As we gear up for the 2024 fantasy football season, identifying potential breakout stars and hidden gems is crucial for gaining a competitive edge. Our team of FeaturedPros analysts has compiled an exclusive list of running backs poised to make a significant impact this year. From explosive rookies to under-the-radar veterans, discover the RBs who could be game-changers for your fantasy roster.
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Running Back Sleepers & Breakouts
Which one player inside the top 35 of our half-PPR consensus RB rankings has the greatest potential to give fantasy managers the greatest return on investment?
Saquon Barkley (PHI)
“I know that Jalen Hurts running the Tush Push play, and Jason Kelce’s retirement isn’t ideal when it comes to maximizing Saquon Barkley’s fantasy point total, but the last time Barkley played his home games in the state of Pennsylvania (Penn State), it went pretty well. And, unlike in New York, Saquon will actually have a formidable line blocking for him this year. This is the most talented offense Saquon has ever played on. Barkley could have a Christian McCaffrey to San Francisco type of season. Bottom line- Barkley isn’t the cheapest RB here, but few RBs in the Top 25 have 2,000 total yards in their range of outcomes- Saquon does. And if Barkley hits 2,000 total yards, you can refer to me from now on as Saquon Ringo, haha!”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Raheem Mostert (MIA)
“While there are many appealing running backs in the consensus top 35 rankings, Raheem Mostert stands out as having the greatest potential to deliver the most significant return on investment. Currently ranked as the RB24 and typically being drafted in the 10th round, Mostert has the opportunity to far exceed his current ranking and ADP. At 32 years old and coming off the best season of his career, the risk of him not repeating last year’s performance is already factored into his draft cost. Last season, Mostert scored 21 total touchdowns and rushed for over 1,000 yards on just over 200 attempts. Although De’Von Achane is expected to have an increased role in 2024, and the team drafted another speedy running back with plus size, Jaylen Wright, Mostert should still play a prominent role in one of the league’s most potent offenses, provided he stays healthy. Even if there is some regression in his touchdown totals, as expected, Mostert represents one of the best values in fantasy football heading into the new season.”
– Joe Beldner (The Fantasy Footballers)
“Raheem Mostert has been creeping up the half-PPR ranks, now at RB24. And he’s still far too low. Last year’s overall RB2, Mostert was hyper-efficient on just 234 total touches. While his 21 TDs and Achane’s injury played a factor in Mostert’s production, there’s room for regression and for Mostert to maintain RB1 status in fantasy. Both RBs in this dynamic offense should put up RB1 seasons and Mostert is by far the cheaper option and still a phenomenal value.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)
Zamir White (LV)
“Zamir White (RB22 in the ECR) was the RB8, averaging 14.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game during the four weeks Josh Jacobs missed with an injury last year. He had the fourth-highest yards after contact per rushing attempt (3.06) among running backs with at least 30 attempts during those four weeks, ranking ahead of Christian McCaffrey and Jahmyr Gibbs, and the ninth-best explosive run rate (6%), ranking ahead of Breece Hall and Jonathan Taylor (per Fantasy Points Data). The former Georgia star had 20 or more touches in every contest, totaling 100 or more scrimmage yards in all but one game. Alexander Mattison and Dylan Laube won’t keep him from having a featured role in 2024. White has top-10 upside in what should be a run-heavy Las Vegas Raiders offense.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
“With Josh Jacobs now out of town, it is the Zamir White show in Las Vegas. Weeks 15-18 of 2023 showed what White could do as the lead back for the Raiders, finishing as the RB12 in fantasy points per game in that stretch. White should be at the very worst a high volume RB2 in 2024, with the upside for a lot more. 1,000 yards with 8-9 touchdowns is most certainly plausible, and that would eclipse his RB22 status in the ECR.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
Tony Pollard (TEN)
“A touchdown overachiever from 2022, Tony Pollard suffered ridiculously bad touchdown luck in 2023 scoring just six times on 73 red zone opportunities. With average touchdown rates, Pollard would have scored 10.2 more times with where he saw his touches. He will likely see fewer red zone looks in a time share with Tyjae Spears in a less explosive Titans offense. But the undersized Pollard is still the bigger back, and positive regression should net him a touchdown jump in 2024.”
– Scott Spratt (FTN)
Jahmyr Gibbs (DET)
“When talking about a running back who can give a large return on investment, Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs comes to mind. As a rookie, he finished as the RB10, scoring a total of 216.1 fantasy points in half-PPR leagues. In the Lions offense, Gibbs ranked third in target share (14.1%) behind Amon-Ra St. Brown (30.2%) and Sam LaPorta (21.1%). As Gibbs enters his second year in the league, he will receive a more prominent role in the passing game as he has showcased his ability to accumulate yards after the catch during his rookie season. Expect a surge in receptions for the second-year running back, making him a viable option as your RB1 in half-PPR leagues.”
