Our preseason look at updated rankings rolls on as we head towards the start of the regular season.
Running backs are coming off of the board later and later in drafts these days, so the potential for stacking some running backs who have incredible value is more and more prevalent.
In redraft formats, I really find that taking an elite receiver in the 1st and then snagging 2 running backs who fall in the 2nd and 3rd rounds generally sets your team up nicely for the coming season. In dynasty, running backs carry much less value – the volatility of the position is just too difficult to commit to a back for multiple seasons, unless they are still in the first couple years of their rookie deal.
Again, take a look at the OTA edition of the running back rankings if you want a reminder of how we viewed these players just a few short months ago – as much has changed since then.
Tier 1: These are the 3 players that I trust to most to finish the fantasy season as the RB1. The workload is there, and they will have a significant role in the passing offense as well. That dual threat is crucial for a running back to take over as the lead back in fantasy football.
1 . Christian McCaffrey – San Francisco 49ers – Previous Ranking 1
The most likely of these backs to go 1st off the draft boards, McCaffrey still has potential to improve on his impressive 2022 campaign. He immediately became the lead option for the 49ers after the midseason trade, and it’s scary to think about how much more he will be involved now that he’s had a full offseason to help learn the offense around him. Shanahan did say this week that the Niners want to limit him to keep him fresh for the end of the year and playoffs, but his primary backup (Elijah Mitchell) is already banged up and has missed most of training camp. Kittle, who was Purdy’s favorite target when he took over as the starting quarterback, has already been dealing with some soft tissue injuries as well, so when he eventually misses time, McCaffrey will be there to soak up even more of a target share.
2 . Austin Ekeler – Las Angeles Chargers – Previous Ranking 2
Ekeler has the feeling of being old news, and at 28 years old, he’s definitely not a spring chicken anymore. But the amount he’s been dropping in redraft leagues is fairly surprising. Ekeler has put up over 1,500 all purpose yards in 3 of the last 4 seasons. He managed that feat the first time in 2019 while still working in a timeshare backfield, and only put up 933 years in 2020 – but that was across just 10 games. He had over 100 receptions last year and 200 rushing attempts, so he’s still getting the desired volume in this explosive offense. I don’t think the addition of rookie receiver Quentin Johnson will affect Ekeler’s totals this season, and Joshua Kelley doesn’t threaten Ekeler’s role.
3 . Nick Chubb – Cleveland Browns – Previous Ranking 8
I truly think that Nick Chubb is the best pure rusher in the NFL. He’s big (5’11” 227 lbs) so he can run over people, but also quick and explosive enough to outrun defenders. While Chubb isn’t known as a prolific pass catcher, he’s actually been more involved than people think over the past couple seasons. With the departure of Kareem Hunt in the offseason, there are an additional 45-50 targets to running backs that will need to be distributed. The Browns have been talking up Chubb’s increased involvement in the passing game this coming season which is music to fantasy owners ear’s. Chubb had 302 carries last season, and if he can increase his receptions by even half of what Hunt was leaving behind, he can absolutely finish the season as the RB1. He’s my favourite mid 1st round pick to target.
Tier 2: The next group of backs are all poised for big seasons. They may not be as elite as the top 3, but they’re coming off the board much later and still provide you with some excellent RB1 numbers. Some of these guys are even slipping into the 2nd round – having the opportunity to pair one of these guys with your 1st round WR makes your team extremely strong right off the bat.
4 . Saquon Barkley – New York Giants – Previous Ranking 4
Barkley is back under contract with the Giants and was there for the entire camp, which is fantastic news for drafters. While he didn’t lose a spot in my overall rankings, I did bump him down a tier – the connection between Daniel Jones and Darren Waller this preseason has been remarkable, and it concerns me that offensive coordinator Brian Daboll will finally be able to open up this offense a little more and rely on Barkley a little less. A slight downtick in Barkley’s usage should keep him fresh, and his efficiency numbers are still fantastic, so there’s no need to be afraid to take him early.
