Links to similar discussions on other positions:

This article is not intended to follow the same format as the upside quarterbacks and tight ends articles did. If the optimal strategy is to draft quarterbacks and tight ends late due to the factors discussed in those articles, fantasy GMs would be filling their rosters with running backs and wide receivers in the early rounds.

This article will still focus on late-round running backs, but these players will be backups on our fantasy team, unlike the quarterbacks and tight ends. And many will be backups on their NFL teams as well -- at least on draft day.

Because we've spent at least seven rounds filling our roster with backs and receivers, we likely have a true RB1 and at least two additional starter-quality running backs. Therefore, the goal with a late-round running back isn't to find a middling starter. It's to find a player who can provide us with RB1 production if his situation falls the right way.

Having multiple RB1s on a fantasy team is a massive edge for a fantasy GM. This article aims to provide a second (or third) RB1 to compliment the backs selected at the top of the draft.

The Recipe for RB1 Production

Potential League-Winners

Whether it's a late-round target that needs help to fulfill his potential or an elite RB1 like Christian McCaffrey or Austin Ekeler, the ingredients are the same:

• Three-down talent: being on the field leads to fantasy points, as does catching passes. Running backs that don't play on third down have a more difficult path to RB1 status.
• Goal-line opportunity: touchdowns are worth six times as much as 10 rushing yards. Math is easy!
• Limited depth chart competition: again, the best fantasy assets are the ones on the field the most.

Throughout the offseason, we have released some collaborative posts on the site. One of those was asking the staff which deep sleeper running backs they like the most. Another was asking the staff about value plays at the position. The players listed below come from those articles.

Note: This table assumes that the starter in front of these players is no longer in the picture. For example, in a world where Elliott exists, saying that Pollard has no depth chart competition is obviously incorrect. But if Elliott were out of the picture, Pollard would be the clear number one in Dallas.

The order in which these players are listed can be debated, but the list generally flows from most RB1 upside to least. And here are some highlights from the backup running backs article linked above discussing some of these players:

Yours truly on Dillon:

Aaron Jones is being drafted higher than Dillon, and he should be. But the gap between the two shouldn't be as big. In the back half last season, Dillon was used more and more, including the closer role in games Green Bay led and the goal-line running role. Jones will catch far more passes -- especially with Green Bay's lack of proven wide receiver depth -- but Dillon could score more rushing touchdowns and will likely rush for more yardage than Jones. And until proven otherwise, an offense led by Aaron Rodgers will be an efficient one with plenty of chances to cross the goal line.

Will Grant on Stevenson:

Stevenson is part of a true RBBC in New England, but with James White [retired], Stevenson's split with Damien Harris should be nearly even. Yet, in most fantasy drafts, Harris is going significantly higher than Stevenson for some reason. Stevenson should approach 200 total touches this season, with a couple of receptions every game contributing to his totals. He's a solid third running back/flex option for your team and is a great value at his current draft position.

The Best of the Rest

This group of players is similar to the above group but lacks either the elite set of skills or the fantasy-rich offensive situation that the potential league-winners have. Players to target here could also include backups to starting running backs with a known injury history. Some of these players (Jamaal Williams, for instance) have standalone value already but would become every-week fantasy starters with injuries or ineffectiveness to others on their teams' depth charts.

Christian Williams on McKinnon:

While most fantasy managers are pivoting to Isaih Pacheco at the end of their drafts, Jerick McKinnon is quietly receiving similar work in practice. McKinnon was brought back for 2022, indicating the team was pleased with his performance in seven games last year. His role will primarily be as a pass-catching, third-down back, the most valuable type of fantasy role. Pacheco has flashed pass-catching ability in practice and could take the role entirely, but McKinnon is going as RB65, making him a worthy last-round flier.

The Right Way to Handcuff

"Handcuffing" (or drafting your start running back's backup as a contingency plan) has been a fantasy football strategy for years. But the traditional way to employ this strategy is flawed. Remember, the goal of fantasy football -- and our slogan here at Footballguys -- is to Dominate Your League. In a 12-team league, there are 11 losers. Don't play to stay with the pack; play to lap the field!

What does that mean in terms of handcuffing? As stated in the intro, the goal is to have multiple RB1s on your roster. Handcuffing Jonathan Taylor with Hines provides us with a maximum of one RB1. But drafting Taylor and then picking up Pollard, Stevenson, or Williams late gives us a chance to have two (or even three) RB1s if those late-round backs emerge. The naysayer will ask, "what if Taylor gets hurt, and I have zero RB1s because I didn't draft Williams?" That means you might come in 10th in your league instead of 4th. Either way, you're one of 11 teams that didn't fulfill its goal.

We should always draft for upside. And targeting the potential league winners above allows us to do so.

Questions, comments, suggestions, and other feedback on this piece are always welcome via e-mail at hester@footballguys.com.

Follow @RyanHester13