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Running back non-PPR rankings for Week 16 fantasy football

We take you through some of the best non-PPR running backs going in Week 16 for fantasy football championships, including a few viable streamers.

Darrell Henderson Jr #27 of the Los Angeles Rams scores a rushing touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on December 06, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images

Friday injury report

Friday’s injury report didn’t yield many surprises. Mostert, Edwards-Helaire and Akers were officially ruled out along with backup RB Duke Johnson. This could provide David Johnson a small bump in target share, but isn’t a huge boost in terms of fantasy production in standard leagues.

Christian McCaffrey is doubtful, as expected, along with Jamaal Williams dealing with a quad injury. It’s

James Robinson is listed as questionable with an ankle injury, though it would be surprising if he got a start after missing a week of practice. Earlier this week head coach Doug Marrone said that he’d be resting in this outing, so it’s surprising to see that he hasn’t been ruled out. If he is active, proceed with caution.

After a surprise inactive Sunday, Ezekiel Elliott logged three straight-limited practices leading into Week 16. If he’s out, Tony Pollard is an RB2 with upside. If active, it would seem conceivable for each to diminish each other’s fantasy falue.

Out: Raheem Mostert (ankle), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle), Duke Johnson (neck), Phillip Lindsay (hip, knee), Cam Akers (ankle)
Doubtful: Christian McCaffrey (thigh), Jamaal Williams (quad)
Questionable: Chase Edmonds (ankle, knee), Antonio Gibson (toe), James Robinson (ankle), Ezekiel Elliott (calf)

Thursday injury report

Raheem Mostert was ruled out, leaving Jeff Wilson to presumably take on lead carries in the offense.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Christian McCaffrey and James Robinson still aren’t practicing. They’ve all but been ruled out.

Antonio Gibson continues to practice in a limited fashion.

DNP: Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle), Christian McCaffrey (thigh), James Robinson (ankle), Duke Johnson Jr. (neck)
Limited: Josh Jacobs (knee), Antonio Gibson (toe), Chase Edmonds (ankle, knee), aaron Jones (toe), Ezekiel Elliott (calf)
Full: Jalen Richard (chest), James Conner (quadricep), Ty Johnson (hip), Le’Veon Bell (knee)

Wednesday injury report

There weren’t many surprises with a DNP tag from Wednesday’s practice report. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Christian McCaffrey and James Robinson are all most-likely out for the week. The Chiefs will have Le’Veon Bell and Darrel Williams available while the Panthers continue to ride Mike Davis. The Jaguars backfield will be the biggest question mark of them all, as Robinson has seen an impressive 79% of team rushing attempts. Gadget WR Laviska Shenault may get a few attempts, but it’s likely that Devine Ozigbo will lead the Week 16 “rushing attack”.

After a surprise inactive for Week 15, Ezekiel Elliott has returned to a limited practice and believes he could be on track to play this week against the Eagles. If he sits, Tony Pollard could prove to be a league-winner for fantasy managers.

The Steelers will look to have James Conner back against the Colts, who has been managing a quad injury. He was held out of Week 15 with the injury and didn’t look right in his limited offensive snaps returning from COVID-19. He’s a liability in season-long lineups, regardless, if he’s active.

Antonio Gibson got in a limited practice session Wednesday as he continues to manage a toe injury suffered in Week 13 against the Steelers. His status remains up in the air for Sunday, so we’ll keed to keep a close eye on the injury reports through the week.

The Packers RBs look to be a little banged up heading into Week 16. Jamaal Williams earned a DNP tag, while Aaron Jones got in a limited practice session with a toe injury. Williams left Week 15 after just four offensive snaps, so it’s possible that he sits this week. Getting Jones a bit of rest if he is expected to carry the load would make sense as they look to close out the regular season, but keep an eye on Jones’ status in the coming days.

DNP: Chase Edmonds (ankle/knee), Jamaal Williams (quad), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle/hip), Christian McCaffrey (thigh), Phillip Lindsay (hip), James Robinson (ankle)
Limited: Aaron Jones (toe), Ezekiel Elliott (calf), Antonio Gibson (toe)
Full: James Conner (quad)

Fantasy managers likely got a surprise when Tony Pollard, Giovani Bernard, Leonard Fournette and Benny Snell came out of the woodwork to play spoiler in Week 15. Giovani Bernard bounced back in a major way against the Steelers. He had logged just 20 total touches in his two games prior to his appearance on Monday Night Football against the Steelers. Snell, Pollard and Fournette all filled in due to injuries, and we could see them again for Week 16 pending the health of their team’s respective starter.

Injury news

Cam Akers has already been ruled out ahead of Week 16 with an ankle injury.

2020 just hasn’t been kind to the 49ers running backs. Raheem Mostert aggravated his ankle injury Sunday, and he’ll be shut down for the season.

Christian McCaffrey entered last weekend with a doubtful designation, but Matt Rhule is hopeful that he’ll practice Wednesday with the team. Given the team’s lost season, it would be a surprise to me if they sent him onto the field rather than shutting him down for the season as the 49ers did with Raheem Mostert.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire suffered a hip and ankle injury and is expected to be out at least until the Divisional round of the playoffs. This means, fantasy managers will look to RBs Le’Veon Bell and Darrel Williams to carry the load in his absence, but both are very risky plays in a crucial week.

It’s been a rough month for Rojo. Ronald Jones is expected to be out for the second-consecutive game after requiring surgery on his pinky, prior to landing on the COVID-19 list. While he recovers, Leonard Fournette will dominate touches once again.

Ezekiel Elliott was inactive for Week 15 nursing a calf injury. In his absence, Tony Pollard posted 25 points in non-PPR formats, a potential league-winner for the lucky manager who snagged him from waivers.

