This was a lot. Let’s get right the running back by committee (RBBC) review. In brackets is the average draft position (ADP) of each committee back.

• 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
• 2024 Fantasy Football Rankings
• 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
• Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator

Running Back By Committee Review

Pittsburgh Steelers

The run game will be the focal point in this Pittsburgh offense with new OC Arthur Smith. The Falcons ran the ball 522 times last year (559 in 2022), averaging roughly 30 carries a game. Pittsburgh spent first-, second- and fourth-round picks on offensive linemen. They also drafted Roman Wilson, a receiver known for his blocking. The offense will run through Najee Harris (RB24) and Jaylen Warren (RB32), making both players fantasy-viable in 2024.

Harris and Warren broke a combined 57 tackles in 2023. Harris averaged 2.1 yards after contact, which ranked sixth in the league. He also showed off explosive potential with eight 20+ yard carries. Warren averaged 5.3 yards per carry, which is only 0.1 yards below Christian McCaffrey. He also became a prominent pass-catching threat with 61 receptions for 370 yards. Harris and Warren are complementary options. Harris earns the tough yards in between the tackles while Warren excels in outside runs and as a receiver.

Feel comfortable drafting either running back to your fantasy team. Their 520+ carries and 112 targets (Warren and Harris combined targets from last year) make for a very heavy offensive share.

Tennessee Titans

Brian Callahan has repeatedly referred to Tony Pollard (RB26) and Tyjae Spears (RB36) as co-starters. Unlike Pittsburgh, Tennessee’s new offensive system doesn’t rely heavily on the run game. Including scrambles and wide receiver runs, Callahan oversaw 383 rush attempts in 2023. He threw the ball a ton even without Joe Burrow. That being said, Joe Mixon finished the year as RB5.

Spears totaled 1,108 scrimmage yards in 2023, supplementing his 100 carries with a stellar 52 receptions. He was incredibly elusive, forcing 26 missed tackles on his carries. Pollard had a down year that still saw him finish as a solid RB15. A broken leg suffered in 2022 can explain the lack of juice Pollard had last year. He averaged a career-worst yards per carry (YPC) mrk of 4.0 and yards per reception (YPR) mark of 5.7.

This one is tough, but I’d rather wait the significant fantasy ADP jump and take Spears. Running backs can go bad very quickly. If Pollard doesn’t look like his former self, Spears can become the 1A in this backfield.

Cincinnati Bengals

Zack Moss (RB27) and Chase Brown (RB37) present one of the more interesting committees. Moss is a reliable grinder with a career average of 4.3 yards per carry. He’s only broken 500 yards once in his career. He also has some injury issues, as he’s played an average of 13.25 games per season. Moss is a solid replacement-level option. Chase Brown offers a more explosive element to the Cincinnati backfield. The combine reaffirmed his elite athleticism with a 9.81 Relative Athletic Score (RAS). Cincinnati desperately needs someone who can produce big plays out of the backfield. Last year, Mixon had three 20+ yard carries on 257 attempts. Brown had two on only 44 attempts. That’s a 1.1% rate to a 4.5% rate.

Moss performed admirably in Jonathan Taylor‘s stead last year, finishing as a top-10 running back in four of the first six weeks of the season. The success was short-lived, as his fantasy points per game dropped to 6.6 from Week 7 onward. Chase Brown didn’t earn significant run until the end of the season, but he flashed in his limited time, ranking 12th in yards after contact among running backs with at least 40 carries.

I prefer Brown, as his explosive play ability comes with plus-size. He’s 211 pounds and handled a significant workload in college. He also figures to earn the majority of passing targets, as Moss has never had over 40 receptions in his career. The Bengals don’t rely on the run game, so I don’t expect both players to be viable weekly options.

Miami Dolphins

Draft them all, I guess. I never turn down a Mike McDaniel running back. Raheem Mostert (RB25), De’Von Achane (RB10) and Jaylen Wright (RB48) combine to make the fastest backfield in the league.

Mostert finished sixth in explosive run rate and led the league with 18 touchdowns. He’s probably the only player to lead the league in touchdowns and get drafted so low the next year. Of course,

De’Von Achane is the most explosive player I’ve seen. He finished first in explosive run rate and averaged a monstrous 7.8 YPC. He also scored 11 touchdowns. Health remains the only concern with Achane.

Wright, the newcomer, has quickly become my favorite running back to manage in dynasty formats. In his final collegiate season, he forced 43 missed tackles. He earned an average of 4.35 yards after contact and was a big play machine with a 26% explosive run rate.

These guys are all incredible players and outstanding fits in this Miami offense that prioritizes speed and playmakers. Miami led the league with 27 rushing touchdowns last year. There also figures to be an opportunity in the passing game, especially for Achane. The Dolphins frequently have two running backs on the field, which could spread the opportunity around. Achane has also been effective as a slot receiver.

