If you’re reading this article from FantasyPros with the word, “Primer” in the headline, you might automatically assume that Mike Tagliere is writing this piece. Unfortunately for everyone involved, Tags is currently in the hospital recovering from COVID (you can read more about that here), so I’ve stepped in to highlight one of the more important articles you’ll read heading into your draft season.
Everything you need to know about the RB position this season can be found here. There are player notes for every single RB that is either fantasy relevant – or has the potential to be – in 2021 with the hopes of educating you before you head into your upcoming draft.
If you haven’t been following fantasy football in-depth throughout the off-season, that’s alright! It’s hard to keep up with all the moving pieces in the NFL off-season and how that could impact a player that you’ve loved drafting to your roster in years past. This article will serve as a quick guide for you to determine whether or not it’s still a wise investment or if there’s someone else you should pivot to in your draft!
It’s so crucial to nail the RB position in those leagues and to understand who’s worth selecting as the cornerstone of your fantasy football roster. My hope is that this article helps you develop your own thoughts on these players as you head into your draft!
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Let’s dive in.
Arizona Cardinals
James Conner (ECR – RB34): Conner’s coming over from Pittsburgh to take on the vacated Kenyan Drake role, but we know by now that Conner’s not exactly 100% of what he used to be. He’s coming off of a disappointing season with the Steelers and he’ll look to get back on track in this potentially dynamic offense. With splitting work with Edmonds – plus Murray stealing work around the goal line – there’s only so much potential here for Conner in this offense. He’ll be a fine RB3 for your roster that can start on some bye weeks, but fantasy managers shouldn’t be holding out hope for him to be anything more than that.
Chase Edmonds (ECR – RB27): Edmonds was receiving some hype earlier this off-season that he could be in line for a huge workload. I never bought into that thinking at all and it didn’t shock me to see the Cardinals add Conner to this backfield. Edmonds will have his set role, which will have him seeing 10-12 touches per game, but he’s never going to step into this massive workload that would push him into top-24 consideration for fantasy football. He’s a fine RB3 for your roster that receives a bump in Full PPR formats, but we should temper our expectations for the dynamic RB in 2021.
Atlanta Falcons
Mike Davis (ECR – RB23): Looking at what Arthur Smith did in Tennessee with Derrick Henry, it would be safe to assume that he wants to build the same type of offense here in Atlanta, right? If that is the case, then Davis is going to step right into the Henry role, yes? Unfortunately, there is only one Henry and Davis certainly isn’t him. There’s an incredible opportunity for Davis to be a solid RB2 for fantasy purposes this season, but the question revolves around how long he can withstand an increased workload? As the season progressed last year, we saw Davis wear down as he took on the lead role in CMC’s absence and there’s a strong possibility that that happens again in 2021. Davis might come out of the gates on fire in 2021, but could wear down as the season moves along. If you do draft Davis at his current ADP, snagging a RB like Michael Carter is a smart strategy. We could see the aforementioned rookie RB’s usage ramp up as the season goes along while Davis’ tails off.
Wayne Gallman (ECR – N/A): Gallman’s now a member of the Atlanta Falcons after being released by the San Francisco 49ers. He joins a backfield that has Mike Davis…and no one else. While Cordarrelle Patterson is technically listed as a RB, we know who he is at this point and he’s not going to command a significant carry share. Gallman’s proven that he can be effective and efficient when he’s given an opportunity and the Falcons are going to need him to be involved. Davis has proven to wear down when he has an expanded workload and the Falcons are going to want to keep him fresh all season long. Gallman’s going to see work almost immediately in this offense and he has some built in upside if Davis were to miss time with an injury. Again, there’s no one else on this depth chart that’s going to steal significant touches. Gallman deserves to be in consideration for your last pick…and maybe even higher than that.
Baltimore Ravens
JK Dobbins (ECR – RB33):
Editor’s Note: Dobbins was carted off the field during Saturday’s preseason game. He will miss the entire season.
Gus Edwards (ECR – RB26):With the reported news that Dobbins is out for the entirety of the season, Edwards skyrockets up draft boards. He’s a very talented runner that’s ultra efficient in this scheme. While Justice Hill and Ty’Son Williams will also see some work, Edwards is going to be the guy. It wouldn’t shock me to see the Ravens bring in another body after the final round of cuts before the start of the season, but this is Edwards’ backfield now. He can be drafted as a mid-range RB2 this year that should bring great production on the ground, but not much involvement as a receiver out of the backfield.
Justice Hill (ECR – RB84): Hill wasn’t on the redraft radar at all prior to the Dobbins injury, but he’s squarely in the conversation now for a low-end FLEX spot. The Ravens are unlikely to lean on Gus Edwards solely, so someone else will have to step up. Hill has yet to show that he can produce with a significant opportunity, so we should be tempering our expectations for him. But the role is absolutely there.
Buffalo Bills
Zack Moss (ECR – RB35): While many people are going to try and talk themselves into drafting Moss this season due to the built in discount, there’s virtually no upside to drafting the second-year RB. With Singletary and Matt Breida splitting the limited work that’s devoted to the RBs in this offense, Moss will have to score 8+ touchdowns this season in order to be on the weekly redraft radar. Unfortunately, due to Allen’s involvement in the red zone, there’s a very limited path to Moss hitting those touchdown numbers. The discount might seem enticing, but the most likely scenario is that Moss just sits on your bench week after week and takes up space. I’d prefer to go after someone with a bit more upside in that range of my draft.
