Once the bedrock of all fantasy football teams, the running back position has undergone quite an evolution. That evolution exists not only on the real-life gridiron, where NFL teams are deploying time-share committees more than ever before but also on fantasy football rosters. With so few bell-cow running backs, the high-end fantasy options are pushed to the first round while any back with questions gets shoved into the running back dead zone.
Most fantasy rosters in 2024 will not be built by going RB-RB-RB in the first three rounds of a draft. Wide receivers and top-end quarterbacks are too valuable in today’s offense to be boxed out of them with a triple-RB start. Knowing this, running backs have become valuable pieces desired throughout the entirety of the draft. Who are the best ones at each level of a standard half-PPR draft?
Below are two early-round, two mid-round and two late-round running backs fantasy players shouldn’t leave drafts without one or two on their roster. At different levels of fantasy football drafts, each running back has the potential to be a league-winner in 2024.
- 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Fantasy Football Rankings
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Must-Have Running Backs
Zamir White (RB – LV): ADP 67.7 | RB23
When given a full-time role when Josh Jacobs missed four weeks with an injury last season, Zamir White thrived for the Las Vegas Raiders. In Weeks 15-18 (aka the fantasy playoffs), White combined for 85, 145, 106 and 121 yards, and he was the RB8 in half-PPR formats for that span. In those games, White was first in the NFL in rush attempts, third in yards and sixth in yards rushing before contact. The Raiders went 3-1. Antonio Pierce was hired full-time as the head coach and now White looks like a league-winner.
Zamir White takes it in for 6
????: #LVvsMIN on @NFLNetwork
????: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/4THceJZQFO– NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024
All the Raiders did in the offseason was sign backup insurance Alexander Mattison and draft pass-catching specialist Dylan Laube. Neither of those will be a serious threat to consume any of the likely 70% rushing share White is going to see this year. Pierce has made it clear he wants to run, run and run some more this year. White is about to find out what life is like as a full-time running back with a heavy workload. And our fantasy teams are going to reap the benefits.
Tyjae Spears (RB – TEN): ADP 103.3 | RB35
Tyjae Spears stans had about a day of joy when Derrick Henry was let go from Tennessee. Shortly thereafter, Tony Pollard was signed to the roster and what was thought to be an elite opportunity for Spears turned into a messy timeshare. Both backs are excellent pass-catchers. Both are shifty, outside runners. Neither are pound-the-ball-up-the-middle types. Both have minimal experience with heavy goal-line work.
Some high end cuts from Tyjae Spears! One of the tougher decisions in Fantasy Drafts – Spears or Pollard.. Pollard or Spears.. Both? pic.twitter.com/Exc2Dl4RhE
– RosterWatch (@RosterWatch) August 11, 2024
However, what separates these two from each other are their respective performances last season. With close to a full-time job in Dallas (one of the best offenses in the league), Pollard struggled much of the year. Pollard was 42nd in true yards per carry and 44th in yards per touch. Spears was 26th and sixth in those categories. Pollard’s breakaway run rate (or speed plus elusiveness) was 25th among running backs. Spears was fifth.
Neither one of these backs may get 65% of the timeshare in this offense. But it’s clear at this stage Spears is the back you want, especially when Pollard (RB27, ADP of 80.0) is going so much earlier.
Rico Dowdle (RB – DAL): ADP 148.3 | RB45
Speaking of the Dallas Cowboys, their running back room looks like a bit of a mess now with Pollard gone. The Cowboys re-signed dusty, crusty Ezekiel Elliott on a one-year $1.25 million deal. Beyond that, they kept Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis and brought in the corpse of Royce Freeman.
Looking at this competition, it’s not going to be hard for Rico Dowdle to win a majority of the rushing share. Elliott rushed for just 3.5 yards per carry and 4.1 yards per touch (51st among running backs). Elliott had just 0.70 fantasy points per opportunity last season, which was 49th at the position.
Dowdle, meanwhile, excelled in his small role last year. He had 0.82 fantasy points per opportunity and created 4.8 yards per touch. He is a bit undersized at just 5-foot-11 and 213 pounds, but that’s just about exactly what Pollard’s measurements are, and he thrived in a part-time role with Dallas. In 2024, Dowdle is going to be the version of Pollard they hoped for in 2023.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn
