Once the must-have foundation of a fantasy football champion team, the outlook for running backs has changed greatly.
Most of this change in fantasy football value with running backs has been due to the nature of the sport itself. Bellcow running backs that take the wear-and-tear on an every-down basis are becoming increasingly rare. In addition, teams lean on the passing game at a much higher rate, and having a running back that can aid in this area of attack has become a borderline necessity.
Even still, there are different ways to attack this concept from a fantasy football perspective and still have success. It is also important to note that league rules and what draft pick you have are major factors in what makes sense for you. Here is a breakdown of both the hero running back and zero running back methods.
Hero RBs
While there may not be as many of them, there are still running backs that can nearly carry you to wins every week.
The Hero running back strategy involves taking an elite running back early on and then waiting until the later rounds to add another. The hope is that this top running back can make up enough of your points to carry the positional impact your team needs.
Currently, there are five running backs with an average draft position within the first round in PPR leagues. In standard scoring, this number increases to six
Christian McCaffrey is the consensus top pick in either format. The 49ers star finished last season as the third overall scorer in DraftKings fantasy football behind Josh Allen and CeeDee Lamb. Breece Hall, Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, Jonathan Taylor, and Jahmyr Gibbs are the other first-round names.
While he is currently carrying an ADP of around 19, Derrick Henry is also a name to keep an eye on. The two-time rushing champion joined the Ravens this offseason and has a chance to outperform his draft slot. Playing alongside Lamar Jackson will mark the first time in Henry’s career he is not the sole focus of the offense. Henry has rushed for over 1000 yards in five of the past six seasons and has not shown any signs of slowing down yet.
When taking the hero running back approach, owners typically wait until rounds about 6-8 to take their second running back. The hope at this point is the rest of your key roster spots are filled out and this running back will be close to the final piece.
Given that nearly all leagues require at least two running backs, it is still important to hit on this selection.
Zero RBs
The zero running back tactic has become a trendy strategy in recent years. This involves loading up at wide receivers and other positions in the early rounds before targeting any running backs. In most cases, the first running back selected by a player using this strategy would not occur until about the seventh round.
The thought process behind this technique is that the injury risk to running backs is significant. If this top pick does get injured, it puts your team at such a significant disadvantage that this is a safer route.
For this tactic to be successful, you must land wide receivers capable of carrying the majority of the scoring load. You also will likely need to be active on the waiver wire throughout the season to land some running backs who are exceeding expectations or receive additional opportunities due to injuries ahead of them.
Late-Round Targets
In either place here, it is key to hit on late-round running backs to set your team up for success. Here are a few key names who could exceed expectations and end up solid starting fantasy football quality running backs.
Raheem Mostert (ADP: 77)
Mostert is a bit of an anomaly in the fact that he seems to have found his stride in his 9th year of the NFL at age 31. While there are fair concerns this is a fluke, he tallied 1012 rushing yards and a league-leading 18 touchdowns last year. He will be sharing carries with De’Von Achane, but there is plenty of opportunity to go around in the Dolphins’ offense.
Austin Ekeler (ADP: 91)
After seven seasons with the Chargers, Austin Ekeler signed with the Washington Commanders in the offseason. The 29-year-old is coming off a bit of a down season but still managed to eclipse 1000 yards from scrimmage which he has done in four of the last five years. He also led the NFL in combined rushing and receiving touchdowns in 2021 and 2022. He will be sharing touches in the backfield with Brian Robinson Jr, but Ekeler’s ability as a pass catcher could open the door for additional opportunity alongside rookie QB Jayden Daniels.
Ezekiel Elliott (ADP: 109)
Once a running back firmly in the hero running back market, Ezekiel Elliott is back with the Dallas Cowboys where the best years of his career occurred. There is no doubt that his best years are behind him. However, he will get the clearcut opportunity as the top running back once again in Dallas. Elliott can still be a dangerous goal-line back and will get the touches to be an adequate fantasy starter.
Tyler Allgeier (ADP: 145)
Many Falcons fans were frustrated by the amount of touches Tyler Allgeier received last season, and this year may not be much different. While former 1st-round pick Bijan Robinson is sure to get his chances, Allgeier will be relevant to the Falcons’ offense. Last season he, received 184 carries and had the same amount of rushing touchdowns as Robinson. Signs seem to indicate he will be in line for a similar role this season, so Allgeier could prove to be a worthy late-round addition.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
