In this wide receiver-heavy landscape that 2024 best ball has given us, nailing your running back picks when you do get to them matters more than ever. Once we get past pick 150 in drafts, nearly everything is a dart throw, but some fantasy football draft dart throws can be better than others. Below are running back sleepers and dart throws you should target in best ball. Average draft position (ADP) data is from Underdog Fantasy.
- 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Best Ball Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Fantasy Football Sleepers
Jaleel McLaughlin | ADP: 153.3
The Broncos backfield is messy this year with Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine, Jaleel McLaughlin and incoming rookie Audric Estime. The expectation is Perine is cut during training camp and Estime will still have a lot of work to learn this offense.
McLaughlin, who averaged 7.3 touches per game from Week 4 onwards, also led all running backs in targets per route run as Russell Wilson checked down constantly, something Bo Nix is also expected to do frequently. Perhaps Javonte Williams finally rediscovers some form but there isn’t much evidence to suggest that so far. McLaughlin has earned a role that can be handy, particularly in full PPR formats.
Kimani Vidal | ADP: 155.5
One of fantasy football’s big traps can be using the argument ‘there’s nobody else there.’ That can certainly apply to a Chargers backfield with Dobbins coming off his second season-ending injury and Gus Edwards coming off his worst season in terms of yards per carry (4.1), which looks even worse when you consider from Week 12 onwards he averaged 3.4.
Vidal comes into the NFL fresh off 1,861 all-purpose yards in 2023. The common knock against Vidal is he did this playing for a small school (Troy), but if he gets on the field, sometimes volume is all it takes at the running back position. With this backfield, it might be one to approach with caution and not get too carried away with anyone involved.
Keaton Mitchell | ADP: 212.3
Only two running backs saw over 30 touches in 2023 and averaged above 8.0 yards per carry — De’Von Achane and Keaton Mitchell. The Ravens were crying out for more juice in the backfield last year. Just as Mitchell’s role seemed to be expanding he tore his ACL. With such a late-season ACL injury, drafting Mitchell means carrying him on your bench for perhaps half the season before he provides a return on investment.
Mitchell was fortunate to suffer a clean tear, more akin to Breece Hall‘s injury than the career-crippling ones Dobbins and Javonte Williams suffered, so his outlook is ok. If he gets back on the field in time for the fantasy playoffs he could provide the lightning to Derrick Henry‘s thunder in this backfield.
Fantasy Football Draft Picks to Target
- Fitz’s Top Fantasy Football Draft Targets (Premium)
- Erickson’s Top Fantasy Football Draft Targets (Premium)
- DBro’s Top Fantasy Football Draft Targets (Premium)
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn