2013 Fantasy Football Rankings – Running Backs

1. Adrian Peterson (MIN)

After an MVP year in which he fell just nine yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record, Peterson set the bar high even for him. That he was able to do so barely eight months removed from reconstructive knee surgery bordered on the miraculous. And his 10-game romp to end the season during which he piled up 1,598 rushing yards at a whopping 6.8 YPC and 11 total scores might have been the greatest stretch by a back in modern NFL history. While the lack of a viable Vikings passing game ensured defenses stacked the box against Peterson, he rendered the tactic impotent with a league-leading 1,047 yards after contact. Now 28 and with 1,754 career carries, Peterson has some mileage on his body, but it's hard to get overly concerned about that when Peterson only got stronger as the year wore on. And he's now 20 months removed from his knee surgery, so the joint should be back to full strength. While Peterson is a competent pass catcher – he caught 40 balls last year, the second-highest total of his career – he doesn't excel in that area and will likely give up production to most of the other top backs, particularly in PPR formats.

2. Doug Martin (TB)

The 31st pick in the 2012 draft, Martin earned the starting job out of camp last year and quickly became the Bucs' workhorse in a standout rookie season. He ranked fourth in the league with 319 rushes, tied for second among feature backs with 70 targets and took 83.3 percent of his team's handoffs in the red zone, second only to Arian Foster. All of which led to nearly 2,000 yards from scrimmage (2nd) and 12 total touchdowns (4th). At 5-9, 223, Martin has a low center of gravity and boasts a blend of power and exceptional balance that helped him total 800 yards after contact last season, more than any back other than Adrian Peterson. He also has big-play ability as touchdowns of 36, 40, 45, 64, 67 and 70 yards attest. Despite 16 rushes inside the five-yard line last year (3rd), Martin converted only five, but this season he should benefit from the return of Pro Bowl guards Davin Joseph and Carl Nicks – arguably the game's top run blocker – who were lost to injury in 2012.

3. C.J. Spiller (BUF)

That Spiller did not see more than 250 touches in 2012 is mindboggling, considering he averaged an eye-popping 6.0 YPC – a mark only five other running backs in NFL history (min. 200 carries) have reached – while adding 10.7 yards per reception (2nd last season). At 5-11, 200, Spiller is blazingly fast (he clocked a 4.37 40 at the Combine in 2010) and elusive in the open field. His 12 runs of 20-plus yards and five runs of 40-plus were both second only to Adrian Peterson, and his 12.1 average yards after the catch ranked first in the league among running backs. The uncertain quarterback situation this season might make Spiller's life more difficult as he'll be the focal point of defenses. But the only thing that slowed him last season was sharing carries with Fred Jackson. A new coaching staff in Buffalo likely won't suppress Spiller's workload this season, as Jackson is 32, coming off an MCL sprain and probably headed for a complementary role. Whether Spiller can hold up to a workload approaching 300 carries remains to be seen, but if he does, he has No. 1 overall upside.