Fantasy Football Week 8 Rankings: RB

Steven Jackson has had a rough year, as long as you don't include rushing yards. He hasn't scored a touchdown and his team is winless. That's bad enough, but the games aren't even close most of the time. That makes it even more difficult for the Rams to justify giving the dynamic Jackson carries. Yet he's still managed to rack up 90.7 yards per game on the ground, his highest mark in that stat since his career year in 2006.

This week, things will be different for SJax. It will be a one-week hiatus from his awful fortunes, as the Rams face the slightly-less-hapless Lions. They allow 4.6 yards per carry and were porous enough to make the 2009 version of Matt Forte look like it was 2008. And they'll make Jackson look like he did in 2006.

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1. Adrian Peterson, MIN at GB
2. Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX at TEN
3. Steve Slaton, TEX at BUF
4. Steven Jackson, StL at DET
5. Ronnie Brown, MIA at NYJ
6. DeAngelo Williams, CAR at ARI
7. Frank Gore, SF at IND
8. Michael Turner, ATL at NO
9. Thomas Jones, NYJ vs. MIA
10. Kevin Smith, DET vs. StL
11. Chris Johnson, TEN vs. JAX
12. Joseph Addai, IND vs. SF
13. Ray Rice, BAL vs. DEN
14. LaDainian Tomlinson, SD vs. OAK
15. Ricky Williams, MIA at NYJ
16. Matt Forte, CHI vs. CLE
17. Marion Barber, DAL vs. SEA
18. Brandon Jacobs, NYG at PHI
19. Ryan Grant, GB vs. MIN
20. Beanie Wells, ARI vs. CAR
21. LeSean McCoy, PHI vs. NYG
22. Darren Sproles, SD vs. OAK
23. Justin Fargas, OAK at SD
24. Knowshon Moreno, DEN at BAL
25. Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG at PHI
26. Mike Bell, NO vs. ATL
27. Pierre Thomas, NO vs. ATL
28. Shonn Greene, NYJ vs. MIA
29. Marshawn Lynch, BUF vs. HOU
30. Felix Jones, DAL vs. SEA
31. Tim Hightower, ARI vs. CAR
32. Jonathan Stewart, CAR at ARI
33. Correll Buckhalter, DEN at BAL
34. Julius Jones, SEA at DAL
35. Reggie Bush, NO vs. ATL
36. Michael Bush, OAK at SD
37. Jamal Lewis, CLE at CHI
38. Fred Jackson, BUF vs. HOU
39. Willis McGahee, BAL vs. DEN
40. Chester Taylor, MIN vs. GB
41. Jerome Harrison, CLE at CHI
42. Chad Simpson, IND vs. SF
43. Jason Snelling, ATL at NO
44. Tashard Choice, DAL vs. SEA
45. LenDale White, TEN vs. JAX

• Yes, the Cardinals have the top-ranked run defense in the NFL, but the Panthers can run on anyone when they want to. After attempting just 23 rushes with Williams and Stewart -- as opposed to 44 passes -- John Fox has to know they need to get back to the run. I believe they will and Williams will be just fine.

• Gore had a rough return from injury last week, but the Texans run defense has been really strong after an inauspicious beginning. Give them credit for making adjustments. This week, the Niners face a Colts team that they absolutely must keep off the field. You can run on Indy much easier than you can pass, so expect Gore to cross the 100-yard barrier.

• I really like Beanie this week. He had a solid game on national TV last Sunday in a win over the Giants. In order to capitalize on the momentum, the Cardinals need to feed the rock to the rookie at least 15 times at home against a porous Carolina run defense.

• Brian Westbrook is not ranked because he's not expected to play (concussion). Thus, McCoy gets a hefty boost. Expect the Eagles to predominantly pass against the Giants, but McCoy will still work as a receiver out of the backfield and get more than 10 carries.

• I like Mike Bell by a nose over Pierre Thomas because he looked better in Miami and is definitely their short-yardage back. Still, it's quite the confusing backfield.

• As I've said all week, the Texans run defense is now legit. I downgraded Marshawn Lynch because of it. It's not like he's been setting the world on fire anyway, even against bad rush defenses.

• With Donald Brown possibly out, Chad Simpson will likely step in and get some work in spelling Joseph Addai for the Colts. If you play in a large league and desperately need a bye-week fill-in, he's worth a shot. I've said it in the past, but a trained animal could rack up stats in the Colts offense.

• Want a desperation hit-or-miss? I could easily see Felix Jones breaking one of his patented long touchdowns against the Seahawks. Of course, I could also see him gaining just 20 yards or something. Good luck!