These running backs don’t need 15+ carries every game to produce fantasy points. They all possess elite explosive potential. Coach McDaniel also spreads the love, as Mostert and Achane each received 10+ touches in all the games they played together. I wouldn’t mind rostering all three and starting two each week.

Dallas Cowboys

Rico Dowdle (RB43) and Ezekiel Elliott (RB40) figure to enter the season as the Cowboys’ starting running backs. Cowboys fans and fantasy managers aren’t too excited about this one. The Cowboys have historically deployed fantasy-relevant running backs; however, rushing attempts dropped last year to 468 from 531 with Mike McCarthy taking full ownership of the offense. They still finished in the top half of the league. Offseason investments in the offensive line should bolster the run game.

Elliott had a nice stretch of 10+ point games to end the season, but that had more to do with a massive workload and the Patriots’ many injuries. Overall, Elliott looked washed. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, he was among the worst running backs in the league with -71 rush yards over expected. He also had only two 20+ yard rushes on 184 carries. Dowdle had two on 89 carries. Dowdle also only had one fewer run of 10+ yards (seven). This sounds like my Cincinnati backfield assessment, except I don’t think either running back is that great.

Dowdle wasn’t efficient, but he had more juice than Pollard last year. He also showed chops as a receiver with 17 receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns. He just has to stay healthy, as he’s missed almost two whole years due to injury. Draft Dowdle ahead of Elliott. Beware of an in-season trade for a better back.

Los Angeles Chargers

Gus Edwards (RB35) and J.K. Dobbins (RB41) reunite under Greg Roman and another Harbaugh. It’s bizarro and I like it for each player. Roman and Harbaugh historically lean on the run game. During his time in San Francisco, Harbaugh’s offense never finished over 29th in passing attempts. They finished in the top 10 for rushing attempts each year. The Chargers just bolstered their offensive line with generational talent Joe Alt.

Edwards was solid last year, but his touchdown production (13) bolstered his fantasy numbers. Everything else about his season was pedestrian, including his YPC (4.1) and yards after catch per contact (1.5). The Chargers offense won’t produce the same amount of touchdowns as the Ravens, so I expect Edwards’ touchdown total to regress closer to his previous career-high of six. Dobbins is a much more evasive, creative runner. He averaged 6.0 YPC during his rookie year and returned from a torn ACL to average 5.7 YPC. Unfortunately, Achilles injuries have a much worse typical outcome. Dobbins possessed elite quickness early in his career, but his vision and patience were among his best traits. That won’t go away.

Both running backs offer solid upside and they complement each other well. I don’t expect a bell-cow despite Joe Hortiz’s comments, since the team signed Dobbins a month after he said this. There will be plenty of opportunity for both running backs. I prefer Dobbins due to the ceiling.

Denver Broncos

Javonte Williams (RB28), Jaleel McLaughlin (RB51), and Audric Estime (RB65) compose the murky Denver backfield. There’s a significant opportunity available, especially in the passing game. One hundred and fifty-two targets went to running backs last year. Williams received a significant 217 carries as the workhorse

McLaughlin has a firm hold on the third-down role, but his 2023 performance could earn him more rush attempts. He averages the same YPC as Christian McCaffrey (5.4) and had a 20+ yard rush on 5.2% of his carries. He should receive more passing targets with the presumed downfall of Samaje Perine (56 targets).

Williams had the worst year of his career. He went from being a top-drafted player to averaging 3.6 YPC. He had half the 20+ yard carries of McLaughlin on nearly triple the attempts. Williams never had elite lateral agility. Rather he relied on his balance and run strength. He had 31 broken tackles during his rookie year. In 2023, he only had 10. The fall-off was significant. Players normally take a year to fully recover from a torn ACL, but he looked so bad last year that I’m approaching his RB28 ADP with caution.

It might be too early to think about Estime, but Williams’ poor 2023 opens the door for competition. It also means he has a short leash if he starts the year slow. Estime has earned praise from the coaches during training camp. He powered Notre Dame’s offense with 1,341 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns last year. He’s imposing at 5-foot-11 and 221 pounds and has enough burst to break off explosive plays, as evidenced by his 14 20+ yard rushes in 2023.

Approach this whole backfield with caution. Fade Williams at his ADP. McLaughlin presents good value for someone who will have boom weeks. Estime is a guy to snag with the last pick or monitor on the waiver wire.

Washington Commanders

Brian Robinson (RB31) and Austin Ekeler (RB33) have very similar values. Kliff Kingsbury has praised both running backs in the media, so there’s no real indication of what to expect. A high-ankle sprain and the general chaos in Los Angeles doomed Ekeler to the worst year of his career. In Washington, Robinson had a couple of boom weeks, scoring as the overall RB1 in Weeks 2 and 10. Other than that, he never broke the top 10, ultimately finishing as the RB22. For all of Ekeler’s woes, he still finished in the top 10 on five separate occasions but ended the season as the RB29.

