With the NFL Draft done and the vast majority of free agents already signed, it\u2019s time for the fantasy football community to turn their eye towards rankings and projection. Running back is arguably the most important position in fantasy, as it\u2019s hard to find multiple players capable of carrying your team. Without further ado, let\u2019s take a look at the fantasy football running back rankings (hopefully) heading into training camp.<\/p>\n
1. Christian McCaffrey<\/p>\n
It\u2019s hard to imagine any world where Christian McCaffrey<\/a><\/strong> is not the consensus RB1 at the start of the season. Following an absolutely historic 2019, McCaffrey is in the perfect position to repeat his remarkable season. While he probably won\u2019t be THAT<\/em> dominant for a second straight season, he\u2019s still the unquestioned starter and the focal point of the offense. McCaffrey is game script proof and having Teddy Bridgewater<\/a><\/strong> at quarterback can only be a good thing. Don\u2019t overthink it, he\u2019s the best player in fantasy.<\/p>\n 2. Saquon Barkley All of these guys have a decent shot at finishing the year as the overall RB2. However, for now, Saquon Barkley<\/a><\/strong> is the safest bet. The New York Giants running back is a three-down player with no notable competition, and Joe Judge<\/strong> and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett<\/a><\/strong> clearly want to build their offense around his talents. The Dallas Cowboys might not run as much with Mike McCarthy<\/strong> running the show, but the added scoring opportunities should still make Ezekiel Elliott<\/a><\/strong> a top fantasy option.<\/p>\n Alvin Kamara<\/a><\/strong> doesn\u2019t have the same type of workload as the other backs on this list, but he\u2019s so dangerous that it doesn\u2019t matter. Kamara was wildly efficient over his first two years in the league and battled injury last year. He actually scored fewer touchdowns than you\u2019d expect, given his workload, so he\u2019s actually due for some positive regression heading into 2020. Dalvin Cook<\/a><\/strong> has yet to play a full 16-game season but is one of the best running backs in the league when on the field. Trading away Stefon Diggs<\/a><\/strong> means that the Vikings will run the ball even more, which is good news for Cook.<\/p>\n If \u201cArizona Cardinals Starting Running Back\u201d was a single player last year, they would\u2019ve finished as a clear RB1. However, David Johnson<\/a>, Chase Edmonds<\/a>, <\/strong>and Kenyan Drake<\/a><\/strong> all split time as the starter. Now that Drake has a clear handle on the job, he should be one of the top options in fantasy. Joe Mixon<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s fate is closely tied to Joe Burrow<\/strong>\u2019s development, but his workload is so high that he should be a solid starter even if Burrow struggles out of the gate.<\/p>\n 8. Nick Chubb Nick Chubb<\/a><\/strong> would be a lot higher on this list if it weren\u2019t for the presence of Kareem Hunt<\/a><\/strong>. Last year, both players split the workload, although Chubb was clearly the primary starter. It\u2019s entirely possible that this becomes more of a 50\/50 split, which obviously would hurt Chubb\u2019s overall production.<\/p>\n As of this posting, the Philadelphia Eagles have not signed a running back in free agency. If they go into the season with Miles Sanders<\/a><\/strong> and Boston Scott<\/a><\/strong> as their primary running backs, Sanders should have a huge season. However, the team has been publicly linked to Devonta Freeman<\/a><\/strong> and LeSean McCoy<\/a><\/strong>, which is obviously bad news for Sanders. If the Eagles add another back, Sanders is probably looking at an RB2 finish.