Way Too Early 2024 Redraft Fantasy Running Back Rankings – Part 2
Now the Super Bowl is over the jonesing for fantasy football can begin. This year, there’s a real dearth of talented running backs in the draft and the top 25 best running backs are all familiar faces. But who should you draft when September rolls around?
13. Saquon Barkley
Unless the Giants decide to pay him he’ll be one of the most prized free agents come March. The Giants have a lot of holes that need filling so it would seem unlikely they can keep him. They could franchise-tag him for a second season. But they would have to pay the star back around $12 million, And that’s a lot for someone who only scored 6 rushing touchdowns in 2023.
At a team with a functioning offense and two coaches who don’t argue like divorced parents Barkley could be reborn.
14. Nick Chubb
He was injured after just 54 snaps during the 2023 season. But in his absence, Jerome Bell managed 4 yards per carry. So he’s going to have a point to prove. And he already averages 5.3 yards per carry during the regular season. Chubb figures to be an important part of a Browns team that made the 2023 playoffs with a backup running back and 5 different starting quarterbacks!
15. James Conner
He doesn’t seem to age. And when Kyler Murray came back from his knee injury Connor seemed to have a second flush of youth (another one). By the end of the season, the Cardinals were almost a run-by committee team. But the closer Conner gets to the endzone the harder he is to tackle.
16. D’andre Swift
Swift’s season was like the Eagles’, it started well. The Eagles started 10-1, Swift scored 9 touchdowns in the first 10 weeks of the season. He also racked up 770 yards from scrimmage in the first 10 weeks. But he only managed 493 yards in the last 8 weeks of the season.
Part of that is undoubtedly how the Eagle’s defense melted resulting in them having to play from behind so often. But it also had something to do with how the Eagles used their running backs. He had 165 touches in the first 9 games of the season. He had only had more touches in 1 season of his 3 years in Detroit. In the last 8 weeks of the season, he averaged fewer than 15 touches per game.
With a new offensive coordinator in Philadelphia Swift’s usage should be more uniform. Swift scored more than 15 points in 4 of the first 6 games of the fantasy season. He only managed it twice in the next 10 games. He’ll be more consistent next year with a sane coach.
17. Kenneth Walker III
When he’s healthy he’s great even when the Seahawks offense is a bit rough around the edges. Walker III had 6 games where he scored more than 15 fantasy points in 2023 in 6 games where he didn’t get into double figures. If the Seahawks strengthen their offensive line in the offseason and Geno Smith can stay healthy Seattle’s offense will be more consistent next time out.
18. Alvin Kamara
Only McCaffrey and Kyren Williams averaged more points per game than Kamara did in 2023. He has to avoid getting suspended for the start of the season.
19. Tony Pollard
The Cowboys offense is loaded with receivers and Rico Dowdle’s 4.8 yards per touch was half a yard more than Pollard’s 2023 average. So, who knows if Pollard will even be the lead running back in Dallas next season? But only CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson caught more passes than Pollard did last season so he fits McCarthy’s offense perfectly.
20. Jaylen Warren
Unless the Steelers do something outrageous and acquire a new quarterback in the offseason they’ll still be a run-first team in 2024. And a dynamic running back like Warren will be key to that plan. Warren was second for rushing attempts and passes caught in Pittsburgh this year. And they won 10 games, it’s not exactly broken so why would they fix it?
21. Gus Edwards
The Ravens have a plethora of running backs and a quarterback who can stretch his legs when he has to. But Edwards is the most well-rounded of their running back options. In 2023 Edwards racked up a ridiculous 362 yards after contact. He averaged 1.8 yards after contact per attempt. Christian McCaffrey averaged 2.2 yards after contact per attempt. So, Edwards is one of the more physical backs in the league. Edwards also averaged over 12 yards after the catch on his 12 catches last season. In comparison, McCaffrey averaged 6.9 yards. And only Lamar Jackson broke more tackles with his 14 compared to Edwards’ 12. Christian McCaffrey broke 15 tackles during the regular season.
22. Khalil Herbert
The Bears will probably have a different starting quarterback in September, but Caleb Williams can run and pass the ball like Justin Fields. Well, he might not be able to run it like Fields, not many can though. But more importantly, Shane Waldron replaces Luke Gesty as the Bears offensive coordinator. Waldron was the Rams’ pass game coordinator before he became the OC in Seattle. That’s good news for Herbert who had more yards from scrimmage than any Bear not named DJ Moore. And Herbert only started 9 games. 18% of Herbert’s yards from scrimmage came through the air.
23. David Montgomery
Montgomery is only 26, it just feels like he’s the wise old head on the Lions’ offense. And even though that young whippersnapper Gibbs averaged 5.4 yards per touch compared to Montgomery’s 4.8 yards Montgomery still led the Lions with 13 touchdowns.
There is a chance the Lions draft a quarterback in the offseason and if they decide they need a younger signal caller the running backs will become even more important. But even with Jared Goff under center, Montgomery should still be the mainstay in the Detroit offense.
24. Keaton Mitchell
He may not be back from his ACL injury until November (although the minimum rehab time is 6 months. So he could be back in preseason). But Mitchell is so good he’ll still score big points at the business end of the fantasy season. He averaged 8.5 yards per touch in the 8 games he played in 2023!
Main Photo: Kevin R. Wexler-USA TODAY NETWORK
