football-player football-score football-helmet football-ball Accuracy Arm-Strength Balance Ball-Security Ball-Skills Big-Play-Ability Block-Deconstruction Competitive-Toughness Core-Functional-Strength Decision-Making Discipline Durability Effort-Motor Elusivness Explosiveness Football-IQ Footwork Functional-Athleticism Hand-Counters Hand-Power Hand-Technique Hands Lateral-Mobility Leadership Length Mechanics Mobility Pass-Coverage-Ability Pass-Protection Pass-Sets Passing-Down-Skills Pocket-Manipulation Poise Power-at-POA Progressions RAC-Ability Range Release-Package Release Route-Running Run-Defending Separation Special-Teams-Ability-1 Versatility Vision Zone-Coverage-Skills Anchor-Ability Contact-Balance Man-Coverage-Skills Tackling Lifted Logic Web Design in Kansas City clock location phone email play chevron-down chevron-left chevron-right chevron-up facebook tiktok checkbox checkbox-checked radio radio-selected instagram google plus pinterest twitter youtube send linkedin search arrow-circle bell left-arrow right-arrow tdn-mark filled-play-circle yellow-arrow-circle dark-arrow-circle star cloudy snowy rainy sunny plus minus triangle-down link close drag minus-circle plus-circle pencil premium trash lock simple-trash simple-pencil eye cart
NFL Draft

Fantasy Football Rankings: Top 40 Running Backs

  • The Draft Network
  • September 3, 2020
  • Share

Welcome back for year two of The Draft Network’s preseason fantasy football rankings. The following is some quick background on how these rankings were determined. 

More than 40 hours of research went into the ranking process. It started by coming up with custom stat projections for more than 200 NFL players. From there I adjusted the order you’ll see below based on upside, injury risk, likelihood of reaching the projected total, etc. It’s important to keep in mind that the rankings are not simply in descending order of projected fantasy points. Finally, I placed each RB into a tier.

All of my rankings reflect the order in which I would take players if I were drafting today in a 12-team PPR league with ESPN scoring and no bonuses. These rankings will be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check in with The Draft Network often to gain an edge on your league-mates.

If you have any specific questions or want to know more about what I think of certain players, hit me up on Twitter (@JaimeEisner). I’d be happy to chat with you! Also, tune in to the TDN Fantasy Podcast for in-depth audio breakdowns of these rankings and all the latest fantasy football news. 

For access to RB rankings 41-80 and stat projections, please click here and become a TDN Premium member.

Other rankings: QB | WR TE


TIER 1


1. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers

2. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

3. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys 

The crème de la crème of the running back group is the best fantasy football has to offer overall. These are the top four running backs and should be the top four players off the board in all PPR fantasy drafts. 

McCaffrey probably deserves his own tier, but in an effort to avoid being pretentious he joins the other top backs at the top of tier one. He’s coming off the second-best fantasy season of all-time in total points and the fifth-best season on a per-game basis. Oh, and his 2018 season ranks as the 26th-best fantasy season of all time. Yeah, he’s the clear, no-doubt No. 1 overall player.

Barkley was hobbled at times last season, but still managed to average nearly 19 fantasy points per game. He’s healthy now and will be a major focal point of the Giants’ offense. Elliott is as safe as they come at the position. Here’s how he’s finished among all running backs on a per-game basis since entering the league in 2016: 3rd, 3rd, 7th, 5th. 


TIER 2


4. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

5. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers

6. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

7. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

8. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals

9. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers

10. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs

This tier features a wider range of backs. These seven players are going anywhere between picks 3-17. If you’re picking in the back half of the first round, these are the players you’ll be choosing from, along with the top tier of wide receivers. 

Assuming he stays on the Saints and his back issue isn't serious, Kamara is due for significant positive touchdown regression this season. He’ll be his usual dynamic self with double-digit touchdowns in 2020.

The Packers offense revolves around three people: Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, and Jones. Given the fact that Green Bay’s biggest offensive addition this offseason was wide receiver Devin Funchess, Jones will continue to have a huge role both rushing and receiving. Cook would’ve been at the bottom of tier one if not for his potential hold out. Injury history is also a concern, but fantasy managers should be getting top-five RB value from Cook when he plays.

Henry is an absolute beast but is hindered slightly by his lack of pass-catching. Fantasy managers hope he’s great down the stretch for a third straight season since Henry has won more than a few leagues for folks over the last two years. Mixon will benefit from an overall better Bengals offense in 2020. He might even be used more as a receiver—as he should’ve been all along. Ekeler is now the man in Los Angeles following the departure of Melvin Gordon. If he stays healthy with an expanded workload, he’ll be a true RB1. 

Edwards-Helaire jumps into my top 10 after news of Damien Williams opting out of the 2020 season came down. Although I was a bit bearish on the rookie with Williams still in the fold, he's the clear top option now on an elite offense. Taking any rookie this high is risky, but the potential upside is enormous.


