NFL combine QB measurements: Bryce Young's size, more, NFL free agency: Ranking top 25 defensive free agents, 2023 season lookahead: Storylines, odds, teams to watch, NFL free agency 2023: Top 25 players available, NFL free agency 2023: Team-by-team offseason primer, 2023 NFL offseason and free agency: Top FAs, team needs, Ranking NFL's top 10 running backs for 2022, Mock Draft: Panthers, Colts trade up for QBs, Rodgers' trade value, logistics, best fit, Pascal robbed at gunpoint, assaulted; WR 'doing fine', Bryce Young measures similar to former No. Kamara is truly lightning in a bottle and, without him, the Saints' offense wouldn't have been worth any conversation in 2021. If youre like me, you look to handcuff your top runners in drafts. The Steelers rookie running back managed a league-leading 381 touches in 2021, and finished as the RB4 in half-point scoring as a result. He's also coming off a season where he scored just six times. 1 standard RB, hes also the No. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Jonathan Taylor or Najee Harris | Who Should I Draft in Dynasty? Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers 14. Najee Harris UPDATE: Najee Harris (hip) practiced fully Thursday and doesn't carry an injury designation ahead of Saturday night's game against the Raiders. Biography. And he's primed for positive TD regression entering the final year of his rookie deal. Jonathan Taylor Injury Update Taylor was diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain following Saturday's loss to the Vikings. Tier 6 Mid RB2sTravis Etienne, JaguarsDavid Montgomery, BearsBreece Hall, JetsA.J. #ForTheShoe @JayT23. And now, as Fields and Co. become acclimated to a new coaching staff, Montgomery will have to serve as the security blanket for the Bears' offense -- a role he's not entirely unfamiliar with -- providing impact as both a runner and a receiver. In his absence, Zack. There are a number of ways to value players when deciding who to draft for fantasy football, but utilizing tiers has become a more common approach in the last 10 years. Taylor, who finished second in the NFL behind only Pittsburgh's Najee Harris is forced missed tackles per touch with 76 last season, somehow finished outside of the top 10 at No. Taylor is a threat to take it the distance from anywhere on the field, and has shown to be much better at catching passes than most had thought when he was coming into the league. Taylor's carried the rock 20-plus times in both games since Jeff Saturday took over as interim head coach, but the offense might have more success through the air this week as Taylor could be. Chubbs fantasy value in PPR is severely limited by his lack of targets in the past two years. Taylor at No. A case can be made for either Taylor at Henry as first off the board but passing on either of them for a wild card with health risks could have dire consequences. CMC has played just 10 total games over the past two seasons, while Cook has never played more than 14 games. Given Henrys importance to the Titans offense and Tennessees shot at contending it would be somewhat surprising to see him garner another touch count in the 330-370 range. VIEW ADVICE | Edit Players Summary. 2 RB Austin Ekeler LAC 8 $35 . You don't currently have any notifications. 2022 Running Backs Busts: Jonathan Taylor, Alvin Kamara, Najee Harris. Fantasy football draft season is upon us, and the predominant top-two picks in most standard drafts have been Jonathan Taylor and Derrick Henry. He caught just 19-of-31 targets in 2019 and averaged only six yards per reception. It's a powerful aesthetic that translates very well on the field, and it feels like Ekeler is just getting started. Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Najee Harris is my No. He has more rushing touchdowns than Jonathan Taylor, Najee Harris, and James Conner combined. His average yards per carry sits at 5.1 and he has toted the ball 756 times. Meanwhile, McCaffrey is the most prolific fantasy RB since LaDainian Tomlinson. When healthy, hes easily the best player in all of fantasy football. Head Coach Mike Tomlin. Jonathan Taylor vs Najee Harris Stats Taylor is running for 89.3 yds on the ground per game so far in his career. Elevating Ekeler to the starting role has paid off like gangbusters in tandem with the drafting of Justin Herbert, and his dual-threat ability that also allows him to be an effective receiver out of the backfield truly does take defensive pressure off of wide receiver Mike Williams. The scoring