5 . Bijan Robinson – Atlanta Falcons – Previous Ranking 3
Bijan Robinson drops a couple spots in my rankings through no fault of his own – in reality I probably liked the shiny new toy a little too much in my initial rankings. Robinson has already been showing off his elite elusiveness and incredible pass catching ability throughout training camp and preseason. He has all the makings of becoming an elite back and might be in the discussion to go 1st overall next season. However, the more that I think about it, the more I believe that the Falcons aren’t going to simply hand over the keys to the offense right away. Don’t forget that Tyler Allgeier rushed for over 1,000 yards last year in his rookie season in over 200 attempts. The Falcons aren’t just going to simply park him on the bench this year. He and Cordarrelle Patterson (when he’s healthy) are both still going to be a part of the offense, especially early in the season. Robinson may be the one to lead your team at the end of the season in the fantasy playoffs, but I have a feeling that the start might be a little slower than originally predicted.
6 . Tony Pollard – Dallas Cowboys – Previous Ranking 7
Tony Pollard is criminally underrated in fantasy drafts this year. After cutting ties with Ezekiel Elliott, The Cowboys have yet to add any competition. No disrespect to Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn but I highly doubt they will make an impact for this team on any consistent basis. That leaves Pollard to pick up the lion’s share of the 231 rushing attempts that the Cowboys inexplicably gave Elliott last season. Pollard also has great pass catching ability and will become the Cowboys do it all lead back with tremendous upside. His overall yards per carry is elite and he’s been one of the most efficient rushers in the NFL. He’s been healthy all training camp, and these days a broken bone injury isn’t something you should be concerned with long term as the risk of re-injury is extremely low. He had 1,378 total yards and 12 total touchdowns last season with Elliott finishing as the RB7. He can definitely improve on that this year.
7 . Derrick Henry – Tennessee Titans – Previous Ranking 9
While the preseason talk every year surrounding Henry is always focused on when his inevitable downfall will come, he’s yet to show any signs of slowing down. The Titans will still be a smash-mouth run the ball down your throat offense. While I do like rookie Tyjae Spears, he’s more of a keeper/dynasty play – as I don’t think he’ll be cutting into Henry’s workload this coming season. Yes, Henry is 29, and yes, he’s in the final year of his contract while the team doesn’t seem to be interested in committing to him past this season – but Mike Vrabel is one of the best coaches in the league and is highly competitive. He’ll lean on Henry again this year, simply because it gives him the best chance to win.
8 . Josh Jacobs – Las Vegas Raiders – Previous Ranking 6
After missing most of training camp, Jacobs finally signed essentially the same deal that Barkley did and has 2 weeks to get back into football shape before the start of the regular season. Having him signed should theoretically give him a slight uptick in the rankings, but I’m losing more and more faith in the Raiders offense this season – and I barely had any to begin with. The offensive line isn’t great, and Garoppolo doesn’t threaten defenses downfield like Carr could last year. Defenses will of course still have to account for Davante Adams, but for the most part will look to shut down Jacobs in the run game. He’ll still get his touches and some nice totals, but I expect a downtick in efficiency this season
Tier 3: Tier 3 is a nice mix of workhorse backs and younger players with extremely high upsides. They can serve as your RB1 if you miss out on the upper 2 tiers, but preferably will be your RB2 to provide you with a super high floor week to week.
9 . Joe Mixon – Cincinnati Bengals – Previous Ranking 22
I had Mixon ranked extremely low in my 1st set of rankings due to the question marks surrounding both his legal troubles and the vibes the team were giving that made it seem like they were ready to move on. Since then, the legal trouble seems to be behind him, and it’s unlikely the NFL would issue a suspension until next season, if at all. Mixon also essentially gave the Bengals money back, restructuring his contract to give them cap relief for this year in exchange for some more contract security next season. With all the off-field issues seemingly resolved, on the field Mixon is clearly the lead back for a team with championship aspirations. Mixon only had 210 carries last season, but also missed 3 games. What is often overlooked is he was targeted 75 times, and that was with supposed pass catching back Samaje Perine still in the mix. Without anyone to carve into his workload as much as Perine did, particularly near the end of last season, Mixon is a great bet to return to over 1,200 rushing yards and has the potential for a breakout season as a pass catcher as well.
