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.<\/p>\n
[tgdcta items=”1″ id=”170468″]<\/p>\n
New Chargers running back Edwards won\u2019t have to deal with a dynamic running quarterback in his new home. But he will have to deal with an offensive line that didn\u2019t 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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019t totally botch the draft he could match that or even improve in 2024.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n New Chicago Bears running back D\u2019Andre Swift\u2019s arrival doesn\u2019t necessarily mean Herbert\u2019s role will be diminished in 2024. Swift is just taking over D\u2019Onta Foreman\u2019s spot on the Bears\u2019 roster. That said, Foreman only played 42% of Chicago\u2019s 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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But Herbert did score 112.5 fantasy points last year on a Bears offense that struggled to find consistency. So he\u2019ll be fine in 2024 and if he can avoid the injury bug and he plays more than 12 games he\u2019ll 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\u2019t, don\u2019t drink the Kool-Aid. And the Bears haven\u2019t had a franchise quarterback since Sid Luckman retired in 1950. Caleb Williams throws passes, but he doesn\u2019t perform miracles).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s started every game since he was drafted and he\u2019s 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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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\u2019t screw it up) he\u2019ll end 2024 with twice that number.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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 <\/span>start of the 2024<\/span><\/a> season. But that won\u2019t 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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Former East Carolina running back Mitchell only scored 69.9 fantasy points in 2023, if he plays the majority of the season he\u2019ll be close to 200 in 2024.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Spears was somewhat of a revelation in 2023. The rookie running back had 100 carries and averaged 5.5 yards per carry.\u00a0 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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Even if Spears is the guy who spells Pollard early in the season the cream will eventually rise to the top. And he\u2019ll improve on his 2023 total of 153.8 fantasy points.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Gibson signed with the Patriots in free agency. And nobody really knows why. Presumably, he\u2019ll take Ezekiel Elliott\u2019s 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. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019ll 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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Allgeier is definitely behind Bijan Robinson on the Falcons depth chart. But he\u2019s a pretty different sort of player. He\u2019s 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\u2019s just not as \u201cshifty\u201d when he reaches the second level, but not many are (it\u2019s like Jahmyr Gibbs and Breece Hall). You would have thought Allgeier is the ideal short-yardage or goal-line back. But Arthur Snith didn\u2019t. And look where Arthur Smith is now. He\u2019s trying to work out if Justin Fields is better than Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If Allgeier does become the Falcons goal line back under Zac Robinson (and Robinson\u2019s offense is as explosive as it should be) he could rack up a lot of touchdowns in 2024. And if he does he\u2019ll score more than the 137 fantasy points he scored in 2023.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s in Cincinnati to replace Joe Mixon<\/a>. And he\u2019ll 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 3<\/span>rd<\/span> down back so Moss should get the majority of the carries.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019ll score even more in 2024.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019t going to pay a running $4.2 million to ride the pine.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019d 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. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Williams is one of the most destructive runners in the league, but he\u2019s on one of the rockiest offenses in the league. And he\u2019s 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\u2019d better be running the ball a heap!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The former North Carolina running back scored 179.2 fantasy points last year and he only ranked 17<\/span>th<\/span> in the league for rushing attempts. If he is the mainstay of Denver\u2019s offense in 2024 (and they don\u2019t have many other options) he\u2019ll dramatically improve on that.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019ve got a new head coach in Dave Canales who helped the Buccaneers win the AFC South last season. And they\u2019ve signed 11 new faces in free agency, including three to play on the offensive line.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Hubbard\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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\u2019ve recognized the need to bolster their offensive line and have signed five new players along with two tight ends.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Singletary scored 167.34 fantasy points in 2023 but he\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019t 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 <\/span>NextGen Stats<\/span><\/a> 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\u2019s fastest carry of the season!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If Brown and Burrow play more games together in 2024 he will dramatically improve on the 53.5 fantasy points he scored last season.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Main Photo: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fantasy football might not start until September, but the still-too-early running back rankings are here to help you plan the draft.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1277,"featured_media":167493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[54,59],"tags":[6307,9840,4784,294,4502,9408,9852,7910,2236,9888,8935,6103],"class_list":["post-167480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorials","category-fantasy","tag-antonio-gibson","tag-chase-brown","tag-devin-singletary","tag-fantasy-football","tag-gus-edwards","tag-jaylen-warren","tag-keaton-mitchell","tag-khalil-herbert","tag-running-backs","tag-tyjae-spears","tag-tyler-allgeier","tag-zack-moss"],"modified_by":"Will Koshover, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1277"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=167480"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167480\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/167493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=167480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=167480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=167480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}26. Khalil Herbert<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
27. Jaylen Warren<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
28. Keaton Mitchell<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
29. Tyjae Spears<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
30. Antonio Gibson<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
31. Tyler Allgeier<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
32. Zack Moss<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
33. Austin Ekeler<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
34. Javonte Williams<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
35. Chubba Hubbard<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
35. Devin Singletary<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
36. Chase Brown<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n