There are well over 100 days until the NFL season officially kicks off on Sept. 5, but it’s never too early to start your fantasy football draft prep! We have plenty of depth chart battles to watch, and perhaps no position has more fluidity than running back.
Let’s take a look at the most intriguing running back battles to monitor and the potential fantasy football impact, following the outcomes of the 2024 NFL Draft and Free Agency.
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Fantasy Football Running Back Battles To Monitor
Here are running back position battles to monitor over the summer to see where you can mine some fantasy football draft value.
Miami Dolphins
- De’Von Achane | ECR: RB13
- Raheem Mostert | ECR: RB26
- Jaylen Wright | ECR: RB56
The battle of all battles exists in Miami! It may not seem like an intriguing battle since we know Miami’s offense can produce two top-12 backs. However, this is a critical battle for fantasy purposes because of the stark difference in cost between the three backs. As the young incumbent running back, De’Von Achane will be the first Miami running back off the board in fantasy drafts. Achane averaged 17.3 fantasy points per game, and in games where he played over 39% of snaps, he averaged over 20 fantasy points per game.
On any other team, this wouldn’t be a battle. But while Achane was impressive, Raheem Mostert averaged 17.8 fantasy points per game in his own right and will have a far lower ADP. Conceptually, Mostert is 32 and could certainly take a backseat to Achane. Still, Miami’s backfield has been a clear committee under Mike McDaniel, and Mostert should remain a critical part of this backfield, offering RB1 upside at an RB3 ADP.
The wildcard in Miami’s backfield is Jaylen Wright. I recently wrote an article on the best rookie landing spots, and Wright was on that list. While I don’t believe Wright will immediately cut into Achane’s and Mostert’s work, I see Wright as a strong late-round pick in fantasy drafts because of the upside he’ll offer if either back goes down with an injury.
More Fantasy Football Draft Advice
- Erickson’s Must-Have Best Ball Draft Targets (Premium)
- Fitz’s Must-Have Best Ball Draft Targets (Premium)
- DBro’s Must-Have Best Ball Draft Targets (Premium)
- Hoppen’s Must-Have Best Ball Draft Targets (Premium)
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