Top 50 running back PPR rankings for Week 12 fantasy football

UPDATE

Kareem Hunt’s usage has been good so far and this matchup against the Dolphins looks fantastic for a receiving back of his caliber. He gets a bump from my first rankings.

Derrius Guice should be the main receiving back this week with Chris Thompson not looking like he’ll go. Add his receiving work to his rushing work against a poor Lions defense and he deserved a bump in the rankings.

The absence of Phillip Dorsett and Mohamed Sanu has me a little higher on James White as well.

Week 12 is here, and this is our last bye week. We still have four teams out, which will continue to give us some tough decisions. Our rankings should help you make some of those decisions in Week 12.

Bye Weeks

Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings

RBs on bye: Kenyan Drake, Damien Williams, Melvin Gordon, Austin Ekeler, Dalvin Cook

Injury/Status Report

Marlon Mack is out with a fractured hand. Jonathan Williams played well in his absence last week, and Jordan Wilkins looks close to returning. If Wilkins can go, we will likely see a committee with Wilkins, Williams, and Nyheim Hines.

Devonta Freeman is “trending the right way,” according to coach Dan Quinn. If he can go, he gets a tough matchup with Tampa Bay, and Brian Hill returns to backup status.

James Conner’s Week 12 status is “up in the air,” according to NFLN’s Tom Pelissero. He likely needs time off to get back to his old self, but the Steelers seem to be pushing him. Jaylen Samuels would probably be the starter.

RB Ranking Tiers

Tier 1

Alvin Kamara doesn’t get the workload that Christian McCaffrey does, so McCaffrey remains the top play as usual, but Kamara’s upside this week is outstanding. Saquon Barkley faces a Bears team that is susceptible to receiving backs, so hopefully, he sees numerous targets. The Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry, who aren’t getting much work through the air, have such strong matchups that they warrant Top-7 consideration in PPR as well.

Tier 2

It looks like Jaylen Samuels will get another chance, this time against a feeble Bengals defense. Trey Edmunds will likely see work as well, but Samuels could be huge in PPR with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson both hurting.

Phillip Lindsay gets a good matchup and appears to have won a few more snaps from Royce Freeman moving forward.

Kareem Hunt has been extremely valuable in PPR since returning despite running behind Nick Chubb in the offense. This week they both get a great matchup at home against Miami.

RB Streamers

Derrius Guice should start to see more work through the air after his catch and run touchdown last week, coupled with Adrian Peterson’s inability to catch passes. That should give him a boost in PPR in a favorable matchup.

Nyheim Hines faces a Texans team that leads the league in receptions allowed to running backs. With Marlon Mack out, Hines should see an uptick in work this week as well.