Even though there’s been plenty of movement during free agency there are still so many unknowns to factor into the running back rankings heading into the 2024 season. Some RB2s could sink even further down the rankings after the draft. But right now, this is how the rankings look.
Still, Too Early Fantasy Running Back Rankings – Part 3
25. Gus Edwards
New Chargers running back Edwards won’t have to deal with a dynamic running quarterback in his new home. But he will have to deal with an offensive line that didn’t look great in 2023 and might be relying on rookies in 2024. But they have absolutely gutted their receiving corps and anyone relying on Josh Palmer, Quentin Johnson, Will Dissly, and Darius Davis is going to be running the ball a lot.
And Edwards is definitely an upgrade on 2023 Austin Ekeler. Ekeler averaged just 3.5 yards per carry in 2023 and he only scored six touchdowns. Although that was more of a Chargers problem than his problem, they only scored 35 in total. Edwards on the other hand scored 13 and he averaged 4.1 yards per carry behind a pretty dominant Ravens line. 2023 was the first season that Edwards played every game of the regular season and he ended the season with 187 fantasy points. Provided he stays healthy and the Chargers don’t totally botch the draft he could match that or even improve in 2024.
26. Khalil Herbert
New Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift’s arrival doesn’t necessarily mean Herbert’s role will be diminished in 2024. Swift is just taking over D’Onta Foreman’s spot on the Bears’ roster. That said, Foreman only played 42% of Chicago’s snaps last season. And Herbert only played 45% (da Bears gonna Bear after all). And 2023 was the first time Swift played more than 14 games in a season. Caleb Williams can run too and D.J Moore carried the ball four times last year plus Keenan Allen has 18 carries in his career. It all sounds like one giant headache for Shane Waldron.
But Herbert did score 112.5 fantasy points last year on a Bears offense that struggled to find consistency. So he’ll be fine in 2024 and if he can avoid the injury bug and he plays more than 12 games he’ll definitely improve on that total. Especially if Caleb Williams really is the prodigal son and, as some people will have you believe Ryan Pace has built the most amazing offense anyone has ever seen. (He hasn’t, don’t drink the Kool-Aid. And the Bears haven’t had a franchise quarterback since Sid Luckman retired in 1950. Caleb Williams throws passes, but he doesn’t perform miracles).
27. Jaylen Warren
The Steelers running back room is almost as hectic as their quarterback room. So, while Najee Harris still figures to be the starter the Steelers have literally run him into the ground over the last three seasons. He’s started every game since he was drafted and he’s had 978 touches of the ball! Warren has had 315 in his first two seasons (Harris had 381 in his rookie season alone). So, Warren is comparatively fresh as a daisy.
Warren averaged 5.5 yards per touch in 2023 as he racked up 196.4 fantasy points (0.9 more points than Harris). And with Justin Fields or Russell Wilson taking over the QB role in Pittsburgh Warren’s pass-catching ability should come in handy. He only scored four touchdowns in 2023, but if the Steelers offense is as high-octane as it looks (and Arthur Smith doesn’t screw it up) he’ll end 2024 with twice that number.
28. Keaton Mitchell
Mitchell was absolutely electric in his short time as a rookie. The hyperextension of his knee was so serious that it could prevent him from playing at the start of the 2024 season. But that won’t stop him from putting up some serious numbers. The Ravens running back averaged 8.7 yards per touch in 2023! And he only played in eight games.
Former East Carolina running back Mitchell only scored 69.9 fantasy points in 2023, if he plays the majority of the season he’ll be close to 200 in 2024.
29. Tyjae Spears
Spears was somewhat of a revelation in 2023. The rookie running back had 100 carries and averaged 5.5 yards per carry. It seemed like he was perfectly placed to take over from Derrick Henry. But then Mike Vrabel was fired and the new management team decided to sign Tony Pollard. Granted Pollard had 152 more rushing attempts than Spears, but he only averaged 4.3 yards per touch in 2023.
Even if Spears is the guy who spells Pollard early in the season the cream will eventually rise to the top. And he’ll improve on his 2023 total of 153.8 fantasy points.
30. Antonio Gibson
Gibson signed with the Patriots in free agency. And nobody really knows why. Presumably, he’ll take Ezekiel Elliott’s place in the Patriots offense. But Elliott only really became a regular fixture once Patriots starting running back Rhamondre Stevenson suffered a high ankle sprain. Elliott averaged 10.5 touches a game while Stevenson was healthy while Stevenson averaged closer to 18 per game.
Gibson averaged 7 touches a game in Washington as Brian Robinson Jr. Did the heavy lifting for the Commanders. He averaged 5.8 yards per touch though. And he scored three touchdowns. With more chances to touch the ball in New England, he’ll improve on the 127.4 fantasy points he scored in 2023. If the Patriots actually fix their offensive line he could score quite a few more points.
