CINCINNATI, Dec. 29 (UPI) — Nick Chubb, Jonathan Taylor, Ronald Jones, Austin Ekeler and Joe Mixon top my Week 17 fantasy football running back rankings for 2021.
Alvin Kamara, Damien Harris, David Montgomery, Javonte Williams and Josh Jacobs round out my Top 10 options for Week 17.
Jeff Wilson Jr., Rashaad Penny, Devin Singletary and Jamaal Williams are among the other running backs to consider for your weekly lineup.
Plenty of other running backs with great matchups this week are available aside from the elite names. Try to find a player who will get a lot of carries, targets in the passing game or goal line work and has a good Week 17 matchup.
TOP SHELF
Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Brows tops my Week 17 fantasy football running back rankings. Chubb scored in four of his last six games, including in each of his last two appearances.
He totaled a season-high 184 yards from scrimmage on 20 touches in Week 16. This week, the Browns battle the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers allowed the second-most rushing yards and the sixth-most fantasy points per game to running backs through 16 weeks.
I expect Chubb to eclipse 150 yards from scrimmage and to find the end zone in this AFC North division game Monday in Pittsburgh.
Ronald Jones of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is my No. 3 fantasy football running back for Week 17. Jones was a potential waiver wire addition to your team a few weeks ago and now finds himself in fantasy football RB1 territory for the most important round of the postseason.
Jones totaled 81 yards from scrimmage and a score on 22 touches in Week 16. I expect even better statistics in Week 17, when the Buccaneers battle the New York Jets.
The Jets allowed the most fantasy points per game and touchdowns and the fourth-most rushing yards to running backs through 16 weeks. Look for Jones to total at least 100 yards from scrimmage and to find the end zone Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J.
SNEAKY PLAYS
San Francisco 49ers running back Jeff Wilson Jr. is my No. 13 option for Week 17 and can be used as a low-end RB1 or high-end RB2.
Wilson totaled just 57 yards from scrimmage in Week 16, when he faced a tough Tennessee Titans defense, but should play much better this week against the Houston Texans.
The Texans allowed the most rushing yards and the fourth-most fantasy points per game to running backs through 16 weeks. They also just allowed 172 yards from scrimmage and two scores to Los Angeles Chargers running back Justin Jackson in Week 16.
Wilson scored in each of his last two appearances and I expect a big Week 17 performance, with at least 80 yards from scrimmage and a score from the 49ers running back.
Rashaad Penny of the Seattle Seahawks is my No. 16 running back for Week 17. Penny scored in two of his last three games. He also ran for more than 130 yards in each of those contests.
This week, the Seahawks host the Detroit Lions. The Lions allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to running backs through 16 weeks.
Penny can be plugged in as a low end RB2 or flex play this week due to his great matchup.
LONGSHOTS
Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary is my No. 23 option and can be used as a low-end RB2 for the championship round.
Singletary scored in each of his last two games, but totaled just 44 yards in Week 16. He should play much better against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y.
The Falcons allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to running backs through 16 weeks.
Look for Singletary to get at least 15 carries and to total 80 yards from scrimmage. He likely needs to reach the end zone to reach his RB2 ceiling.
Lions running back Jamaal Williams is another low-end RB2 or flex play for Week 17. Williams hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 3, but ran for a season-high 77 yards on 19 carries in Week 16.
I expect Williams’ workload to be similar when the Lions battle the Seahawks on Sunday in Seattle.
The Seahawks allowed the most receiving yards and fifth-most fantasy points per game to running backs through 16 weeks. They also just allowed 106 yards from scrimmage and a score to Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery in Week 16.
Look for Williams to total close to 100 yards from scrimmage in this matchup. He is my No. 24 option.
Week 17 fantasy football running back rankings
1. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns at PIT
2. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts vs. LVR
3. Ronald Jones, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NYJ
4. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers vs. DEN
5. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals vs. KC
6. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints vs. CAR
7. Damien Harris, New England Patriots vs. JAX
8. David Montgomery, Chicago Bears vs. NYG
9. Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos at LAC
10. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders at IND
11. Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings at GB
12. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys vs. ARI
13. Jeff Wilson Jr., San Francisco 49ers vs. HOU
14. Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals at DAL
15. Sony Michel, Los Angeles Rams at BAL
16. Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks vs. DET
17. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. CLE
18. Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team vs. PHI
19. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers vs. MIN
20. Darrel Williams, Kansas City Chiefs at CIN
21. Boston Scott, Philadelphia Eagles at WAS
22. Cordarrelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons at BUF
23. Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills vs. ATL
24. Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions at SEA
25. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants at CHI
26. Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns at PIT
27. D’Onta Foreman, Tennessee Titans vs. MIA
28. Rex Burkhead, Houston Texans at SF
29. Dare Ogunbowale, Jacksonville Jaguars at NE
30. Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos at LAC
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