Devin Singletary (ECR – RB42): Year after year, people continue to hype up Singletary for fantasy football and he disappoints each season. In his two seasons in the NFL, Singletary has finished as the RB31 and the RB34 for fantasy football. While Singletary might flash some of his elusiveness in the open field in between the 20’s, he offers virtually no scoring upside in this offense. As a bye week fill-in option, Singletary makes sense to add to your roster if you can get him at a significant discount, but if you’re holding out hope for him to be anything more than that in 2021, you’re most likely headed for disappointment.
Carolina Panthers
Christian McCaffrey (ECR – RB1): Since 2017, there is only one other RB that has more targets and receptions than CMC. If McCaffrey hadn’t missed time last year with an injury, he’d be ahead of Alvin Kamara by a large margin in this category. CMC has 398 targets, 320 receptions, 2,672 receiving yards, and 16 receiving touchdowns over that time span. This is ridiculous production for fantasy football to go with his work on the ground and he’s 100% worth the No. 1 overall pick. Don’t let the injury woes from 2020 scare you off of him.
Chuba Hubbard (ECR – RB63): Hubbard’s an exciting player and an explosive athlete, but we should be tempering expectations for him in redraft leagues this season. It’s not a guarantee that he is the clear backup RB to CMC and he’s barely going to see the field if CMC is healthy. Hubbard’s worth monitoring on the waiver wire in case CMC misses time again this year, but he’s not someone that people should be going out of their way to draft.
Chicago Bears
David Montgomery (ECR – RB17): I was the one pounding the drum for David Montgomery last season when he was being drafted as the 25th RB off the board. With that being said, in no way did I anticipate a top-5 finish! Despite a truly terrible offense, Montgomery produced for fantasy managers and helped deliver some titles with his dominant stretch to end the year. Unfortunately, we shouldn’t be expecting that same level of dominance in 2021. Tarik Cohen will be back and healthy eventually, which means a dramatic dip in receiving production for Montgomery. Additionally, Damien Williams was added to this backfield to take the Cordarrelle Patterson role, which will take some carries away too. Montgomery is still going to provide fantasy managers with a very safe floor week after week, but we need to temper our expectations for the young RB heading into this season. Fantasy players that draft Montgomery thinking that they’re going to get 2020 production are most likely going to be disappointed. It’s safe to view Montgomery as a mid-range RB2.
Tarik Cohen (ECR – RB53): It’s been a hot minute since we’ve seen Cohen be a top-tier fantasy contributor, but that also doesn’t mean that we should completely write him off for fantasy this season. Coming off of the injury, Cohen’s coming at a significant discount in drafts this off-season and he has the chance to immediately return value with the projected “offensive face lift” that’s about to go under way in Chicago. The Bears desperately need big plays from their receiving weapons and no one on this roster has more potential of doing that than the shifty RB. He might not be a top-24 option this season, but as a solid RB3 or RB4 option for your roster, he’s worth selecting in the later rounds for when he comes back off of the injury. However, I only recommend drafting him late if you have an IR spot on your roster.
Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Mixon (ECR – RB12): Did you know that Joe Mixon has actually played more games than Dalvin Cook since they both came into the league in 2017? Yet somehow Mixon gets labeled as an injury risk every single season and Cook is being drafted as a top-3 pick this year. While Cook’s production when he’s on the field is certainly worthy of a top-3 pick – don’t get me wrong – it goes to show the recency bias that comes into play for fantasy managers when they’re on the clock. When Mixon is on the field, he’s going to receive one of the heaviest workloads in the entire league. He’s a top-5 talent at the RB position in the league and this offense is set to take a major jump in 2021 with Joe Burrow and his bevy of receiving weapons. If Mixon had been shut down immediately last season and put on IR when his injury occurred, we wouldn’t have this perception in our minds of him as a huge injury risk. However, because of Zac Taylor’s inconsistent commitment to Mixon returning to the lineup last year, fantasy managers have a bad taste in their mouths. Go get some mouthwash, clean out that taste, and draft Mixon at a major discount this year. The production’s going to be too good to pass up and if you can get him as a RB2 on your roster, you’re well on your way to a fantasy championship.
Samaje Perine (ECR – RB80): Looking across the fantasy landscape, there are certain backup RBs that get elevated due to their potential if something were to happen to the start ahead of them. However, no one seems to be talking about Perine and his upside if we see Mixon deal with injury again in 2021. There’s no one else on this depth chart that can step in and take over a significant workload. In a high-powered offense, Perine doesn’t have to be ultra-efficient with his opportunity because scoring opportunities will be available on a weekly basis. I’m typically not a proponent of drafting insurance RBs, but if you do select Mixon early on in your draft, doubling back and snagging Perine with your last pick is a very smart move.
Cleveland Browns
Nick Chubb (ECR – RB8): Did you know that there are only two RBs in the entire NFL since 2018 that have more than 3,000 rushing yards, have averaged more than 5 YPC, and have more than 12 rushing touchdowns? Derrick Henry and Chubb are the entire list. Chubb has 3,557 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns during that time frame while averaging an absurd 5.23 YPC. As far as pure running ability, Chubb might be the best back in the entire NFL. His vision, contact balance, and power are on display with every single run and he’s put up ridiculous efficiency metrics through his first few seasons in the league. He should see a significant workload again in 2021, but his lack of involvement in the receiving game prevents him from being vaulted into a top-3 option at the position. Just like Henry in Tennessee, he’ll be one of the most reliable and consistent RB options out there, but his upside is capped due to his lack of targets. He’ll still a worthy investment in the top-10 at the position, but just keep in mind that he’s going to have to score an ungodly amount of touchdowns to vault over some of the other top candidates at the position.