– Lawrence Iacona (Gridiron Experts)
Jonathon Brooks (CAR)
“Jonathon Brooks is currently coming in at RB32 in the consensus rankings. Even an extremely inefficient Rachaad White was a top 8 RB in Canales’ offense last season. I love the additions to the offensive line, and he is going so late in the drafts that you won’t need him to start the season. Could be a league winner down the stretch and you are currently getting him in the 7th round in 1QB leagues, even later in Superflex.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)
“Panthers rookie RB Jonathon Brooks is currently being taken as the RB31 in half-PPR despite being a great bet to return top-24 value this season. Brooks was the first back taken in the 2024 NFL Draft and has an excellent opportunity to earn a three-down role over incumbent starter Chubba Hubbard in Dave Canales’ RB-friendly offense. Canales most recently helped RB Rachaad White to an RB7 finish with the Buccaneers in 2023 with workhorse production that included 70 targets (seventh in the NFL). Brooks is a dual-threat back with strong receiving skills that will likely see him make an early impact in the passing game for the Panthers. Expect his ADP to climb throughout the summer.”
– Dan Larocca (RotoBaller)
Jerome Ford (CLE)
“Jerome Ford checks in at RB39 in ECR and is a steal at the value. Ford finished the 2923 season as RB19 after Nick Chubb was lost to a season-ending knee injury and showed just how talented he was given the opportunity. His ADP has plummeted this off-season with Chubb expected to make a full recovery. The problem with that is that Chubb is almost 29 years old, and running backs far younger than him have struggled to recover from an injury of this severity. One would think that the Cleveland Browns are well aware of the fact that they simply cannot put a heavy workload on the veteran’s shoulders without a serious risk of injury. Ford may not be the bell cow in this backfield, but his workload is going to be much larger than anyone in the fantasy space has been willing to admit. It is within the realm of possibilities that Chubb won’t be the same player ever let alone for the 2024 season. For this reason, I’m drafting Ford everywhere I can. He may not have Top-5 upside, but given his low price tag, he is a free flex-play with RB2 potential.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Football Universe)
Devin Singletary (NYG)
“Devin Singletary at RB30 could surprise some people. Last season, he finished as RB31 with 216 rushing attempts. In the two seasons before that, he finished as RB24 (2022) & RB21 (2021) with fewer attempts. The Giants worked on building up the O-line (something they should have done when Barkley was with them). But Singletary has opportunity to be the lead back, people are high on rookie Tyrone Tracy. Rightfully so, Tracy was a former WR before turning into an RB. But having Tracy as a change-of-pace back could benefit Singletary with fewer opportunities that equate to more gains! It does help to know that Singletary has had less than 30 receptions only once in his career. In 2019, he had 29 receptions in his rookie year. You can draft Singletary for basically nothing, but his upside could lead into a top 20 RB this season.”
– Miguel ‘SC’ Romero (Fantasy Football Universe)
“Devin Singletary is the name you need to watch. Slotted at RB30 in consensus rankings, he’s primed to take over as the Giants’ RB1. Singletary’s efficiency may not jump off the page, but what he lacks there, he more than makes up for in opportunity. His established connection with Coach Daboll, dating back to their Buffalo days, gives him a significant edge. Right now, he’s behind Zack Moss, a player he already outperformed in Buffalo-Jaylen Warren, who’s splitting time with Najee Harris, and Brian Robinson Jr. Remember, Singletary was a top-10 RB in fantasy points per game from Week 10 onward last season. With his history of success under Daboll and a clear path to handle over 65% of the backfield workload, Singletary is poised for at least an RB2 season in 2024. Don’t sleep on him.”
– Chris Battistel (Fantasy In Frames)
Zack Moss (CIN)
“I will not stop pounding the table for Zack Moss this offseason. As a fellow Canadian, I love the hype around London, Ontario’s Chase Brown. However, this is the classic situation of over-emphasizing camp reports. Last season, Joe Mixon had 77.8% of the team’s rushes inside the 20 (Derrick Henry was 2nd with 67.9%). He also had the most touches inside the 5-yard-line of any RB. On a team like the Bengals, that’s top-10 fantasy RB usage. Brown is great in the screen game and electric in space, but let’s not get too cute; Moss was the guy they brought in to replace Mixon. The icing is that, unlike Mixon, Moss excels at running out of the shotgun (which the Bengals primarily run). At RB29, I’m reaching for Moss in all of my drafts.”