Streaming options

Darrell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams

After suffering an ankle sprain in Week 15, Rams RB Cam Akers has been ruled out by head coach Sean Payton. In his absence, teammates Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown will carry the load. Henderson leads the Rams RBs in fantasy points per snap and per touch in non-PPR formats, while also leading the team in red zone carries and carries inside the five. With Akers out of the lineup to limit the confusion for fantasy managers, Henderson could prove to be a league-winner against the Seahawks. This defensive front has allowed 9 rushing TDs since Week 8 despite allowing just 72 rushing yards per game.

Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay Bucs

I’d typically be more likely to slot Leonard Fournette into PPR leagues, but the matchup against the Lions in Week 16 is too good to pass up, even in standard-scoring formats. Outside of Derrick Henry last week, the Lions hadn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher since Week 9’s matchup against Dalvin Cook. However, they continue to allow anyone and everyone at the running back position an opportunity to score. In 2020, they’ve allowed a league-high 25 scrimmage touchdowns to RBs; it’s hard to imagine that Fournette won’t find the end zone at least once in Week 16.

Running back non-PPR rankings Week 18

Rk Name Team Opp
Rk Name Team Opp
1 Jonathan Taylor IND @ JAC
2 Austin Ekeler LAC @ LV
3 Alvin Kamara NO @ ATL
4 Dalvin Cook MIN vs CHI
5 Nick Chubb CLE vs CIN
6 David Montgomery CHI @ MIN
7 Joe Mixon CIN @ CLE
8 Najee Harris PIT @ BAL
9 Josh Jacobs LV vs LAC
10 Rashaad Penny SEA @ ARI
11 Sony Michel LAR vs SF
12 Elijah Mitchell SF @ LAR
13 Rhamondre Stevenson NE @ MIA
14 Devin Singletary BUF vs NYJ
15 Darrel Williams KC @ DEN
16 D'Andre Swift DET vs GB
17 Antonio Gibson WAS @ NYG
18 Javonte Williams DEN vs KC
19 Ezekiel Elliott DAL @ PHI
20 Boston Scott PHI vs DAL
21 Melvin Gordon III DEN vs KC
22 Saquon Barkley NYG vs WAS
23 Damien Harris NE @ MIA
24 James Conner ARI vs SEA
25 D'Onta Foreman TEN @ HOU
26 Patrick Taylor Jr. GB @ DET
27 Devonta Freeman BAL vs PIT
28 Chase Edmonds ARI vs SEA
29 Cordarrelle Patterson ATL vs NO
30 Tony Pollard DAL @ PHI
31 Dare Ogunbowale JAC vs IND
32 Rex Burkhead HOU vs TEN
33 Tevin Coleman NYJ @ BUF
34 Jeff Wilson Jr. SF @ LAR
35 Jamaal Williams DET vs GB
36 Ronald Jones II TB vs CAR
37 Kareem Hunt CLE vs CIN
38 Michael Carter NYJ @ BUF
39 AJ Dillon GB @ DET
40 Ke'Shawn Vaughn TB vs CAR
41 Ty Johnson NYJ @ BUF
42 Mike Davis ATL vs NO
43 Chuba Hubbard CAR @ TB
44 Devontae Booker NYG vs WAS
45 Derrick Gore KC @ DEN
46 Duke Johnson Jr. MIA vs NE
48 Le'Veon Bell TB vs CAR
49 Jordan Howard PHI vs DAL
50 Aaron Jones GB @ DET
51 Jaret Patterson WAS @ NYG
52 Justin Jackson LAC @ LV
53 Craig Reynolds DET vs GB
54 Mark Ingram II NO @ ATL
55 Jeremy McNichols TEN @ HOU
56 Latavius Murray BAL vs PIT
57 Alexander Mattison MIN vs CHI
58 Austin Walter NYJ @ BUF
59 Nyheim Hines IND @ JAC
60 Ameer Abdullah CAR @ TB
61 Dontrell Hilliard TEN @ HOU
62 Phillip Lindsay MIA vs NE
63 Kenneth Gainwell PHI vs DAL
64 Cam Akers LAR vs SF
65 Zack Moss BUF vs NYJ
66 Peyton Barber LV vs LAC
67 Brandon Bolden NE @ MIA
68 DeeJay Dallas SEA @ ARI
69 Myles Gaskin MIA vs NE
70 D'Ernest Johnson CLE vs CIN
71 Samaje Perine CIN @ CLE
72 David Johnson HOU vs TEN
73 Khalil Herbert CHI @ MIN
74 Alex Collins SEA @ ARI
75 Ryquell Armstead JAC vs IND
76 JaMycal Hasty SF @ LAR
77 Royce Freeman HOU vs TEN
78 Benny Snell Jr. PIT @ BAL
79 Jonathan Williams WAS @ NYG
80 Wendell Smallwood WAS @ NYG
81 Eno Benjamin ARI vs SEA
82 Kyle Juszczyk SF @ LAR
83 Damien Williams CHI @ MIN
84 Joshua Kelley LAC @ LV
85 Wayne Gallman Jr. MIN vs CHI
86 Michael Burton KC @ DEN
87 Kene Nwangwu MIN vs CHI
88 Nathan Cottrell JAC vs IND
89 Travis Homer SEA @ ARI
90 Corey Clement DAL @ PHI
91 Deon Jackson IND @ JAC
92 Jake Funk LAR vs SF
93 Ty Montgomery NO @ ATL
94 Jalen Richard LV vs LAC
95 Elijhaa Penny NYG vs WAS
96 Godwin Igwebuike DET vs GB
97 Jakob Johnson NE @ MIA
98 Demetric Felton CLE vs CIN
99 Clyde Edwards-Helaire KC @ DEN