It’s hard to judge Ekeler for last season, but I’m cautious of aging running backs coming off a bad statistical year. He averaged a career-worst 3.5 YPC, and although the offensive line didn’t help much, he only had 1.5 yards after contact per attempt. He was still effective as a pass-catcher with 51 receptions and 436 yards. Robinson was a more efficient runner with 4.1 YPC and 1.8 yards after contact per attempt. He also flashed as a receiver, ranking 12th in yards per route run (YPRR).

Ekeler figures to steal most of the passing work while Robinson will take the slam dunk touchdowns that always boosted Ekeler’s value with the Chargers. This explains the sub-RB30 ADP for each. I lean toward Robinson at the current ADP, but there’s a real chance Ekeler looks better after having time off to heal his high-ankle sprain. Robinson is also probably just an above-average running back, as we’ve seen through the first two years of his career.

Detroit Lions

Jahmyr Gibbs (RB6) and David Montgomery (RB20) each had exceptional seasons. Gibbs finished as the RB10 and Montgomery finished at RB13. Montgomery received more rushing attempts with 219 compared to 182, but Gibbs supplemented this with 71 targets in the passing game. Gibbs was also the more explosive runner runner with 5.2 YPC compared to 4.6. He also had 10 20+ yard rushes to Montgomery’s four. Montgomery was the steady, efficient option. His rushing success rate (54.8%) was significantly better than Gibbs’ (46.7%).

Expect the high-scoring offense to keep each of these players consistently fantasy-viable. They both placed top-10 in rushing touchdowns last year. Gibbs could earn more carries, as he was getting more touches in the latter half of the season. I also expect his targets to go up since he’s such a dangerous playmaker. A 200-carry even split would work nicely, closing the gap from last year and keeping each player fed.

Feel comfortable drafting both players at their ADPs. There’s already proof of concept, so not much to question as we head into year two of this committee. Montgomery is a bargain at his ADP, and Gibbs is a worthwhile investment. They’ve got Ben Johnson, an elite offensive line and a well-rounded offense that takes off the pressure. It worked last year and it will work again.

Seattle Seahawks

Kenneth Walker (RB16) and Zach Charbonnet (RB44) have a value gulf between them. Last year, Walker earned 219 carries to Charbonnet’s 108. A new coaching staff could throw a wrench into things but reports out of training camp indicate Walker has a firm grasp on the lead role. He’s one of the most elusive runners in the league, ranking fourth in missed tackles per attempt. He matched Breece Hall with seven 20+ yard runs. Charbonnet also ripped off a few big plays with four 20+ yard runs on half the carries. He ranked 20th in explosive run rate and averaged 4.3 YPC.

Charbonnet is a solid, well-rounded back, but he doesn’t possess an elite trait similar to Walker’s elusiveness. When given a featured role (14+ carries), Charbonnet’s YPC dropped to 3.2. Expect Walker to remain the featured running back in 2024. A new coaching staff could also utilize him more in the passing game. So far, he’s been Nick Chubb-lite, which means he’s a pure, talented runner who doesn’t get featured in the passing game. Walker has yet to break 30 receptions in a year, which makes his consecutive top-20 finishes more impressive. There’s meat on the bone with Walker, and it’s worth betting that the new coaches see this.

Walker offers strong upside at his ADP. At worst, he’s an RB2. Charbonnet is a prized handcuff, but not a player to draft if you don’t also have Walker.

New York Giants

As the saying goes, Devin Singletary (RB30) is inevitable. He projects to lead the backfield while backup Tyrone Tracy Jr. (RB53) nips at his heels. Singletary earned the lead role in Houston halfway through the season. He achieved career-highs in attempts (216) and yards (898). After reaching a 75% snap rate in Week 9, he averaged 13.4 fantasy points per game. His underlying metrics are average. He will need volume in New York to remain viable.

Tracy is a name to monitor on the waiver. The receiver-turned-running back was hard to tackle in 2023, averaging 4.44 yards after contact per attempt. He runs with strength and displays short-area athleticism that helps him shake oncoming tacklers. He has pass-catching chops from his days as a receiver and will offer more in that regard than Singletary, who only caught 30 passes last year.

The Giants invested heavily in their offensive line through free agency. They also drafted Malik Nabers, who could take some pressure off the box. No one has respected the Giants’ passing in years. Singletary is properly ranked, but I’d prefer other players with similar ADPs, such as Brian Robinson. While Singletary projects to be the team’s workhorse, running backs like him are usually stopgaps until the next guy comes along.

