Must-Have Running Backs for Fantasy Football in 2023
Are you ready to dominate your fantasy football league in 2023? One of the keys to building a winning team is securing the right running backs. These versatile players are the backbone of any winning fantasy team, providing the crucial points to make or break your matchups.
This article will guide you through a list of must-have running backs for your fantasy football squad in 2023.
Along the way, we will highlight their strengths and potential for league-winning upside. So, prepare to draft your ultimate team as we uncover the running backs you won’t want to miss out on!
Austin Ekeler — Los Angeles Chargers
Austin Ekeler has become a highly valuable check-down option for Justin Herbert. This is especially true when injuries affected the Chargers’ receiving corps and offensive line and, in turn, forced them to rely on short passes.
Additionally, there has been a change at offensive coordinator, with Kellen Moore taking over from Joe Lombardi. And, given Moore’s tendency to call pass-heavy plays, this offense is expected to lean towards passing once again. In fact, three of his four Cowboys offenses ranked in the top 10 for both pass attempts and yards.
On that note, in 2022, Ekeler ranked fifth in the NFL in receptions. Not just fifth among running backs, but fifth overall. His 107 catches placed him just behind pass catchers like Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Stefon Diggs.
While Ekeler may not be a power runner, he has proven to be tough and effective. In 2021, he carried the ball 206 times, maintaining his efficiency. However, the Chargers are cautious about overusing him and plan to manage his workload. Despite the team’s desire to limit Ekeler’s usage, they made no significant additions to the backfield. Only relying on returning running backs Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller, and Larry Rountree.
Despite requesting a trade during the offseason, Ekeler will remain with the Chargers for the final year of his contract in Los Angeles. Afterward, he will likely seek a well-deserved payday in the following offseason.
Bijan Robinson — Atlanta Falcons
Bijan Robinson’s greatest strength lies in being an incredibly talented rusher. He showcases a rare combination of power, speed, agility, and balance, which makes him a constant threat to create big plays on every snap. Moreover, he excels as a capable receiver both out of the backfield and from the slot, further enhancing his value in point-per-reception (PPR) leagues.
As a testament to Bijan Robinson’s talent, he was already a first-round pick in early best ball drafts and numerous dynasty startups even before his landing spot was known. Now that it is confirmed that he has secured top-10 draft capital, he is poised to dominate the fantasy landscape for years to come.
Last season, the Falcons stood out as the only team that ran the ball on over half of their offensive plays, maintaining a significant focus on the run even when trailing. They ran the ball 48.8% of the time while losing, which was five percentage points higher than any other team.
These tendencies remained consistent when Desmond Ridder took over as the team’s starting quarterback. Building a strong ground game is the best way to protect an inexperienced passer. As a result, Robinson is expected to be the central figure in this offensive attack.
The Falcons’ running back depth consists of talented Tyler Allgeier and 32-year-old Cordarrelle Patterson. While Allgeier can provide Robinson with some rest, it shouldn’t hinder Robinson from receiving more than 20 touches per game. Despite being a rookie, Robinson has as good a chance as anyone to finish as the overall RB1.
Nick Chubb — Cleveland Browns
Nick Chubb is undoubtedly the best pure runner in the league. He boasts an impressive record among active running backs with at least 100 attempts since 2018, ranking first with 2.9 yards after contact per rush. Moreover, with each carry, he consistently demonstrates tenacity. It’s truly a rarity to witness the four-time Pro Bowler go down without taking a few defenders with him.
Moreover, Chubb showcased his resilience last season by staying injury-free for the first time since 2019. His compatibility with the Browns’ zone-running scheme is evident, as he is a master of the cutback. Combine his acceleration and power, and you have a true machine. Even if he were placed behind a subpar front five, Chubb would still stand among the NFL’s best backs. However, Cleveland’s offensive line is elite, but his skill as an excellent creator routinely turns potential losses into positive yardage.