Kareem Hunt (ECR – RB24): Kareem Hunt‘s season last year is really the tale of two halves. From Weeks 1-8, Hunt was the RB7 in all of fantasy football. However, Weeks 9-17, Hunt was the RB17 through that time frame. With Nick Chubb back in the lineup, Hunt was certainly still involved, but he did very little with his opportunity. He’s a bit of a mystery heading into 2021 and his ADP should reflect that. Fantasy managers might be skeptical on adding him to their rosters as anything more than a low-end RB2 or high-end RB3, but if you can get him for that price tag, that’s a worthy investment. Anything more than that and you might be disappointed with what you get.
Dallas Cowboys
Ezekiel Elliott (ECR – RB5): Our perception of Ezekiel Elliott may be a bit skewed after his lackluster performance for fantasy last season. However, we need to remember the full context of the situation and recognize that Zeke was a top-tier fantasy option through the first five weeks of the season. He was the RB3 when Dak Prescott was healthy and on the field and was averaging a hefty 19.9 fantasy points per game. With Dak presumably back and ready to go for Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season, Zeke’s a fantastic option again this season to lead your team as a RB1. If you happen to get him at a bit of a discount because of what happened last season, that’s just simply icing on the cake.
Tony Pollard (ECR – RB44): Pollard’s certainly going to be involved in this dynamic offense in Dallas, but it might not be enough to warrant weekly consideration for your starting lineup. However, he does hold some of the highest upside as an insurance RB if something were to happen to Zeke. Pollard could easily turn into a league winner in this offense if Zeke were to miss time with an injury. If you draft Elliott early on, adding Pollard with a mid-to-late pick is a smart strategy.
Denver Broncos
Melvin Gordon (ECR – RB30): Fantasy managers were feeling pretty good about Melvin Gordon heading into 2021 after Phillip Lindsay‘s departure, but that all came quickly crashing back down with the drafting of Javonte Williams. This season, it’s likely that Gordon is still the lead back, but Williams is certainly going to see work. This situation could end up being very similar to Baltimore’s from last year with Mark Ingram and JK Dobbins, which doesn’t exactly bode well for Gordon’s season-long outlook. In my opinion, drafting Gordon as anything more than a low-end RB2 is a recipe for disaster. However, where he’s going in drafts right now is a solid investment. It’s hard to find starting RBs in the mid-to-late rounds and Gordon still should see plenty of opportunity.
Javonte Williams (ECR – RB26): Williams is a bowling ball of a prospect that landed in a great situation here in Denver. He’s a part of a dynamic offense with plenty of other weapons to take attention away from him and he should be one of the focal points of this offense sooner than later. Unfortunately, his fantasy outlook might be hampered a bit to begin his rookie season with Gordon’s presence on this depth chart. In 2021, I fully expect to see a well-balanced rotation between these two RBs, which is going to effectively kill any potential that either one has this season. If something were to happen to Gordon though, Williams would immediately shoot up into top-15 territory with his talent and the opportunity in this offense. If you end up snagging Williams in your fantasy drafts this season, it’s probably a wise investment to double down and snag Gordon as well in the event that one of them completely takes over this backfield at some point.
Detroit Lions
D’Andre Swift (ECR – RB18): Based on pure talent, Swift already belongs in the top-12 RB conversation in the NFL. Unfortunately, it’s hard to have faith that Swift will finish in that range this year for fantasy purposes. While he could see plenty of targets in the passing game, the scoring opportunities on this bad Detroit Lions team probably aren’t going to be very plentiful. Additionally, he now has Jamaal Williams in this backfield to compete for touches with and Anthony Lynn has been vocal about his love for utilizing a committee approach. Swift is going to be a safe RB2 for your roster this season because of the floor he’ll bring you week in and week out. However, due to the offense he’s in, there’s virtually no upside. Think about it this way…would you have been as excited about Swift last season if he were on the New York Jets or Jacksonville Jaguars and in a near 50/50 time share? That could be the exact situation we’re looking at this season in Detroit.
Jamaal Williams (ECR – RB41): The closer the season gets, the more Jamaal Williams looks like a value in fantasy football. As Anthony Lynn continues to come out and talk about how both D’Andre Swift and Williams are going to be an integral part of this offense, Williams looks like he could be a steal in drafts this year. Due to the offense, it’s unlikely that Williams ever scores enough to push himself into the top-24 RB conversation, but he could be a very valuable depth piece for rosters in 2021. He’s not the flashiest player to add in the later rounds, but he’s the smart choice.
Green Bay Packers
Aaron Jones (ECR – RB6): There was some optimism for Aaron Jones as he was heading into free agency that he could land in a situation that would make him a fantasy football superstar. However, he decided to re-sign with the Green Bay Packers, which certainly makes our job for projecting him a bit easier. AJ Dillon should see some more involvement this year, but without Jamaal Williams in town to take away some of the receiving work out of the backfield, Jones could see even more work than he has before. With Dillon’s size, he’s certainly a threat to take away some carries at the goal line, but Jones’ efficiency metrics in the Red Zone should keep Dillon at bay. All that to say, Jones certainly isn’t going to push for a top-5 ranking like he could have if he had landed somewhere else this off-season, but he’s still one of the most reliable fantasy running backs out there. Draft him with confidence in 2021.
