FANTASY RUNNING BACKS

In the past, fantasy football revolved around running back centric draft strategies. It used to be that to have a successful season, fantasy managers needed to draft at least two bell-cow running backs and then could sit and soak in the wins. Times have changed, however, and now in order to have a successful fantasy season, most managers in single QB leagues need to have a rushing QB (the necessity of having a rushing QB doesn't loom quite as large in Superflex formats, but nonetheless is still an important piece of a fantasy roster).

As the RB position has become less important, what used to be one of the easier positions to sort through has become a muddy mess used to separate champions from pretenders.

We currently live in an era where the "every-down" running back is quickly becoming a thing of the past, and now the position has become a true rotation position for fantasy players. Big names such as Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry still hold some slim value, however they are the exceptions rather than the norm. This has also translated into the fantasy world, and astute managers would be wise to follow the trend in the NFL when it comes to RBs. 

These days, for a fantasy team to succeed, managers will need some less-heralded RBs to put up numbers week-in and week-out. Past standouts might be in more of a timeshare than in years past, while uber-efficient backs may fly under the radar due to injuries, play-calling changes, or team roster moves. Having depth at the position on your fantasy team has become more important than ever before.

For context the following terms have been used in the chart above to separate RB’s into tiers:

Productive - The player gets many first downs

Prolific - The player gets many touchdowns

Tier 1-Ideal (Productive & Prolific)

Raheem Mostert 
Kyren Williams 
Christian McCaffrey 
David Montgomery 
Jonathan Taylor 
James Conner 
Derrek Henry 
Isiah Pacheco
Joe Mixon 
Travis Etienne 
Kenneth Walker III

Tier 2 - Touchdown Threats (Prolific but not Productive)

Gus Edwards 
De’Von Achane
Jahmyr Gibbs 
Najee Harris 
Josh Jacobs

Tier 3 - Chain Movers (Productive & Not Prolific)

Saquon Barkley 
Tony Pollard 
Chubba Hubbard 
Alvin Kamara 
Zach Moss 
De'Andre Swift 
Aaron Jones 
James Cook

Tier 4 - Rotation Back (Not Productive & Not Prolific)

D'Onta Foreman 
Rachaad White
Rhamondre Stevenson 
Bijan Robinson 
Keaton Mitchell 
Austin Ekeler
Devon Singletary 
Breece Hall

BEST RECEIVING BACKS FOR FANTASY 

In today's modern NFL, targets have become just as important as carries for RB's, and in many situations more important. Today's stud RB's can both catch and run the football, and many NFL teams employ a timeshare of multiple RB's, generally one who can run between the tackles, and then complement it with another smaller, faster, and better receiving pass-catching back. Both types can have value in FF, but much of that value stems mostly from each league's specific scoring settings (e.g. if the league is a full PPR league, then pass-catching backs become infinitely more valuable than in standard scoring leagues)

Tier 1-Ideal 

These RBs provide a solid combination of pass-catching skills out of the backfield while also providing solid yardage on the ground. Most of these RBs can do both, and provide their respective fantasy teams with multiple paths to elite scoring opportunities.

Alvin Kamara
Breece Hall 
Christian McCaffrey 
Rachaad White 
Austin Ekeler
Bijan Robinson 
Travis Etienne

Tier 2 - Explosive Threats

These RB's are the type that mainly get many receptions, but most of those come once the team is close to the goal line and looking to score. These backs are typically known as 'change-of-pace" RB's, and many times come into the game in 3rd down situations or to temporarily spell the starter.

Samaje Perine 
James Cook 
Brian Robinson Jr.
Antonio Gibson

Tier 3 - Move the chains. 

This tier of RB's can also come into spell the starter on occasion, and in some cases are starters themselves, but generally speaking aren't viewed by their respective NFL teams as "bellcow" backs. For fantasy purposes however, many of these RBs are in the mix for RB1/2 role on any given fantasy team. The value of these backs also depends on league specific scoring settings as well.

Tyjae Spears
Jaylen Warren 
Jahmyr Gibbs 
Joe Mixon
Rhamondre Stevenson 
Tony Pollard

Tier 4 - Situational

RB's in this tier at one time could've been considered solid starters, but over time have either aged or find themselves on a different team and in a different situation than years past. While some RBs in this tier can be considered solid fantasy players, specific team situations play a bigger role in their respective ability to consistently put up solid fantasy numbers over RBs in the other tiers.

Saquon Barkley
Aaron Jones 
De’Von Achane
Kyren Williams 
Jerrick McKinnon

Tier 5 - Runners only

These are running backs whose best use is the boy in their belly not in the air. The can catch the occasional screen but can't be relied on to split wide and run multiple routes. They are not pass catchers and it will be a misuse of their skills to use them as such. While these backs may not be considered dependable pass-catchers, there are other aspects of their game that make them useful for fantasy purposes.

Kenneth walker 
Jonathan Taylor 
Isiah Pacheco

In conclusion, the running back position in fantasy football has evolved dramatically. While elite, every-down backs like Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry still offer value, the majority of today’s NFL teams rely on a rotation of RBs, making it essential for fantasy managers to adapt. Depth is now key, and finding under-the-radar backs who can contribute consistently has become crucial for success. Whether through touchdowns, first downs, or pass-catching, RBs offer varying levels of value depending on the league format and scoring system.

In 2024, it's important to stay flexible with your RB strategy, paying close attention to how teams utilize their backfield rotation and adjusting your roster accordingly. Understanding the different roles and skill sets of running backs, from prolific scorers to situational players, will give you a significant edge in navigating the complexities of the modern fantasy landscape.