So it looks like we’ve been called out to help defend the manhood of football sites everywhere this week. Playboy playmates Pilar Lastra and Deanna Brooks have been beating up their intern for their weekly Fantasy Football pool titled “Beauty vs the Beast.” They’ve now decided to bring in the big dogs after Jake the intern got whooped badly for most of the season. With us involved we can now call it “Beauty vs the BEST!”

Our pals Isaac at Guysim and Joe from Busted Coverage took one on the chin over the last few weeks. Not to worry Y-chromosome fans. We’ve got it this week.

After exchanging some trash talk over the week, Pilar was kind enough to wake up from her nap to address our editor Dave in the video below (right above the obligatory gallery of the Playboy bunnies). And for the record, we definitely could use some nurses to help us out through the year.

Ahhhh….how cute! A couple of Playboy bunnies pretending to pick Fantasy Football.

Well congratulations on beating up a college intern for most of the season. Don’t strain yourself too hard on that one.

I’m glad to see that you’ve all decided to finally bring in some people who know football. Over the last few weeks you’ve got lucky against the great guys at Guyism and Busted Coverage but that luck is about to get sidelined. While I admit the idea of Isaac in bikini briefs is a bit disturbing, I’m glad to see you’ve decided to challenge a football specific site.

Here at the Pigskin Doctors my writers and I are hardcore football fans dedicated to nothing but the glory of the game. We specialize in all aspects of the game and I have a Ph.D. in football for all my years busting my tail on the gridiron as well as reporting on the sport.

What’s your background? Picking teams by their pretty jersey colors?

I wonder how that goes?

“Oh look! Peyton Manning is wearing his super pretty blue jersey today (giggles)”

Oh, I know!!! (giggles) That goes so well with his eyes. I’ll pick him. (heehee)”

“Now who wants a tickle fight?!”

“Me, me, me !!!”

So if you think about it please wake up long enough from one of your afternoon naps to go ahead and try your hand this week against me.

Or don’t. It won’t matter.

I’m just gonna go ahead and write you two out a prescription for a “Loss” this week. And if the sting hurts too bad just take a handful of aspirin. That’s just what the Doctor ordered.

Sincerely,

Dave

Pilar and Deanna’s Lineup:

QB: Eli Manning
RB: Arian Foster
RB: Jamaal Charles
WR: Hakeem Nicks
WR: Larry Fitzgerald
TE: Marcedes Lewis
Defense: Giants
Kicker: Adam Vinatieri

Dave the Pigskin Doctor’s Lineup:

QB: Peyton Manning
RB: Adrian Peterson
RB: Maurice Jones-Drew
WR: Calvin Johnson
WR: Andre Johnson
TE: Jacob Tamme
Defense: Steelers
Kicker: Dan Carpenter

If there’s any wisdom I can bestow upon you fantasy knuckleheads is that running backs are a dime a dozen outside the top 20. Once you start to get into your flex option backs and reserves, the name of the game is playing the matchup. The old saying, “on any given Sunday,” it’s absolutely true.

Last season, Jamaal Charles, Rashard Mendenhall, LeSean McCoy, Jerome Harrison, Justin Forsett, Arian Foster, and others all came out of left field and supplanted their team’s starting back. You’ve got to act swiftly on the waiver wire and pick guys up with reckless abandon. Loyalty has no place in fantasy football.

One final note, some owners like to use handcuffs. Handcuffing means say you’ve got Chris Johnson, you’d also select Javon Ringer (his backup) late in the draft. I disagree with this strategy. Your roster spots are like bullets. You need every one of them available to you in battle. If Johnson is healthy, Ringer has no place on your team unless you play in a very, very deep league where you’re just hoping Johnson gets hurt so you get lucky.

