By Adam Helbling:

At this point in the season you probably have a pretty good read if your team has playoff potential or if you need to start planning who you will take with next year’s first overall pick. For those of you in the latter group, you will have to check back in about eight months. For fantasy owners who see the playoffs in their future it is never too early to start planning for the stretch run. Consider acquiring or shipping the below listed running backs who either have a very favorable or very unfavorable set of match-ups over the last four weeks of the season. For Helbling’s first installments on quarterbacks, click here.

* Match-ups between weeks 13-16 were used in judging the value of each players. Week 17 is not included as most leagues, due to NFL teams sitting their starters, have their championship game Week 16.

Trade For

From NFL bust to fantasy boom - Get Benson if you can. (photo by espn.com)

RBs Tim Hightower/Chris Wells, Arizona Cardinals – It would probably take some gamble in you to make a move for either of the Cardinals running backs. After all, neither back has averaged more than 40 yards rushing per game this season. Still it is difficult to look past the Cardinals Week 16 and 15 match-ups. In Week 15 the Cardinals face the Lions who are giving up 165 offensive yards and 1.1 touchdowns per game to the position. Week 16 the Cardinals face the Rams, who are giving up 160 offensive yards and 1.4 touchdowns per game to opposing running backs. The Cardinals have a tough Week 13 match-up against the Minnesota Vikings, but you should be able to get either back for a fairly cheap price. In standard scoring leagues lean towards Wells and in PPR leagues side with Hightower who is averaging five receptions per contest this season. You wouldn’t want to count on either as a No. 1 or even No. 2 option at running back, but they could serve as valuable flex options during the playoffs.

RB Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals – The price is likely to be pretty steep to acquire Benson, but it might be worth it for his playoff match-ups. Over the last four weeks of the season Benson and the Bengals face three teams (Lions, Chiefs, and Chargers) that rank in the bottom third in the league defending the run. The real tough test on Benson’s schedule during this time is Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings. After the Vikings, the remaining opponents on Benson’s schedule are giving up a combined 160 offensive yards and 1.1 touchdowns per game to opposing running backs.

Trade Away

Sell Tito's man-crush, he won't mind. (photo by espn.com)

RB Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers – After his 96 yards rushing and one touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this might be the time to look to move the underachieving Grant. Grant’s best match-up over the last four weeks of the season is against the Chicago Bears who rank 15^th in defending against the running back position. Fantasy owners with Grant on their roster will need to get past the Pittsburgh Steelers Week 15, who are No. 1 defending against the running back position.

RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars – Fortes fortuna adiuvat, or, for you non-Latin types, fortune favors the bold. For those more interested in fantasy football it means you might want to take a look at shipping MJD. Over the last four weeks of the season MJD has one good match-up, Week 13 against the Houston Texans. Over the remaining three weeks he faces three teams that all rank in the top 12 in the league in defending against the running back position. Considering what you should be able to receive in a trade for Jones-Drew this is a move that shouldn’t automatically be dismissed.

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