AJ Dillon (ECR – RB40): Do you remember that brief time period earlier this off-season when it seemed like AJ Dillon was destined to be the lead RB in Green Bay? Yeah, that didn’t last long. With Aaron Jones re-signing, Dillon moves back to a backup RB role that should certainly see some more work than what he did in 2020. With Jones healthy, it’s difficult to see a path for how Dillon returns weekly fantasy value. However, he holds immense upside as an insurance RB if something were to happen to Jones.
Houston Texans
David Johnson (ECR – RB39): Early on this off-season, it seemed as though Johnson could actually be a value in fantasy football. While he wouldn’t possess much upside with the state of the team in Houston, he was going late enough in drafts that he’d be a serviceable RB3 for fantasy lineups based on his guaranteed volume. However, that seems to not even be the case anymore. It’s now come out that Johnson is expected to play a very limited role in this offense, specifically on third down. Lindsay appears to be the player that’s going to lead this team in carries, which puts Johnson almost completely off of the redraft radar.It’s unfortunate, but the former consensus RB1 in fantasy football just a few short years ago seems to be on his way out of redraft relevancy.
Phillip Lindsay (ECR – RB45): Lindsay seemed like he was almost on his way out of the NFL after the Broncos and Lindsay’s camp agreed to mutually part ways this off-season. However, he found a home in Houston in a crowded backfield and he seems to have clawed his way up the depth chart. While Lindsay appears to be trending towards being the predominant ball-carrier in this offense for 2021, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he should be a hot commodity in fantasy leagues. This Texans team is going to struggle to put points up on the board this year and Lindsay might be replaced halfway through the game if Houston has to go into catch-up mode. He’s a high-floor/low-ceiling asset in fantasy this league that shouldn’t be viewed as anything more than a RB4 for your lineup.
Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor (ECR – RB9): Yes, Taylor finished the season on fire last year and was absolutely dominant down the stretch. However, we have to acknowledge the defenses that he was playing against during that time and that they weren’t exactly top-tier units. As we project forward, it’s important to keep in mind the offensive philosophy from this team and that they want to utilize multiple RBs in their rotation. With Marlon Mack back from injury, we should see him syphon some work away from JT and Nyheim Hines is always going to have his role. Taylor is still worth drafting as a top-10 RB, but we should be tempering our expectations for him heading into 2021.
Nyheim Hines (ECR – RB43): While Nyheim Hines finished as the RB20 last season, anyone who rostered him in fantasy football knows that he was not exactly the most consistent option week in and week out. Jonathan Taylor should shoulder the majority of the workload for this offense, while Hines sprinkles in behind him and rotates with Marlon Mack. Frank Reich should still continue to utilize multiple RBs in this backfield, but Hines’ workload most likely will not be enough to lead to anything more than low-end RB3 weekly production.
Marlon Mack (ECR – RB55): It’s amazing to see Mack back on the field and running as well as he is coming off of the Achilles injury he sustained early on in the 2020 season. While he might not see enough work on his own to provide fantasy value, he does have upside if JT were to miss time with an injury. We know that this is an offense that wants to rely on their run game, which would lead to significant opportunity for Mack if he were to assume the starting role. If you do draft JT in the first round of your drafts, double back at Mack’s current RB49 ADP and secure this backfield.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Carlos Hyde (ECR – RB67): With the Travis Etienne injury, Hyde moves up redraft rankings a little bit. He’ll be on the field in relief of Robinson, but it’s unlikely that we ever see him push start-worthy consideration unless something were to happen to Robinson. He’s now merely an insurance RB on an offense that doesn’t exactly figure to be a top-tier offense in 2021. He’s simply worth watching on the waiver wire.
James Robinson (ECR – RB19):Fantasy managers were in a bit of quandary when it comes to what to do with James Robinson, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore after the Travis Etienne injury. Robinson is now the main option in this backfield and he’s going to see all the work he can handle. While the offense isn’t going to be a top-10 scoring offense in 2021, it’s an upgrade over what Robinson’s situation was last year. He’s now a high-end/mid-range RB2 after Etienne’s departure and he should be viewed as a value in drafts.
Kansas City Chiefs
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ECR – RB14): I’m going to be honest, one of the most difficult players for me to project this season is Clyde Edwards-Helaire. His talent, his receiving ability out of the backfield, and the offense he’s in all indicate that he should be a top-tier fantasy contributor. Unfortunately, the usage is too unpredictable to feel confident ranking him anywhere higher than a mid-range RB2. If Andy Reid commits to the run game behind this new offensive line, CEH could be a top-5 fantasy option in 2021. On the other hand, we could see more of the same from this offense this season where CEH gets a handful of carries each game, but it’s not nearly enough to push him into weekly top-12 consideration. The preseason usage indicates that CEH is going to be featured this year, but we can’t be sure that Andy Reid will default back to throwing the ball 40+ times per game and abandoning the run once the regular season starts. CEH’s ADP is starting to rise – it’s at RB14 at the time of writing – but it’s still at a point where I’m comfortable adding him to my roster as a RB2. I might not be comfortable having him as a cornerstone of my fantasy roster this season, but as my RB2 I can live with the potential range of outcomes. And this is all assuming that his ankle injury is a minor one…
Darrel Williams (ECR – RB54): One of the better insurance RBs in all of fantasy football this season is going to be Williams. With Le’Veon Bell and Damien Williams both out of town, Williams should not only see some work on his own, but he holds incredible upside if CEH were to miss time. I’m attempting to snag Williams with one of my last picks everywhere this off-season.
