2023-07-18 09:00:16
The running back landscape has gotten a big boost for 2023, with the Atlanta Falcons drafting what many consider to be the best rookie running back in years in Bijan Robinson. We all know that running backs are becoming more and more devalued in the modern NFL as the game increasingly relies on passing. But when we talk regarding fantasy football, backs still have their place. This is especially true for Robinson, probably the most exciting fantasy prospect in years. Where does the 21-year-old end up in our rankings? And who gets the top spot? Find out here in our 2023 RB Fantasy Football Year Rankings.
Before we dive into the rankings for 2023, a little note from me: ranking players before any fantasy draft is a good way to stay on top of things when pressed for time. Even better are tiers, i.e. groups of players who have roughly the same value. They help you to see where the value currently lies in the draft and where you might leave it.
A small example to illustrate: You are “on the clock” and still have not picked a quarterback for your team. There are regarding four to five quarterbacks left on the board, though, all ranked in the same tier (let’s say Tier 2). The running backs, on the other hand, only have one option from their own tier, behind which there is a massive drop-off in quality.
In this case, it makes more sense to take the running back, even though it might be the third or even fourth on your team, since you can expect a Tier 2 quarterback to still be on the board in the next round is. It’s decisions like this that will help you keep value on the draft board and put together the best possible team.
If you’ve mastered this strategy, you’re now ready for our 2023 NFL Year Running Back Rankings – specifically designed for leagues where running backs get one point per reception (PPR). Here we go:
Tier 1: The Best of the Best (Elite)
1. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
2. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
3. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers
No big surprises in Tier 1, McCaffrey is the clear number one of all backs. His incredible talent coupled with explosive Niners offense and offense guru Kyle Shanahan should result in massive fantasy explosions once once more in 2023. The only thing that can actually get in the way of McCaffrey is an injury. But his upside is way too high for him to go off the board outside of the first few picks. You can certainly make the argument that a star receiver like Justin Jefferson or Tyreek Hill is safer – but if we go into upside, McCaffrey is clearly the “1.1” in all drafts.
.@PFF rank Christian McCaffrey as the #1 Fantasy Football RB for this upcoming Season ????
Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/OakT26QSls
— GameBlazers (@PlayGameBlazers) July 10, 2023
Tier 2: Secure RB1s
4. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
5. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
6. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
7. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
8. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders
9. Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys
The case for Bijan Robinson going top 5 in fantasy football drafts:
– He’s good.
– #Falcons were #1 in NFL in run play percentage in ’22. Team avg over 5 yds per carry on zone concept runs – they attempted 375 of them.
– Their QB is an incredibly inaccurate passer. Ridder was… pic.twitter.com/ypuzDMe67M— Brian Drake (@DrakeFantasy) July 14, 2023
I wrestled with myself for a long time regarding where to place Robinson. Some pundits have him on their board as RB1, others not even in the top 10. Ultimately, I think Robinson might very well be in the top 3 backs by the end of the year, he definitely has the potential to be. What worries me is the fact that the Falcons have a prime backup option behind their star rookie in Tyler Allgeier and therefore don’t need to fully unleash him especially early in the season. But towards the end of the season I expect Robinson to explode.
Tier 3: RB1 potential present
10. Breece Hall, New York Jets
11. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
12. Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
13. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
14. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals
15. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
16. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
If I look at the final results at the end of the 2023 fantasy season and see four or five of these names in the top 10, I wouldn’t be surprised. Etienne, Hall and Stevenson are three-down backs in their respective offenses and Joe Mixon also has this opportunity following the departure of Samaje Perine this year. Aaron Jones has been one of the most talented backs in the league for years and should remain an RB2 even without Aaron Rodgers. Perhaps the most promising talent is Walker, but he’ll have to fight his way through a strong Seattle backfield to see more than 50-60 percent of snaps per game.
Tier 4: Solid RB2s
18. Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers
19. J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens
20. Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans
21. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
22. Cam Akers, Los Angeles Rams
23. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals
24. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
25. Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings
In the fourth tier, I sorted all the running backs that I believe offer a safe floor but lack the upside of the players ahead of them on the list. The only exception here would probably be rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, but he’s on a two-man committee with David Montgomery and will rarely get 60 percent or more snaps. The other options like Akers, Conner or Mattison should deliver RB2 numbers, but not more.
Tier 5: RB3s with RB1/2 potential
26. Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos
27. David Montgomery, Detroit Lions
28. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
29. Brian Robinson Jr., Washington Commanders
30. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
31. James Cook, Buffalo Bills
32. A.J. Dillon, Green Bay Packers
33. Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears
34. Antonio Gibson, Wahsington Commanders
Devin Singletary finished 23rd in PPR last season while finishing 13th in snap count percentage.
From Week 13 on, James Cook challenged Singletary’s workload,being handed 57 Carries/targets to Cooks 65.
Buffalo let Singletary walk and signed short yardage/goal-line back Damien…
— Grand Central Fantasy (@GrandCentralFan) July 12, 2023
Can players like James Cook, Khalil Herbert or Javonte Williams be in the top 10 at the end of the season? Naturally. Will all three succeed? Unlikely. So I put the trio in the fifth tier along with other breakout candidates like Rachaad White or Brian Robinson Jr. However, teams without two star-backs on the roster should be looking for those rough diamonds in the middle rounds, as they have the potential to become something like last year’s Rhamondre Stevenson.
That’s it for the running backs, next week we’ll continue with the receivers. Then come the quarterbacks and tight ends. So stay tuned, we at TOUCHDOWN24 will provide you with fantasy football content as usual for the next few weeks before you too start your first redraft.
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