You can never have enough running backs in Fantasy.
The position toughest to replace? That’s running back. The hottest position everyone chases on waivers? That’s running back. The position always in demand for trades? That’s running back.
It’s also the most fragile position. Things change fast in pro football and no position sees that as much as running back. One week a guy is the king of the mountain, the next he’s got a calf injury that turns into bilateral Achilles tendonitis and then later suffers a PCL injury and he’s sidelined for the whole year after he was taken first overall. Not that I’m bitter.
The most impactful advice when it comes to running backs is to draft as many as you can. Get them early or get them late, but get a lot of them. Don’t make your bench nothing but running backs, but it wouldn’t be so crazy to carry one backup receiver, maybe one backup tight end and use the rest of your bench on running backs. The more chances you take on running backs, the better your odds of landing multiple contributing starters at this fragile position.
That’s the easy part. The trickier part is how you go about it. That’s for you to decide.
What to look for in a running back
When considering a running back, don’t just think about legs, think about entire bodies. You should target:
- A RB with do-it-all skills who will get 15-plus touches (not carries) per game
- A RB who will regularly get touches near the goal line
- A RB who can catch and will play in passing situations
- A RB without a disastrous offensive line
- A RB on a team that won’t be behind every week
- A RB who you believe can give you 15-plus PPR/12-plus half-PPR/10-plus non-PPR points per game
You can be sure that the running backs that meet most or all of these qualifiers are going to get taken in the first few of rounds and go for the most number of buckos in your auctions. They’re studs for a reason. But a fun thought exercise is to run through all of the running backs after, say, 20th overall and set sights on players who fit at least three of these traits. Some names I think fit: Tony Pollard, Kaleb Johnson, D’Andre Swift, R.J. Harvey, TreVeyon Henderson and Joe Mixon (his value is tanked because he’s hurt as of this writing but he still meets many of these requirements).
It’s important to recognize and keep in mind those non-top-40 picks at RB who fit some of the criteria. You’ll want them in drafts.
What is Zero RB and is it a good idea?
Zero RB is a decade-plus-old strategy when drafters pass on all running backs with at least their first four picks, opting to load up on other roster spots before getting rushers in at least Round 5. It’s a great idea if you believe in the running backs ranked 20th overall and later. It’s a great philosophy as well because you’ll draft other positions earlier with the concept of never benching those players, so you allow yourself to draft a bunch of mid-round RBs and sort out who starts for your team later with, theoretically, no other tough lineup decisions. It’s not a good idea if your draft goal is to acquire a running back who could anchor your Fantasy team — those guys tend to go in the first couple of rounds. And it’s a terrible idea in any non-PPR league for obvious statistical reasons.
What is Hero RB and is it a good idea?
Hero RB is the Zero RB concept except you actually draft one running back with one of your first two (maybe three) picks, then wait until Round 5 or 6 to collect more. It’s a great idea if you can’t stand the idea of missing out on one of the top-12 running backs. It allows you to collect running backs in the middle rounds just as you would with Zero RB, but you’ll have the one top-12 running back on your roster. He’ll be an anchor for your squad, and that might help you feel good about your chances to win. And while it’s not my favorite way to attack non-PPR leagues, it’s more palatable than Zero RB.
What about drafting a tonnage of RBs early? Is that a good idea?
Sometimes referred to as “Robust RB,” this plan suggests taking at least two running backs with your first three picks, three running backs with your first five picks, and even four running backs with your first six picks. It’s a great idea if your core philosophy is rooted in running back dominance and you think you can’t win without dominating at the position. But otherwise it’s the riskiest strategy I’ve suggested because you’re entrusting in the most injury-threatened position when you should at least try to balance your lineup. Remember, if you’re taking a glut of running backs early you’re passing on other positions.
What about a balanced approach to RB drafting?
There isn’t a cutesy name for it. “Balanced-RB”? I dunno about the name, but conceptually it works. Being balanced would probably mean drafting two running backs with your first four picks and three with your first six or seven picks. That’s a sound, reasonable way to collect rushers and give your team a chance to have at least one real good starter at running back while also having a shot at a stud at another position or two. It works regardless of format, save for extreme leagues with unique rosters and scoring. This is the strategy most Fantasy drafters will take.
How to determine the best RB draft strategy?
The driving factor in which strategy to prefer comes down to how many running backs you believe are startable options. The smaller that number, the more likely you’ll draft with the balanced approach, if not a RB-heavy approach. The larger that number, the more likely you’ll wait to draft the position and opt for Hero RB or Zero RB.
But there are other factors that will change how you attack the position, namely:
The size of your league. The smaller the league, the more likely you’ll try to get multiple stud RBs early because you can draft other positions later without worrying about missing out on the depth of the talent pool.
The scoring of your league. Full- and half-PPR formats give an obvious edge to wide receivers, devaluing the running back position.
The number of RBs you can start. Most leagues require two RBs with another for a flex spot. In non-PPR leagues that flex spot should go to a running back, so you might lean into the position more. In full-PPR that flex should go to guys who catch a lot of passes, so you might lean away from the position more. Half-PPR is a close dilemma that generally favors wideouts more. And naturally, the more RBs you have to start, the more likely you’ll chase them.
