2015 Fantasy Football Power Rankings 1.0: Top 20 Running Backs

Earlier this week, we here at SideLion Report released our first installment of our Fantasy Football Power Rankings when we went over the top 20 quarterbacks of the 2015 season. This time around we’re going to dive into a position that is equally as important, the top 20 running backs.

For many years, it has been the fantasy football norm to select back-to-back running backs in rounds one and two of your respective drafts. The thought process that established this routine is that the running back is the most productive, point wise, of any positions available.

This theory has gone largely unquestioned for as long as I can remember. That could however change in 2015.

Looking at the top five scoring running backs, DeMarco Murray, Le’Veon Bell, Marshawn Lynch, Matt Forte and Arian Foster their fantasy points ranged from 294 to 235 in 2014.

The top five highest scoring quarterbacks of last season were Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Peyton Manning and wildcard Ben Roethlisberger who scored between 354 to 306 points for the 16 week season.

We can safely say that of those, Manning and Rodgers were likely drafted in the first round with Luck following soon after.

Scoring: These rankings are based on standard scoring (one point per 25 passing yards and per 10 rushing/receiving yards and four points per passing touchdown and six points per rushing/receiving touchdown) and are for the 2015 NFL season only.

As for the running backs, besides Foster and maybe even Murray who may have slipped to the second-round in the 2014 draft, the others surely were picked in the first round.

With that in mind, the selection on the top-tier running backs is still very important, and they are likely to consume the top five picks of the first round in 2015. Beyond that however, with picks six through ten or twelve, we may see the above mentioned quarterbacks come off the board.

What this all means it that the shuffling of the draft order may shake up any preconceived strategies you have when you enter your draft day. That’s why it’s as important as ever to know your stuff, at both positions — and luckily we’re here to help.

Let’s get started, shall we? Welcome to our 2015 Fantasy Football Power Rankings 1.0: Top 20 Running Backs.

Next: Running Backs 16-20