Running Back Strategy in Salary Cap Leagues

Photo: USA Today Sports

The great thing about salary cap leagues is that you can take your team in any direction you want. Your strategy options are completely wide open.

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Our Footballguys staff recently sat down to discuss their favored options at running back when playing in a salary cap league.

• $200 cap
• 12 teams
• Full PPR
• Starting Lineup
  • 1 QB
  • 2 RBs
  • 3 WRs
  • 1 TE
  • 1 flex (RB, WR, TE)

How do you approach the running back position in a salary cap draft? Feel free to discuss price enforcement and budget allocation.

Thoughts from Jason Wood

Running back remains the position you have to break the bank for, even if non-salary-cap leagues are now more balanced, particularly in terms of wide receiver values versus running backs. I cannot tell you how many times I've tried sticking to my pre-draft salary values at the running back position only to find myself squeezed out of all the top-tier options.

You have to be willing to spend aggressively and adjust your budget for all other positions accordingly. Because of their cost, I think getting more than one elite back is difficult, but I absolutely try and get two $30-plus options, which ideally would be a $50-plus elite tier player and then a high-end RB2 in the $30-$35 range.

You have to enter the draft with a clear understanding of how many starting tailbacks you would happily have in your lineup. And then be willing to overpay if there are only two or three left on the board and you're still without one.

Overall, I'll look to spend $90-$100 at the position.