“Consider me one of the people that isn’t buying Javonte Williams being ready for the start of the NFL season, despite what he’s been saying. Should that be the case, Samaje Perine is the obvious beneficiary, as the Broncos gave him $3 million guaranteed this offseason, and is the only other Broncos running back with relevant experience. In the four games last year that Perine was given double-digit opportunities, he averaged just under 18 half-PPR points per game. He’s a more than capable back, especially in a Sean Payton system that has produced several great fantasy running backs over the years. ”
– Sam Hoppen (FantasyPros)

“Samaje Perine. In previous years, Perine served as an almost top-tier handcuff RB to Joe Mixon and now finds himself in Denver behind Javonte Williams, who is returning from an early-season ACL tear. Williams appears ahead of schedule in his return, but that doesn’t mean Perine won’t have involvement in the offense – New HC Sean Payton has a history of effectively dividing backfield duties, as seen with the success of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram in New Orleans. I’m not expecting identical results, but I am expecting Perine’s consistent involvement in the Broncos offense, and as the RB35 off the board, I’m happy with that value.”
– Kyle Krajewski (First Seed Sports)

James Cook (RB – BUF)

“James Cook. By the end of 2022, it was apparent the team was going to hand Cook the main backfield duties moving forward. The Bills took care throughout last season, preserving Cook in his rookie season. Despite the acquisition of Damien Harris on the Bills, Cook still has the inside lane for the featured role. In addition, taking the top running back in one of the best offenses in the league can only mean good things for a fantasy team. Even spending a reach pick for Cook is a steal you won’t regret.”
– Richard Savill (Fantasy Six Pack)

James Conner (RB – ARI)

“James Conner is a true bell cow back on a Cardinals offense with a new offensive philosophy that will feature the run more prominently. Combine that with uncertainty surrounding Kyler Murray‘s availability, and Conner will command 20+ touches per game in the Cardinals’ offense. Conner is the only back on the Cardinals’ roster with any significant NFL production. He will provide plenty of value and rise to be a fantasy star with plenty of receptions via checkdowns while also being the featured and goalline back. Getting Conner as your RB2 with a Flex draft capital equals league-winning upside. ”
– Dennis Sosic (Fantasy Six Pack)”

Crazy to think you can get a massive workhorse like James Conner in Round 7 or later as the RB25 because he is the ideal first RB to draft on a zero-RB squad. He played essentially six games last year without Kyler Murray and averaged over 21 fantasy points per game. Conner never finished outside the weekly top-15 running backs over that same span.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

Antonio Gibson (RB – WAS)

“Antonio Gibson — After his first two years, which saw RB1 returns, Gibson had a massive fall in his third year in the NFL. Brian Robinson arrived to split the early downs work while also splitting with J.D. McKissic in the passing game. Fast forward to the here and now, McKissic is now in Detroit, and the Commanders have two running backs to ride. Despite the heavy volume, with 17.8 attempts per game from Week 6 onward, Robinson only averaged 9.4 fantasy points per contest. We know Gibson can handle the workload, showcased by his 300 total touches in 2021. Oh, and he is looking to get paid, which also serves as an extra incentive. Gibson is my RB31, and with an ADP of 97, he jumps off the page as a player that can, and will, return significant value in 2023.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

Damien Harris (RB – BUF)

“Damien Harris is the mid-round running back worth taking back part of the middle rounds. Harris joins a Bills team, considered a high-scoring offense that will lead Harris into scoring situations. It was only two years ago that Harris produced a 15 touchdowns season on only 202 carries. Even with James Cook splitting the work, I’d expect Harris to fully take on the red zone/goalline work in the offense. When the weather gets cold in November, the Bills will rely on the 5’11” 213lb runner over the smaller back in Cook. ”
– Steven Pintado (The Fantasy Coaches)

Jamaal Williams (RB – NO)

“This was honestly a difficult decision, as I plan to target most of my running backs either before this group or after. I don’t strictly adhere to the RB Dead Zone, but I also tend to not really find myself targeting most of these guys. Having said that, I do quite like Jamaal Williams going 109th overall. Williams isn’t going to repeat his 17 TD output from 2022, but that’s already baked into the price. There’s a chance Alvin Kamara misses significant time from a potential suspension, opening up more touches for Williams, and I expect the Saints offense to score a lot more this season with the QB upgrade. Williams isn’t a superstar, but he’s a decent-to-good runner playing in a decent-to-good offense while likely getting most of the goal-line touches. That’s better than RB38.”
– Ryan Wormeli (FantasyPros)

Rashaad Penny (RB – PHI)

“Rashaad Penny at RB40. Yes, his injury history is grim, but Penny has been productive when healthy. He’s also been wildly efficient, averaging 5.7 yards per carry for his career and 6.2 YPC over the last two years. He won’t catch many passes, which is a drawback in PPR leagues, but Penny is the favorite for early-down work for the Eagles, who have a high-scoring offense and the best offensive line in the league. If Penny stays reasonably healthy and gets close to 200 carries, he’ll give you a tidy profit on a modest investment.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio