Fantasy Football Draft Values: Zach Charbonnet, Devon Achane, David Montgomery

Running back is the most volatile position in fantasy football. In fact, in 2022, we had nine running backs in the top 12 in scoring who weren’t top 12 the year before. Last year we saw two players likely drafted as an RB3 or later crack the top 12, Tony Pollard and Jamaal Williams and Rhamondre Stevenson was a low-end RB2 in average draft position (ADP), so he was close to making it three.

There are a couple of guys on my radar that are currently in the RB3 range in FantasyPros expert consensus rating (ECR) that I think can make the leap to RB1. Here they are…

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RB3s (or later) with RB1 Potential (2023 Fantasy Football)

Here are players that provide the opportunity to jump tiers at the running back position.

Zach Charbonnet (SEA) | ECR – RB44

Brian Ford, host of the Dynasty Saturday Night Five, has long been a Charbonnet truther, whereas I’ve been on the opposite side of that coin with my belief in Kenneth Walker. However, I’d be irresponsible not to see a path to RB1 for Charbonnet. Brian’s largest sticking point, and it’s one that cannot be argued, is Walker is not a pass catcher, and that is something that Charbs has shown some proficiency in. There’s no denying that Charbs is the more complete back, which could lead to more opportunities on the field, especially in two-minute and four-minute situations before halftime and the end of the game.

There is some strong analytics that point to Kenneth Walker not being able to repeat the season he had in 2022, none more damning than Rahul Natarajan’s article, “Are You There God, It’s Me, a Kenneth Walker Owner,” discussing some of the advanced statistics on Walker’s rookie season.

And finally, while I never like to draft a player with injuries in mind, let’s face it, running backs get hurt more than any other position. Even if Walker were to miss only a handful of games, Charbs immediately becomes a must-start with high-end RB1 potential. Charbonnet is one of those unique running backs who can be more than just a handcuff. There is a very real possibility that he has stand-alone value, similar to a Nick Chubb/Kareem Hunt-type dynamic from a few seasons ago, where both running backs finished in the top 12. Currently ranked as RB44, he’s a player you can stash on your bench but has the potential to be a starter if things go right.