<\/p>\n Josh Jacobs<\/a><\/strong> has the skillset to be a three-down workhorse, but the Raiders don\u2019t appear interested in using him in that fashion. The team re-signed Jalen Richard<\/a><\/strong> and drafted pass-catching specialist Lynn Bowden<\/strong> in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He\u2019ll receive the majority of the carries, but he probably won\u2019t get the passing work to earn a top-six finish.<\/p>\n In a similar vein, Austin Ekeler<\/a><\/strong> is going to see his passing work decrease without Philip Rivers<\/a><\/strong> in town. Historically speaking, Tyrod Taylor<\/a><\/strong> doesn\u2019t throw to running backs and Justin Herbert<\/strong> is a massive unknown.<\/p>\n Derrick Henry<\/a><\/strong> has regression written all over him. His massive workload from a season ago doesn\u2019t bode well<\/a> for his future production, and his touchdown production is due to go down<\/a>. Additionally, he doesn\u2019t make plays in the passing game and Ryan Tannehill<\/a><\/strong> is due for some regression of his own. He\u2019ll still receive enough carries to be fantasy-relevant, but he won\u2019t come close to matching last years numbers.<\/p>\n 13. Clyde Edwards-Helaire For the sake of this exercise, I\u2019m assuming that Clyde Edwards-Helaire<\/strong><\/a> beats out Damien Williams<\/a> <\/strong>for the starting job. Andy Reid<\/a><\/strong> historically likes to use a workhorse running back, and anyone taking snaps in Kansas City\u2019s offense is going to be a fantasy star. Even if Edwards-Helaire doesn\u2019t win the Week 1 starting job, it\u2019s only a matter of time before he\u2019s the guy in the backfield.<\/p>\n Todd Gurley<\/strong><\/a> isn\u2019t the player he once was, but his situation is perfect. Atlanta doesn\u2019t have any other starting-caliber running backs, and Gurley obviously has a history of success in both the running and receiving game. He obviously comes with some injury risk, but he should be a great fantasy option as long as he stays on the field.<\/p>\n The Jacksonville Jaguars do not want to keep Leonard Fournette<\/strong><\/a>, but nobody else wants him, either. As long as he remains in Jacksonville, he\u2019ll see the majority of the early-down carries and is actually due for some positive touchdown regression. However, he\u2019s not a natural pass-catcher and some of his 100 targets from a season ago are going to go to Chris Thompson<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Chris Carson<\/strong><\/a> should remain the starter in Seattle, as Carlos Hyde<\/a><\/strong> is primarily there to fill in for the injured Rashaad Penny<\/a><\/strong>. As long as he can hold on to the ball, Carson should be a high-volume starter in a run-heavy offense.<\/p>\n I\u2019m higher on Raheem Mostert<\/strong><\/a> than most. Kyle Shanahan<\/strong> can make anyone fantasy-relevant, and I\u2019m projecting Mostert to be the primary starter in 2020. With Matt Breida<\/a><\/strong> out of town and Tevin Coleman<\/a><\/strong> battling injuries in recent seasons, Mostert should have plenty of opportunity with one of the best offensive minds in football.<\/p>\n The Baltimore Ravens are one of the most analytically-inclined teams in the league, and they wouldn\u2019t have selected a running back as early as they did if they weren\u2019t going to use him. Mark Ingram<\/a><\/strong> is getting up there in age, and J.K. Dobbins<\/strong><\/a> has a decent shot of earning a large role right out of the gate. Baltimore\u2019s running attack is second to none, and I\u2019m projecting Dobbins to get the majority of the carries. As long as he\u2019s the one touching the ball, he\u2019s going to be a weekly start.<\/p>\n 19. Le’Veon Bell The New York Jets upgraded their offensive line, so Le\u2019Veon Bell<\/strong><\/a> should be more efficient than he was a season ago. That said, he\u2019s still getting up there in age and probably won\u2019t ever return to his Pittsburgh level of play. Also, Adam Gase<\/strong> is still his coach, which is never good for fantasy.