format for the tiers below is PPR and is correct as of Aug. 16, 2022. Jones is going to lose carries to A.J. Lets dive right into the top five candidates. Thats the main reason he has yet to make a Pro Bowl appearance or receive any high NFL honors. We are predicting the Steelers go into Lucas Oil Stadium ad come away with the upset in. It makes sense JT was the best RB last year, and King Henry dominated the previous two seasons before breaking a bone in his right foot last Halloween. And despite all of his total raw touches, Harris only saw 37 touches (22nd) in the red zone and scored six red-zone touchdowns. Kamara led all backs with a 20.2% target share last year. Dillon, but he should see more work as a pass catcher in a new-look Packers offense that no longer has Davante Adams. Workload might be an issue for the freight train in shoulder pads, but hes still a high-end runner in all fantasy leagues. Additionally, we could see a drop off in his 18.4% target share following a number of pass-catching additions this offseason. Fantasy football running back tiers: Ranking the best RBs from Jonathan Taylor to Saquon Barkley and more. Matt RYa should only improve the stud RBs chances to duplicate his dominant run from a season ago. Najee Harris or Jonathan Taylor: Who Should Rich Eisen Take at #9 in His Fantasy Football Draft? Edmonds' stock is on the rise after the Dolphins released Sony Michel. While the ceilings not as high anymore, he should have the volume to be a borderline top-12 RB this year. Still, Ekelers injury history could make drafters squeamish. Tier 3 Mid RB1sDalvin Cook, VikingsJoe Mixon, BengalsAlvin Kamara, SaintsD'Andre Swift, LionsLeonard Fournette, Buccaneers. McCaffrey lands in the honorable mention category only for the sheer magnitude of his talent, one that is arguably unmatched when healthy, but he's only played in 10 games since signing his mega deal in 2020. 1 pick. Cook had a tough season in 2021 and does not have the best history in terms of health. With so much disappointment in the QB and coaching ranks in Chicago, Montgomery has been the glimmer of hope and routinely given Bears fans something to cheer about when they had little else. PRO CAREER. Hes running for 65.8 yds per contest and has crossed the goal line 14 times while carrying the ball. The 27-year-old played just 10 games in 20 and has been dinged up countless times throughout his three prior years as a pro. Henry was on pace to rush for over 1,990 yards last season before going down with an injured foot. Harris has coughed up the ball 3 different times in his career and his longest rush is 25 yards. Taking a top-tier running back is still as important as ever, as they are simply harder to come by than solid wide receivers in PPR formats. However, with Jones still expected to be a major part of the backfield in Green Bay, Dillons opportunity to be a top-15 running back is severely hampered. Harris also improved drastically after the team's bye week operating as the RB7 in points per game over the last 9 weeks of the season. Pro Football Network, LLC. Brown (A.J. in 2020. 9:54 am ET. Harris carried the ball 23 times for 84 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 28-14 win over the Browns. 8 pick. So, you're probably thinking there is one or two honorable mentions (listed below) who deserve this spot over Jones, but if I agreed with you, they'd be in this spot. Quite simply, he combined superior talent with opportunity. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? Compare Najee Harris and Jonathan Taylor careers through the years of your choosing. If Henry is healthy, his volume pushes him to the top of this tier, but hes now 28 with a heavy volume history. Despite his current ADP ranking below those of both Najee Harris and Jonathan Taylor, Gibson arguably presents the most upside of the three backs this season. Taylors 42 carries inside the 10-yard line were 12 more than the next-closest back (Damien Harris, 30). Taylor is the consensus No. The Lions could re-sign the veteran running back in the offseason, especially if they don't trust Swift to stay healthy for an entire season. Indys offensive line helped the young stud a great deal and should be strong again this year despite losing two starters. They have each been complete busts through four weeks of the NFL season. Najee Harris was the first running back drafted in the 2021 NFL Draft and he should be the first rookie drafted in 2021 redraft leagues, as early as the second round. The debate is largely