Looking at the running back landscape as we enter the 2024 NFL season, a handful of running backs could challenge Christian McCaffrey for the overall RB1 position.
Does Breece Hall build upon his impressive success last season? Will Bijan Robinson get the volume his talents deserve? Will Jonathan Taylor stay healthy and achieve overall RB1 status like he did in 2021? Does Jahmyr Gibbs earn enough volume to explode into the RB1 spot?
Every fantasy manager knows those running backs are must-have RBs to roster and will launch your team to the championship.
Here are must-have running backs you should queue up during your drafts or auctions that will propel you to championship glory and bragging rights.
- 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Fantasy Football Rankings
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Must-Have Running Backs (2024 Fantasy Football)
Jonathon Brooks (RB – CAR)
Jonathon Brooks was among the best running back prospects in a weak 2024 NFL Draft class. His stock took a massive hit when he suffered a torn ACL in November. However, Brooks is on track to be ready for the Week 1 kickoff of the NFL 2024 season. The Carolina Panthers were satisfied enough with the health of his knee to trade up six spots in the second round to select the Texas Longhorns running back No. 46 overall.
Brooks forewent his final two years of eligibility to enter the 2024 NFL Draft after backing up Bijan Robinson for his first two seasons. The 6-foot-0, 216-pound running back has low mileage and fresh legs, having only totaled 238 carries in three seasons at Texas. In his lone season as the starter last season, he rushed for 1,139 yards on 187 carriers and 10 scores, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Brooks also impacted the passing game, catching 25 passes for 11.4 yards per catch (YAC) in just 11 games.
New Carolina Panthers head coach David Canales is a massive fan of Brooks. Canales hopes the former Longhorn will upgrade the Panthers’ running game, which was 20th in yards and 30th in touchdowns last season with the unimpressive backfield of Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders. Canales on Brooks:
“[Brooks is] a bigger back. He’s got range,” Canales said. “There is so much that he brings from a versatility standpoint. Then just vision, patience, contact balance, acceleration, like he’s got it all. Best back in this class.”
Hubbard and Sanders will provide minimal competition for touches in the Panthers’ backfield, allowing Brooks to contribute in his rookie season. However, the knee injury risk is a source of trepidation for some fantasy managers. Brooks perfectly fits the zone running scheme Canales loves to run with his size, vision and no-nonsense running style.
The caveat with Brooks is that the Panthers might initially ease Brooks in. His inclusion here does not look at his September production but what Brooks will produce in December for your fantasy playoffs, allowing Brooks to be a high-end RB2 this season.
James Conner (RB – ARI)
James Connor & the Cardinals run game is an overlooked storyline from 2023. Some stats per @SportsInfo_SIS:
ARI run game overall
-1st in EPA/attempt
-1st in EPA
-2nd in yards/att
-4th in yards after contact/att
-1st in broken tackles + missed tackles forced/attJames Connor… https://t.co/5VeMpq5s41
– Anthony Cover 1 (@Pro__Ant) June 6, 2024
This selection might shock some fantasy managers, but James Conner just turned in the most efficient season of his career. Conner finished with career-highs in rushing yards (1,040) and yards per carry (5.0). The former Pitt Panther reached those marks in just 13 games after an MCL sprain, which cost him four games following Week 5.
Conner accomplished his career year on a 24th-ranked Cardinals offense, where defenses stacked the box to take away Conner and dual-threat quarterback Kyler Murray. After returning from his injured reserved stay, Conner produced RB7 numbers. More impressively, Conner won plenty of championships for fantasy managers during the fantasy playoffs when he finished as the RB2 during Weeks 15-18.
Entering the 2024 season, the Cardinals made significant investments in their offense. The draft selections of first-round wideout Marvin Harrison, Jr., third-round running back Trey Benson and the offensive line improvements display their commitment to the ascending offense surrounding Kyler Murray. The offensive upgrades should make Conner an exciting value pick for fantasy managers.
The knock on Conner has always been his injury history. Yes, Conner has missed multiple games in each of his seven NFL seasons, though never more than six in any one NFL season. Adding Benson pushes the narrative that Conner will lose valuable touches. However, Conner has a firm grasp as the lead back in this Cardinals offense and is expected to be the workhorse RB for the Cardinals in 2024.
Conner will continue to impact the offense on the ground and via the passing game in 2024. Conner is entering the 2024 season as an RB2 option. With an improved Cardinals offense, look for a jump into borderline-RB1 territory.
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Dennis Sosic is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Dennis, check out his archive and follow him @CALL_ME_SOS.
