5 Cheap Workhorse Running Backs for Fantasy Football in 2024
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 who 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 Christian McCaffrey, Breece Hall, and Bijan Robinson. 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.
Cheap Fantasy Football Workhorse Running Backs
If you are looking for fantasy football workhorse running backs to buy low on, we have you covered. These five running backs are cheap fantasy football ADP and can be had at a value. Continue reading to find out our top 5 cheap workhouse running backs for fantasy football 2024.
Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
Isiah Pacheco finished last year as the RB13 and his current ADP is RB11. However, if we extrapolate his numbers with the two games he missed, he would have finished as the RB7. The Chiefs did not draft any running back this year to challenge Pacheco and they re-signed the ever-disappointing Clyde Edward-Helaire.
Even though there exists no immediate threat to Pacheco’s stranglehold in the Chiefs backfield, his ADP is only at RB11. However, there are question marks with many of the backs ranked ahead of Pacheco. Let’s take a quick look at some of the running backs going ahead of Pacheco:
- Travis Etienne (RB10) fizzled out the second half of last season. Additionally, the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars Doug Pederson has said this offseason that he wants to get sophomore running back Tank Bigsby more involved in the offense.
- Derrick Henry (RB9) of the Baltimore Ravens has quarterback Lamar Jackson to worry about near the goal line.
- Los Angeles Rams back Kyren Williams (RB8) has third-round rookie Blake Corum to contend with.
- Miami Dolphins De’Von Achane (RB7) does not have the prototypical size to be a workhorse back and has veteran Raheem Mostert and rookie Jaylen Wright to share the Dolphins backfield with.
- Saquon Barkley (RB6) of the Philadelphia Eagles has quarterback Jalen Hurts and the “tush push” that may limit his red zone touchdowns.
- Similarly, Jonathan Taylor (RB5) has quarterback Anthony Richardson who is a threat to score running in the red zone.
- Finally, Detroit Lions back Jahmyr Gibbs (RB4) has David Montgomery taking touches away.
On the contrary, Pacheco has no such competition to deal with. The Chiefs backfield belongs to Pacheco and with it a higher ceiling than the RB11.
Joe Mixon, Houston Texans
The Texans traded for the former Cincinnati Bengals back during this offseason. In the end, they signed him to a three-year $25.5 million dollar contract; $23 million dollars of which is guaranteed. Needless to say, the Texans are invested in him heavily.
The Texans clearly wanted Joe Mixon as they traded a 7th-round pick for him and negotiated the three-year deal, instead of just letting him hit free agency and negotiating without surrendering the draft pick. Again, this speaks to how much the Texans really wanted him.
For fantasy football, all that Mixon has done since 2018 is finished as the RB10, RB13, RB4, RB12 (missed 2 games), and the RB7 last year. Four out of the five years he finished as an RB1 and the one year he didn’t, he finished as an RB13. Yet, Mixon’s ADP this year is RB13?!
What about teammate and fellow running back Dameon Pierce? The Texans were so enamored with Pierce that they let Devin Singletary take over the backfield from week ten on. From that week 10 takeover until week 17, Singletary was the RRB8. If last year was any indication, Pierce will not be an issue for Mixon.
Mixon was a workhorse back with Cincinnati and that should continue for this year at least with the Texans and their high-powered offense, led by franchise Quarterback C.J. Stroud. In today’s NFL, with the devaluation of the running back position, you don’t guarantee $23 million to a running back unless you plan to use him extensively. Recently, Mixon has said that he plans to be used extensively this year in the Texans offense. Wheels up!
Rachaad White – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rachaad White is the only running back last year who had 60+% route participation and 60+% rush attempts. I’ll repeat that last point – the ONLY running back. With such heavy usage, White finished last season as the RB4. Yet, for some reason, even with that workhorse usage, White’s current ADP is RB15!?
The Buccaneers did draft Oregon University running back Bucky Irving late in the 4th round of the NFL Draft this past year. But at 5’9 190 pounds, Irving profiles as the passing back and even that may be in doubt since one of the knocks on him in college was his pass protection.
Irving won’t pose much of a threat to White if any. Ultimately, White has the usage we all want our running backs to have.
Zamir White – Las Vegas Raiders
Thanks to a Josh Jacobs injury, Zamir White took over the Raiders backfield in week 15 last year. From weeks 15-18, White was the RB9. He accumulated 119 touches, 549 yards, and one touchdown during his four games as a starter. That averages out to almost 30 touches per game! However, his ADP is currently RB21.
The Raiders did sign former Minnesota Vikings back Alexander Mattison to a one-year contract, re-sign Ameer Abdullah, and drafted New Hampshire running back Dylan Laube in the 6th round. While that does seem like a lot of mouths to feed and considerable competition, none of them present a serious challenge to White’s lead-back status. Abdullah was on the team last year and only took away a few carries a game when White was the starter. Mattison is just a guy and added depth and Laube profiles as a passing back and special teams player.
White was asked recently if he was ready to embrace his new role as lead running back and he said emphatically “hell yes!” At his current ADP of RB21, you should feel just as confident as White.
James Conner – Arizona Cardinals
James Conner finished as the RB28 last year but he also missed four games. He totaled 1,205 yards to go along with nine touchdowns. He was the RB13 with 15.5 points per game. If we were to take into account the four games he missed and his points per game average, he would have finished tied with Jahmyr Gibbs as the RB8.
Right now, Conner’s ADP is RB24. He is an older RB at 29 years of age and has missed at least two games every year since he entered the league. The Cardinals also drafted Conner’s heir apparent in Florida State running back Trey Benson, early in the third round. Conner is a free agent at the end of the year and Benson is the future of the Cardinals backfield. In saying that, the Cardinals are in no position to compete in the NFC West this year and have no reason to not use Conner as much as they can and perhaps save a bit of wear and tear on Benson’s tires.
Ultimately, Conner is one of only five backs to average 15+ fantasy points per game in the past two seasons. Benson may eat into Conner’s workload, but at his current ADP of RB24, he is well worth the risk. All in all, Conner is looking like a value once again.
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