over whether he can stay healthy and remain efficient at this stage in his career. Jonathan TaylorChristian McCaffreyAustin Ekeler. If Jonathan Taylor were staring at me in the first round, I couldn't pass him up, but he might be the only one. For the Steelers this game marks his seventh career start as he continues to develop as Pittsburghs future franchise signal caller. Jacobs was the RB12 a season ago, but the selection of rookie Zamir White and a potential committee has caused his stock to decline a bit. Four of the Panthers 5 wins last season came when CMC was active and playing. With both expected to be ready for Week 1 in 2022, many fantasy owners have been wrestling with the decision of which top-tier RB to choose if they land the No. Use this breakdown of the top fantasy running backs to make smart draft decisions. Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis Colts 2. . Last season, he was 27th in snaps at just 49% amongst RBs a number that will undoubtedly increase in 2021. Akers has lost value in drafts as he heads into what looks like a committee with Henderson. Harris is a true workhorse who should continue to deliver the mail for coach Mike Tomlin in his second season. How Pittsburgh's offense responded after Najee Harris' exit. He has phenomenal vision, burst, and cutting ability. Hes strong but stable and can fight through contact. Before getting hurt last year, Henry averaged 21.9 standard fantasy points per game; Taylor only averaged 16.4 in that same eight-game span. Taylor also led the NFL in red-zone touches (92), which was not that surprising considering he ranked fifth in that category as a rookie. Hall is also a very talented three-down back, but as a rookie in a team expected to struggle to win games, his touches could be controlled. No matter what team build approach you choose, you're going to be making some kind of sacrifices. 1 or No. ? Tier 8 High RB3s/FlexTony Pollard, CowboysRhamondre Stevenson, PatriotsClyde Edwards-Helaire, ChiefsAntonio Gibson, CommandersCordarrelle Patterson, FalconsJ.K. He scored 10 touchdowns last season and averaged 4.4 yards per touch last season. He's rushed for 33 touchdowns with the longest carry being for 62 yds. The former two-time NFL rushing champ was off to a blazing start to the 2021 season that saw him as fast, quick and decisive as he's ever been, but he was slowed by injury in the back half of the season that made many forget what he was doing prior to that point. 1 RB in PPR and standard leagues. Harris will share work with Stevenson, but I like the latter's upside as a pass catcher in New England. Edmonds is a similar story. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts 2. 2. And, even though the Cowboys should have shut him down for a few games to rest what was later revealed as a torn PCL in his knee, he was still able to play through the ailment en route to another 1,000-yard season (1,289 yards from scrimmage) with 12 total touchdowns. Start free trial today. Rumor has it NFL running backs don't matter, but I suppose that logic depends upon which ones you're talking about, because they're not all created equal. If anything, it simply makes you wonder just how much more destructive he'd be if he was the only option out of the Browns' backfield. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. 1 WR in this particular draft. Because the Steelers did not practice on Tuesday, they issued an estimated injury report, and Harris (hip) was listed as a limited participant. Montgomery will lead a run-based attack in Chicago, though Khalil Herbert could earn more touches. That makes it more important than ever to put your players into positional tiers. Unlike my regular player rankings, which you can also find on Sports Illustrated, tiers group players of similar value together. Mitchell is also expected to lead the backfield in San Francisco. Singletarys ceiling is capped by the fact the Bills simply love to use Josh Allen in goal-line rushing situations. All Rights Reserved. The RB5 last season, Conner will likely experience touchdown regression even though his role in Arizona projects to increase a bit without Chase Edmonds. Mitchell could be a 1,000-yard back in San Francisco, but durability issues and the emergence of Trey Sermon in camp make him a risk-reward No. I took Mark Andrews with the second pick of the third round, only because Josh Allen was taken a pick before me I'm a firm believer in taking an early QB this season, though if it's not Allen around the second/third-round turn, my preference is to wait a little longer for the next tier. Having battled injury early in his promising career, he's since overcome that dark cloud -- mostly -- and become everything the Vikings could have hoped for. Meanwhile, McCaffrey is the most prolific fantasy RB since LaDainian Tomlinson. 