10 . Jahmyr Gibbs – Detroit Lions – Previous Ranking 19
The Detroit Lions knew what they wanted in the draft, and while many people (myself included) thought it was a huge reach to take Gibbs 12th overall, they clearly have a plan for their rookie back. He’s been lining up all over the field for the Lions in the pre-season as they look to consistently get him the ball in space. He’s more of a boom or bust pick, particularly this high in the rankings, but his ceiling is so high that I just cannot overlook him. I’m less and less concerned about David Montgomery stealing touches this year, despite the Lions giving him $11 million in guaranteed money. Gibbs is the future of this backfield, and it’s only a matter of time until he breaks out.
Lions OC Ben Johnson on rookie RB Jahmyr Gibbs:
"We might use Gibbs in some ways that people don’t quite think we might."
Gibbs is expected to be heavily involved in both the running and passing game this season 👀 pic.twitter.com/Pj7XEHEv3L
— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) September 2, 2023
11 . Aaron Jones – Green Bay Packers – Previous Ranking 16
Aaron Jones might be the captain of team boring, but sometimes that’s what you need on your roster. Jones is the perfect player to pair with someone like Robinson or Gibbs in your fantasy backfield – while the rookies are getting their feet under them. Mr. Consistent, Aaron Jones can be counted on to put up his safe 12-15 points a week. A.J. Dillon has been the heir apparent in the Packers backfield for what feels like forever now, but he’s yet to prove he can take control of that offense. With Jordan Love at starting quarterback for the first time in his career and a slew of young receivers, he’ll need a reliable veteran around him, and Jones excels in the pass game as well. He might not excite you when you draft him, but he’s a great guy to plug into your RB spot and forget about for the rest of the season.
12 . Breece Hall – New York Jets – Previous Ranking 11
Yes, there are plenty of red flags surrounding Breece Hall – coming back from a major injury and the team signing a valuable veteran back in Dalvin Cook chief among them – but I really do believe the team wants to commit to Hall and Garret Wilson as the lead weapons in this offense. Hall can be a difference maker every time he touches the ball. Cook, while talented, is certainly on the downswing of his career. He had a big drop off in efficiency stats last season with the Vikings, and joining a new team late certainly doesn’t give him a leg up. He’s also still dealing with a shoulder injury that has a higher probability of being reinjured than most people are talking about. Drafting Hall has a major downside – I highly doubt that he will be back to 100% for the first couple weeks of the season, which makes starting him extremely difficult to judge. I totally understand wanting to avoid him this season, but drafting players with this much upside can be the difference between squeaking into the playoffs and winning it all.
13 . Najee Harris – Pittsburgh Steelers – Previous Ranking 13
Harris is only 25, has started in all 34 games since entering the NFL, and received 307 and 272 touches in each of those two seasons respectively. He’s also entering this year healthier than last season. But still, there’s something about him that makes me just avoid him in drafts. He would also be on team boring – his plodding running style doesn’t get you out of your seat, especially when the Steelers have a much more explosive runner behind him in Jaylen Warren. However, the Steelers offensive line is much improved. They drafted a tight end who’s top trait is run blocking, and Mike Tomlin has always been a guy to lean on his workhorse back. Harris is a safe pick, but it’s hard to envision a world where he climbs any higher up the rankings.
