Looking ahead at the must-have running backs for 2023, I could rattle off a list of the top backs – Christian McCaffrey, Austin Ekeler, Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley. But let’s dig beyond the top picks and discuss must-have running backs outside of tier one.
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Fantasy Football Must-Have Running Backs
Jimmy Garoppolo is set to take command of the Raiders in 2023 and while the change at quarterback is less than ideal for the receivers, the coaching staff remains intact and that will be the key to Josh Jacobs’ success. Jacobs thrived in Josh McDaniels’ system, finishing the season with 340 attempts, 1653 rushing yards, 12 touchdowns, and 53 receptions for 400 yards. While some are fearful Jacobs will regress, the Raiders will rely on the ground game with Jimmy G as a game manager. Josh Jacobs is my 2023 Austin Ekeler – the running back everyone is convinced will regress but produces another top-five season. Jacobs is RB6 in FantasyPros ECR but with many drafters targeting receivers in Round One, Jacobs is likely a second-round pick. If you have an early pick, you can start your draft with a top receiver or Travis Kelce and then draft Jacobs as your RB1. He offers significant upside at a decent discount.
Tony Pollard will likely be one of the more polarizing picks in 2023 drafts. Pollard is currently RB9 in FantasyPros ECR. The Cowboys are a run-heavy offense and will likely draft a running back to work in tandem with Pollard. Provided that running back is not Breece Hall, Pollard is still a must-have back in 2023. Pollard had career highs of 193 attempts, 1,007 yards, and nine touchdowns and finished as a top-10 back in all scoring formats. That’s an impressive achievement considering Ezekiel Elliott was still a significant part of the offense with 12 rushing touchdowns – all of which came in the red zone, second to only Jamaal Williams. Even with the addition of a new running back, Pollard is set to repeat his 2022 performance and has legitimate overall RB1 upside.
D’Onta Foreman was RB23 Weeks 7 through 18 with 191 attempts, 877 yards, and 5 rushing touchdowns and was third in yardage over that time period behind only Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry. Foreman would’ve had a more impressive fantasy performance if he had any receiving upside. Miles Sanders is set to take over that ground production and while Philadelphia veered away from utilizing Sanders in the receiving game, Sanders is a capable receiving back that could be a valuable checkdown option for the Panthers’ new rookie quarterback. Sanders is currently RB22 in FantasyPros ECR. He’s an excellent target you can draft at his floor and has high-end RB2, low-end RB1 upside.
While some fantasy managers may avoid Jamaal Williams, he has fantastic value and is a good target for zero-RB drafters. Williams’ 2022 campaign was immaculate and it’s hard to imagine he could repeat that success. But if Alvin Kamara misses time due to suspension, Williams would likely serve as the Saints’ RB1. Williams’ usage in Detroit was purely on the ground, but he’s a solid receiving back. New Saints quarterback Derek Carr tends to checkdown to his running backs and Williams – currently RB33 in FantasyPros ECR – could be a hidden gem if Kamara misses time.
Miami opted to re-sign their entire backfield and while it’s possible they could draft a running back, the most likely scenario is a committee led by Jeff Wilson Jr. and Raheem Mostert. It’s tough to distinguish which back has the upside based on 2022 statistics as both backs dealt with injuries and had shockingly similar statistics Weeks 9 through 18.
| Weeks 9-18 | Attempts | Rush YDs | Rush TDs | Receptions | Targets | Rec Yards | Rec TDs | PPR Fantasy Points |
| Mostert | 80 | 439 | 2 | 18 | 22 | 105 | 1 | 88.4 |
| Wilson | 84 | 392 | 3 | 12 | 24 | 92 | 1 | 84.6 |
They will likely split carries in 2023 but I lean toward Wilson as the must-have back. Mostert will be 31 in the 2023 season and while it’s tough to trust either back to make it through a full season, lean towards Wilson as the more reliable back.
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