The number of wide receivers you like. If you’re hell-bent on getting a top-nine receiver because the position falls into some uncertainty after that, then you’re probably not going to be interested in a running back in Round 1 this year. You’re going to need to look at the receiver position closely before you finalize your running back strategy.
But if drafting a lot of running backs is my first big-picture strategy advice, this is my second: Know all the strategies and be open to using any of them as the draft unfolds. You could go into a draft with a preferred plan, but if Bijan Robinson falls to sixth overall or Jahmyr Gibbs makes it to 10th overall, you’re probably going to pivot. Crazy things happen in drafts, man. People still take quarterbacks in Round 1. People still take tight ends in the first 15 picks. Or, you might be ga-ga for running backs but all the great ones are taken before you’re up in Round 1 — are you going to reach for Josh Jacobs to take the immense value staring you in the face at wide receiver?! Hopefully you’re smart enough to take the value and re-evaluate when you’re up in Round 3 (because you’re probably going to take another immense value in Round 2).
How to prioritize RBs in Round 8 and beyond?
Fantasy rosters can be supercharged by picking the right kinds of running backs after pick No. 90 overall. Some Fantasy managers will veer toward the backs who backup the guys they took already — that’s fine, but your chances of striking it rich in a Fantasy Football way are actually better if you chase the backups on teams you didn’t already draft.
Here are the categories of RBs you’ll find in Round 8-plus:
- RBs classified as “1B” backs, guys who can give you SOME FP while they’re in timeshares — but can pay off if they become lead “1A” backs
- RBs with ridiculous upside based on their offenses and their skill-sets, but they’re real-life backups
- RBs with low-upside who might begin the season as a starter, but could lose the job quickly
- everyone else
The low-upside RBs this year are whoever begins the season starting for the Cowboys, Giants and Browns (and the Texans if Mixon is stuck on the NFI list).
Here’s how I rank the other running backs you’ll find later on, sorted by the first two categories above:
The nice thing about the 1B backs is that you could start them in a pinch because they’ll at least play a decent number of snaps whereas the handcuff RBs are only valuable starters when something happens to the rusher in front of them on the depth chart. So in a vacuum, the best 1B backs are a little more desirable than the best handcuff backs, BUT your roster build will dictate when to go after the handcuff guys. If you’re happy with your first three rushers, or you’re all about banking upside, or if you already drafted the starter in front of the backup RB, then the handcuff running back list might be more up your alley.
How patient should you be with these late-rounders? As patient as possible. Easier said than done. Reality is you’ll need replacements off waivers during the season and it’s likely at least two of the running backs you take late could be cut candidates before October. You’ll dump the handcuffs you took latest of all, then potentially the handcuff RBs you took closer to Round 10. I doubt you’ll cut a “1B” running back and of course you’ll never drop a starting running back because you’re not an idiot. Ultimately, no one wants to be the guy who cuts Bucky Irving before he becomes Bucky Irving, so be really careful with the decisions you make after the season starts.
More questions, more answers
What if draft just a few running backs? As long as you love the values you’re getting at other positions and you’re aggressive in adding running backs off waivers, it’s not problematic … until it is. Injuries, poor play, etc. will always hamper a chunk of the RB population every year, just like it will other positions. The difference is the depth of talented running backs isn’t as plentiful by comparison to receivers and quarterbacks. And, at least a couple of receivers or a backup QB will be on the chopping block when you move to add running backs off waivers when you need them. I think you can get away with this in smaller formats with small benches, but not a typical 12-team league or larger.
What changes in a half-PPR league? Actually, most running backs gain value because the edge receivers and tight ends would have over them due to their high reception totals is, well, cut in half. You should see running backs pushed up the draft board by at least a few spots, and it’s more likely to see more running backs go in the first and second rounds.
What changes in a non-PPR league? Running backs gain a significant edge over receivers and tight ends because receptions don’t matter. All that’s left are yards and touchdowns, and running backs tend to get those in larger quantities than typical receivers. Any receiver who’s known for getting 100-plus receptions without a big receiving average or a high touchdown expectation would lose value, perhaps by as much as a full round. This would be the format to get running backs early.
What if it’s a league of 10 or fewer teams? Those deep talent pools at receiver and quarterback get even deeper; the running back talent gets deep too, of course, but it’s much more palatable to get running backs earlier knowing good-enough receivers will be available as much as a half-round later, even in full-PPR. Like in a non-PPR league, I’d be much more inclined to draft multiple RBs early.
What if it’s a league of 14 or more teams? In this situation your best bet is to try Hero RB. That means taking one rusher early, filling up at other positions, then come back to RBs later on. Every team in a 14-person league will have at least one weakness; there’s nothing wrong with making one of your starting RB spots said weakness.
What if I have more questions? You can always reach out on X (@daverichard), or drop the Fantasy Football Today Podcast a line (fantasyfootball@cbsi.com). Our rankings are updated daily and can always be found here.