14 . Javonte Williams – Denver Broncos – Previous Ranking 23
If you’ve been following my fantasy articles throughout the preseason, it should come as no surprise that I’ve moved Williams up my rankings in a major way. The fact that he’s already participated in a preseason game is all the proof I need that he’s back and will be ready to go in week 1 of the regular season. I can’t be more excited to see him back on the field. Williams has all the makings of a true 3 down back with real break away speed and high level pass catching ability. I know that Sean Payton went out and recruited Samaje Perine in free agency, but if you look at his utilization of his backs in his time in New Orleans, there are plenty of fantasy points to be had in that backfield. I don’t believe that Payton will fix Russell Wilson and the league’s worst passing offense, so the Broncos will be relying heavily on their young superstar back this season. Current consensus rankings has Williams as the RB27, and is the 70th player taken off of draft boards. You can find a stud starting RB1 late in the 6th round – he’s a must target for those who employ the hero-RB or zero-RB drafting strategies.
Tier 4 This is where the question marks become more apparent. There’s definitely a lot of value to be found here, and of course there are some potential breakout players in this group – but this is around the RB dead zone, where I personally would love to be targeting the crop of receivers instead.
15 . Travis Etienne Jr. – Jacksonville Jaguars – Previous Ranking 12
I could be terribly wrong on this take, but I’m having such a hard time seeing Etienne matching, let alone surpassing, his season last year. Yes, he was a 1st round pick in 2020 – but remember that was with the old regime. Last season with Doug Pederson aboard, he wasn’t able to beat out James Robinson for the starting role until week 6. While he was coming back from injury, Robinson was coming back from a torn achilles as well. Etienne isn’t a guy who collects a big volume of touches, topping 20 rushing attempts 3 times over his 12 starts. Pederson and his staff went out and drafted their own guy in the 3rd round of this year’s draft in Tank Bigsby. Bigbsy has great NFL size and is already a better pass catcher than Etienne. Pederson has already talked about how Bigsby’s role will continually increase as the season moves along, and I think that will start with him taking over the pass catching downs and goal line looks early. Etienne is a good back, but reading the tea leaves lead me to believe that the organization wants to move on to “their guy,” and I think that shift will happen sooner than people expect.
16 . Rhamondre Stevenson – New England Patriots – Previous Ranking 15
Stevenson’s ranking didn’t drop too dramatically after the signing of Ezekiel Elliott because I always believed that the Pats would sign someone to take over the goal line looks and rotate in with Stevenson. Belichick has always had a running back by committee approach and expecting him to change now is just foolish – despite how good Stevenson is. Stevenson has the makings of being one of the best between the 20’s rushers in the NFL, but I can see his touchdown totals staying low as Zeke gets brought in to finish off drives. Stevenson provides you with some elite pass catching upside, so definitely give him a good hard look in your PPR leagues, but he’s hard to trust without that touchdown total.
17 . Kenneth Walker III – Seattle Seahawks – Previous Ranking 14
Walker is another back that I’ve cooled on considerably in the preseason. His early camp injury didn’t help matters, particular considering how he entered the league with an injury history. The drafting of Zach Charbonnet is also concerning, but that was also the thought when the Seahawks drafted Rashaad Penny, but Pete Carroll stayed committed to Chris Carson. I think Charbonnet will have a role on this team, but he’ll likely need a Walker injury to take full control of the backfield. Every player has injury potential, but I find Walker’s particularly worrisome. And with the heir apparent waiting in the wings, he might be in for a down season after an explosive rookie year.
18 . Dameon Pierce – Houston Texans – Previous Ranking 25
We all saw how explosive Pierce could be last season before he missed the last 4 games with injury, but expectations were lowered coming into this season. The Texans gave big money to Devin Singletary in the offseason, and historically, day 3 drafted running backs who break out in their rookie year are unable to replicate that success. However, the Texans seem to still be extremely committed to Pierce – he was on the field with the 1st team offense for every single snap this preseason. He trimmed down as well, and is really committing himself to being a pass catcher as well as an explosive runner. Everything you’re looking for seems to be trending in the right direction with Pierce. He’s healthy, in line for a bigger role, and the coaching staff have talked highly about his work done in training camp. I’m jumping back on the Pierce bandwagon after getting off for a slight detour.
