Let's say it's Draft Day 2007, and you've got the No. 2 pick. After LaDainian Tomlinson, you take the no-brainer and go with Steven Jackson. Now it's your next pair of picks and you manage to luck out and have Ronnie Brown and Cedric Benson fall into your lap. You've got three of the top-20 RBs in Fantasy Football on your roster and loving life.

Until you realize, hours later when the excitement wears off, that you're stuck with bupkis at running back in Week 9 thanks to the bye week those three studs share.

We're often quizzed about the importance of drafting running backs who don't share the same bye week, and our answer is always the same: It depends when the bye week is. If it's early, then it matters. If it's late, then it doesn't matter as much since the landscape of running backs change throughout the first several weeks of the season. But generally, you'd like to keep the impact of losing your best players to their bye weeks to a minimum.

Here is our guide to finding the best backup running backs for the stud workhorses in Fantasy Football. Keep in mind, it's not as big of a deal to get a backup rusher for your second and third RBs, so we're only looking at alternatives for runners who are considered one of the top 13 Fantasy RBs available, all of whom should be first- or early second-round picks. Feel free to print this out and use it as a guide once you draft your No. 1 RB.

Week 4
Stud RB on bye: Reggie Bush, NO
Also on bye: Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, WAS; Maurice Jones-Drew, Fred Taylor, JAC; Chris Brown, Chris Henry, LenDale White, TEN; Deuce McAllister, NO
Fantasy RBs with favorable matchups: Cedric Benson at DET: The Bears' running game didn't pound Detroit last year, but the Lions' defense went in reverse this offseason. Benson should see a lot of reps and have a shot at two TDs. ... Marshawn Lynch vs. NYJ: He may not be Willis McGahee, but Lynch is on the right team for this matchup: McGahee rushed for at least 113 yards in each of his last five against the Jets. Lynch will see similar success.
Week 5
Stud RBs on bye: Rudi Johnson, CIN; Brian Westbrook, PHI
Also on bye: LaMont Jordan, Dominic Rhodes, OAK; Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, MIN
Fantasy RBs with favorable matchups: DeShaun Foster, DeAngelo Williams at NO: Foster rumbled for two TDs and 184 yards in two meetings with the Saints last year. Although New Orleans added help against the run, Carolina's system and willingness to run the ball a lot should benefit their running backs. ... Edgerrin James at STL: James may have had a 2006 to forget, but in two games against the Rams last year he totaled 209 yards and a touchdown. Both teams improved up front, but he'll still be effective. ... Thomas Jones at NYG: The Jets luck out in that they play a road game in their home stadium, and Jones should benefit the most. With the Bears, Jones had 123 total yards and a TD in a game vs. the Giants last year, and Big Blue's run defense should see Jones run wild in the red zone. ... Clinton Portis vs. DET: Solid home cookin' for Portis after taking that early bye week. The Lions will be coming off a rough one vs. Chicago. This has blowout written all over it. ... Cadillac Williams at IND: Williams should plow over the Colts' suspect run defense. One problem: If the Bucs find themselves down 28-7 in the second half, Williams won't get the ball much.
Week 6
Stud RBs on bye: Joseph Addai, IND; Frank Gore, SF; Travis Henry, DEN; Willie Parker, PIT
Also on bye: Tatum Bell, DET; Marshawn Lynch, BUF
Fantasy RBs with favorable matchups: Ronnie Brown at CLE: A good matchup for a young RB expected to handle a ton of carries. ... Brandon Jacobs at ATL: The Falcons' run defense is nothing to write home about, and Jacobs could rack up big totals. The Giants totaled 259 yards and a Jacobs TD against Atlanta last year. ... Cadillac Williams vs. TEN: The Titans' questionable run defense heads to sunny Tampa, where Williams should pick up some yardage on them.
Week 7
Stud RB on bye: LaDainian Tomlinson, SD
Also on bye: DeShaun Foster, DeAngelo Williams, CAR; Jamal Lewis, CLE; Vernand Morency, Brandon Jackson, GB
Fantasy RBs with favorable matchups: Ahman Green vs. TEN: The Texans ran well against the Titans last year, and Tennessee's done nothing to suggest that they will be improved against the run in 2007. ... Thomas Jones at CIN: Knowing how the Jets operate, they'll run the heck out of Jones against Cincinnati's suspect run defense. That means big production for Jones. ... Maurice Jones-Drew vs. IND: All MoJo did in two games vs. the Colts last year was total 316 yards and three touchdowns. Yeah, we like him here. A lot. ... Deuce McAllister vs. ATL: McAllister has owned the Falcons over much of his career, posting over 150 yards and two TDs against them in 2006. Assuming the Saints build a decent lead, he'll have one of his best games of the season here. ... Clinton Portis vs. ARI: The Cardinals travel across the country for a game at 10 a.m. their time (1 p.m. ET). That combined with Washington's prowess at home and a physical offensive line sets up Portis for a nice game. ... Cadillac Williams at DET: Yeah that's right -- we're picking Williams to have three strong weeks in a row, ending with this matchup against a defense that plays in the same scheme that he practices against on a daily basis.
Week 8
Stud RBs on bye: Shaun Alexander, SEA; Larry Johnson, KC; Willis McGahee, BAL
Also on bye: Warrick Dunn, Jerious Norwood, ATL; Edgerrin James, ARI; Julius Jones, Marion Barber, DAL
Fantasy RBs with favorable matchups: Ronnie Brown vs. NYG in London: We don't like the whole travelling aspect, but Brown should be the catalyst for the Dolphins against the Giants' questionable rush defense. ... DeShaun Foster, DeAngelo Williams vs. IND: OK, so maybe we're picking on Indy a little since we expect the RB they play every week to erupt. Just make sure Carolina's scoring some points before giving one of these rushers the nod. ... LaMont Jordan, Dominic Rhodes at TEN; Chris Brown, Chris Henry, LenDale White vs. OAK: This one has ugly, high-scoring game written all over it. Jordan should do the best out of all of them. ... Cedric Benson vs. DET; Marshawn Lynch at NYJ: See analysis from Week 4.
Week 9
Stud RB on bye: Steven Jackson, STL
Also on bye: Cedric Benson, CHI; Ronnie Brown, MIA; Brandon Jacobs, NYG
Fantasy RBs with favorable matchups: Marshawn Lynch vs. CIN: Lynch should be coming off a good game and will be at home against a lesser run D. ... Fred Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew at NO: Game should be a shootout with the Jags running wild and the Saints passing a lot. Taylor will get the yardage, Jones-Drew the receptions and touchdowns.
Week 10
Stud RB on bye: Laurence Maroney, NE
Also on bye: Ahman Green, HOU; Thomas Jones, NYJ; Cadillac Williams, TB
Fantasy RBs with favorable matchups: Cedric Benson at OAK: The Raiders defense is good, but the Bears' fundamental style should overpower the Raiders' front seven, giving Benson a good outing. ... Ronnie Brown vs. BUF: Brown will be at home and well-rested following his London journey against a young Bills front seven that could be a little gassed by this point in the season. ... Edgerrin James vs. DET: James' big performances won't be often, but when faced with a bad defense at home, he should see a lot of reps and a lot of yards. ... Deuce McAllister vs. STL: If the Saints know what's good for them, they'll run the ball to keep the Rams offense off the field. That makes for a perfect setting for McAllister to run wild.

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