It’s hard to believe, but the 2018 NFL season is already halfway over, and with it, the fantasy football season. 2018 has been full of unexpected twists and turns, especially at the running back position. While some players like Todd Gurley have performed as expected, there have been players like Adrian Peterson who have come out of nowhere to put together fantastic seasons. On the other end of the spectrum, players like Leonard Fournette have struggled to play up to their draft status. Since we’re officially at the midpoint of the NFL season, let’s take a look back at the best performers, biggest surprises, and biggest disappointments thus far at the running back position.
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Fantasy Football: Midseason Tight End Superlatives
Fantasy Football: Todd Gurley, Adrian Peterson Win Midseason Running Back Superlatives
Best Performers
Todd Gurley
Everyone expected Todd Gurley to be good in 2018, but nobody was expecting this. Despite playing in the most pass-happy era in football history, Todd Gurley is having arguably the best season a running back has had since Adrian Peterson’s 2012 MVP campaign.
On the season, Gurley currently has 169 rushing attempts for 800 yards and 11 touchdowns, all of which currently lead the league. Additionally, Gurley has added another 31 receptions for 351 yards and four touchdowns in the passing game. Gurley is currently the top-ranked running back in standard scoring, and it’s not even that close. He’s far and away the best player in fantasy football and is single-handedly winning leagues for his owners.
James Conner
Who needs Le’Veon Bell anyway? With the Pittsburgh Steelers running back holding out for a bigger payday, backup running back James Conner has established himself as one of the best running backs in all of fantasy football. Serving as the bell-cow in the Steelers offense, Conner currently has 599 rushing yards and nine touchdowns to go along with 323 receiving yards on 31 receptions.
Bell should eventually come back, so Conner’s production might take a hit if and when Bell returns. That said, Conner has been too good to keep off the field. He might not be the same guy when the fantasy football playoffs start, but he’s still more than worthy of starting the rest of the season.
Biggest Surprises
Adrian Peterson
The most talented running back of his generation is once again showing that age is just a number. Despite joining the Washington Redskins just weeks before the regular season, Adrian Peterson has been one of the best running backs in the entire NFL and one of the biggest surprises in fantasy football.
The future Hall of Famer has been nothing short of amazing this season, posting 587 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 127 carries. Somehow, the 33-year old is currently on pace to finish the season with 1,342 rushing yards. Washington has struggled to move the ball through the air, so Peterson has basically carried the Redskins to their unexpected 5-2 record. As long as he stays healthy, there’s no reason to expect this type of production to change.
James White
The New England Patriots are notorious for using a running back by committee, and entering the season James White looked to have a specialized role in the offense. However, White has been one of the best running backs in fantasy football thanks to his unparalleled skills out of the backfield.
White currently leads the Patriots with 55 receptions, 459 receiving yards, and six touchdowns. He’s basically the WR1 on an offense that has Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon, and Rob Gronkowski. White has also added another 204 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground for good measure.
Tom Brady clearly loves James White, and he’s on pace to have one of the greatest receiving seasons a running back has ever had. White went late in most fantasy drafts, and he’s currently the seventh-ranked running back in standard scoring. Outside of James Conner, there may not have been a bigger steal in fantasy this season.
Biggest Bust
Le’Veon Bell
LeVeon Bell is easily the biggest bust not only among running backs but throughout the entire league. Bell was a top-three pick in just about every fantasy draft, yet the star running back has yet to record a single snap. The Pittsburgh Steelers placed the franchise tag on Bell for the second straight year, and Bell has shown no intention of playing until he receives a long-term contract and financial security.
It’s hard to blame Bell for wanting a major contract and it’s equally hard to blame the Steelers for not wanting to give out a major contract to a running back. Bell was rumored to come back multiple times throughout the season, but as of now, he has yet to report. At the very least, Bell will almost certainly be back by November 13th. Should Bell not report by then, he wouldn’t accrue a full season of work, and thus he’d have to spend another season under the franchise tag. Bell certainly won’t do that, as he’s looking to get paid as soon as he can.
Bell owners can take some solace in the fact that he has to come back at some point. However, his extended absense combined with the emergence of James Conner should make fantasy football owners regret using such a high pick on Bell.
Fournette
Of the players actually playing, there hasn’t been a bigger disappointment than Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette. Fournette was taken late in the first round of most fantasy drafts and hasn’t come close to justifying that investment.
Fournette has appeared in just two games in the young season, recording a combined 71 rushing yards and 21 receiving yards for a whopping nine fantasy points in traditional scoring. The second-year running back suffered a hamstring injury in Week One against the New York Giants and missed the next two games. While he made his return in Week Four, Fournette re-aggravated his injury, forcing him out of the next four games.
The Jaguars are reportedly optimistic that Fournette can play in Week 10 against the Indianapolis Colts. However, Jacksonville also traded for Carlos Hyde to pair with T.J. Yeldon. Even when Fournette returns to the lineup, the Jaguars probably won’t give him a full workload until he can prove he’s fully healthy. Fournette was a first-round pick in most fantasy drafts, and Fournette owners everywhere must regret taking the injured running back.
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