Advertisement

Fantasy football: Jones, Henry lead Week 14 running back rankings

Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (33) has a great Week 14 matchup and should help you win the first game of the fantasy football playoffs. File Photo by AJ Sisco/UPI
1 of 3 | Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (33) has a great Week 14 matchup and should help you win the first game of the fantasy football playoffs. File Photo by AJ Sisco/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Aaron Jones, Derrick Henry, David Montgomery, James Robinson and Nick Chubb top my Week 14 fantasy football running back rankings for 2020.

Alvin Kamara, Jonathan Taylor, Chris Carson, Dalvin Cook and Ronald Jones round out my Top 10 options for the first round of the fantasy football playoffs.

Advertisement

Melvin Gordon and James Conner also are among my favorite starts this week at the running back position.

Monitor the status for each of your players' games this week as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the NFL schedule and player availability. Bye weeks have ended, so you should have more options when it comes to finding good defensive matchups for your running backs.

Advertisement

Check out my article on the players with the easiest and hardest playoff schedules for an idea of who to start -- and who to avoid -- this postseason.

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

TOP SHELF

Aaron Jones of the Green Bay Packers is my top fantasy football running back for Week 14. Jones had one of his best games of the season in Week 13, with 130 rushing yards and a score in a win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He has now scored in two of his last three games.

This week, the Packers face the Detroit Lions. The Lions have allowed the most fantasy points per game to running backs. Jones is a must start.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry was held to just 60 yards on 15 carries in Week 13, after he piled up more than 400 rushing yards in the three games prior to Sunday's loss to the Cleveland Browns. I expect Henry to return to his dominant self in Week 14, when the Titans face the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Advertisement

The Jaguars have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to running backs. Henry is my No. 2 option.

SNEAKY PLAYS

David Montgomery of the Chicago Bears has emerged as a late-season RB1 just in time for the fantasy football playoffs. Montgomery has piled up more than 100 yards from scrimmage and scored in each of his last two games as he heads into the first round of the fantasy football postseason.

He should have another great performance in Week 14 when the Bears host the Houston Texans. The Texans have allowed the most rushing yards and the second-most fantasy points per game to running backs.

Montgomery is my No. 3 play at running back.

Indianapolis Colts rookie Jonathan Taylor is my No. 8 running back for Week 14. Taylor has had two consecutive games with at least 100 yards from scrimmage as he enters this matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to running backs.

Taylor is a matchup-based RB1 on a weekly basis, but should be in that slot as you start your playoff run.

LONGSHOTS

Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon lands at No. 11 in my rankings and is a low-end RB1 for Week 14. The Broncos face the Carolina Panthers, a defense that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to running backs.

Advertisement

I expect Gordon to pile up at least 80 yards from scrimmage and score a touchdown in Week 14.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner is expected to return from his Week 13 absence for a matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to running backs. I expect Conner to get a healthy workload in this matchup.

He is my No. 12 option and should provide solid RB2 or flex value in Week 14.

Week 14 fantasy football running back rankings

1. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers at DET

2. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans at JAX

3. David Montgomery, Chicago Bears vs. HOU

4. James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. TEN

5. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns vs. BAL

6. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints at PHI

7. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts at LV

8. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks vs. NYJ

9. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings at TB

10. Ronald Jones, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. MIN

11. Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos at CAR

12. James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers at BUF

Advertisement

13. Mike Davis, Carolina Panthers vs. DEN

14. Wayne Gallman, New York Giants vs. ARI

15. Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers vs. WAS

16. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys at CIN

17. J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens at CLE

18. D'Andre Swift, Detroit Lions vs. GB

19. David Johnson, Houston Texans at CHI

20. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders vs. IND

21. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs at MIA

22. Kenyan Drake, Arizona Cardinals at NYG

23. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers vs. ATL

24. Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins vs. KC

25. Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals vs. DAL

26. Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns vs. BAL

27. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles vs. NO

28. Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills vs. PIT

29. Todd Gurley, Atlanta Falcons at LAC

30. J.D. McKissic, Washington Football Team at SF

Advertisement

This week in the National Football League

New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton (R) loses the ball against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Thursday. The Rams defeated the Patriots 24-3. Photo by Jon SooHoo/UPI | License Photo

Latest Headlines