Dowdle, Guerendo among 4 must-start Week 14 fantasy football running backs

MIAMI, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Rico Dowdle and Issac Guerendo are among my four must-start fantasy football running backs for Week 14.

Saquon Barkley leads my weekly running back rankings. Alvin Kamara, Bucky Irving, De'Von Achane and James Cook are my other Top-5 options.

Chase Brown, Bijan Robinson, Tony Pollard, Kyren Williams and Tyrone Tracy Jr. also should be considered Top-10 plays for Week 14.

D'Andre Swift joins Dowdle, Guerendo and Cook as my must-start plays. My rankings were compiled based on several factors, including likely workload, strength of opponent, previous matchup history, expected red zone opportunities and predicted game script.

Players from the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots and Washington Commanders, who are on bye, should be benched or potentially dropped. Players from Thursday's Detroit Lions-Green Bay Packers game were removed from my rankings.

Those with stock in Breece Hall and other injured running backs should continue to monitor their status leading into their respective kickoffs.

My top free agent targets for Week 14 are available here. My Week 14 quarterback and wide receiver rankings also are available. All positional rankings will be updated throughout the week, based on injuries and other factors.

James Cook

Cook totaled the eighth-most fantasy points among running backs in Week 13, when he produced 120 yards from scrimmage and a score in a Buffalo Bills win over the San Francisco 49ers.

He averaged the seventh-most points per game among running backs over the last four weeks and also ranks seventh in points per game this season.

Cook scored in each of his last three games, finding the end zone a total of four times. He also scored in eight of his last 10 appearances. Cook received at least 14 touches in each of his last five appearances and should again see a hefty workload in Week 14 against a vulnerable Los Angeles Rams defense that tied for allowing the fourth-most rushing yards (116.4) per game to running backs through 13 weeks.

The Rams also just surrendered 112 rushing yards to Alvin Kamara in Week 13. That performance came a week after they gave up more than 300 yards from scrimmage to Saquon Barkley.

Cook should easily eclipse 100 yards from scrimmage in this matchup. He is my No. 5 option.

D'Andre Swift

Swift sits at No. 11 in my Week 14 rankings and can be plugged in as a low-end RB1 or high-end RB2. The Chicago Bears veteran reached the end zone just once over his last six appearances, but continues to see a lot of work out of the backfield. He faced several tough matchups recently, but is set up to explode in Week 14 against the 49ers

The 49ers, who just allowed Cook's stellar showing, surrendered the sixth-most fantasy points and tied for allowing the second-most rushing touchdowns per game to running backs so far this season.

I expect this will be a close game, with the Bears featuring Swift. He should eclipse 75 rushing yards and could climb into mid-range RB1 territory if he finds the end zone.

Rico Dowdle

Dowdle posted the fifth-most fantasy points among running backs in Week 13, when he ran for 112 yards and a score in a Dallas Cowboys win over the New York Giants. He received a season-high 22 carries -- in addition to three catches -- in that victory. The performance followed a 98-yards-from-scrimmage showing from Dowdle in Week 12.

Dowdle and the Cowboys will now host a Cincinnati Bengals defense that just allowed 129 yards from scrimmage and a score to Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris in Week 13.

The Bengals surrendered at least 100 yards from scrimmage and/or a touchdown to an opposing running back in every game this season. Both defenses will likely struggle in this matchup. I expect the Cowboys to keep feeding Dowdle, who sits at No. 12 in my rankings.

Isaac Guerendo

Guerendo, who was among my top waiver-wire priorities for Week 14, can be immediately thrown into starting lineups as an RB2 or flex play in leagues with at least 12 teams.

The 49ers rookie is set to take over the RB1 role due to Week 13 injuries sustained by Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason. Guerendo found the end zone for his second touchdown of the season in Week 13, when he ran just four times for 19 yards.

This week, the 49ers will face a Bears defense that tied the Rams for allowing the fourth-most rushing yards (116.4) per game to running backs so far this season.

The Bears just allowed Detroit Lions running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs to produce more than 100 yards from scrimmage apiece in Week 13. Those performances marked the fifth time in five weeks that the Bears allowed more than 100 yards from scrimmage to a running back.

Guerendo is my No. 15 option.

Week 14 fantasy football running back rankings

1. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles vs. CAR

2. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints at NYG

3. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. LV

4. De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins vs. NYJ

5. James Cook, Buffalo Bills at LAR

6. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals at DAL

7. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons at MIN

8. Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans vs. JAX

9. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams vs. BUF

10. Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants vs. NO

11. D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears at SF

12. Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys vs. CIN

13. Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks at ARI

14. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals vs. SEA

15. Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers vs. CHI

16. Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings vs. ATL

17. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs vs. LAC

18. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. CLE

19. Braelon Allen, New York Jets at MIA

20. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers at PHI

21. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns at PIT

22. Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. CLE

23. Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars at TEN

24. Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns at PIT

25. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. LV

26. Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs vs. LAC

27. Ameer Abdullah, Las Vegas Raiders at TB

28. Gus Edwards, Los Angeles Chargers at KC

29. Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars at TEN

30. Sincere McCormick, Las Vegas Raiders at TB