One of the great points of contention with Chubb over the past few seasons has been with his passing game upside. Or should I say, lack thereof, averaging 2.1 targets per game over his career. While he may not be the greatest receiving down back in the world, the presence of Kareem Hunt certainly did not help things. Now, with Hunt out of the picture and arrows pointing up for the offense in Cleveland, Chubb is primed to make a statement with his best season yet.
Saquon Barkley — New York Giants
The Saquon Barkley resurgence is officially upon us. Despite always being acknowledged as one of the most talented backs in the league, injuries have significantly limited his on-field availability.
Notably, an ACL tear cost Barkley nearly the entire 2020 season. Although he managed to play 13 games in 2019 and 2020, ankle injuries hindered his performance, preventing him from showcasing his true potential.
However, the Giants’ rusher made a remarkable comeback, finishing as the RB5 overall and in points per game. He successfully recaptured his explosive upside as both a rusher and receiver. Impressively, Barkley ranked second in overall touches (352) and backfield opportunity share (80%) throughout the 17 weeks, trailing only Josh Jacobs. Furthermore, he scored 10 rushing touchdowns, with 23 carries inside the 10-yard line. This starkly contrasts his performance in 2021, where he only managed 13 red zone touches.
Though many had initial concerns if he would play on the franchise tag, Barkley ultimately agreed to a 1-year deal to remain with the New York Giants. His triumphant return to glory serves as a valuable lesson, illustrating the importance of targeting talented impending free-agent running backs in improved offenses.
Tony Pollard — Dallas Cowboys
Similar to Barkley, Tony Pollard’s exceptional talent was already widely known. However, it wasn’t injuries that kept him off the field; it was the unwavering belief of the Cowboys staff in Ezekiel Elliott.
Despite having shown glimpses of brilliance in previous games, it was only when Elliott missed two games due to injury last season that Pollard had the opportunity to showcase his upside. He proved himself as one of the NFL’s most dynamic players in these games.
Tony Pollard became the third Cowboys running back to win NFC Offensive Player of the Week since 1990 (Emmitt Smith and Ezekiel Elliott). Pollard had a career-high 189 total yards in 40-3 win over Vikings, including TD catches of 30 and 68 yards. pic.twitter.com/EAuU8YQJyw
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) November 23, 2022
Although the Cowboys may still consider signing a veteran or bringing back Zeke, no such decisions have been made at the moment. Presently, the players behind Pollard are 2022 undrafted free agent (UDFA) Malik Davis, 2023 sixth-rounder Deuce Vaughn and journeyman Ronald Jones. While Davis is expected to spell Pollard, none of these players pose significant threats to his workload.
For Pollard to contend for the top spot as the overall RB1, he must shoulder a heavier workload. Thankfully, the current situation offers him a chance to do so. During Weeks 8 and 10 last season, when Elliott was sidelined, Pollard impressively recorded 246 rushing yards and four touchdowns—all but solidifying his status as a key component of the Dallas offense.
Derrick Henry — Tennessee Titans
Derrick Henry is simply built differently. I’m inclined to say the age cliff does not apply to this monster of a man. In both 2019 and 2020, Henry led the league in carries, yards, and touchdowns. However, a foot injury cost him nine games in 2021. Moving to 2022, the volume king continued to dominate. Exemplified by leading the league in carries (349) while achieving career highs in targets (41) and receptions (33). Remarkably, he accomplished all this despite injuries that significantly impacted the quarterback position and offensive line.
The Titans utilize Henry as a blunt instrument whenever he steps onto the field. With Ryan Tannehill unavailable in Week 8 against the Texans, Tennessee heavily relied on Henry, handing him the ball 32 times while rookie quarterback Malik Willis attempted only 10 passes. Henry’s brute force is truly astonishing, and his ability to take over a game surpasses that of any other running back in today’s NFL.
Moreover, Henry’s remarkable production capacity becomes even more impressive, considering he faced heavy boxes (eight-plus defenders) on 38.11% of his carries. According to Next Gen Stats, this was the second-highest rate in the NFL. Despite opposing defenses knowing what to expect, they still struggle to stop the unstoppable force that is King Henry.
