If you ask the majority of fantasy football gurus, they would tell you the running back position is most important in PPR formats. However, as fantasy owners, year after year, we tend to draft based on name value, leading to disappointing results from our suspected “stud” starters. With rookies on the rise and other players lingering in the shadows, it is essential for us to take a look at what running backs may fade and what others will place themselves in the forefront of fantasy backfields.
Kansas City Chiefs
The year 2020 was a bit weird for all of us. With so many uncertainties in the world, from the presidency to widespread viruses, nothing seemed like a sure deal. But for fantasy owners, one thing was certain – Clyde Edwards-Helaire was going to be a top fantasy running back.
With many owners hyped enough to take CEH in the first round, he ended up placing a disappointing 22nd in the list of points scored by RBs, 71 points behind making the top five. This trend would continue in 2021, where Edwards-Helaire would only reach a ranking of 36, having scored less than 100 fan points.
As CEH would see his rushing attempts decline by triple digits, another emerging star began to take his rightful spot in the Chief’s backfield.
Isaiah Pacheco, a rookie out of Rutgers University, has made his presence known in KC (so far), posting 139 attempts for 677 yards and three touchdowns. These numbers may not seem overly impressive, but they are at least comparable to those of CEH’s rookie season.
While the Chiefs also have pass-catching running back Jerick McKinnon, dump-offs in the backfield seem less reliable with a star quarterback and a casting of wide receivers who can at any time make a big play.
As the Edwards-Helaire era starts to come to an end, it seems certain Pacheco will be next in line to take most of the workload. But be careful… this star on the rise still won’t produce top-five fantasy results.
Seattle Seahawks
It’s no secret this team is going through a transition. After losing Russell Wilson, Seattle was poised to find out exactly where their team identity lies. With a rotating list of tight ends and only two reliable receivers, it was time for the running game to truly take effect.
Rashaad Penny was supposed to be the guy. With speed and precision on his side, it was only a matter of time before Penny took over the starting role. However, due to injuries, Rashaad has only been fully available in one of his five NFL seasons.
On the flip side, Kenneth Walker III has been enough to live up to the hype. Snubbed of a finalist spot for the Heisman Trophy, Walker was ready to prove he can be a factor straight out of the gate.
Accumulating 697 yards and nine touchdowns thus far, his efforts might be enough to put him in consideration as Rookie of the Year. His speed is unmatched. And considering his competition on the Seahawks’ depth chart is thin, there isn’t much else to say.
Though he has had his own bites of the injury bug, Walker has still placed himself within the top 20 fantasy running backs this season. Look for his potential to rise much higher in 2023.
Chicago Bears
The Bears haven’t done much to “Bear Down” this season. With hopes being high for Justin Fields and this offense, injuries and trades on the defensive side have made it very difficult for the team to operate. Having also experienced one of the tougher schedules in the league, Chicago was destined to struggle through another year.
One bright side of smash Midwestern football has always been the run game. Coming from a rich history of backs and a few solid seasons of his own, many people may have thought David Montgomery was the answer.
With a career of over 3,000 yards on the ground and 1,000 yards through the air, Monty (as some fantasy owners call him) has been able to do a little bit of everything. That was until Kahlil Herbert came along.
Herbert hasn’t been fantastic. And having suffered his own injury setbacks, just as Montgomery has over the years, it is hard to say how long his flare will last. But his value is increasing greatly, having produced only 31 fantasy points lower than Montgomery.
Montgomery currently holds the starting role with over 200 rushing attempts in each of his NFL seasons. But with Herbert having at least 100 attempts in both of his NFL seasons, it seems very possible both running backs will remain in a timeshare, with the younger of the two usually winning in the end.
Even though you should draft all Bears running backs with caution due to Field’s rushing abilities, Herbert will be the one you might want to stash on the bench for keeper leagues.
Green Bay Packers
It seems as though Aaron Rodgers and his off-season antics have caught up to him. After so many successful seasons in Green Bay, the passing game has become almost stagnant.
Allen Lazard, once perceived to be the Packers’ number one receiver after the loss of Davante Adams, has been a letdown, causing mostly only big play ability in Green Bay.
But if Rodgers posed to you the question of which two running backs created the biggest splash in a timeshare, you might be surprised that it comes from his very own team.
Both Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon have had solid seasons. With Dillon’s production going up in 2021, he has been on a mission to create consistency in 2022. On point to possibly match his numbers from the previous season, Dillon makes a solid case for himself moving forward.
Aaron Jones, on the other hand, won’t let go. Sitting just outside of the top 10 in fantasy running back production, Jones is here to let everyone know who the starter is. And unlike the running back situation for their rival Chicago Bears, both of these RBs seem to have automatic starting value moving forward.
Los Angeles Rams
After the highest of highs of a Super Bowl championship, the Rams have done nothing short of come down to earth. With quarterback and wide receiver injuries, where this team may be headed is up in the air.
Regardless of if this team’s future is in the hands of Matthew Stafford or Baker Mayfield, the one thing up for debate is their running back depth chart.
Weaving in and out of the lineup all year, Cam Akers seems to be the starter now. And while he has started to come on the last few weeks, sitting in the shadows is a young and determined Kyren Williams.
Williams hasn’t shown much during his rookie season. But with more pass-catching abilities over Akers, and in a system that is pass-heavy, Kyren may be in place for an increased role next year.
Unlike the pass-catching situation in Kansas City, LA needs more reliable weapons. The truth is, Cooper Kupp can’t do it all. If they want to stay relevant on both offensive ends of the ball, Kyren may be the solution.
While neither of these running backs is worthy of earlier draft picks, it may be a better bet to trust Akers will fizzle out as Williams heats up.
Running Backs Quick Hits n’ Bits
- Jamaal Williams has made himself known in Detroit. While D’Andre Swift is the name everyone knows, Williams is currently ranked as RB 10 compared to Swift’s ranking of 29. Jamaal’s TD upside makes all the difference.
- Not surprisingly, Tony Pollard has placed himself as a top-10 fantasy running back. Ezekiel Elliott isn’t far behind at rank 14 but has seen a decline over the past two seasons.
- Breece Hall will be the starting running back next season for the Jets. But after continued good play by both Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight, James Robinson is no longer serviceable and on the edge of career desperation.
- Latavius Murray might be the current starting RB in Denver, but a healthy Javonte Williams will be more draftable next season.
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