(Note: Catch up on previous Fantasy Football positions here: Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers )

Rankings

Tier 1 Top Fantasy Football Running Backs

1. Chris Johnson – Tennessee Titans (Bye: 9)
2. Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings (Bye: 4)
3. Maurice Jones-Drew – Jacksonville Jaguars (Bye: 9)
4. Ray Rice – Baltimore Ravens (Bye: 8 )

No surprises here. CJ and AP is a toss-up, the only argument against CJ is “can he do it again?” Even if he doesn’t, he will still have a huge year. The only argument against AP is that the Vikings have more weapons and Peterson has a fumbling problem. To put it simply, if you don’t draft AP because he has a fumbling problem, you don’t know fantasy football. CJ and AP are both beasts, you should happy to have either one. MJD and Rice, it’s the same issues. The Jaguars’ offense is Jones-Drew. Rice and the Ravens have more playmakers than the Jaguars. Either guy is great and a beast in PPR leagues. MJD gets the slight nod because he’s one of the best goal-line backs in the NFL while Rice doesn’t get many goal-line opportunities.

Tier 2 Top Fantasy Football Running Backs

5. Frank Gore – San Francisco 49ers (Bye: 9)
6. Steven Jackson – St. Louis Rams (Bye: 9)
7. Michael Turner – Atlanta Falcons (Bye: 8 )
8. Rashard Mendenhall – Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye: 5)

It’s easy to like Gore. He’s a workhorse back, he’ll put up 30 to 40 receptions, he’s an every-down back. The problems come from a few things: He can disappear some games and he’s almost a lock to miss a couple weeks. That being said, I think he’s the best and safest pick of the bunch and that’s why he’s at No. 5. Jackson and Turner, pick your poison. Jackson is coming of off back surgery and only scored four touchdowns in 2009 while in the Rams’ putrid offense. Turner missed most of the second half last year, but when he played he was good. He gets a slight bump down in PPR leagues cause he’s not much of a receiver out of the backfield. I have Mendenhall in this tier because of his workload and lack of competition at his position. He’s the clear-cut guy in Pittsburgh although I will say, he could be this year’s Steve Slaton (late first round / early second round RB bust) if the Steelers’ line struggles.

Tier 3 Top Fantasy Football Running Backs

9. DeAngelo Williams – Carolina Panthers (Bye: 6)
10. Shonn Greene – New York Jets (Bye: 7)
11. Ryan Grant – Green Bay Packers (Bye: 10)
12. Ryan Mathews – San Diego Chargers (Bye: 10)
13. Jamaal Charles – Kansas City Chiefs (Bye: 4)

Williams is only one season removed from being the best back in fantasy football. He drops to No. 9 because of his backfield teammate Jonathan Stewart. Both guys are fantastic and they’re easily the best backfield tandem in the NFL. The next four guys are all interchangeable. The New York Jets ran the ball more than anybody last year and Greene will be productive because of that. Grant plays in a great offense and is solid. He’s not a SportsCenter play of the week kind of guy but he gets the job done.

Mathews’ potential is off the charts but he’s still a rookie. I rank him here out of respect of what he can do in San Diego but that’s not a lock that he’ll accomplish it. I’d much rather have Mathews in the second half the season, once he gets a grasp of the NFL game. Charles, as I see it, has the most upside out of all these guys. He led the NFL in yards per carry. He’s simply electric and almost as fast as Chris Johnson. If he can stay healthy and carry the ball 250+ times, he’ll be playing at a high Tier 2 level as a minimum.

Tier 4 Top Fantasy Football Running Backs

14. Pierre Thomas – New Orleans Saints (Bye: 10)
15. Beanie Wells – Arizona Cardinals (Bye: 6)
16. Cedric Benson – Cincinnati Bengals (Bye: 6)
17. LeSean McCoy – San Francisco 49ers (Bye: 8 )
18. Justin Forsett – Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 5)

The frustrating thing about these guys is that their season can go either way. They could sneak into Tier 3 production or they could slide down. Thomas struggled to stay healthy, didn’t get many red-zone touches but is the Saints’ RB1 this year. No Saints back had more than 180 carries last year which is what deters me from being as high on Thomas as others. But the Saints’ offense is one of the best in the league so they’ll be on the field plenty to give him the ball. Wells suffers from a similar fate. Last season, Tim Hightower started almost every game, stole goal-line touchdowns from him and Wells struggled with injuries. If those situations are resolved, he is at worst the No. 15 RB.

