With quarterbacks and wide receivers continuing to nab first-round draft spots that previously went to go running backs, it might seem like ball carriers are less important to the success of your fantasy team. False. There just aren't as many sure-thing, do-it-all runners as there used to be. With the lack of depth at running back in fantasy football and the astounding numbers quarterbacks are putting up, the upper echelon runners might be even more important than in years past. Going into the 2012 season, the top tier of running backs includes LeSean McCoy, Arian Foster and Ray Rice.
Then there's everyone else and whole lot of uncertainty.
Adrian Peterson is coming off surgery to repair a torn ACL and MCL. Jamaal Charles had 12 carries before tearing his ACL in Week 2 last season. Darren McFadden, Matt Forte and Frank Gore were all banged up last year as well. Ryan Mathews broke his collarbone on his first carry of the preseason earlier this month. And Trent Richardson just had surgery on his knee.
It's one major crapshoot. Will you take a running back early no matter what? Will you wait for the middle rounds? Are you going to try to snag a goalline vulture like Michael Bush or Brandon Jacobs?
Scroll down below and rank the running backs you would target in the draft.