TIER 3


11. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles

12. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders

13. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns

14. Kenyan Drake, Arizona Cardinals

15. Le’Veon Bell, New York Jets

16. Todd Gurley, Atlanta Falcons

Sanders’ insanely high potential was also on display late in the season (with Jordan Howard injured). The Eagles will lean on him heavily as a rusher and receiver as they elected not to sign a veteran running back. The Raiders will do the same with Jacobs, who, if he can catch the ball a little more often, can be a top-10 RB now that his shoulder is healthy. 

Drake is assuming the role of full-time starter for the first time in his career. He was sensational in an eight-game stretch with Arizona last season, but what will he do as a follow up? Keep an eye on that walking boot he's in. Bell’s first season in New York wasn’t anything special, but I’m willing to bet on a bit of a bounce back. Chubb may lead the league in carries this season, but his lack of pass-catching—especially once Kareem Hunt got on the field—lowers his potential upside. 

You’ve likely already made up your mind one way or another on Gurley. When healthy and on the field, he’s the lead back of a strong offense with a nose for the end zone. However, he’s a major injury risk with significant bust potential. 


TIER 4


17. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks

18. James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers

19. Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

20. Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos

21. Mark Ingram II, Baltimore Ravens

This talented but risky tier has the upside of RB1 production with more than a few red flags. Carson gets plenty of work, but is recovering from a hip injury and had a bad case of fumblitis last season. Expecting a full season from Conner seems foolish. Gordon doesn’t have quite the same injury risk, but he’ll be splitting time with another quality RB, Phillip Lindsay. Ingram leads a very crowded backfield and has a nose for the end zone—although significant touchdown regression is expected. All of these backs could outperform their ADP, but buyer beware. 

New addition: Fournette on his new team. You can read all about him here.


TIER 5


22. Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns

23. Tarik Cohen, Chicago Bears

24. David Johnson, Houston Texans

This is the PPR tier, with three players who benefit greatly from catching the football. Hunt returned from suspension last season and assimilated quite well into the Browns’ offense. He’ll be splitting time with Chubb, but both backs could be on the field at the same time and Hunt will get the vast majority of the catches out of the backfield.

Cohen feels like a great fit with new Bears quarterback Nick Foles and is coming off a career-high 104 targets. He should see a similar target share in 2020. Johnson is a former top-five fantasy pick that’ll have to stay healthy and learn a new offense. He should have a featured role with the Texans if healthy and motivated. 


TIER 6


25. Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers

26. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

27. D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions

28. Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills

29. Matt Breida, Miami Dolphins

30. James White, New England Patriots


With Breida out of the picture, Mostert has a path to more playing time. The backfield in San Francisco is still fairly crowded, but on a per-touch basis, Mostert has been sensational. Taylor is a semi-risky pick here with Marlon Mack still on the roster, but he’s a do-everything back behind one of the best offensive lines in football.

Singletary enters his sophomore season with promise, but one other back (Zack Moss) looking to steal his thunder. Swift might not begin the year as Detroit’s starter, but given his pedigree and Kerryon Johnson’s injury history, he’s likely to end the year as such.

Breida gives Ryan Fitzpatrick (and maybe Tua Tagovailoa) a true pass-catching, third-down back. He has blazing speed and will be on the field a lot as the Dolphins look to throw to come back in games. White can be the same kind of safety blanket for JCam Newton that he was for Tom Brady, we just don’t know much about the Patriots’ passing game right now.


TIER 7


31. Cam Akers, Los Angeles Rams

32. Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings

33. David Montgomery, Chicago Bears

34. Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team

35. Phillip Lindsay, Denver Broncos

36. Ryquell Armstead, Jacksonville Jaguars

37. Duke Johnson, Houston Texans

38. Kerryon Johnson, Detroit Lions

39. Jordan Howard, Miami Dolphins

40. Latavius Murray, New Orleans Saints

This tier is extremely fascinating. Armstead is the new lead back in Jacksonville, but he's got plenty of competition and is unproven. Akers has a chance to earn a big role on a team with no true starter following the release of Gurley. Mattison got nearly 25% of Minnesota’s carries in games Cook was active in last season. Given Cook’s potential holdout and injury history, Mattison could be a steal in fantasy drafts.

Montgomery is going to miss some time to start the season, but will be a solid flex option once he returns. Lindsay, through no fault of his own, is no longer the starter in Denver. The Broncos figure to run a lot and can sustain two top-40 backs, but he’s now only a flex play as long as Gordon is on the field.

Duke Johnson will have a role in Houston’s offense, but with another pass-catching D. Johnson on the roster, how big will it be? Kerryon Johnson is supremely talented, but oft injured and can't be relied on for a full season—especially with a very promising rookie breathing down his back. Howard might get a lot of work in Miami's backfield, particularly in the red zone, but won't catch many passes and has limited upside.


For access to RB rankings 41-80 and stat projections, please click here and become a TDN Premium member.

Filed In

Related Articles

Written By

The Draft Network