47. . Cook has been an elite fantasy back and he could see more chances as a pass catcher under new coach Kevin OConnell. While Taylor proved his ability as a pass catcher out of the backfield last season, it remains to be seen if Henry will ever truly materialize as a stud receiving back. PFF ranks the Colts line No. Still, I think Jamey made out quite nicely with those two players falling coming off a championship in this league where he had Jonathan Taylor fall to the second round because of injuries to his quarterback and starting center around the time of the draft. Prior to the drafting of Joe Burrow and then Ja'Marr Chase, it was Mixon literally carrying the load for the Bengals' offense, and he was still able to be a key reason for their special 2021 season despite it morphing into the Burrow-Chase show. Start Over | Edit Players Summary Game Log Stats Projections Points Targets Notes See if your team wins or loses with this trade. Robinson and Gordon are projecting as the second options in their respective backfields. Compare that to the likes of other first-round backs in Jonathan Taylor (3.6%), Dalvin Cook (2.7%), and Saquon Barkley (2.6%). Henry is a cyborg, simply put, and can do it all -- from running around and through defenders with ease, to running past them with speed unnatural to his size, to catching the ball out of the backfield to throwing it. . Hes easily one of the best receiving backs in football, as evidenced by his 70 receptions for 647 yards and eight TDs through the air. McKissic, James Cook, Darrell Henderson, Alexander Mattison, Nyheim Hines, Tier 8:Jamaal Williams, Kenneth Gainwell, Isaiah Spiller, Mark Ingram, Darrel Williams, Rachaad White, Khalil Herbert, Brian Robinson, Gus Edwards, Tyler Allgeier, Marlon Mack, Tier 9:DOnta Foreman, Zamir White, Raheem Mostert, Isiah Pacheco, Dontrell Hilliard, Boston Scott, Samaje Perine, Kenyan Drake, Sony Michel, Hassan Haskins, Rex Burkhead, Matt Breida, Ronald Jones, Tyrion Davis-Price, Jerick McKinnon, Chuba Hubbard, Jeff Wilson, Tier 10: Chris Evans, Pierre Strong Jr., Giovani Bernard, Damien Williams, KeShawn Vaughn, DErnest Johnson, Myles Gaskin, Mike Davis, Tevin Coleman, Trey Sermon, Duke Johnson, Demetric Felton Jr., Eno Benjamin, Dynasty Rookie Sleepers 2023: Fantasy Targets Include Israel Abanikanda, Puka Nacua, and Nathaniel Dell, 2023 Dynasty Rookie RB Rankings: Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Devon Achane, and Others, 2023 Dynasty Rookie WR Rankings: Quentin Johnston, Jordan Addison, Rashee Rice, and More, Dynasty Fantasy Football Startup Draft Strategies, What is Dynasty Fantasy Football? According to our friends at FantasyPros, Henry has a current ADP of No. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers. Even before he got hurt last season, Henry was averaging fewer yards per carry (4.3 to JTs 5.5) and yards per catch (8.6 to 9.0). The most important thing is his foot injury is . Eddie George vs Herschel Walker vs J.K. Dobbins vs Jahmyr Gibbs vs LaDainian Tomlinson vs Leonard Fournette vs Mark Ingram vs Najee Harris vs Ricky Williams vs Rodney Anderson vs Tony Dorsett vs Travis . Montgomery could easily see one of the biggest workloads in the entire league, but the Bears offense is among the worst in the NFL, limiting his ceiling. Mattison, Williams and Gainwell are among the top options, and the latter two could have standalone flex value at times regardless. Weve already seen Sanders saying he doesnt get enough usage this offseason. All Rights Reserved. He just struggles to stay out there from start to finish each campaign. He enters his . The Colts gutted out their coaching staff at midseason and many Steelers fans think Pittsburgh should have done the same. That elite goal-line usage helped separate Taylor from the pack as the bonafide No. 5. Now both teams are just trying to be competitive every week. Last season, Taylor was the best running back in fantasy, averaging 22 PPR fantasy points per game (ppg). Jamey stopped Kupp's slide with the eighth overall pick, and even with concerns about Matthew Stafford's elbow making headlines in training camp recently, I still think Kupp is the top WR on the board and should be a top-three pick in PPR leagues.