Position Breakdown: Ranking Running Backs Solely on Performance

In our upside and downside articles, we used subjective analysis to rate each of the league's running backs. In the injury history article, we objectively analyzed each RB's track record of missing games due to injury. Here, we'll again use objective analysis when we deal with the Performance History of each running back.

The concept is simple -- look simply at a guy's average point totals per game over the course of 2009. The safer picks in fantasy football tend to be the guys that have performed at a high level already; it's why Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson are going to be the top two picks in your draft this year.

Starting at the top, both Johnson and Peterson averaged over 15 points per game last year. Peterson of course is the more consistent of the two, but Johnson propelled himself to fantasy stardom with a monster second half in 2009, breaking Marshall Faulk's yards from scrimmage record along the way.

First-round rookies will be given Fives, middle of the pack ratings for players that have no NFL performance record. Knowshon Moreno was the last back to make it into the Six category with his 2009 rookie year performance, and fellow 2009 rookie Beanie Wells earned a firm Five. Second-rounders will get Fours, and that was the fate of LeSean McCoy last year. Rookies drafted lower than the second round will receive Ones; check out where Shonn Greene comes in on this list to understand why that is.

We'll drop the average a point and a half each level. Guys that inherited prominent offensive roles after spending time on the bench will be rated lower than is probably fair, but that's part of the point of this exercise.

These averages are based on a standard, non-PPR format and only take last year's numbers into account. If you're playing along at home, be sure to find what each RB averaged under your particular league's scoring system last year.

Tens

Chris Johnson, TEN (20.6)
Adrian Peterson, MIN (16.6)
Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC (15.9)
Frank Gore, SF (15.3)

Nines

Ray Rice, BAL (14.2)
Thomas Jones, KC (13.8)

Eights

Ronnie Brown, MIA (13.3)
Michael Turner, ATL (12.8)
DeAngelo Williams, CAR (12.8)
Cedric Benson, CIN (12.5)
Joseph Addai, IND (12.3)
Ryan Grant, GB (12.3)
Ricky Williams, MIA (12.3)
Steven Jackson, STL (12.0)

Sevens

Jamaal Charles, KC (11.8)
Jonathan Stewart, CAR (11.1)
Pierre Thomas, NO (10.6)

Sixes

LaDainian Tomlinson, NYJ (10.4)
Rashard Mendenhall, PIT (10.3)
Kevin Smith, DET (10.1)
Fred Jackson, BUF (9.9)
Jerome Harrison, CLE (9.8)
Steve Slaton, HOU (9.7)
Marion Barber, DAL (9.6)
Matt Forte, CHI (9.4)
Knowshon Moreno, DEN (9.3)

Fives

Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG (8.5)
Willis McGahee, BAL (8.5)
Brandon Jacobs, NYG (8.3)
Laurence Maroney, NE (8.2)
Cadillac Williams, TB (8.2)
Tim Hightower, ARI (8.1)
Arian Foster, HOU (7.8)
Fred Taylor, NE (7.8)
Beanie Wells, ARI (7.6)
Ryan Mathews, SD (R)
Jahvid Best, DET (R)
C.J. Spiller, BUF (R)

Fours

Reggie Bush, NO (7.4)
Julius Jones, SEA (7.4)
Jason Snelling, ATL (7.4)
Darren Sproles, SD (7.3)
Clinton Portis, WAS (7.2)
Justin Forsett, SEA (7.0)
Mike Bell, PHI (6.6)
LeSean McCoy, PHI (6.4)
Brian Westbrook, FA (6.4)
Felix Jones, DAL (6.0)
Ben Tate, HOU (R)
Montario Hardesty, CLE (R)
Dexter McCluster, KC (R)
Toby Gerhart, MIN (R)

Threes

Correll Buckhalter, DEN (5.6)
Leon Washington, SEA (5.3)
Donald Brown, IND (5.2)
Marshawn Lynch, BUF (4.8)
Michael Bush, OAK (4.5)
Kevin Faulk, NE (4.5)
Maurice Morris, DET (4.5)
Derrick Ward, TB (4.5)

Twos

Darren McFadden, OAK (4.4)
Chester Taylor, CHI (4.4)
Sammy Morris, NE (4.2)
Jerious Norwood, ATL (4.0)
Shonn Greene, NYJ (3.9)
Tashard Choice, DAL (3.8)
Larry Johnson, WAS (3.7)
Brandon Jackson, GB (3.5)
Bernard Scott, CIN (3.2)

Ones

Willie Parker, WAS (2.9)
Glen Coffee, SF (2.2)
Mewelde Moore, PIT (2.2)
LenDale White, FA (2.1)
Rashad Jennings, JAC (1.5)