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MIAMI, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Miles Sanders and Jeff Wilson Jr. are among my five running backs to avoid for Week 13 of the fantasy football season. Derrick Henry leads my Top 30 weekly rankings for the position. Rachaad White, Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray are among the other players I would lower my expectations for or try to keep out of my lineup.
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Week 12 performance, opportunity, strength of Week 13 opponents and expected game script are among the factors I considered when determining the players to avoid. My full Top 30 rankings are below.
The Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers are on bye this week, so James Conner and D'Onta Foreman should be benched.
Rachaad White
White is still my No. 16 option this week, but I wouldn't recommend putting him in your lineup expecting anything better than RB2 production.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back surpassed 100 yards from scrimmage in each of his last two starts. He also is expected to start over veteran Leonard Fournette this week, when the Buccaneers battle the New Orleans Saints.
The Saints allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs this season. They also allowed less than 100 rushing yards per game to the position and the fifth-fewest receiving yards per game to running backs.
The Saints also held the Buccaneers to 72 rushing yards in Week 2 and only allowed more than 75 rushing yards in a game once in their last 10 games.
I expect Fournette to steal a little work from White in this matchup. I also expect the Buccaneers to do most of their damage through the air.
Miles Sanders
Sanders is another player in the RB2 range this week as his Philadelphia Eagles head into a matchup with the Tennessee Titans.
The Titans allowed the third-fewest rushing yards per game so far this season. They also went eight-consecutive games without allowing 100 rushing yards before the Cincinnati Bengals totaled 108 rushing yards in Week 12. The Titans haven't allowed a 100-yard rushing performance from a starting running back since Saquon Barkley totaled 164 in Week 1.
Sanders provided his fantasy football stock owners with an RB-level performance, with a season-high 143 rushing yards and two scores in Week 12. Look for a much less productive day from Sanders this week. He is my No. 18 option and should only be used as an RB2/flex play.
Alvin Kamara
Kamara falls in just behind Sanders as the No. 19 option in my Week 13 running back rankings. The Saints veteran also was one of my players to avoid last week, before he provided just 13 yards on seven carries and seven catches for 37 yards against the San Francisco 49ers.
This week, he will battle the Buccaneers, another stellar rush defense. Most of Kamara's value this season is tied to his talent as a pass catcher, which is why he can still be plugged in as an RB2. Kamara's schedule should get easier after this week, but I wouldn't expect much from the Saints star in Week 13.
Jeff Wilson Jr.
Wilson falls outside my Top 30 running back rankings for Week 13. The Miami Dolphins running back scored in each of his last three games. He also averaged 89 yards from scrimmage and 15 touches during that stretch.
This week, the Dolphins will face a tough 49ers defense on the road. The 49ers have the NFL's top rush defense. They also allowed the fewest fantasy points and rushing yards and eight-fewest receiving yards per game to the position through 12 weeks.
Wilson should only be used as a very low-end RB2/flex play in leagues with at least 14 teams.
Latavius Murray
Murray totaled a season-high 98 yards from scrimmage on 14 touches in Week 12, but I don't expect anything close to that level of production in Week 13. The Denver Broncos will battle the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday in Baltimore. The Ravens own the No. 2 run defense in the NFL.
They also allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards and seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to the position. Look for the Broncos to try to take advantage of the Ravens' vulnerable pass defense in this matchup. Murray should be avoided in fantasy football lineups.
Week 13 fantasy football running back rankings
1. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans at PHI
2. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers at LV
3. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns at HOU
4. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts at DAL
5. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks at LAR
6. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers vs. MIA
7. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders vs. LAC
8. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers at CHI
9. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals vs. KC
10. Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys vs. IND
11. David Montgomery, Chicago Bears vs. GB
12. Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars at DET
13. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants vs. WAS
14. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings vs. NYJ
15. Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans vs. CLE
16. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. NO
17. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriot vs. BUF
18. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles vs. TEN
19. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints at TB
20. Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions vs. JAX
22. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs at CIN
23. Brian Robinson Jr., Washington Commanders at NYG
24. Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens vs. DEN
25. Benny Snell, Pittsburgh Steelers at ATL
26. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams vs. SEA
27. D'Andre Swift, Detroit Lions vs. JAX
28. Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns at HOU
29. Zonovan Knight, New York Jets at MIN
30. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys vs. IND