Los Angeles Chargers
Austin Ekeler (ECR – RB10): Ekeler fell short of expectations last season, but missing several games will do that. When he was on the field, Ekeler was still an incredibly relevant fantasy option that displayed his receiving prowess time and time again. Since 2017, he ranks 4th in the NFL in total receiving yards and he’s tied for first over that time span with 16 receiving touchdowns. There’s very little reason to doubt Ekeler heading into this season and he should be back in the low-end RB1/high-end RB2 conversation in Half PPR formats. Additionally, he does receive a slight bump up in Full PPR formats. You know exactly what you’re going to get from him each and every week and that’s invaluable in fantasy football.
Larry Rountree (ECR – RB98): While this No. 2 RB job in LA has yet to be decided, my best guess is that Rountree locks it down by the start of the regular season. While he’s a 6th-round pick out of Missouri, he has the skillset and talent to slide in as a perfect compliment to Ekeler. In an offense that figures to be in the red zone quite a bit, the goal line back could be very valuable for fantasy football. At a current ADP of RB79, he’s worth taking the shot on with your last pick in your draft.
Los Angeles Rams
Darrell Henderson (ECR – RB20): While it’s unfortunate how we got here, Henderson’s absolutely now in the conversation for a potential league-winner in 2021. While the general public seems to doubt Henderson’s abilities, he’s an exceptional RB that oddly enough got buried on his own depth chart at the end of last season. In games last year where he saw more than 12 carries – 6 games – Henderson finished as a top-12 RB three times and only finished outside the top-24 RBs twice. This was with the offense being held back by Jared Goff and his deficiencies, which is no longer the case here in LA with Matthew Stafford in town. This offense is going to be in the red zone a lot and Henderson’s going to be the clear option at the goal line. He has the potential to be a league-winner where he’s going in drafts right now and he’s a solid RB2 selection for your rosters. Side note: the acquisition of Sony Michel is simply for depth purposes. He’s not going to take away significant work from Henderson.
Xavier Jones (ECR – RB79): Jones has received plenty of hype this off-season as someone who could benefit from Cam Akers‘ absence. While Henderson is going to be the clear starter in this offense, Jones should see enough work in relief of him to warrant low-end FLEX consideration if you’re in a pinch. However, he does come with upside if Henderson were to miss time with an injury as the starting RB in a top-5 scoring offense.
Sony Michel (ECR – RB62): With the fantastic play of Rhamondre Stevenson this pre-season, the Patriots felt comfortable trading away Michel to the Los Angeles Rams. Now in LA, Michel is simply there for depth purposes behind Darrell Henderson. He’s worth monitoring on the waiver wire in your redraft leagues – or even selecting with a late pick in deep leagues – but it’s unlikely that he’ll see significant playing time unless Henderson were to miss time with an injury.
Las Vegas Raiders
Josh Jacobs (ECR – RB22): There may not be a player who’s experienced as dramatic of a fall in value as Jacobs over the course of this off-season. After seeing his entire offensive line dismantled, Jacobs watched the Raiders front office bring in another RB (Kenyan Drake) to this backfield on a pricy deal via free agency. With Drake in this backfield now, all hope for Jacobs’ increased involvement as a receiver came crashing down. While Jacobs should remain heavily involved as a runner, the path for upside is now capped with the state of the offense around him. He’s going to have to score 10+ rushing touchdowns to crack the top-12 at the position and that’s not a bet I’m willing to make with this team. As a low-end RB2, he’s a fine option for your lineup, but it’s hard to hold out hope that he can be anything more than that.
Kenyan Drake (ECR – RB37): Drake signed a massive deal – for a RB – in free agency to come to Las Vegas, but he’s certainly going to take a dip in production from what we’ve seen over the past couple of years. He’ll be heavily involved as a receiver all over the formation in this offense, but it’s unlikely to lead to consistent fantasy production week after week. Drake’s now in the territory of a low-upside FLEX play that will need Jacobs to miss time with an injury to see his workload increase.
Miami Dolphins
Myles Gaskin (ECR – RB25): Gaskin took advantage of his opportunity nicely last season and was a solid fantasy option when he was fully healthy. Amassing 47 targets in 10 games, Gaskin showed off his receiving ability and didn’t look too shabby as a runner as well. While this could be a rotation at RB in Miami this upcoming season, Gaskin appears to have the lead role locked down and he should be the first option we look at in fantasy drafts. He’s a high-upside selection as a RB2 this draft season.
Salvon Ahmed (ECR – RB59): There’s a strong possibility that we see multiple RBs produce for fantasy football in this offense in Miami. While Gaskin performed well in his starting opportunities last season, Ahmed was equally as impressive. Gaskin figures to be the main option in this backfield for 2021, but we should see Ahmed involved enough to have some FLEX value some weeks. Additionally, Gaskin hasn’t exactly been the most durable player throughout his time in the NFL. There’s enough potential there to indicate that Ahmed’s being slept on heading into fantasy draft season.
Malcolm Brown (ECR – RB57): Brown came out and scared everyone with his usage in week one of the preseason, but he faded back into the background during week two. Brown could be the thorn in fantasy managers’ side this year if they roster Gaskin, but it’s unlikely that he ever sees enough work to be fantasy relevant himself. He can be left on your waiver wire.