Arizona Cardinals

James Conner (RB18) quietly performed as one of the best running backs in the league. He achieved career-highs in yards (1,040) and YPC (5.0). A total of 14.9% of his carries went for 10+ yards. He broke 27 tackles and averaged a solid 2.0 yards after contact per attempt. The only downside with Conner is that he’s only played more than 13 games twice in his career. He’s incredible when he plays, but he will inevitably miss time.

That might be why the Cardinals decided to invest in Trey Benson (RB39) in the third round. He was frequently compared to Melvin Gordon during the pre-draft process thanks to his contact balance and his ability to rip big plays. Benson possesses breakaway speed (4.39-second 40-yard dash) and accelerates like a sports car. He also broke Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) record for forced missed tackle rate in 2022.

Arizona has positioned itself to become the Next Houston or Detroit. Everyone wants a piece of a hot, young offense. A better overall unit makes for more opportunity. Arizona ran the ball well last year and they showed a commitment to the run by drafting blocking tight end Tip Reiman in the third round. Conner will lead this backfield, and he’s coming off the best year of his career. He’s worth it at RB18; although, prepare yourself for injury by selecting Trey Benson later in the draft.

Atlanta Falcons

Bijan Robinson (RB3) is a world away from Tyler Allgeier (RB47). That’s why football fans didn’t understand Arthur Smith’s distribution of carries last year. Robinson earned 214 to Allgeier’s 186. Robinson was significantly more effective with 4.6 YPC compared to Allgeier’s 3.7. The real killer was that Robinson was 32nd in the league in red-zone touches. He managed to finish as the RB9 despite sacrificing the slam dunk plays. He supplemented his lack of goal-line rushes with steady involvement in the passing game, totaling 58 receptions for 487 yards and four touchdowns (eight total touchdowns).

Robinson will break 1,000 rushing yards. That feels like an obvious thing to say, but last year he only had 976. Zac Robinson comes from the Rams, a team that has always preferred a workhorse at running back. While there have been recent reports of Allgeier playing an “important role” for the team, I’m inclined to think of that as mostly coach talk. Allgeier is a good player, as evidenced by his 1,000-yard rookie season. He’s just not Robinson.

Expect the carry differential to be closer to 2:1, and the Falcons will trust Robinson more in high-opportunity situations. The entire Falcons offense is due for an upswing. That means more touchdowns and less stacked boxes. Draft Robinson in the first round. Only take Allgeier as a handcuff.

Chicago Bears

The Bears led the league in rush attempts (534) without having a clear lead back. No one received over 140 carries in 2023. Khalil Herbert (RB58) earned 132 and had the team’s best YPC (4.6). He’s a good runner, having top-10 weeks in 75% of the games he received 15+ carries. Injuries and competition have kept Herbert from owning the backfield. Oh, well. Here comes D’Andre Swift (RB21).

Swift was a dynasty darling along with the rest of the 2020 running back class. After a few years of injuries and inconsistency, he fell by the wayside. Last year he achieved career-highs in attempts (229) and yards (1,049). Jalen Hurts vultured most of the touchdown opportunities, leaving Swift with five on the year. Hurts didn’t make it up to Swift in the passing game, as he saw a career-low 49 targets. Swift remains an explosive player with 9.6% of his carries going for 10+ yards. He also had three 30+ yard carries

Chicago paid Swift, and he enters the season as the unquestioned lead back. Herbert will probably get somewhere around 100 carries with little passing work. Roschon Johnson (RB63) could work in, but he didn’t flash much last year. Expect Swift to receive 200+ carries and 60+ targets. Draft him at his current ADP. Snag Herbert late or monitor him on waivers. There’s a chance he gets moved to a needy team, or he can emerge in case Swift’s injury woes resurface.

Buffalo Bills

James Cook (RB13) has scored two touchdowns in each of his first two seasons. He supplemented this deficit with four receiving touchdowns in 2023. He also finished third in the league with 1,567 yards from scrimmage. Cook is a very explosive player with 13.9% of his carries going for 10+ yards. He’s also an exceptional receiver, finishing second among running backs in yards per route run. All of this is great, but he lacks competence between the tackles.

Cue Ray Davis (RB52). The 5-foot-8, 211-pound running back out of Kentucky figures to take the offensive role intended for Damien Harris then given to Latavius Murray and a host of retreads. Murray led the running backs with four touchdowns. Josh Allen became the honorary goal-line back, scoring 15 rushing touchdowns on the season. This was out of necessity, and the total doubles his previous career-high. Expect Davis to take over red-zone opportunities and frequently spell Cook for runs in-between the tackles.

Fade Cook at his current ADP. He finished third in total yards last year but couldn’t muster a top-10 finish. Now there’s a competent running back to spell him in the red zone. Cook is a high-end RB2. Davis is a valuable handcuff, but his weekly production will likely rely on touchdowns.

Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn