5 Cheap Workhorse Running Backs for Fantasy Football in 2023
Running back by committee has been the new approach in recent years in the NFL. In the long run, it may be smarter for NFL teams to take this approach. However, this isn’t ideal in fantasy football. In fact, sharing at running back is a recipe for disaster for fantasy football rosters.
Sure, you can go with the “zero running back” strategy. But in doing so, you’re hoping to strike gold with rookies or backups that might luck into significant roles due to injury. But why? On the flip side, by paying close attention to training camp situations and planning your draft accordingly, you can find some great values. In doing so, you should be able to identify several running back situations that should shake down with one man getting the majority of the work.
Needless to say, no one needs to be reminded of studs like Austin Ekeler, Christian McCaffrey, and Saquon Barkley. Not to mention, any other running back that is in the first round or so of a fantasy football draft. So today, we will skip the obvious calls. However, if you land one or two of the following backs, you might be able to hitch your wagon to 300+ carries and a fantasy football title.
Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
Stevenson was a monster in 2022, logging 210-1040-5 and chipped in 69 additional catches. He was so good, in fact, that the Patriots let Damien Harris walk to the Buffalo Bills. So, what does that mean for 2023? Big things, most likely.
Now, Stevenson only needs to fight off second-year man Pierre Strong and journeyman Ty Montgomery. Needless to say, that shouldn’t be too difficult. The Patriots like Strong, but Stevenson is a true 3-down back and could potentially push 300 or more touches. With his current ADP of 25 according to FantasyPros, he is going as a low-end RB1 at the end of the second round. Reach just a bit, and you might get a true workhorse for 2023.
Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
Next up is Najee Harris, who might seem a bit obvious here. However, he is currently sitting one spot lower than Stevenson with an ADP of 26. It appears fantasy managers may be sleeping on the former Alabama standout. After struggling with injuries and bad quarterback play, early reports are Harris looks slimmer, more explosive, and completely healthy.
While he slogged to 272-1034-7 with 41 catches last year, imagine what he will do with no competition and competent quarterback play. This is assuming that second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett is up to the task. Finally, many managers will only have last year’s super-sluggish Harris in mind, so snagging him could pay off in a big way.
Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals
This is a controversial call and truly a one-year rental, but don’t count out the possibility of Joe Mixon having a monster year. His numbers were down across the board in 2022, but he played hurt. Additionally, the Bengals did nothing substantial in terms of adding competition outside of Illinois running back Chase Brown. Brown may be a fine player eventually, but the Bengals simply don’t have a history of playing rookie running backs. Especially 5th rounders.
Recently, Mixon restructured his contract and, despite that, will likely be working somewhere else next year. Moving forward, he may blow up in search of that last contract somewhere else. However, for 2023 he is a safe bet to have a big season. With an ADP of 46, he is a solid value as a one-year rental that could push 325 touches.
Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings
After years as a premium handcuff to Dalvin Cook, the Vikings now turn the job over to Alexander Mattison. Sure, the third-rounder from Boise State isn’t flashy. Furthermore, he doesn’t necessarily pop when he plays. However, the Vikings clearly feel good enough about him that they didn’t do much to replace Cook via the 2023 NFL Draft or free agency. As a result, Ty Chandler and DeWayne McBride are the only competitors at this point.
For 2023, unless the Vikings sign another veteran running back like Elliott or Leonard Fournette, then Mattison is a great option at his current ADP of 79. If he manages 300+ touches he will be a low-end RB1 this year.
Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Perhaps my favorite player on this list is second-year running back Rachaad White. With Fournette gone and no other real competition, White is set to hog the touches in the Tampa Bay backfield. You may ask yourself, how valuable will these touches be? Considering Tom Brady is gone and the quarterback situation is a quagmire of bad and worse with Baker Mayfield and Kyle Tras. However, White could see a marked increase in his already impressive 50 catches in his rookie season.
The Bucs thought enough of the Arizona State product to make him the 91st pick in the NFL 2022 Draft and only brought in oft-injured Chase Edmonds to compete for carries. With an ADP of 64, many owners will dismiss the Sun Devil, leaving him there to snag as a low-end RB2 with RB1 potential.
Of course, watch impending free agent signings as players like Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, and Kareem Hunt are all still available. If so, be sure to react accordingly. However, if the depth charts remain true, jump on any of these five running backs and reap the benefits of being selfish.
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