a lot of snaps and are highly involved in their respective offenses when deciding on starting options for your lineup.

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You also should remove Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers players from your lineup, as those teams have Week 7 byes.

Here are some of my favorite players in this week's top 30 rankings:

TOP SHELF

Jacksonville Jaguars star Leonard Fournette tops my Week 7 running back rankings for several reasons. The Jaguars face the Cincinnati Bengals, a unit allowing the most fantasy points per game to running backs. Fournette is also being heavily leaned on this season. The recipe of workload and opportunity is too good to pass up this week for Fournette. He is an elite option in this matchup. Fournette had at least 20 carries in each of his last three games. He was held to 72 rushing yards in Week 6, but should break out for more than 100 yards in Week 7 against this beatable defense.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has also been a workhorse this season. Henry is my No. 6 running back for Week 7 as he takes on the Los Angeles Chargers, a unit allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game to running backs. Henry only has one performance with at least 100 rushing yards this season, but the Titans have had the most success as a team when Henry is a large part of the offense. Henry should be even more involved this week after the team switched to quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Keep this RB1 in your lineup.

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SNEAKY PLAYS

The San Francisco 49ers are loaded at the running back position and Tevin Coleman might be there best weapon. I have Coleman as my No. 10 running back for Week 7, landing in RB2 territory. The 49ers should dominate the Washington Redskins and Coleman will likely have a huge role. The Redskins are allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game to running backs. Coleman had 97 yards and a score in his return from injury in Week 5. He had another score in Week 6. Start Coleman with confidence, especially in point-per-reception formats.

LONGSHOTS

Veteran Frank Gore has been surprisingly productive this season. This week he faces the Miami Dolphins, a unit allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to running backs. I have the Buffalo Bills running back at No. 14 at the position in my weekly rankings. Gore is a solid bye week fill in option and a matchup-dependent RB2 going forward. While this is a great matchup, Gore's production could have a ceiling if the Bills have rookie Devin Singletary active for this matchup. But I still expect starter-worthy production, regardless of Singletary's status.

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Week 7 fantasy football running back rankings

1. Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars at CIN

2. David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals at NYG

3. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings at DET

4. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants vs. ARI

5. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys vs. PHI

6. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans vs. LAC

7. Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts vs. HOU

8. Mark Ingram, Baltimore Ravens at SEA

9. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks vs. BAL

10. Tevin Coleman, San Francisco 49ers at WAS

11. Le'Veon Bell, New York Jets vs. NE

12. Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons vs. LAR

13. Josh Jacobs, Oakland Raiders at GB

14. Frank Gore, Buffalo Bills vs. MIA

15. Kerryon Johnson, Detroit Lions vs. MIN

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16. Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams at ATL

17. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals vs. JAX

18. Latavius Murray, New Orleans Saints at CHI

19. Sony Michel, New England Patriots at NYJ

20. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers vs. OAK

21. Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers at TEN

22. Jordan Howard, Philadelphia Eagles at DAL

23. David Montgomery, Chicago Bears vs. NO

24. Carlos Hyde, Houston Texans at IND

25. Matt Breida, San Francisco 49ers at WAS

26. James White, New England Patriots at NYJ

27. Kenyan Drake, Miami Dolphins at BUF

28. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles at DAL

29. Jamaal Williams, Green Bay Packers vs. OAK

30. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers at TEN

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