19 . J.K. Dobbins – Baltimore Ravens – Previous Ranking 17
Dobbins is back in black and looks to stay healthy this season as the Ravens hope to ignite their offense after years of Greg Roman’s archaic system. Dobbins is incredibly talented, and his insane career yards per carry (5.9) is ever so enticing. Dobbins has yet to provide much in the passing game, but that could very well change this season with a new offensive scheme. If Dobbins can finally prove he’s fully recovered from shredding his knee in 2021 and the subsequent injuries he’s had while trying to come back, he’ll rocket up the rankings, but there’s too much risk until he shows it on the field.
20 . Alexander Mattison – Minnesota Vikings – Previous Ranking 18
Reports out of Minnesota regarding Mattison have been few and far between. The Vikings came up in rumours surrounding some of the big name veteran free agent backs, but ultimately settled for picking up Myles Gaskin after he was put on waivers. Gaskin shouldn’t really factor into Mattison’s usage on the offense, but until we see him on the field, we really don’t know how effective he’ll be. He always put up great fantasy numbers when Dalvin Cook missed time, but his efficiency stats dipped when he wasn’t working in a complimentary role. If he takes over and maintains a high volume of the touches out of the backfield, that dip should balance out, but it may lead the Vikings to add someone to their backfield depth.
21 . Cam Akers – Los Angeles Rams – Previous Ranking 20
We’re just days away from opening weekend, and Cam Akers is still the no doubt lead back on a Rams team that looks to be in for a long season. The defense doesn’t have much promise, and their offense will struggle if Cooper Kupp, who just had a setback in his recovery, can’t stay on the field. So Akers might be a high volume workhorse back as the Rams just play out the season and try to draft the successor to Stafford in next year’s entry draft. He has next to no competition in the backfield, and, when healthy, is an extremely promising back. He costs next to nothing in drafts, and might be worth a flier on as your RB3 with RB1 upside.
22 . James Cook – Buffalo Bills – Previous Ranking 38
The Bills seem to really want to commit to Cook this season in their offense. He’s explosive and will definitely help save Josh Allen from taking unnecessary contact if they scheme to get him the ball quickly in space. Cook’s ADP has really risen lately as the Bills have been talking him up all preseason, but he still offers great value with tremendous upside.
23 . Khalil Herbert – Chicago Bears – Previous Ranking 37
Herbert might be the best value pick at running back in the NFL. The Bears offense will of course run through Justin Fields, but Herbert has rarely left the field when the 1st team offense has been on the field. He’s the unquestioned starter, and is still currently ranked as the RB32. Being able to grab a starting RB with tremendous upside in the 7th or 8th round is huge.
Tier 5: These are your (mostly) reliable, but unspectacular veteran backs that don’t need much explanation. Kamara will obviously miss the beginning of the season with a suspension, but his projected replacement in New Orleans, rookie Kendre Miller, can’t seem to stay healthy enough to possibly steal the job away. Jonathan Taylor obviously has had a major drop – the Colts are asking for a crazy return for the disgruntled back, and the team who trades for him will also have to work out what will be a massive contract extension. Add in that Taylor is still on the PUP with an ankle injury that no one is sure about, so it may be a while until we see him back on the field. I’m no contract expert, but I believe if he signs with the Colts, he only needs to accrue 6 games for the season to fulfill the contract requirements – and those first 4 games on the PUP will count towards that. There’ll almost certainly not be a resolution to this soon, so avoid him at all costs. Dalvin Cook is a nice pick up late if you want someone to start for the first few weeks until a younger rookie or someone coming back from injury gets up to speed, but I don’t see him having a big role as the season goes on. Tank Bigsby and Zach Charbonnet are two guys I love to take late and stash until we see what their role is. It’s a risk to use up the roster spots on them, but they’re going late so might as well see if they can be something special. You can add Achane to that list with Jeff Wilson Jr. already heading to the IR and the team releasing Myles Gaskin. Raheem Mostert is the de facto starter in Miami, but he’s never been able to stay healthy. Achane, who is injured himself, might have an opportunity to work in the offense earlier than expected.
