| Rank | Player | Team | Comment |
| 1 | Doug Martin | TB | |
| 2 | Adrian Peterson | MIN | |
| 3 | Arian Foster | HOU | |
| 4 | Ray Rice | BAL | |
| 5 | LeSean McCoy | PHI | |
| 6 | Jamaal Charles | KC | |
| 7 | C.J. Spiller | BUF | |
| 8 | Trent Richardson | CLE | show |
[Jun 6th] Mark Wimer says: I like Trent Richardson's prospects for 2013, but I see him in the third tier of fantasy running backs - Martin/Peterson/Foster being the first tier; Lynch/Rice/Spiller/McCoy/Charles being the second tier: and then Richardson leads the third tier of fantasy running backs. I have him at ninth among fantasy backs in non-PPR and eighth in PPR leagues, but leading off the third tier lands him in the 20's on my overall boards. His stepped on/bone-bruised lower leg is a slight concern, but it appears the coaching staff is resting him until it heals fully, so I'm not overly concerned unless he starts missing time in training camp.
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| 9 | Marshawn Lynch | SEA | |
| 10 | Maurice Jones-Drew | JAX | |
| 11 | Darren Sproles | NO | |
| 12 | DeMarco Murray | DAL | |
| 13 | Alfred Morris | WAS | |
| 14 | Matt Forte | CHI | |
| 15 | Steven Jackson | ATL | |
| 16 | Reggie Bush | DET | |
| 17 | Lamar Miller | MIA | |
| 18 | Jonathan Stewart | CAR | show |
[Jun 11th] Mark Wimer says: Another offseason, another ankle procedure for Jonathan Stewart. Normally, I'd be wary of a guy with so many nicks and dings, but the fact is that Stewart will play through pain if he is physically able - the guy is incredibly tough. I think the team wants him to be the lead guy - DeAngelo Williams' skills have diminished and I think a big bounce back year is in order for Stewart as long as he doesn't suffer a setback with the ankle he's currently rehabbing. I'm going to roll the dice on him a lot this year.
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| 19 | Frank Gore | SF | |
| 20 | Chris Johnson | TEN | |
| 21 | Darren McFadden | OAK | |
| 22 | Daryl Richardson | STL | |
| 23 | Stevan Ridley | NE | |
| 24 | LeVeon Bell | PIT | |
| 25 | Ronnie Hillman | DEN | show |
[Jun 6th] Mark Wimer says: I've been speaking with Cecil Lammey as he's watched the Broncos' early June OTAs, and the word is that Ronnie Hillman looks explosive and polished and that he's been running with the first team for 75%+ of the snaps. Meanwhile, Montee Ball has looked less impressive and is a rookie playing for John Fox. I've revised my Denver projections based on Cecil's observations and Hillman has vaulted up my running back projections/rankings, while Ball has fallen significantly.
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| 26 | David Wilson | NYG | |
| 27 | Ahmad Bradshaw | IND | show |
[Jun 11th] Mark Wimer says: Bradshaw got a relatively-modest contract (one year, $1.1 million with a $250,000 signing bonus) from the Colts, which indicated to me that he's going to be part of a committee of backs. I think Vick Ballard's prospects took a major hit with this signing, and either Delone Carter or Donald Brown will probably move on to another team/get cut. With Bradshaw and Ballard likely in a time-sharing arrangement (if Bradshaw shows he's still got gas left in his tank during training camp), I'm pushing both players out of the starting-fantasy-running-back ranks. Either guy could climb my rankings later in the summer if either Bradshaw or Ballard clearly beats out the other in training camp.
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| 28 | BenJarvus Green-Ellis | CIN | |
| 29 | Chris Ivory | NYJ | show |
[Jun 6th] Mark Wimer says: All the news out of New York indicates that Ivory has cemented his hold on the lead running back job - partially due to Mike Goodson's spate of legal problems, but also because Ivory has looked strong in practices so far. I've revised my projections/rankings accordingly and Ivory as climbed the ladder while Bilal Powell has plummeted down the board.
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| 30 | Eddie Lacy | GB | |
| 31 | Rashard Mendenhall | ARI | |
| 32 | Ryan Mathews | SD | |
| 33 | DeAngelo Williams | CAR | |
| 34 | Danny Woodhead | SD | |
| 35 | Jacquizz Rodgers | ATL | |
| 36 | Daniel Thomas | MIA | |
| 37 | Bilal Powell | NYJ | show |
[Jun 6th] Mark Wimer says: All the news out of New York indicates that Ivory has cemented his hold on the lead running back job - partially due to Mike Goodson's spate of legal problems, but also because Ivory has looked strong in practices so far. I've revised my projections/rankings accordingly and Ivory as climbed the ladder while Bilal Powell has plummeted accordingly.
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| 38 | Mikel Leshoure | DET | |
| 39 | Pierre Thomas | NO | |
| 40 | Shane Vereen | NE | |
| 41 | Ryan Williams | ARI | |
| 42 | Fred Jackson | BUF | |
| 43 | Vick Ballard | IND | show |
[Jun 11th] Mark Wimer says: Ballard's fantasy prospects took a major hit when the Colts signed Ahmad Bradshaw to be part of the stable in Indianapolis. Bradshaw got a relatively-modest contract (one year, $1.1 million with a $250,000 signing bonus) from the Colts, which indicated to me that he's going to be part of a committee of backs. I think either Delone Carter or Donald Brown will probably move on to another team/get cut. With Bradshaw and Ballard likely in a time-sharing arrangement (if Bradshaw shows he's still got gas left in his tank during training camp), I'm pushing both players out of the starting-fantasy-running-back ranks. Either guy could climb my rankings later in the summer if either Bradshaw or Ballard clearly beats out the other in training camp.
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| 44 | Shonn Greene | TEN | |
| 45 | Kendall Hunter | SF | |
| 46 | Montee Ball | DEN | show |
[Jun 6th] Mark Wimer says: I've been speaking with Cecil Lammey as he's watched the Broncos' early June OTAs, and the word is that Ronnie Hillman looks explosive and polished and that he's been running with the first team for 75%+ of the snaps. Meanwhile, Montee Ball has looked less impressive and is a rookie playing for John Fox. I've revised my Denver projections based on Cecil's observations and Hillman has vaulted up my running back projections/rankings, while Ball has fallen significantly.
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| 47 | Michael Bush | CHI | |
| 48 | Bryce Brown | PHI | |
| 49 | Giovani Bernard | CIN | |
| 50 | Mark Ingram | NO | |