Benson is probably better than this ranking, but he just has to continue to prove himself, especially in the second half where he flamed out a bit last year. Put all that aside, I still consider him a steal due to his big role in the Bengals’ offense. McCoy is a guy with a ton of potential but I get the feeling Leonard Weaver and Mike Bell are going to steal touches from him. McCoy will likely be the Eagles’ feature back, but it comes down to how often he’ll be subbed out.

I’m higher on Forsett than most but he’s without a doubt the best running back on Seattle. Forsett finished 2009 strong and head coach Pete Carroll has already admitted that he really likes him. He’s a sleeper who you can wait on and select with confidence.

Tier 5 Top Fantasy Football Running Backs

19. Jonathan Stewart – Carolina Panthers (Bye: 6)
20. Knowshon Moreno – Denver Broncos (Bye: 9)
21. Arian Foster – Houston Texans (Bye: 7)
22. Felix Jones – Dallas Cowboys (Bye: 4)
23. Joseph Addai – Indianapolis Colts (Bye: 7)
24. Ronnie Brown – Miami Dolphins (Bye: 5)

Stewart could be a starter on more than half the teams in the league. With Williams dinged up last season, Stewart led the team in carries, yards and touchdowns. Since the team gives them a 50/50 split of the carries, it is possible Stewart could jump to tier 4. I loved Moreno coming into his rookie year, enough to draft him in multiple leagues. But with running backs, they either show up right away or they’re typically a bust. Moreno rode the fence, got hurt, disappeared some games and I had enough. I ended up trading him away with little reservation. Moreno is solid when healthy, but he’s already hurt. I don’t trust him.

Houston loves to pass the ball, but I expect them to be a little more balanced with Foster in the backfield. Jones has all the potential in the world; he just needs the Cowboys to feed him the ball. If they do that, he’s got sleeper written all over him. If not, he’s going to that “wait till next year” kind of player. I do not like Addai. He has value because the Colts score so much, he’s bound to get looks in the redzone. But he’s just an absolute burden when it comes to rushing yards. I expect Donald Brown to overtake him very soon. There was a time when Ronnie Brown was the man. I remember people taking him as a second round pick after his first two seasons. But injuries and inconsistency have limited his production. If he can stay healthy and the Dolphins are able to pass the ball a bit better, Brown can beat his ranking.

Tier 6 Top Fantasy Football Running Backs

25. C.J. Spiller – Buffalo Bills (Bye: 5)
26. Brandon Jacobs – New York Giants (Bye: 8 )
27. Ahmad Bradshaw – New York Giants (Bye: 8 )
28. Matt Forte – Chicago Bears (Bye: 8 )
29. Ricky Williams – Miami Dolphins (Bye: 5)
30. Jahvid Best – Detroit Lions (Bye: 7)
31. Jerome Harrison – Cleveland Browns (Bye: 8 )

We’re now at the point where you can either make yourself look like a genius or an idiot depending upon who you select.

Spiller could be rookie of the year, or he could be a total non-factor. The Bills are atrocious on offense and that’s what concerns me about him. On any other quality team, he could be amazing but he was dealt a bad hand.

Between Jacobs and Bradshaw, the Giants’ running game is up for grabs. Right now, I like Bradshaw to emerge as the guy. Jacobs has hit a career wall and I don’t expect him to ever recover.

Forte was one of the biggest disappointments in 2009 and now that he’s got Mike Martz as his offensive coordinator, I find it hard to believe he’s suddenly going to be great again in a pass-heavy offense. Ricky Williams had a great year because Ronnie Brown was nowhere to be found. If you’re expecting another big year, you should only do so if Williams is your fourth-best running back.

Best and Harrison both play in really bad offenses but have similar styles. Both are shifty and dynamic with the ball in their hands. They need their teammates to make it easier on them. Trouble here is, the Lions still have Kevin Smith who’s not exactly terrible. And the Browns don’t appear to have much confidence in Harrison. They drafted Montario Hardesty who will be making an appearance in the next tier.