Minnesota Vikings
Dalvin Cook (ECR – RB2): Despite only playing 14 games each of the past two seasons, Cook has finished as the RB5 and the RB3. The workload that Cook sees when he’s on the field is absolutely absurd and he’s one of the last true workhorse RBs in the NFL. In fact, Cook is only second to Derrick Henry in terms of overall touches during the past two seasons combined. While it’s almost certain that you’re not going to get 16 games out of him with his injury history, Cook’s worth the lofty investment at the top of your drafts because of his production when he’s on the field. You should feel confident drafting Cook as a top-3 option again this season.
Alexander Mattison (ECR – RB49): Mattison still remains one of the most intriguing insurance RBs out there, but he simply has not stepped up the way that fantasy managers would hope when Cook misses time with an injury. If you draft Cook, Mattison’s still a sound investment due to the offense that he’s in and the guaranteed workload he’ll have. However, we are now past the point of calling Mattison a surefire league-winner if Cook were to go down again. We just simply can’t rely on that happening.
New England Patriots
Damien Harris (ECR – RB28): When you put on the film, Damien Harris really impresses. It’s been evident throughout the pre-season, right? While he only had 137 carries last year, he averaged exactly 5 YPC and PFF absolutely loved him and handed out a glowing grade. Unfortunately, the injuries are certainly something to still be concerned about and the offensive structure around him automatically puts a cap on his fantasy output. With Cam Newton at QB, Harris had little to no chance of finding the end zone with any sort of regularity. Of his 137 carries last season, Harris only had 6 in the Red Zone, while Newton had 42! However, Mac Jones has now taken over at QB, which certainly bumps Harris up the rankings. He should handle the majority of the workload in this offense, but could split red zone carries this year with Stevenson. In conclusion, Harris can be viewed as a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 this year.
James White (ECR – RB48): Did you know that from 2017-2020, White is third in the league at the RB position in receiving yards with exactly 2,200? He’s been a PPR machine for many years with Tom Brady at QB, but it’s tailed off recently with Cam Newton at the helm. With Mac Jones now at QB, White should see an uptick in targets out of the backfield, but he lacks the athleticism and explosiveness at this point of his career to do much with them. He shouldn’t be viewed as anything more than a low-end FLEX play in Full PPR formats.
Rhamondre Stevenson (ECR – RB69): Stevenson has been lighting it up this pre-season as he’s averaging 7.7 YPC and has four rushing TDs through two games. While he’s been dominating and could force his way into more action, it’s still not going to be enough work in this backfield to push his way into even the low-end FLEX conversation. He’s someone to monitor on the waiver wire in the event something were to happen to Damien Harris above him on the depth chart, but there’s a very limited path for him to return value this season.
JJ Taylor (ECR – RB135): It’s unclear whether or not Taylor will make this 53-man roster in New England for 2021, but he is absolutely worth stashing in deep leagues. Even if he gets released from the Patriots, he’s showed enough in this pre-season action to get another shot elsewhere. Keep an eye on the second-year RB as we move into the regular season.
New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara (ECR – RB3): It’s true that there’s some ambiguity with this offense and how it could affect Kamara in 2021. With that being said, this is still Kamara that we’re talking about here. He’s in the conversation for the most talented RB in the entire NFL and there’s very little reason that we should be scared off of drafting him this season. While he might not have the guarantee of targets the way that he did with Drew Brees at QB, there’s very few other proven options on this depth chart that could take away work. Plus, with MT out for the start of the season, Kamara easily should become the target leader in this offense. He should still be a very safe option for 2021 and he’s worth drafting with a top-5 pick.
Latavius Murray (ECR – RB46): Unfortunately, it seems like we might be heading towards the end of Murray’s tenure in New Orleans. With the emergence of Tony Jones Jr., Murray seems to be on the roster bubble for the Saints. It’s unlikely that we ever talk about Murray as a fantasy relevant option this year.
Tony Jones (ECR – RB115): It’s not every year that we have a player like James Robinson emerge out of nowhere. This year, it seems like we’re trending towards Jones being that type of player that could truly breakout and be a consistent fantasy contributor all season long. Jones has taken advantage of his opportunity in New Orleans throughout the pre-season and training camp and Sean Payton has talked about potentially having him as his RB2 heading into this season behind Kamara. If that’s the case, Jones is a screaming value in drafts right now and he’s worth taking a shot on in your drafts late to see if he can get this job.
New York Giants
Saquon Barkley (ECR – RB7): From a talent perspective, Saquon Barkley is the best RB in the NFL when he’s on the field. Unfortunately, the issue has been staying on the field the past two seasons. Barkley has played 15 out of a possible 32 games, which makes him a very risky investment at the top of your draft. For fantasy managers to have a shot of competing deep into their playoffs, they need their top draft pick to pull their weight all season long. Earlier on in the off-season, Barkley was being drafted as a top-3 option. He’s fallen a little bit in ADP, which is more in line with where he should be going. As a late first-round draft pick, the risk is worth the reward. Anything more than that and you’re playing with fire.
Devontae Booker (ECR – RB72): Booker should see some work in this offense to help take some of the work off of Saquon’s body and keep him fresh, but it won’t be enough to sustain his own fantasy value. Booker can be viewed as a low-end insurance RB.
