Planning for keeper leagues involves evaluating players not only by their talent potential this season, but by how they might perform down the road. While this is true for every position, the most essential to focus on is the running back.
With today’s league is leaning more on the passing game, finding the right runners with the right set of skills is essential to putting out a championship caliber team year in and out. To help you target the right type of rushers, below are the top ten running backs you should target if you are planning on trying out a keeper league.
James LeBeau is a contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @Jlebeau76 or subscribe on Facebook.com/CraveOnlineSports.
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Top 10 Fantasy Football Running Back Keepers
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1. Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns
At just 22 years old, Richardson is just scratching the surface of his potential and what he's shown so far has been impressive enough to warrant a keeper spot. The only knock on Richardson so far has been injury issues. Fortunately, none of those have been anything major. With Norv Turner running Cleveland's offense this year, Richardson is set to have a major season.
(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
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2. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs
Doesn't it feel like Jamaal Charles has been in the league forever now? Well, he hasn't and at just 25 years old, he is on the cusp of owning the NFL for the next few seasons. Projected to get 300 touches this season, Charles is the type of established stud that you can feel relatively safe in drafting for the long haul.
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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3. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Like Trent Richardson, Doug Martin is a powerful runner who has good enough hands to keep him on the field for all three downs. Unlike Richardson though, Martin hasn't had any glaring medical issues. At 24 years old, Martin is poised to compete for the best back for years to come.
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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4. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles
Owners who draft McCoy is going to benefit from not only the rusher's extreme dual-threat talent but from having Chip Kelly as his head coach. The new Eagles offense under Kelly virtually guarantees that McCoy will have every opportunity to post ridiculous numbers in the next few seasons, barring injury.
(Photo by Drew Hallowell/Philadelphia Eagles/Getty Images)
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5. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills
Last season saw C.J. Spiller emerge as a bona fide number one running back for the Buffalo Bills. This year should see Spiller make the next jump into a top five fantasy stud, a spot he should remain at for a few seasons. Underused last season, Spiller still managed 1244 rushing yards and caught 43 passes for 459 yards.
(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
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6. Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins
Alfred Morris came out of nowhere last season to finish second in rushing yards (1,613), second in touchdowns (13) and fifth among feature backs in yards per catch (4.8). The only knock on him is that no running back is completely safe playing under Mike Shanahan.
(Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post)
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7. David Wilson, New York Giants
In week 3 of the preseason, David Wilson broke one open for an 84 yard touchdown. That pretty much sums up what Wilson can give you as a fantasy starter. Already a natural receiver, Wilson is still filling out his frame and in another year, he's going to be unstoppable. Right now he's simple really, really good.
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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8. Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals
Giovani Bernard is one of two rookies that make this list as he has all the tools needed to succeed at a high level in today's NFL. Give him a season or two under his belt and he should potentially emerge as a top five, three down back.
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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9. Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers
Eddie Lacy is going to have all the time he needs this season to show the Green Bay Packers he's the real deal. A throwback power rusher, Lacy is going to make his living near the goal-line and fantasy owners will love all the points he racks up.
(Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
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10. Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins
Lamar Miller is the biggest question mark on this list but he makes it based on potential alone. The presumed starter this year for the Miami Dolphins, the former track star has all the right tools to put up big numbers this year. Plus, Miller is just 22 so whatever good he does this year, expect a lot more of it in the future.
(Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/ Getty Images)
