While the 2023 NFL season is over, fantasy football is a year-long thing. Therefore, it’s never too early to look ahead to next year. Here’s a look at a few running backs.
Fantasy Football Draft Values
The 2023 running back position was a wild one for fantasy players. Christian McCaffrey was the RB1 in ADP and finished the year as the top-scoring running back in half-point PPR scoring. However, only three other running backs drafted in the top 10 finished the season as an RB1 – Bijan Robinson (RB3 ADP vs. RB9 finish), Derrick Henry (RB7 vs. RB8), and Travis Etienne Jr. (RB9 vs. RB3). The other six top-10 finishers had only one player (Joe Mixon) with a previous RB1 finish.
2024 Potential ADP Values
James Conner (ARI)
The knock against Conner is his injury history, having missed four games in back-to-back years. However, the veteran could be one of my favorite running backs to draft next season if he returns to Arizona. The Cardinals have made him a featured running back the past two years, finishing no lower than the RB10 in half-point PPR scoring either season. Arizona is rebuilding and likely won’t invest much in the running back position, giving Conner another year as the featured guy.
Jerome Ford (CLE)
Unfortunately, Nick Chubb suffered a gruesome knee injury early in the season. While the veteran will return in 2024, he will likely start the year on PUP. Ford played well as Chubb’s replacement, ending the season as the RB17, averaging 11.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. The young running back will be one of my favorite targets when using a Zero-RB draft strategy. He has an ADP of RB41 on Underdog Fantasy, making him a bargain. Ford should start next season as the Browns’ No. 1 running back.
2024 Potential Breakouts
Tyjae Spears (TEN)
While the Titans haven’t ruled out Derrick Henry returning, the veteran will likely play elsewhere next season. That would be excellent news for Spears. The former Tulane star played a significant role in the passing game, totaling 70 targets, the third-most on the team. More importantly, he ranked 10th in yards after contact per rushing attempt (2.92) among running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts (per Fantasy Points Data). If Tennessee can improve its offensive line in the offseason, Spears could have a massive sophomore-year breakout.
Zamir White (LV)
Josh Jacobs averaged 3.5 yards per rushing attempt this season after averaging 4.9 in 2022. With a new regime calling the shots, Las Vegas might let him walk in free agency, opening the door for White to have the starting role. The second-year player was the RB8, averaging 14.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game during the four weeks as the starter. With Antonio Pierce back as the head coach, expect whoever is his starting running back to be valuable for fantasy players.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
