The 2023 NFL Draft is just around the corner and by now, we’re all just ready to see where these players land. Today, we’ll be covering our personal “Flag Plants” at the running back position for this 2023 rookie class.

What does that mean exactly? These are players that we are planting our flag as some of our favorite running backs for the 2023 rookie class. More importantly, they’re players that we’re getting behind and doing what we can to get them on our dynasty fantasy football rosters. Continue reading for our flag plants at the running back position.

Tyjae Spears

Tyjae Spears constantly freezes his opponents in open space. While his intense cutting style has surely contributed to his ACL injuries in the past, he continues to come back at full speed each time. The Senior Bowl and Cotton Bowl are where most people began to hear about him.

Furthermore, with solid hands for use in the downfield passing game, Spears is a big play threat wherever he is on the field. There is a lot of Aaron Jones in his game, whom might I add also had an ACL tear in college. His 4.55 yards after contact are one of the best in this class. Additionally, his explosiveness and vision will translate to the next level in the NFL. More importantly, for your dynasty fantasy football teams. – Bryce Williams @BryceNFL

Tank Bigsby

This year, my running back flag plant is personal; he comes from my favorite college team. He has the best name in the draft and hopes he follows with the best career. I am talking about HIM. Tank Bigsby.

Bigsby has the prototypical size of a successful running back in the NFL. In addition to his size, he has athleticism and skill that consistently makes the first guy miss. Furthermore, his freshman year at Auburn was one of the best we have seen. I blame his production in years two and three on the program’s shape while he was there. In the end, if Tank lands in the right spot, he can be an absolute smash for fantasy football purposes. – Joe Arledge @FF_Brows

Israel Abanikanda

This young ball carrier out of Pitt is my idea of value and has a lot of promise. Israel Abanikanda is a hard worker and student of the game and it showed in his senior year. His speed and plant-and-go agility have made him a menace for would-be tacklers. His awareness allows him to shift direction on a dime. When he finds that hole in the defense, his experience as a sprinter will turn out big gains of yardage.

In 2022, he accumulated 1,431 rushing yards at a clip of 6.0 YPC with 21 total touchdowns. The resume is there, we just need to see his landing spot. In the end, Abanikanda could turn out solid RB2/3 production in year one. He’s a surefire second-round selection in dynasty rookie drafts that I’ll gladly pull the trigger on drafting. – Benjamin Ditlevson @FFRabbitDad

Kendre Miller

Deciding between the RB3 and on is close in this 2023 rookie class. Personally, I believe Kendre Miller should be on everyone’s radar towards the end of your rookie 1st rounds and in the early 2nd.

Miller has spent his draft buildup rehabbing an injury sustained during last year’s College Football semifinal. Additionally, he has the ideal size for the position at over 200 pounds and is just about 6 feet tall. As far as production goes, Miller ran for 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2022. Plus, he doesn’t turn 21 until June. Miller is young, strong, and profiles as a 1A in an NFL backfield. His talent warrants an NFL Day 2 pick, if that happens we should all be investing in Miller. – Jack Brezinski @Janibreeze

Mohamed Ibrahim

One running back that I’ll be drafting all over the place is Minnesota’s, Mohamed Ibrahim. Largey, this will be due to his ADP, which is currently 50th in our 1QB Rookie ADP. Ibrahim would’ve declared for the NFL sooner, but a torn Achilles back in 2021 held him back. I’d be concerned about this injury, but he bounced back in such a big way in 2022. Ibrahim ended up racking up 1,000+ rushing yards in his first year back from this injury and totaled 4,600 rushing yards with 53 touchdowns.

Elite college production tends to correlate to success in the NFL. Between the production and his current price, I’ll be grabbing Ibrahim off the waiver wire or at the very end of just about all my dynasty rookie drafts this year. – Aaron Schill @aaron_schill

Keaton Mitchell

Keaton Mitchell is an electrifying running back who has over 3,000 scrimmage yards over the past two seasons. His speed and cutting ability give me Chris Johnson vibes as he was one of the fatest running backs at the NFL combine running a 4.37 40-yard dash.

On top of that, he’s currently going 55th overall in our 1QB rookie mocks since the NFL Combine. I love this spot for him because if I am anywhere in the middle to the end of the 4th round I am drafting him. Personally, I believe Mitchell is an underrated prospect who is the No.1 running back in this class with a 1.48s 10-yard split beating out Devon Achane, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Bijan Robinson. With this and the CJ2K comparison, hopefully, your league-mates sleep on him as you get him late in all of your dynasty rookie drafts. – Ryan Miner @RyanMiner_FFB

Zach Evans

Zach Evans is someone I believe is the most underrated running back coming out this year. Transferring out of TCU, Evans ran for 1,163 yards and 9 touchdowns in two college seasons. Evans was expected to be the RB1 on Ole Miss’ depth chart but that wasn’t the case because he was playing behind All-American Freshman, Quinshon Judkins. Even with being the No. 2 on their depth chart, Evans racked up 1,055 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns.

Evans is a great ground-and-pound runner with a huge receiving threat out of the backfield. Furthermore, he has the speed and acceleration to blow past opposing linebackers. Finally, his vision is off the charts, and while he’s never been an RB1 on a team’s depth chart. Evans could look to be the guy for a team like the Eagles or the Chargers. – Cannon Brisco @MockDrafts_NFL

Devon Achane

Devon Achane is a former track star with the second-best running back tape in the 2023 draft class. His speed is impressive, as demonstrated by his 4.32 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Additionally, his patience as a runner is exceptional, allowing his blocks to form for him to burst through the line with explosive acceleration. Even when his line breaks down, he uses his elite lateral ability to create positive yards out of nothing.

Despite standing at 5’8 and weighing just 188 pounds, he can run up the middle surprisingly well. While he may not have ideal size, he still averaged 23.2 touches per game last season. Including a standout performance of 38 carries, 215 yards, and two touchdowns against the #5 ranked LSU team, which capped off his college career. Overall, he is a rare talent with multiple elite traits and is projected to be a Round 2 pick in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. More importantly, I believe he should be a mid-late first-round selection in all dynasty fantasy football rookie drafts. – Andrew Albin @SKOL_84

2023 Dynasty Rookie Flag Plants – WRs

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