– Ellis Johnson (RotoBaller)
Brian Robinson Jr. (WAS)
“For me, it’s RB28 Brian Robinson Jr. There was a lot made of Austin Ekeler‘s signing this offseason as potential competition for him. However, Robinson’s pass-catching chops have led me to believe that Ekeler wasn’t signed as competition but rather as insurance. Last season, he ran 212 routes, averaged 10.1 yards per reception, and 1.72 yards per route run. Those sort of receiving metrics, especially when catching passes is a proven way to get fantasy points at the position, makes me believe that Robinson is much more of a threat for a three-down role than originally anticipated.”
– RManuelSports (Fantasy In Frames)
Rhamondre Stevenson (NE)
“Rhamondre Stevenson is currently the consensus RB20 and is going to reward fantasy owners with a mighty return! Stevenson was just given a 4 year $36,000,000 contract to be the bell cow running back for the New England Patriots. Last year, he had injuries that slowed his season and was on a descending Patriots team. This year, the Patriots are going to lean on him due to drafting a young quarterback. New head coach Jerod Mayo is changing to an outside zone running scheme, which should have Stevenson owners excited! Add in that he is a great pass-catching option out of the backfield, and owners will have the recipe for an RB1 at the cost of a low-end RB2!!”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
De’Von Achane (MIA)
“It may be one of the most predictable answers here, but when it comes to the highest potential, there is only one answer: De’Von Achane. Achane, even with an RB11 price tag, presents tremendous upside. Achane averaged an eye-popping 7.77 YPC in 2023. Not only that, but he was able to compile eight touchdowns while playing over 50% of snaps only four times all year. His efficiency is crucial to his fantasy success, as he is likely to sit in the 12-15 touches per game range if he wants to stay healthy. The Dolphins bring back all of their key starters on offense in 2024, and even with the addition of rookie Jaylen Wright, the arrow is pointing up for Achane. One of the true RB1 overall candidates this year, Achane presents one of the most promising boom picks among the top 35 running backs. ”
– Marco Enriquez (FantasyPros)
Javonte Williams (DEN)
“Javonte Williams, RB, Broncos: Williams wasn’t healthy last year following a 2022 ACL/LCL tear. But he’s looking back to pre-injury form based on multiple camp reports — and the words of HC Sean Payton. Only 24, Williams has a clear path to 220 touches if his momentum continues. His Underdog ADP (early Round 10) supplies clear profit potential.”
– Kevin English (Draft Sharks)
Running Back Sleepers
Which sleeper candidate outside the top 35 in our half-PPR consensus RB rankings has the most upside relative to his draft cost?
Braelon Allen (NYJ)
“If you’re talking about the most upside relative to his draft cost, then it’s Braelon Allen for me. Allen is mostly a lottery ticket/insurance policy, depending on whether you drafted/Breece Hall or not. However, if Hall were to go down (and we never root for that to happen, but the truth is football is a violent sport, and it’s a long season), Allen would suddenly become very interesting on a Jets team that figures to run it a lot. If you’re in a league with deep rosters (12 teams, 20 rounds or more), there are worse dart throws to take than on a talented backup RB (currently ranked as RB 61) who would get close to a bell cow role if the situation presented itself. However, when it comes to Ringo telling bad jokes, don’t you fret because the situation always presents itself, haha!”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Chase Brown (CIN)
“Among running backs ranked outside the consensus top 35, Chase Brown, currently positioned at RB38, emerges as a compelling sleeper candidate. While many players can provide value early in the season or step up due to injury, Brown has one of the most straightforward paths to becoming his team’s RB1 right from the start. While it is important to sometimes take training camp buzz with a grain of salt, the praise for Brown from coaches and practice reports has been overwhelmingly positive. He will need to compete with Zack Moss, who was brought in to help fill the void left by Joe Mixon, but Moss, despite his breakout last year, is not an overwhelmingly daunting obstacle for Brown. Notably, Brown is one of the fastest running backs in the league and excels in the passing game, making him especially valuable for fantasy purposes. With a healthy Joe Burrow leading what is expected to be one of the league’s top offenses, any piece of the Cincinnati backfield is desirable. Brown, currently the more affordable option, stands out as a sleeper candidate who is poised to crush his current draft cost and ranking.”
