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MIAMI, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Raheem Mostert and Alexander Mattison are among my five fantasy football running backs to avoid in lineups in Week 7. If you need more options for your roster, check out my top add/drops article. My Week 7 rankings for quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends are also available and will be updated throughout the week.
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Kenneth Walker, Austin Ekeler, D'Andre Swift, Josh Jacobs and Saquan Barkley lead my Top 30 rankings, which are listed below. Bijan Robinson, Isiah Pacheco, Brian Robinson Jr., Aaron Jones and James Cook round out my Top 10 plays.
All of my running backs to avoid rank outside the Top 12 of my rankings. You should only bench my players to avoid if you don't roster a higher-ranked option.
Those who roster David Montgomery should send him to the bench because of his rib injury. Christian McCaffrey stock owners should monitor his injury status before locking him into starting lineups.
Running backs from the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans should be benched or dropped, as those teams have Week 7 byes. Players from Thursday's New Orleans Saints-Jacksonville Jaguars game also were removed from my rankings.
Raheem Mostert
Mostert should remain in your lineup, outside of the rare circumstance that you roster a player listed higher in my rankings. The Miami Dolphins veteran ranks second, trailing only McCaffrey, in fantasy points per game among active running backs.
Mostert also logged his second game with at least three touchdowns this season in Week 6, but will get a much tougher matchup in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles allowed the second-fewest rushing yards and fantasy points per game to running backs through six weeks. They have yet to surrender more than 53 rushing yards to a running back this season. Mostert was held to fewer than 37 rushing yards in two games this season. I expect a similar output in Week 7.
He sits at No. 13 in my Week 7 rankings.
Gus Edwards
Edwards is my No. 22 play for Week 7. The Baltimore Ravens running back averaged more than 5 yards per carry for his career entering this season, but is much more inefficient so far in 2023, logging just 3.9 yards per attempt.
Edwards averaged a season-low 2.6 yards per carry in Week 6 and will face the Detroit Lions in Week 7.
The Lions allowed the fewest rushing yards and fantasy points per game to running backs through six weeks. They have yet to allow more than 43 rushing yards to a running back and did not allow a touchdown to the position in five of their six games.
I also expect Edwards to split carries more going forward, limiting his fantasy football upside.
Alexander Mattison
Mattison is another player with a brutal Week 7 matchup. Mattison and the Minnesota Vikings will host the San Francisco 49ers on Monday in Minneapolis.
The 49ers surrendered the fifth-fewest rushing yards and tied for allowing the 10th-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs. Mattison has yet to score a rushing touchdown and failed to eclipse 44 rushing yards in four of his six appearances this season. This should be the fifth instance of that undesirable trend.
Mattison lands at No. 23 in my rankings.
D'Onta Foreman
Foreman stepped in as the Chicago Bears' Week 6 starter, totaling 67 yards from scrimmage on 16 touches in a loss to the Vikings. The veteran running back could see a bit of a decreased workload this week if teammate Roschon Johnson returns from the concussion protocol.
Johnson's potential return, paired with a matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, is why Foreman is the No. 24 player in my rankings. I expect the Raiders to jump ahead in this matchup, as the Bears offense struggles to move the ball without starting quarterback Justin Fields. That should lead the Bears to throw, limiting Foreman's opportunities.
Zack Moss
The Indianapolis Colts backfield situation remains murky, with Moss continuing to produce for fantasy teams despite Jonathan Taylor's return. I would stay away from both Moss and Taylor this week, when the Colts host the Cleveland Browns.
Moss and Taylor combined for 40 rushing yards and a score on 15 carries in Week 6. Now they will face a Browns defense that allowed the sixth-fewest rushing yards and eighth fewest fantasy points per game to running backs through six weeks.
At some point, I expect Taylor to take over as the workhorse in this backfield. That trend, paired with a tough matchup, should hamper Moss' value in Week 7. Moss, my No. 25 play, should only be used as a low-end RB2 or flex play in leagues with at least 14 teams. He is more useful in points-per-reception formats.
Week 7 fantasy football running back rankings
1. Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks vs. ARI
2. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers at KC
3. D'Andre Swift, Philadelphia Eagles vs. MIA
4. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders at CHI
5. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants vs. WAS
6. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons at TB
7. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs vs. LAC
8. Brian Robinson Jr., Washington Commanders at NYG
9. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers at DEN
10. James Cook, Buffalo Bills at NE
11. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions at BAL
12. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots vs. BUF
13. Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins at PHI
14. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts vs. CLE
15. Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns at IND
16. Zach Evans, Los Angeles Rams vs. PIT
17. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers at LAR
18. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. ATL
19. Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos vs. GB
20. Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers at MIN
21. Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers at MIN
22. Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens vs. DET
23. Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings vs. SF
24. D'Onta Foreman, Chicago Bears vs. LV
25. Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts vs. CLE
26. Latavius Murray, Buffalo Bills vs. NE
27. Ezekiel Elliott, New England Patriots vs. BUF
28. A.J. Dillon, Green Bay Packers at DEN
29. Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos vs. GB
30. Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns at IND