<\/p>\n David Johnson clearly isn\u2019t the player he once was, but he\u2019s the only man in town and Bill O\u2019Brien<\/strong> will desperately try to prove that he made the right choice by taking on Johnson\u2019s contract.<\/p>\n James Conner<\/a><\/strong> could easily outplay this ranking, assuming Ben Roethlisberger<\/a><\/strong> can stay healthy and productive. However, it\u2019s dangerous to bank on both Roethlisberger and Conner staying on the field, considering their recent injury histories. Ronald Jones<\/a><\/strong> isn\u2019t an exciting player by any stretch of the imagination, but he still projects to see the majority of the carries in a high-powered offense.<\/p>\n Devin Singletary<\/a><\/strong> is going to be the starter in Buffalo, although Zack Moss<\/strong><\/a> will eat into some of his work. The New England Patriots have arguably the worst group of pass-catchers in the league, so James White<\/a><\/strong> should see plenty of work in the passing game.<\/p>\n 25. Jonathan Taylor I\u2019m projecting Jonathan Taylor<\/strong><\/a> and Marlon Mack<\/a><\/strong> to split the workload fairly evenly, at least out of the gate. If Taylor wins the starting job in Week 1, he will soar up these rankings and Mack will plummet. Aaron Jones<\/a><\/strong> is due for an absurd amount of touchdown regression, and will probably see fewer scoring opportunities overall. The 2019 Packers were not as good as their 13-3 record would indicate, and the team only got worse in the offseason. Additionally, second-round pick A.J. Dillon<\/strong> will probably eat into the workload as the team embraces a full-on backfield by committee.<\/p>\n The New England Patriots have a good offensive line, and the team appears to be building a run-first offense. There won\u2019t be many scoring opportunities, but Michel should have a decent workload. Matt Breida is more talented than Jordan Howard<\/a><\/strong> and is capable of making more plays in the passing game. Both guys will receive work, but Breida will probably see more touches.<\/p>\n Derrius Guice<\/a><\/strong> has all the talent in the world but struggles to stay healthy and is playing in an atrocious offense. The good news is Ron Rivera<\/a><\/strong> loves to use running backs, so he offers some decent upside. David Montgomery<\/a><\/strong> is the only man in town, but his play left a lot to be desired in 2019, and Chicago\u2019s offense projects as one of the worst in the league.<\/p>\n 32. Zack Moss Main photo:Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings: High-End RB1<\/h3>\n
\n3. Ezekiel Elliott
\n4. Alvin Kamara
\n5. Dalvin Cook
\n6. Kenyan Drake
\n7. Joe Mixon<\/p>\nLow-End RB1<\/h3>\n
\n9. Miles Sanders
\n10. Josh Jacobs
\n11. Austin Ekeler
\n12. Derrick Henry<\/p>\nRB1 Potential<\/h3>\n
\n14. Todd Gurley
\n15. Leonard Fournette
\n16. Chris Carson
\n17. Raheem Mostert
\n18. J.K. Dobbins<\/p>\nLow-End RB2<\/h3>\n
\n20. David Johnson
\n21. James Conner
\n22. Ronald Jones
\n23. Devin Singletary
\n24. James White<\/p>\nRB2 Potential<\/h3>\n
\n26. Aaron Jones
\n27. Sony Michel
\n28. Marlon Mack
\n29. Matt Breida
\n30. Derrius Guice
\n31. David Montgomery<\/p>\nThe Rest of the Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings<\/h3>\n
\n33. Kareem Hunt
\n34. Tevin Coleman
\n35. Jordan Howard
\n36. D\u2019Andre Swift<\/a>
\n37. Kerryon Johnson<\/a>
\n38. Melvin Gordon<\/a>
\n39. Phillip Lindsay
\n40. Cam Akers<\/a>
\n41. Darrell Henderson<\/a>
\n42. Duke Johnson<\/a>
\n43. Ke\u2019Shawn Vaughn<\/a>
\n44. Boston Scott
\n45. Justin Jackson<\/a>
\n46. Latavius Murray<\/a>
\n47. Mark Ingram
\n48. Damien Williams
\n49. Alexander Mattison<\/a>
\n50. Tarik Cohen<\/a><\/p>\n
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>