– Joe Beldner (The Fantasy Footballers)
“Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown’s upside is tremendous compared to his draft cost in half-PPR leagues. In the small sample size we have from his rookie season, he recorded 14 receptions for 156 receiving yards, averaged 11.1 yards per reception, and scored 1 touchdown. Now that Joe Mixon is a member of the Houston Texans, Brown’s role in the offense will increase. Throughout the offseason, Brown has taken the majority of first-team reps at the running back position and has been praised by head coach Zac Taylor, who emphasized Brown’s role in the offense. If Brown solidifies himself as the lead back in this offense, it won’t take long for him to outperform his ADP.”
– Lawrence Iacona (Gridiron Experts)
“For me, Chase Brown provides immense upside. Yes, Cincinnati signed Zack Moss this offseason. However, it’s hard for me to ignore an athletic profile and that’s what Brown possesses. He does give up about 15 pounds to Moss. But he’s an elite athlete in an offense that hasn’t had this sort of athleticism in a while. I do think both players will have an early season role, but as the season wears on, I believe Brown’s game-breaking ability will allow him to overtake Moss in the backfield and outperform Moss in both total fantasy points and fantasy points per game by the end of the year.”
– RManuelSports (Fantasy In Frames)
“Chase Brown is currently getting the majority of the first team reps for the Cincinnati Bengals so far in training camp. How he is ranked as the RB37 in the ECR is crazy to me, but that will change as we get closer to the start of the season. Joe Mixon earned 64 targets in 2023 for the Bengals, and Brown was a candidate to receive some of that in 2024, regardless of his standing in the offense. If he becomes the starter, which is still a big if with 5 weeks to go until the regular season, Brown could see even more of those targets going his way, which would make him a no-doubt top-24 play. That is also without even factoring in what he could gather on the ground. Go get Chase Brown while you can because the hype train is coming.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
Jaleel McLaughlin (DEN)
“The Denver Broncos backfield is a wide-open competition heading into the 2024 season. However, Jaleel McLaughlin (RB47 in the ECR) is the guy fantasy players should want on their team. He impressed as a rookie, averaging 11.8 half-point PPR fantasy points per game and 6.9 yards per rushing attempt in the four contests with at least seven attempts. McLaughlin had the 12th-best explosive run rate among running backs with at least 75 rushing attempts in 2023 (per Fantasy Points Data). Don’t be surprised if Sean Payton views him as his next Alvin Kamara and gives the second-year player a significant workload this season, especially in the passing game. Furthermore, McLaughlin could see an even larger role if Javonte Williams or Samaje Perine don’t make the final roster, potentially giving him top-20 upside despite being a low-end RB4 in the rankings.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
Zach Charbonnet (SEA)
“Zach Charbonnet – His teammate Kenneth Walker lapped him with a 26.9% versus a 13.9% avoided tackle rate in 2023. But Charbonnet bested Walker with 2.6 versus 2.4 yards after contact per attempt and ranked top 12 at the position. New Seahawks OC Ryan Grubb has stated his desire for a physical team, and he may want to shift some work to Charbonnet to stay ahead of the sticks and complement his conservative and accurate quarterback Geno Smith.”
– Scott Spratt (FTN)
J.K. Dobbins (LAC)
“Take your pick between JK Dobbins (RB52) and Kimani Vidal (RB64) in the Chargers backfield. I’ll go with Dobbins, just because we know he’s a great back with his only barrier being health. He’s been talking a good game recently too, but we need to see it now. Dobbins and fellow running mate Gus Edwards (RB35) are also familiar with the Greg Roman system from their time together in Baltimore, so it’s his job to lose. Vidal is the cheapest, but he’s also got the most to learn. I’ll take the bet on Dobbins to regain full health and be the 1A in this backfield. If he’s healthy, he absolutely will be.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)
“J.K. Dobbins, RB, Chargers: You have to acknowledge the injury risk. Still, it’s tough to overlook Dobbins as an “upside” fantasy player, given his ideal blend of opportunity and offensive environment. There’s even familiarity with former Ravens OC Greg Roman. Predictably, Dobbins has seen his fair share of first-team reps in training camp. His Underdog ADP extends into Round 14.”
