Fantasy Football: Week 10 running back rankings

Nov. 7 (UPI) — Melvin Gordon, Kareem Hunt, Todd Gurley, James Conner and Ezekiel Elliott top my Week 10 fantasy football running back rankings.

Joe Mixon, Saquon Barkley, Alvin Kamara, Christian McCaffrey and David Johnson round out the top 10 of my weekly rankings.

Make sure that running backs from the Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos and Houston Texans are out of your lineups as those teams have Week 10 byes.

If you are needy at the position, check out my waiver wire add/drops for Week 10.

Here are my Top 30 options at the position this week.

FULL TOP 30 WEEK 10 RANKINGS BELOW

TOP SHELF

Gordon is my No. 1 overall running back this week. The Los Angeles Chargers superstar already has 10 touchdowns this season and more than 800 yards from scrimmage. He has scored in seven of his eight games. He has also surpassed 100 yards from scrimmage in five of those appearances. Gordon should have no problem exploding once again against the Oakland Raiders, tied for allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs.

Hunt falls in right behind Gordon in my weekly running back rankings. The Kansas City Chiefs weapon is on a hot streak, scoring in eight consecutive games. As good as Hunt is on the ground, he also has six touchdowns as a receiver. I expect another great day of production from Hunt this week against the Arizona Cardinals, a unit allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs.

SNEAKY PLAYS

David Johnson is my No. 10 running back this week. The Cardinals dynamo isn’t the receiving threat we have seen in the past, but he is still producing, despite playing on a poor offense. Johnson battles the Chiefs this week, a defense allowing the most fantasy points per game to the position. He is an RB1 in this matchup and should be force-fed.

Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman falls just outside my top 10 this week as my No. 11 option at the position. Coleman is coming off of a Week 9 start when he had 156 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. I expect him to be used heavily once again against the Cleveland Browns, who are allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to running backs. Coleman is an RB1 in deeper leagues.

LONGSHOTS

Chicago Bears back Jordan Howard is my No. 16 option at running back this week, landing in RB2 territory. Howard scored twice in Week 9 against the Buffalo Bills and is up to five scores on the season. He isn’t doing that well on a yards-per-carry basis, but he is still finding the end zone, scoring in three consecutive games. I like his upside this week against the Detroit Lions, a unit ranking No. 6 in terms of fantasy points per game allowed to opposing running backs.

RANK NAME TEAM OPPONENT
1 Melvin Gordon Los Angeles Chargers at OAK
2 Kareem Hunt Kansas City Chiefs vs. AZ
3 Todd Gurley Los Angeles Rams vs. SEA
4 James Conner Pittsburgh Steelers vs. CAR
5 Ezekiel Elliott Dallas Cowboys at PHI
6 Joe Mixon Cincinnati Bengals vs. NO
7 Saquon Barkley New York Giants at SF
8 Alvin Kamara New Orleans Saints at CIN
9 Christian McCaffrey Carolina Panthers at PIT
10 David Johnson Arizona Cardinals at KC
11 Tevin Coleman Atlanta Falcons at CLE
12 Nick Chubb Cleveland Browns vs. ATL
13 Adrian Peterson Washington Redskins at TB
14 Marlon Mack Indianapolis Colts vs. JAX
15 James White New England Patriots at TEN
16 Jordan Howard Chicago Bears vs. DET
17 Mark Ingram New Orleans Saints at CIN
18 Dion Lewis Tennessee Titans vs. NE
19 Aaron Jones Green Bay Packers vs. MIA
20 Tarik Cohen Chicago Bears vs. DET
21 Kerryon Johnson Detroit Lions at CHI
22 Leonard Fournette Jacksonville Jaguars at IND
23 Kenyan Drake Miami Dolphins at GB
24 Matt Breida San Francisco 49ers vs. NYG
25 LeSean McCoy Buffalo Bills at NYJ
26 Duke Johnson Cleveland Browns vs. ATL
27 Sony Michel New England Patriots at TEN
28 Isaiah Crowell New York Jets vs. BUF
29 Ito Smith Atlanta Falcons at CLE
30 Mike Davis Seattle Seahawks at LAR

If you are in a pinch — especially in a PPR league — take a look at Browns running back Duke Johnson as a fringe RB2 option or flex play. Johnson has a matchup against the Falcons, a unit tied for allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to running backs. The Falcons have also allowed a league high in receiving yards to running backs. Johnson just had a season-high nine receptions, 78 yards and two touchdowns in Week 9 against the Chiefs. He is my No. 26 running back this week against the Falcons.