We are down to the last four teams in the NFL playoffs meaning that fantasy football options are getting slimmer. How do the available options this week sit in our Conference Championships RB rankings, and which ones should fantasy managers be looking to lean on in their lineups?
Conference Championships Fantasy Football RB Rankings
The below rankings are intended as a guide for half-PPR formats. They do not take into account individual league rules and setups. Why not head over to Underdog Fantasy and utilize these rankings to give you an edge over your competition in their Conference Championship Best Ball competitions?
1. Christian McCaffrey | SF @ PHI
2. Joe Mixon | CIN @ KC
3. Jerick McKinnon | KC vs. CIN
4. Miles Sanders | PHI vs. SF
5. Isiah Pacheco | KC vs. CIN
6. Elijah Mitchell | SF @ PHI
7. Kenneth Gainwell | PHI vs. SF
8. Samaje Perine | CIN @ KC
9. Kyle Juszczyk | SF @ PHI
10. Boston Scott | PHI vs. SF
11. Jordan Mason | SF @ PHI
12. Tyrion Davis-Price | SF @ PHI
Even with his calf injury, it’s hard not to be high on Christian McCaffrey this week. The Philadelphia Eagles have had their struggles against running backs in the second half of the season. That makes both McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell intriguing options this week.
As for the Eagles’ backs, it’s difficult to know which backs to trust. We saw a lot of Kenneth Gainwell in the second half against the New York Giants with the game in hand. However, we’ve also seen more of him in red-zone situations in the second half of the season.
MORE: Start ‘em Sit ‘em Conference Championships
That makes Miles Sanders a tricky guy to trust. To be assured of returning value on his cost, he needs to find the end zone, but Sanders hasn’t done that since Week 14.
The situation with the Kansas City Chiefs’ backfield is somewhat similar. Unless one of them finds the end zone, it’s hard to rely on either Isiah Pacheco or Jerick McKinnon completely. McKinnon had been on a superb run but was held without a reception and managed just 25 rushing yards on 11 carries.
With the Cincinnati Bengals’ backfield, Joe Mixon is coming off a starring role against the Buffalo Bills. While he is the clear lead back, Samaje Perine and the other options mix in enough to limit his ceiling somewhat. However, compared to the other lead backs, Mixon is one of the more reliable options.