Tier 7 Top Fantasy Football Running Backs

32. Carnell Williams – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bye: 4)
33. Marion Barber – Dallas Cowboys (Bye: 4)
34. Michael Bush – Oakland Raiders (Bye: 10)
35. Darren McFadden – Oakland Raiders (Bye: 10)
36. Montario Hardesty – Cleveland Browns (Bye: 8 )
37. Clinton Portis – Washington Redskins (Bye: 9)
38. Thomas Jones – Kansas City Chiefs (Bye: 4)
39. Donald Brown – Indianapolis Colts (Bye: 7)
40. Reggie Bush – New Orleans Saints (Bye: 10)

It gets ugly fast here in Tier 7. If you’re drafting your third running back here, I feel you’re in trouble.

Williams is only good because he’s the starter. Barber needs a bounce-back year and fortunately, reports out of training camp are that he looks good. Michael Bush and McFadden need to separate themselves, because somebody has to want it more. McFadden has more talent but Bush might be the better back. Hardesty is an insurance policy but since he was a third round pick, it seems likely he’ll get a shot on the field.

Portis was awful last year and I wouldn’t waste a roster spot on him. Let someone else pray to be lucky when they take him. Jones is pushing Charles for a starting spot, but that’s only in the newspapers. Charles has more athleticism in his pinky toe than Jones has in his whole body. Jones is a backup, nothing more. Brown could replace Addai but considering he already hasn’t worries me. Reggie Bush is a bust, I put him here because people take him so early despite being so insanely inconsistent.

Tier 8 Top Fantasy Football Running Backs

41. Tim Hightower – Arizona Cardinals (Bye: 6)
42. Fred Jackson – Buffalo Bills (Bye: 6)
43. Laurence Maroney – New England Patriots (Bye: 5)
44. LaDainian Tomlinson – New York Jets (Bye: 7)
45. Chester Taylor – Chicago Bears (Bye: 8 )

Hightower could definitely blow this ranking out of the water, but I expect him to play second fiddle to Beanie Wells. If he starts games and gets more than 15 carries per game, he easily jumps about 20 spots.

Jackson would be higher if he were healthy, but he isn’t. He had a very respectable 2009, despite all the Bills’ troubles on offense. When he returns from injury, keep an eye on his production because I viewed him as a bit of a sleeper.

Maroney and Chester Taylor are a bit frustrating. I feel Taylor will replace Forte as Chicago’s starter by midseason. He’s a solid, consistent runner. Maroney on the other hand needs more touches as New England’s RB1. They’ve got five guys who can all be considered specialists. That’s the problem for the Patriots though. There’s no single player who can do it all like they need.

Tomlinson is going to surprise some people this year. Especially at the goal-line. Expect him to rush for only 800 yards, but at least 8 touchdowns.

Tier 9 Top Fantasy Football Running Backs

46. Kevin Smith – Detroit Lions (Bye: 7)
47. Darren Sproles – San Diego Chargers (Bye: 10)
48. Correll Buckhalter – Denver Broncos (Bye: 9)
49. Steve Slaton – Houston Texans (Bye: 7)
50. Leon Washington – Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 5)

Smith isn’t as bad as some may think. He’s played for some awful Lions’ teams and missed most of last season. If he’s healthy, I think he can be a better every-down back than Jahvid Best.

On the other hand, Sproles is definitely San Diego’s RB2. He’ll get his return yardage and some third down receptions, but beyond that, there’s not a lot to be excited about.

Head to head, I think Buckhalter is the better football player than Moreno. But with both players injured, the position is a mess. Slaton has the same issue. The starter, Ben Tate, is injured which gives Slaton a shot at redemption. But realistically, Slaton has already proved himself unreliable.

Washington is here because he’s a fun, high-energy player. He’s not the best, but he wants it and it’s possible he could steal some carries away from Forsett.

These five guys will play very limited stats so make sure they only stay on your team in emergency situations.

Running back rankings are based on PPR leagues (point per reception) that reward 1 pt. per 10 yards rushing/receiving and 6 pts. per TD rushing/receiving.