– Kevin English (Draft Sharks)
Elijah Mitchell (SF)
“Elijah Mitchell would be a top 10 RB the second anything happened to Christian McCaffrey. He is a must stash player, going in the 14th round. Whether you have CMC or not, this is a high-upside handcuff that has proven to be fantasy-relevant in the past. You want running backs that are going to get volume and that are on good offenses. He checks all of the boxes and is a great value on top of it. ”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)
Trey Benson (ARI)
“Trey Benson may start the season as an injury handcuff for the Arizona Cardinals, but with an aging and injury-prone James Conner in front of him, he is a potential lottery ticket that could come through at any moment. The rookie Benson is going off the board as RB40 and is all but guaranteed to find himself in fantasy relevance at some point in 2024. James Conner has missed at least three games in each season since of his career except one (he missed one game in 2021). At 29 years old, Conner is well past the age apex for a running back and is a ticking timebomb waiting to explode in your fantasy lineup. When that timebomb finally goes off, the explosive Florida State rookie has the upside to be a Top-10 fantasy running back. Benson should be viewed as a flex-worthy running back with Conner healthy and the best handcuff in fantasy football should Conner go down at any point. He could be this year’s Kyren Williams.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Football Universe)
Kimani Vidal (LAC)
“Kimani Vidal is the perfect dart throw late in the draft. He fits the system OC Greg Roman likes to use, and even though there are two RBs ahead of him, the depth chart Vidal has upside. Vidal is a bowling ball-style runner who has proven he can handle the bulk of the carries, and he can catch passes, too! This dual-threat style RB can easily take over as the Chargers lead back. We know Roman likes to run, and even if he uses a committee-style approach, Vidal at RB63 could be major, considering he could get some work frequently. I am drafting him where I can because once he gets his shot, I believe he won’t give it back.”
– Miguel ‘SC’ Romero (Fantasy Football Universe)
“Chargers rookie RB Kimani Vidal, the RB63 in ECR as of this writing, is a sleeper with huge upside this year. The rookie is joining a Jim Harbaugh-led Chargers team that enters training camp with Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins atop the running back depth chart. While the 29-year-old Edwards is expected to start Week 1, he has shown a history of durability concerns and has only averaged 139.8 rushing attempts per season in his career. Vidal is already the most skilled pass catcher in the Chargers’ RB room, earning at least 22 targets in all four of his college seasons while keeping an 81% catch rate. The rookie has a great path to top-36 value despite being taken in the 13th round of most drafts.”
– Dan Larocca (RotoBaller)
Chuba Hubbard (CAR)
“In March, Panthers HC David Canales emphasized that the RB1 role would go to the player who runs with intensity and hunger. By late July, Canales singled out Chuba Hubbard, praising his “angry” running style and expressing eagerness to give him opportunities. With Jonathan Brooks on the PUP list, Hubbard, currently ranked as RB43, is a prime ZeroRB target for the season’s early weeks. He outperformed Miles Sanders in key statistical categories last year, and with the Panthers bolstering their offensive line, Hubbard is worth grabbing while you explore early season trade options.”
– Chris Battistel (Fantasy In Frames)
Rico Dowdle (DAL)
“Rico Dowdle has one of the most overlooked stories in the NFL. The undrafted free agent in 2020 fought through multiple injuries to start his career. Over his first three seasons, he totaled seven carries for 27 yards. Still, the Cowboys brought him back on the roster each year. Now he is competing with 29-year-old Ezekiel Elliott. Last season, Elliott failed to have a rush of 20+ yards on 184 attempts, whereas Dowdle had more total runs of 10+ yards on 100 fewer attempts. To me, it’s Dowdle’s backfield to lose, not the other way around. If Dowdle’s role includes the goalline, we could be talking about a top-12 RB at the end of the season.”
– Ellis Johnson (RotoBaller)
Tyler Allgeier (ATL)
“At RB49, Tyler Allgeier is going to reward owners who pick running backs later in their fantasy drafts! Two years ago, Allgeier came into the league and rushed for 1,035 yards exciting fantasy owners for his future….until the Falcons drafted Bijan Robinson! All he did in response to that was rush for 683 yards as a part of a power committee in Atlanta. Atlanta is looking to continue the run-heavy offense this year, and OC Zac Robinson is already saying that Allgeier will have “a big role” in 2024! If this isn’t coach speak, all signs point to Allgeier being a valuable flex-worthy, Bijan handcuff, upside player at his current draft cost!”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
Dylan Laube (LV)
“I’m going with a deep cut here in Dylan Laube. The rookie out of New Hampshire is already getting some first-team reps for the Raiders. While Zamir White seems to be the new hotness in Las Vegas, his skillset means he likely won’t be much of an option on third down. Laube has a chance to win the third-down job ahead of week one, and if White were to miss time due to injury, Laube could become the Raiders’ workhorse in 2024. The rookie tested well at the combine with elite agility scores and decent speed and explosiveness. ”
– Marco Enriquez (FantasyPros)
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