Joe Mixon — Cincinnati Bengals
In 2022, the revamped Bengals offensive line took some time to figure things out, which posed a challenge for Joe Mixon, who lost two games to a concussion the previous year. Cincinnati’s offensive strategy heavily relied on passing, and they rarely went under center. This reality resulted in fewer opportunities for Mixon compared to previous seasons.
In past years, Mixon’s role was that in which he utilized more as a pass catcher on early downs. However, this is expected to change with his former running mate, Samaje Perine, leaving for the Denver Broncos. During 2022, Mixon ran only 18 routes on third and fourth downs, with just three receptions from that set of plays. However, with Perine out of the picture, we can anticipate a significant increase in these numbers. This change benefits both Mixon and our fantasy football teams.
Despite being a release candidate in the offseason, Mixon is likely to return as the lead back for the Bengals in the upcoming season. This is only reinforced by the fact that the team didn’t use an early-round draft pick on a running back.
This scenario underscores a timeless principle in fantasy football—volume reigns supreme.
David Montgomery — Detroit Lions
I know what you’re thinking. David Montgomery? Why would I want him? Isn’t this backfield the Jahmyr Gibbs show now? Let me explain.
Under returning offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, the Detroit Lions ranked fourth in gap runs (including power, counter, duo, pin and pull and trap) last season. In contrast, their usage of zone runs (inside zone, outside zone, split zone) was only 28th. Notably, Jamaal Williams was heavily used in gap run concepts, the second most in the league. However, with Williams departing to New Orleans in free agency, a significant void was created in the team’s offensive scheme. This is where David Montgomery steps in, having been signed to a three-year, 18 million-dollar contract.
Even in his limited time last season, Montgomery was seventh in the league in EPA per play on gap runs. Meanwhile, Jahmyr Gibbs, across all three years of his collegiate career, only had 19 rushes on gap plays. In this limited sample, his EPA per play was tallied up in the negatives on said plays. He only had four rushes while inside the five-yard line in college, with an additional measly 10 rushes in two or fewer yards-to-go situations.
All of these signs point towards one thing. Montgomery is the new and improved Jamaal Williams for the Motor City offense.
Cam Akers — Los Angeles Rams
Cam Akers seems to have recovered from an Achilles tear, an injury that typically ends careers before they start. This rarity can be attributed to a combination of factors: his high draft capital, young age, and pre-injury athleticism. In his third year as a running back for the Rams, Akers achieved career-best stats, including 188 rushing attempts, 786 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
Akers ended the year ranked as RB35 overall in PPR formats. His true resurgence came during Weeks 13 through 18. In this time, he ranked as RB4 in total points and RB6 in points per game.
It will be interesting to see how Cam Akers gets valued in the offseason for Dynasty
WK1-12 (9g): RB67 35.2 PPR points (3.9 p/g)
•Touches 9.5
•Yds 32.4
•TDs .11WK13-17: RB5 90.3 PPR points (18.1 p/g)
•Touches 18.2
•Yds 96.6
•TDs 1.2Very drastic splits#FantasyFootball pic.twitter.com/hHCyk9henT
— Jeremy (@PopesFFH) January 6, 2023
Moreover, the history of head coach Sean McVay indicates a preference for relying on a feature back. In 2017 and 2018, Todd Gurley carried the ball over 18 times per game, and in 2019, he averaged 14.9 carries per game. Over the past three seasons, there were 29 instances of a Rams rusher carrying the ball 15 or more. Akers contributed to 13 of those instances.
During the offseason, Akers has been diligently working with new running backs coach Ron Gould to solidify his role as the three-down back. This role, fully realized, could lead to significant returns for the Rams’ offense and provide fantasy success for Akers’ managers.
Conclusion
When it comes to selecting the must-have running backs for your 2023 fantasy team, a combination of talent, opportunity, and upside will be pivotal. Remember, trust your instincts, and don’t be afraid to take calculated risks. You’ll be better equipped to compete and dominate with a roster inhabited by at least one top-tier running back. So, draft wisely, stay updated on player news, and get ready to dominate your league mates this fantasy season.
As always, if there is something here you disagree with or would like further explanation on, reach out to me here!
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