The running back position is in turmoil. As the infamous 2017 class is aging out of the league, there is a genuine sentiment that running backs don’t matter. While in NFL team building they may be a low priority, good luck winning a fantasy championship without a couple of studs. One of the critical beginner tips is to draft for value, and trade for need. Trading within the same tier to gain additional value is always a plus, so these 2023 dynasty running back rankings are broken into tiers to help navigate the dynasty waters.
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2023 Dynasty Running Back Rankings
Tier One – The Kings of the Castle
- Bijan Robinson
- Breece Hall
- Jonathan Taylor
- Jahmyr Gibbs
Three-quarters of this list will surprise no one. Bijan Robinson has been the top running back since he was available in sleeper. Hall was on pace to dominate until he tore his ACL. It should be noted it is allegedly a clean tear and he should be back in normal form soon. A year ago Taylor looked to be untouchable in many circles, but underperformed. He is still young and a stud, and is deservingly in this tier.
A quick dive into draft capital and fantasy football production shows one thing. Gibbs is a player everyone should be betting on. When the Detroit Lions took him number 12 overall, it showed a commitment to using the player. Not just using him, but using him in every situation that they can. Volume is king, and despite being 199 pounds Gibbs projects to take the lion’s share (pun very much intended) of the catches and at least split the carries.
Tier Two – Old Studs, Young Gems
- Saquon Barkley
- Christian McCaffrey
- Josh Jacobs
- Nick Chubb
- Rhamondre Stevenson
This tier is full of possible league winners. How high can year in year out producers like Chubb and McCaffrey stay? Given that they both have top-five potential this year, they stay this high. Barkley, Jacobs, and Stevenson all have an argument to finish just as high and are slightly younger. A year doesn’t sound like a lot for wide receivers and quarterbacks, but for running backs a single year is huge.
Tier Three – Redraft RB1s and 22 Year Old RB2s
- Kenneth Walker
- Najee Harris
- Travis Etienne
- J.K. Dobbins
- Dameon Pierce
- Austin Ekeler
Two of these running backs have day-two running mates added to their team. Walker and Etienne are clearly the lead-backs for now, but Tank Bigsby and Zac Charbonnet eat into their upside. Harris and Dobbins are both recovering from injury, but project to be the clear leads in their backfields. Pierce shocked many analysts with his performance last season and has been working on his receiving game all off-season. This tier’s average age would be 23.6, except for the ageless Austin Ekeler. Analysts have been predicting some touchdown regression for years, and he simply refuses to score less. Even at 28, he’s a possible league winner.
Tier Four – The Ancient Ones and New Hopes
- Tony Pollard
- Javonte Williams
- Derrick Henry
- Miles Sanders
- D’Andre Swift
- Cam Akers
- Aaron Jones
- Rachaad White
- Kendre Miller
- Isiah Pacheco
- James Conner
Pollard, Swift, White, and Akers all have an opportunity to move up a tier. Whether it’s a change of scenery or an improved opportunity each could surprise as a high-end RB this season. Jones, Conner, and Henry are running on fumes. But contenders looking for production for one last go-round might as well go for it. Miller and Sanders are tricky, but Sanders just signed a nice contract to hold him as the starter for at least a couple of seasons. Miller could benefit from a Kamar suspension or could be stuck as an understudy for a season.
Tier Five – Rookies, Legal Trouble, and Question Marks
- Zach Charbonnet
- Joe Mixon
- Devon Achane
- James Cook
- Tyjae Spears
- A.J. Dillon
- Antonio Gibson
- Tank Bigsby
- Brian Robinson
- Alexander Mattison
- Alvin Kamara
- Khalil Herbert
- Roschon Johnson
A couple of folks find themselves in crowded backfields, or as the clear-cut number two at least for the time being. Mixon and Kamara have a history of excellence but are currently pending some form of off-field concerns. Achane and Cook could both own their backfields as early as this season, but neither is expected to be 250-touch-type players. A player to keep an eye on here is Spears, as he was an early pick by running back standards and already has a short shelf life with some knee issues. If the team plans to use him, they plan to use him soon. Is Mattison going to get the same work that Cook got in Minnesota?
Tier Six – Grab a Couple and Hope
- David Montgomery
- Tyler Allgeier
- Elijah Mitchell
- Samaje Perine
- Rashaad Penny
- Damien Harris
- Jamaal Williams
- D’Onta Foreman
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire
- Zach Evans
- Jerome Ford
- Evan Hull
- Devin Singletary
- Eric Gray
- Keaontay Ingram
- Gus Edwards
- Ty Chandler
- Chuba Hubbard
When in doubt, take the backup running back. Perine and Penny both have early-season value but have talented running mates to scare managers long-term. This tier in the 2023 dynasty running back rankings extends all the way down to any running back that could see the field this season, as the position is always just an injury away from fantasy gold.
Main Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images