New York Jets
Michael Carter (ECR – RB33): I was a big fan of Michael Carter in this 2021 pre-draft process and had him ranked as a top-5 RB. While he fell further in the NFL Draft than I was anticipating, he fell into a perfect landing spot for fantasy football. The Jets have an oft-injured Tevin Coleman above him on the depth chart and a second-year RB in La’Mical Perine that certainly doesn’t have this job locked down by any means. With Carter’s agility and explosiveness in this scheme, there’s a strong possibility that he takes over this job a few weeks into the season. The Jets will rotate in RBs, so it’s unlikely that Carter gets a massive workload, but he has the talent to capitalize on his opportunity. You might have to be patient for a bit if you end up drafting Carter in the mid/late rounds this year, but he could end up being a very solid contributor for your roster.
Tevin Coleman (ECR – RB51): After having an injury riddled season last year with the 49ers, Coleman has made the transition over to the New York Jets. As he reunites with Mike LaFleur, Coleman should be given the starting job to begin the season. He knows the system well and there isn’t an entrenched starter above him on the depth chart. Unfortunately, Coleman has proven that he simply can’t stay healthy up to this point in his career and he does have some competition on this roster behind him with Michael Carter. You might be able to plug Coleman in as a decent starting option to begin the season, but he’ll most likely find his way to the fantasy football waiver wire before too long.
Philadelphia Eagles
Miles Sanders (ECR – RB21): Sanders is one of the most exciting RBs to watch in the entire NFL, but he’s been a headache for fantasy managers over the past couple of seasons. While he could be incredible for fantasy if he was given the workload that a CMC or Zeke got, the Eagles coaching staff has refused to lean on him and they’ve consistently rotated in multiple other options. With Nick Sirianni coming in as Head Coach, there was some optimism that things could be different this time around. However, the Eagles have Boston Scott and Jordan Howard still on this roster and they added Gainwell in the NFL Draft, therefore signaling that we should be expecting more of the same. With Hurts taking away some rushing volume, plus the presence of multiple other RBs in this backfield, there doesn’t appear to be much upside to selecting Sanders this upcoming season. He can be viewed as a low-end RB2 this year.
Boston Scott (ECR – RB65): Scott appears to have the inside track for the receiving role in this offense, but we can’t be sure whether or not this is going to lead to anything from a fantasy football perspective. Scott’s worth monitoring on your league’s waiver wire as we move into the season, but he shouldn’t be someone you’re drafting outside of deeper leagues.
Kenneth Gainwell (ECR – RB56): Gainwell’s an incredibly talented RB that happened to fall during the NFL Draft, but should still be able to make a big impact when he gets onto the field. With Sanders above him on the depth chart, it’s unlikely that Gainwell ever enters into the FLEX conversation, but we could see him carve out enough of a role to hurt Sanders’ overall upside. If Sanders misses time again with an injury though, we could see Gainwell become a hot waiver wire add. Keep an eye on the dynamic RB as we move into the season.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Najee Harris (ECR – RB13): One of the greatest discounts in all of fantasy football year-over-year is rookie RBs in redraft leagues. The casual fantasy manager isn’t quite sure about who this player is and what they bring to the table, so they choose to focus in on players that they do know instead. Harris – most likely – isn’t going to ascend into the top-10 of ADP (Average Draft Position) this off-season, but he has a very good chance of finishing in that range when it’s all said and done. The Steelers invested significant draft capital in this player due to needing to balance out the offense and Harris has the size and skillset to shoulder a huge workload for this offense. He’s a fantastic receiver out of the backfield and Big Ben should be looking to funnel targets his way repeatedly. If you can snag Harris as your RB2 in fantasy football this season, that’s a winning strategy.
Anthony McFarland (ECR – RB71): McFarland was raw coming into the NFL, but he showed off his explosiveness on multiple occasions last season. While Najee Harris‘ presence in this backfield makes McFarland borderline irrelevant for redraft purposes, he could have some appeal as an insurance RB. If Harris misses time this season with an injury, don’t be shocked to see McFarland play a big role in this offense.
San Francisco 49ers
Trey Sermon (ECR – RB32): Sermon now enters an offense that is set to explode with Trey Lance at QB and we could be looking at one of 2021’s greatest fantasy steals. With Mostert above him on the depth chart – for the time being – Sermon’s ADP will remain low enough where you don’t have to rely on him as a starter. He can remain on your bench until he steps in as the lead option in this offense and you suddenly now have a potential locked-and-loaded RB2. With Sermon’s skillset and size, he should be a factor around the goal line and he could see enough of a workload on the ground to bring a safe floor each week. We’ll see a rotation of other backs in this offense, but Sermon figures to see 12-15 touches per week if he is the starter. We might have to wait a while until we get to the point where Sermon is the starter, but he’s worth stashing on your bench for when that moment comes.
Raheem Mostert (ECR – RB29): Mostert is expected to be the lead back in this offense as long as he’s healthy, but that’s not exactly a guarantee. Mostert’s only played a total of 31 games over the past three seasons and the 49ers know that they can’t rely on him to start all 16 games. With the drafting of Sermon, the 49ers are signaling that Mostert’s best fantasy days are behind him. To start the season, Mostert could produce some solid numbers for your lineup, but it seems inevitable that he’s going to give up the starting job to the rookie RB eventually. If you do end up drafting Mostert, it’s probably best to double back and snag Sermon to handcuff this backfield.
