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.
| Player | Offense | Three Downs | Goal Line | Depth Chart | Price | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.J. Dillon | x | x | x | x | All-world RB1 if Jones misses time; standalone value if not. Great Hero-RB-build asset. | |
| Tony Pollard | x | x | x | x | Would be projected top-10 RB every single week in a non-Elliott world. Super explosive. | |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | x | x | x | x | James White role in NE plus upside if Harris were to miss time. Standalone and more. | |
| Dameon Pierce | x | x | x | x | Camp darling. Appears to be Houston's clear starter. Only question seems to be the offense. |
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