24 . Isaiah Pacheco – Kansas City Chiefs – Previous Ranking 24
25 . Alvin Kamara – New Orleans Saints – Previous Ranking 26
26 . James Conner – Arizona Cardinals – Previous Ranking 34
27 . Miles Sanders – Carolina Panthers – Previous Ranking 21
28 . Jonathan Taylor – Indianapolis Colts – Previous Ranking 5
29 . Dalvin Cook – New York Jets – Previous Ranking 10
30 . David Montgomery – Detroit Lions – Previous Ranking 27
31 . Antonio Gibson – Washington Commanders – Previous Ranking 29
32 . Rachaad White – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Previous Ranking 31
33 . Brian Robinson – Washington Commanders – Previous Ranking 32
34 . Tank Bigsby – Jacksonville Jaguars – Previous Ranking NR
35 . D’Andre Swift – Philadelphia Eagles – Previous Ranking 28
36 . Zach Charbonnet – Seattle Seahawks – Previous Ranking 42
37 . Devon Achane – Miami Dolphins – Previous Ranking 46
38 . Samaje Perine – Denver Broncos – Previous Ranking 35
Tier 6: The rest of the list. Penny made the team after some early preseason concerns, but the backfield is going to be a mess this year. Swift has the most potential due to his skillset, but I’m avoiding the whole situation in fantasy. Jaylen Warren could have breakout potential as a bench stash – if he eventually takes the job from Najee Harris, he could be in for a monster season. There are some other handcuffs to take a look at, Tyjae Spears and Elijah Mitchell, but for the most part these are guys you should add to your waiver watch list and try to grab on waivers if something happens to the starters.
39 . AJ Dillon – Green Bay Packers – Previous Ranking 36
40 . Tyler Allgeier – Atlanta Falcons – Previous Ranking 47
41 . Chuba Hubbard – Carolina Panthers – Previous Ranking NR
42 . Damien Harris – Buffalo Bills – Previous Ranking 33
43 . Raheem Mostert – Miami Dolphins – Previous Ranking 40
44 . Jaylen Warren – Pittsburgh Steelers – Previous Ranking 41
45 . Kendre Miller – New Orleans Saints – Previous Ranking 43
46 . Jamaal Williams – New Orleans Saints – Previous Ranking 44
47 . Elijah Mitchell – San Francisco 49ers – Previous Ranking 45
48 . Rashaad Penny – Philadelphia Eagles – Previous Ranking 30
49 . Devin Singletary – Houston Texans – Previous Ranking 48
50 . Jeff Wilson JR – Miami Dolphins – Previous Ranking 39
51 . Jerrick McKinnon – Kansas City Chiefs – Previous Ranking 49
52 . Tyjae Spears – Tennessee Titans – Previous Ranking 50
53 . D’Onta Foreman – Chicago Bears – Previous Ranking NR
54 . Ezekiel Elliott – New England Patriots – Previous Ranking NR
55 . Kenneth Gainwell – Philadelphia Eagles – Previous Ranking NR
56 . Roschon Johnson – Chicago Bears – Previous Ranking NR
57 . Gus Edwards – Baltimore Ravens – Previous Ranking NR
58 . Zamir White – Las Vegas Raiders – Previous Ranking NR
59 . Clyde Edwards-Helaire – Kansas City Chiefs – Previous Ranking NR
60 . Latavious Murray – Buffalo Bills – Previous Ranking NR
61 . Rico Dowdle – Dallas Cowboys – Previous Ranking NR
62 . Cordarelle Patterson – Atlanta Falcons – Previous Ranking NR
63 . Jerome Ford – Cleveland Browns – Previous Rank NR
64 . Kyren Williams – Los Angeles Rams – Previous Rank NR
65 . Kareem Hunt – Free Agent – Previous Rank NR
-Devon Gallent
Twitter: @DevGallant
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.