As many longtime fantasy football players know, there are always certain backfield situations that cause weekly headaches for those that need to make lineup decisions involving these players. These headaches typically involve inconsistency in terms of the total weekly touches or goal-line opportunities that each player receives.
Entering the 2023 season, many teams muddied the fantasy outlooks for their running backs through additions in free agency and or through the draft. Although some big name running backs, notably Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott, are still available, the majority of backfields are mostly settled. With mandatary minicamps underway, these are some fantasy backfields to avoid in the AFC.
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Stay Away From These 4 Backfields In Fantasy Football
Miami Dolphins
Going into his second year as head coach of the Dolphins, Mike McDaniel, the once-heralded run game coordinator for the 49ers, helms a crowded positional group at running back.
The leading cause behind this uncertainty is that McDaniel is a longtime assistant and disciple of the Shanahan system, an extremely running back friendly scheme that maximizes production out of lesser-known players.
During McDaniel’s tenure with the 49ers, the scheme helped foster breakout seasons and great individual performances for running backs Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson, who are both now on the Dolphins roster. Last season, Mostert and Wilson, acquired by the team mid-season, rushed for 891 and 860 yards, respectively.
Moreover, the team drafted the explosive running back Devon Achane in the third round in April’s draft. Although Achane adds a different element compared to Mostert and Wilson, this likely means that the team will rotate all three players.
4.32u
Devon Achane improves his time on his 2nd attempt 💨 @AggieFootball
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/DOU0fCKkIq— NFL (@NFL) March 5, 2023
The Dolphins have also been heavily linked to former All-Pro Dalvin Cook, a Miami native. Should they end up signing Cook, they will likely not hand him the majority of snaps to keep him healthy and fresh in their playoff pursuit.
With or without Cook, it is shaping up to be an unpredictable and frustrating experience for fantasy owners of any Dolphins running back, a staple of the Shanahan scheme.
Buffalo Bills
Like their AFC East counterpart, the Bills also have a crowded backfield. After losing Devin Singletary in free agency, the team signed running back Damien Harris from the rival Patriots. Although Harris excelled in 2021, rushing for over 900 yards and 15 touchdowns, he ceded his starting position to Rhamondre Stevenson last season.
The team also signed veteran running back Latavius Murray, who had a strong second half with the Broncos last season. Harris and Murray were ultimately signed to complement the dynamic sophomore running back James Cook. Cook, Dalvin’s brother, had a limited role in the beginning but started to emerge as the season went on. While many fantasy analysts projected Cook to break out next season, these signings of Harris and Murray ultimately mitigate a significant increase in workload for Cook.
Meanwhile, quarterback Josh Allen, with his powerful rushing abilities, further complicates these projections. With his combination of size and speed, Allen has always been a threat to take away touches and touchdown opportunities from his backfield mates, totaling 762 rushing yards along with seven rushing touchdowns last season.
However, given that Allen had the third-most fumbles in the league last year, the team may want to reduce Allen’s rushing workload in 2023 to minimize potential injury risk. Although this change in strategy may prove more beneficial to the team’s success, it may ultimately limit Allen’s own fantasy upside.
Baltimore Ravens
Although the Ravens have shifted more towards a pass-friendly offense with the hiring of offensive coordinator Todd Monken in lieu of Greg Roman, they still project to be an unpredictable and crowded backfield for fantasy purposes.
Presumed starter J.K Dobbins struggled once again with knee injuries last season after missing the entire 2021 season with a torn ACL. While Dobbins is expected to take another leap in his development another year removed from the serious injury, he is continuing to struggle with knee ailments. Notably, Dobbins did not practice this week at the team’s mandatory minicamp with a knee injury.
Competing for touches with Dobbins is the longtime Ravens running back Gus Edwards. In 2022, Edwards totaled 433 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns after returning mid-season following an ACL tear in September 2021.
In the past, both Dobbins and Edwards have seen their touches and opportunities limited by the dynamic and electrifying rushing abilities of quarterback Lamar Jackson. However, given that Jackson is coming off multiple injuries that derailed his 2022 season, along with a change in the play caller and a plethora of new receivers, the team may want him to pass more frequently.
When Lamar Jackson is running all Ravens fans are nervous but this dude is laughing 😂pic.twitter.com/1H1vQjuGK4
— RAMEY (@HoodieRamey) November 24, 2022
With a shift in the team’s offensive philosophy and their prominent fantasy backfield players all recently coming off serious injuries, it may serve fantasy players best to avoid these Ravens players until they watch how the season unfolds.
Houston Texans
While the Texans appear to be turning the corner on their rebuild, with the hiring of DeMeco Ryans as head coach, along with a young offensive nucleus highlighted by quarterback CJ Stroud and running back Dameon Pierce, their backfield may be troubling once again for fantasy owners in 2023.
Pierce excelled in his rookie season last year, as he was well on pace to exceed 1,000 rushing yards before injuries ultimately cut his season short. However, the idea of drafting Pierce in the first two rounds may no longer be too appealing considering the Texans signed veteran running back Devin Singletary in free agency.
Moreover, Ryans hired Bobby Slowik, a longtime assistant coach to Kyle Shanahan both in Washington and San Francisco, to serve as the team’s offensive coordinator. Although Singletary was maddeningly inconsistent throughout his tenure in Buffalo, he is likely to play a significant role in the offense with his receiving abilities.
With a new offensive system and a new backfield mate likely to take away valuable touches, those clamoring for a Dameon Pierce sophomore breakout year may turn out disappointed.