Seattle Seahawks
Chris Carson (ECR – RB15): It’s true, Carson has yet to play a 16-game season in his NFL career. While he does have the new contract to his name, there’s still absolutely the concern that Carson is going to miss time yet again with an injury. His running style is one of the reasons why he’s so successful in the NFL, but it’s also a main reason why he fails to remain healthy each season. As long as Carson is healthy and on the field though, he’s going to be an incredibly reliable option for fantasy football. In this explosive offense, Carson’s going to have plenty of scoring opportunities and volume. As a RB2 on your roster, you can afford to live with Carson’s injury concerns, while also enjoying his high-level production when he’s active.
Rashaad Penny (ECR – RB52): One of my favorite sleepers for 2021 is Rashaad Penny. It’s been a while since we’ve seen him in action and fantasy managers are tired of hearing about the supposed breakout, which is why his ADP is so low heading into this fantasy season. However, when Penny is healthy and in the lineup, the Seahawks have proven that they want him involved. In a dynamic offense, Penny should clearly see plenty of work behind Chris Carson that will keep him in the weekly FLEX consideration. Additionally though, he offers tremendous upside as an insurance RB if Carson were to miss time again with an injury. Adding Penny as the RB4 or RB5 to my roster this off-season in the later rounds is going to be a move I make every single time.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ronald Jones (ECR – RB31): As you survey the raw statistics from Tampa’s backfield during the 2020 NFL regular season, it’s pretty easy to see that Jones was the better RB. On 192 carries, Jones averaged 5.1 YPC compared to Fournette’s 3.8 YPC on only 97 attempts. All logic points to Jones being the starting RB in 2021, but Arians’ concern with fumbles has made this situation extremely murky from a fantasy perspective. Additionally, the presence of Gio Bernard in this backfield adds to the confusion. While Jones will most likely be incredibly efficient again, it’s not going to lead to much consistent fantasy production with how many mouths there are to feed in this backfield. At his current ADP, it’s fine to take the shot on Jones to see if he can rise above the rest of the backfield, but there’s also the possibility that you’re left without a depth piece on your roster if Fournette is suddenly the lead option.
Leonard Fournette (ECR – RB36): Fournette came alive in the NFL Playoffs last year and was a key component to Tampa winning the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, this doesn’t provide us with much more clarity on this backfield heading into 2021. Jones is still a part of this rotation – and he actually outproduced Fournette in the regular season last year – while Gio Bernard has also been brought in to be a reliable pass-catching option. Fournette could continue his success from the postseason and truly take over this starting job, which would instantly put him in the top-15 conversation. However, there’s as equally strong of a possibility that Jones cleans up his fumbling problems and takes over. Adding Fournette to your roster certainly has its appeal, but his price needs to be appropriate. As a RB3/RB4 on your roster, you can absorb the potential fallout if Fournette doesn’t pan out. Anything more than that though is playing with fire.
Giovani Bernard (ECR – RB50): By now, you’ve most likely seen the pictures circulating on social media of Gio’s quads. While that’s incredibly impressive, it unfortunately does not mean a direct correlation to fantasy football success. Bernard should be involved as the reliable pass-catching option out of the backfield for Tom Brady, but his usage isn’t going to be predictable enough that he’s worth drafting early on. If you’re in a Full PPR format and want to take Gio with one of your last picks, it’s a fine investment. Otherwise, there are better players to take chances on in his range of ADP.
Tennessee Titans
Derrick Henry (ECR – RB4): Despite every argument being made that eventually Henry’s workload will catch up with him, he’s getting better. He’s seen his rushing yards increase from 1059 to 1539 to 2027 over the past three seasons. Additionally, he’s seen his rushing touchdowns also spike from 12 to 16 to 17 over that same time span. He’s proven himself as one of the best and most consistent RBs in the entire league and there’s very little reason to start doubting him anytime soon. Until we actually see the wheels fall off of Henry, there’s no reason we shouldn’t draft him as a top-5 option at the position in fantasy football. The receiving upside isn’t there, but you don’t need that when you can put up the type of rushing totals that Henry can.
Darrynton Evans (ECR – RB61): Evans has the talent to make an impact for fantasy football behind Henry, but his playing time might not be enough to lead to consistent production. Due to the lack of depth in the receiving corps, we could see Evans involved more as a receiver out of the backfield, but that’s not necessarily a guarantee. Evans is worth taking as a flier pick in the last round of your draft, but not anything more than that.
Washington Football Team
Antonio Gibson (ECR – RB11): After being barely utilized as a runner in college, Gibson came out on fire in his rookie season. He averaged 4.7 YPC and 11 rushing touchdowns, which is absurd for a player who saw only 33 total carries in college. Heading into 2021, the sky’s the limit for Gibson and what he can do with this experience to his name. He should receive a larger workload this upcoming season and this offense is going to be more potent due to the QB upgrade. You’re going to have to pay up for Gibson and it’s hard to take him over some more proven names, but this is a swing for the fences selection that has a very good chance of making it out of the park.
JD McKissic (ECR – RB47): Did you know that McKissic led all RBs in targets last season? He finished with more than Kamara, Zeke, Ekeler, etc. and no one saw it coming. While this was in large part due to Alex Smith and his propensity for checking it down, McKissic was a viable fantasy option week in and week out in Full PPR formats. However, now that Fitzpatrick is in town, the opportunities for McKissic most likely take a nose dive. Fitz loves to push the ball downfield and there’s also the strong possibility that Gibson takes another big step forward as a receiver and cuts into his workload. McKissic now falls into the low-end RB3 conversation that most likely won’t see enough volume to sustain success week after week.
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Kyle Yates is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Kyle, check out his archive and follow him @KyleYNFL.