2023-07-27 07:00:00
In the real NFL, a running back like Josh Jacobs may be waiting for a mega deal. In fantasy football, however, running backs still have value. sport.de tells you which ball carriers you should rely on in the coming season.
A ranking will help you tremendously with your fantasy draft. Especially if you classify players by “Tiers”. This way you don’t lose track of the hectic pace of the draft and you always know how many running backs are still available in the next tier.
Which player you choose in the respective draft depends not least on your personal preferences. Tiers also allow you to keep track of which position should be drafted.
For example, in Tier 1, all receivers, running backs, quarterbacks, and tight ends are gone. It’s your turn and you have five wide receivers, three quarterbacks and a running back on your board in Tier 2. So at this point you should be drafting the last available running back in Tier 2.
One last note on the rankings. They refer to a “PPR league” in which players receive one point per reception (PPR) in addition to points for yards and touchdowns. Especially running backs, which are also involved in the pass attack, have a higher priority here.
Tier 1: The best running back
Christian McCaffrey / San Francisco 49ers
There is no plan B in the first tier. If Christian McCaffrey stays healthy, he gets more carries and targets from a backfield than anyone else. CMC will also act from the slot and in an offense that is almost tailor-made for him. If McCaffrey stays fit, he’ll have the most fantasy points of any running back this year.
Tier 2: Sure bet
Austin Ekeler / Los Angeles Chargers
Saquon Barkley / New York Giants
Jonathan Taylor / Indianapolis Colts
Austin Ekeler received the most balls of any NFL running back last year. With a new addition to the Receiving Corps in Quentin Johnston and Justin Herbert just signed a record-breaking contract, his workload is likely to decline somewhat.
Saquon Barkley and Jonathan Taylor are the last remaining key players on their respective offenses. We don’t yet know what impact we can expect. But Barkley, who just renewed his contract with guaranteed sums, and Taylor, whose current injury status shouldn’t worry, are delivering guaranteed points every week.
Tier 3: Possible top ten running backs
Bijan Robinson / Atlanta Falcons
Nick Chubb / Cleveland Browns
Tony Pollard / Dallas Cowboys
Josh Jacobs / Las Vegas Raiders
Derrick Henry / Tennessee Titans
A slight drop from Tier 2 is that now we have a rookie in Bijan Robinson who we never know exactly how fast he will hit the NFL. Tony Pollard will take over the main role in the backfield for the first time and thus offers just as much potential as Nick Chubb, who unfortunately has to struggle with injuries once more and once more.
Josh Jacobs is currently on hold due to stalled contract negotiations. Derrick Henry just catches too few balls to make the top three in a PPR league.
Tier 4: Solide Running Backs
Rhammondre Stevenson / New England Patriots
Breece Hall / New York Jets
Najee Harris / Pittsburgh Steelers
Travis Etienne / Jacksonville Jaguars
Joe Mixon / Cincinnati Bengals
Aaron Jones / Green Bay Packers
Kenneth Walker / Seattle Seahawks
Miles Sanders / Carolina Panthers
Jahmyr Gibbs / Detroit Lions
JK Dobbins / Baltimore Ravens
There are a lot of running backs in Tier 4 who have the talent to break into the top ten but lack the right environment. Either the competition in your own team is too great or the focus is too much on the pass attack, leaving too few carries for the running back.
Special attention is also paid to the teams that fall behind more often. Who is behind in the fourth quarter, plays more passes. The points in the so-called “crunch time” must not be withheld, just as rushing yards for a team that is far in front, in the “garbage time”.
A special feature here is Breece Hall. The environment is right. The role is right and the talent to lead a backfield is demonstrably there. But running backs recovering from a cruciate ligament rupture statistically had a poor year the following season. In addition, there is a high risk of re-injury. Hall can only be fully expected once more following the 2023 season.
Tier 5: There is potential
Dameon Pierce / Houston Texans
Cam Akers / Los Angeles Rams
James Conner / Arizona Cardinals
Alexander Mattison / Minnesota Vikings
Rachaad White / Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Isaiah Pacheco / Kansas City Chiefs
David Montgomery / Detroit Lions
Javonte Williams / Denver Broncos
Alvin Kamara / New Orleans Saints
D’Andre Swift / Philadelphia Eagles
James Cook / Buffalo Bills
Brian Robinson / Washington Commanders
Antonio Gibson / Washington Commanders
A.J. Dillon / Green Bay Packers
Khalil Herbert / Chicago Bears
The potential is also there for the running backs in Tier 5. While the yield should be quite decent overall, the points will vary greatly from week to week. These players are heavily dependent on touchdowns to improve their score because they rarely rush and receive 100 total yards.
If you don’t get a running back in the early rounds, you’ll have to make do with them, willy-nilly, and look for and field good matchups every week. The certainty of knowing that you have excellent receivers in your ranks following the Fantasy Draft costs something.
Without animal: Without contract
Dalvin Cook
Ezekiel Elliott
Leonard Fournette
A special feature this year are three formerly important points suppliers of their fantasy teams who are still waiting for a new contract in the real NFL. Dalvin Cook is certainly the hottest contender to roll back the draft boards once it’s known which team has signed him.
But caution is advised. Anyone who wants to make Cook, Zeke Elliott or Lenny Fournette a key player in their attack would have signed their running back before the pre-season. All three will therefore lead a niche existence and should not be taken prematurely. At best, Dalvin Cook would be in Tier 4. Elliott might as well. I wouldn’t draft Fournette until the very last round without knowing which team he’d end up on.
Now you’ve checked out the 2023 Fantasy Football Position Ranking Running Backs. Wide receivers will follow next week, before moving on to quarterbacks and tight ends. Then you will be well prepared for your NFL Fantasy Draft.
About the author: Philipp Forstner alias “Draft Nerd” is commentator assistant at RTL and moderates the conference of the German Football League. As a podcaster for “Footballquark” and an author, his expertise on the NFL and college football is in demand. Philipp will be reporting on fantasy football every Thursday for the next few weeks.
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