Top 1o Wide Receivers

1. Chris Johnson

“Every Coaches Dream” has become just that. He’s shed the Slash n’ Dash moniker and stormed past the rest of the NFL as the clear cut best player in Fantasy Football. Johnson does it all and he does it all well. Usain speed, great vision, he runs through tackles, catches passes, plays every down, scores goal line TDs, scores 80 yard TDs, and has great hair. The only thing holding him back is a sweet name. “Christian Johnnywalker” would be a celebrity at this point.

2. Ray Rice

Not only has he excelled in the running game, but he’s also the Ravens receptions leader averaging over 5 a game. Ray Rice is a star. He’s become the focal point of the offense and he can score on any play, any down, at any point in the game. With McGahee potentially out the door next season, Ray could lead the NFL in touches. He’s also really nice guy, and he could lead in that category too.

3. Adrian Peterson

No one would question it if you took him first overall, but even as the most gifted running back in the NFL, Chester Taylor still spells him on third downs. Still, barring injury, or 60 some odd fumbles, he’s as good as there is as a lock to finish in the top 5.  Also he’s become more of a factor in the passing game, and that 2,000 yard season could happen any year now.

4. Maurice Jones-Drew

The human bowling ball always picks up his spare. If he doesn’t hit 100 yards in a game, he’ll find the end zone. If he doesn’t get 20 carries, he’ll catch 5 passes. MJD is as consistent as they come, and it won’t change next season. His line is young and likely to improve. As an every down back who catches passes and gets the goal line work, Maurice is fantasy gold.

5. Steven Jackson

As a superstar on a bad team, you can’t help but feel like he’s wasting his talent as he approaches 30. Then you look at his numbers and realize, he’s actually still getting it done. Countless 100 yard efforts, a huge factor in the passing game, third down back, goal line back, and he’s really just 26. Sure, the herniated disc is of mild concern, but he’s looked fresh as ever otherwise. The off-season should take care of any lingering injuries, and the miserable Rams can only get better from here… I think.

6. Frank Gore

The new west coast style offense has cut into Gore’s carries of late, but they find ways to get him the ball. Gore can haul in 7 passes a game with ease.  The Niners could be contenders next year and Gore will be a major reason why. He’s a homerun threat, a goal line back, and a receptions monster.

7. DeAngelo Williams

D-Will is an elite talent that can score from anywhere on the field. When he gets his 20 touches, he goes over 100 yards. He’s also catching passes this year.  His touchdowns are down thanks to a tough schedule and miserable quarterback play, but that position should be dealt with in the off-season. DeAngelo is just entering his prime and he’ll be the Panthers go to guy for years to come.

8. Michael Turner

Turner scored at least one TD in a span of 7 games before his injury. He’s not a factor in the passing game, but his nose for the goal line and his 20 carries a game keep him in the top 10 for 2010. A healthy Matt Ryan will give Turner plenty of scoring opportunities.

9. Rashard Mendenhall

The new face of the coveted Pittsburgh Steelers running back position. The Steelers will undoubtedly bounce back next season with their hard nosed running game and Mendenhall will be a huge benefactor. Rashard is young and talented and secure of a job. He’ll likely be spelled on third downs, but he’ll be the focal point of the running game and a force in the red zone.

10. Jamaal Charles

If Kansas City doesn’t address this position next year early in the draft, Charles belongs right near the top 10. He’s only started 6 games, and points-wise, he’s already in the top 20 among running backs. Even if they do bring in some competition, it’s hard to see them limiting Charles. He’s just been too good. He’s averaging 5.2 ypc and he’s been a major factor in the passing game. He’s shifty and fast, yet strong for his size. “I’m a physical player and I can run the ball like Chris Johnson does,” says Charles. It’s hard to disagree at this point. Sign me up.

Just missed the cut, and why:

Ronnie Brown – Depends on the recovery. Ricky Williams.

Thomas Jones - Age. Shonn Green. Leon Washington…And if you disagree, you can have him.

Joseph Addai – Scoring TDs but only averaging 3.7 ypc. Donald Brown will be a factor.

Cedric Benson – Larry Johnson could work his way in. Non factor in passing game

Knowshon Moreno - Could be the next star, but still unproven.

Ladainian Tomlinson – The burst is gone. Rarely involved in passing game.

Brian Westbrook – LeSean McCoy, Concussions jeopardizing career.