Who Will Be the Top Rookie Running Back in Three Years? (2021 Fantasy Football)

The NFL Draft is in just over two weeks, which means it’s time to start getting to know these guys from a fantasy perspective. Today our writers were asked “which incoming rookie be the top fantasy back three years from now?” Their answers are below.

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Q. 3 years from now, who will be the top RB fantasy asset from the 2021 draft class?

Najee Harris (RB – Alabama)
This is not the strongest running back class that we have seen in recent memory. There are some years where the question is a fascinating debate, like 2017. It is hard to believe that Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Joe Mixon, Alvin Kamara, and Kareem Hunt were all in that 2017 NFL Draft Class. There would be an interesting debate today about which of those players are the best. The only two that have a chance to go in the first round this year are Harris and Travis Etienne. There are some interesting prospects after those two who could have solid NFL careers, but they’re the two biggest names at running back for teams to select early in the draft. I do not see anything to dislike about Harris. He is 6′ 3″ and 230 pounds, giving him the size to be a featured back. He had 251 rushing attempts for 1,466 yards and 34 receptions for 425 yards and 30 touchdowns in the 2020 season. That means he can be on the field all three downs. He is not the fastest running back ever, but he has reportedly run a 4.45 second 40-yard dash in the past. The only question mark is how much of his success is attributed to being on a college team loaded with pro talent. Given his resume and his physical build, there is no reason to believe that his skills will not translate into being a great pro running back.
– Derek Lofland (@DerekLofland)

In all likeliness, Harris is going to be the first running back off of the board in the 2021 NFL Draft. Regardless of where Harris lands, there aren’t many teams that could offer him a workhorse role in his rookie campaign, which could actually help Harris in the future. If he is selected by teams like the Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, or Atlanta Falcons, Harris would be sharing touches with other running backs. The New York Jets are one of the few teams that could maybe reward him with a massive workload right off the bat. Harris is a more-than-capable dual-threat running back as he’s an underrated receiver in space. The 230-pounder flashed his receiving skills by corralling 70 passes for 729 yards and 11 touchdowns in his final two seasons at Alabama. To begin his career, there’s a decent chance that Harris isn’t going to dominate the majority of touches despite being an early-round pick. But come time in his third season, Harris should be poised for a more prominent role, making him a valuable commodity in fantasy football.
– Skyler Carlin (@skyler_carlin)

The biggest knock you can make on Harris is that he doesn’t have “home run speed,” but that’s something I’m willing to concede when the former Bama RB checks nearly every other box we want in our draft prospects. Harris has the makings of a modern feature back — he’s physical between the tackles while still possessing soft enough hands to be a factor in the passing game. We know that landing spot is ultimately one of the biggest factors when it comes to the fantasy values of rookie RBs, but all else being equal, Harris’ upside the highest among this admittedly weak running back class.
– Brendan Tuma (@toomuchtuma)

Javonte Williams (RB – North Carolina)
Williams is one of my favorite running backs prospects of the 2021 class. However, because he is likely the third running back off the board in the NFL Draft, it’s likely he gets drafted to a team with an incumbent starter. If this were to happen, Williams could play sparingly in year one, and then by year 2 take over the lead role. By year three, he will have developed into a stud running back, capable of being an every-down back.
– Geoff Lambert (@GeoffLambert77)

Check out all of our 2021 NFL Draft coverage