31. Tyler Allgeier
Allgeier is definitely behind Bijan Robinson on the Falcons depth chart. But he’s a pretty different sort of player. He’s a more direct running back who is really difficult to tackle. But like Robinson, he can catch passes out of the backfield and he averaged 10.7 yards per reception last season! He’s just not as “shifty” when he reaches the second level, but not many are (it’s like Jahmyr Gibbs and Breece Hall). You would have thought Allgeier is the ideal short-yardage or goal-line back. But Arthur Snith didn’t. And look where Arthur Smith is now. He’s trying to work out if Justin Fields is better than Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh.
If Allgeier does become the Falcons goal line back under Zac Robinson (and Robinson’s offense is as explosive as it should be) he could rack up a lot of touchdowns in 2024. And if he does he’ll score more than the 137 fantasy points he scored in 2023.
32. Zack Moss
Moss had a bit of a breakout season in Indianapolis last year, mainly because he had the chance to become a regular starter. Now he’s in Cincinnati to replace Joe Mixon. And he’ll split time with Chase Brown, but how they split the time will be the interesting bit. Brown figures to be a change of pace back or maybe 3rd down back so Moss should get the majority of the carries.
When the former Bills running back Moss gets 15 carries or more per game he averages 91.3 yards per game. So the Bengals need to make him the center of the offense. At least until they can figure out a way of keeping Joe Burrow upright (and running the ball a bit more should help). Moss scored 169.6 fantasy points last season. If the Bengals lean on him and the run game he’ll score even more in 2024.
33. Austin Ekeler
Veteran running back Ekeler had a horrible 2023, but so did the Chargers. Maybe a change of scenery will reinvigorate him? Last season he averaged just 3.5 yards per carry and only caught 68.9% of his targets. Based on those numbers Brian Robinson Jr. averaged 4.1 yards per carry and caught 83.7% of his targets. But even the Commanders aren’t going to pay a running $4.2 million to ride the pine.
Ekeler will probably have a rookie quarterback to look after in 2024 (Drake Maye, probably). So that will probably mean more running attempts and a lot more blocking than he’d like to do. But the extra attempts will provide him with ample opportunity to improve on his 185.4 fantasy points from 2023. Especially if he can improve on his nine touchdowns.
34. Javonte Williams
Williams is one of the most destructive runners in the league, but he’s on one of the rockiest offenses in the league. And he’s yet to play a full season during his three years in the league. But Sean Payton seems to be rebuilding that offense and frankly, Williams and Samaje Perine are currently their best players. So they’d better be running the ball a heap!
The former North Carolina running back scored 179.2 fantasy points last year and he only ranked 17th in the league for rushing attempts. If he is the mainstay of Denver’s offense in 2024 (and they don’t have many other options) he’ll dramatically improve on that.
35. Chubba Hubbard
The Panthers’ 2023 season was an unmitigated disaster. They traded away their immediate future for their owners’ favorite quarterback. And that led to them firing a head coach after just 11 games. But they’ve got a new head coach in Dave Canales who helped the Buccaneers win the AFC South last season. And they’ve signed 11 new faces in free agency, including three to play on the offensive line.
Hubbard’s 2023 was comparatively successful though. The former Oklahoma State running back averaged 4.1 yards per touch with career highs in rushing attempts, receptions, and total yards from scrimmage. It’s impossible to know how Canales plans to use the running game in Carolina. But Buccaneers running back Rachaad White ended the 2023 season with 1,539 total yards and nine touchdowns (and 267.9 fantasy points) in his offense. So Hubbard should improve on the 182.5 he scored last season.
35. Devin Singletary
Veteran running back Singletary had a quiet season in 2023 by his usual standards. His 1,091 yards from scrimmage was his fewest since 2020. But the Texans only ran the ball 41% of the time, Singletary’s new team, the Giants will certainly run the ball more than that (last season they ran 43% of the time and they were letting Tommy Devito chuck and duck in six games). But they’ve recognized the need to bolster their offensive line and have signed five new players along with two tight ends.
Singletary scored 167.34 fantasy points in 2023 but he’s certain to improve on that. Because even if the Giants draft a running back Singletary will be the only running back with significant experience as a starter.
36. Chase Brown
Brown figures to be the Bengals’ change-of-pace option or third-down back. But the Canadian-born running back has explosive speed and that means he won’t need many chances to rack up the yards. In 2023 Brown averaged 5.8 yards per touch! And he averaged 11.1 yards per reception, so he should be more involved in the passing game this season. He was only involved in 12 games last season too. And only five of them were games that Joe Burrow started. According to NextGen Stats Brown clocked the second-fastest ball carry in the league in 2023. His 22.05 mph was just 0.18 mph slower than D.K Metcalf’s fastest carry of the season!
If Brown and Burrow play more games together in 2024 he will dramatically improve on the 53.5 fantasy points he scored last season.
Main Photo: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
