In today’s NFL of multiple running backs filling specific roles, fantasy football managers need to properly identify which player is projected to see the most goal-line carries in every backfield to maximize the scoring potential on a weekly basis.
Here’s a closer look at the projected goal-line back for every team entering the 2024 NFL season.
Who Are the Goal-Line Backs for All 32 Teams in 2024?
Arizona Cardinals: James Conner
The Arizona Cardinals have leaned on James Conner to lead their backfield over the last three years, and the results have been very encouraging. His four touchdowns on nine carries from inside the 5-yard line last year prove he’s still an effective short-yardage producer.
Trey Benson will certainly be involved, but Conner projects to be the preferred option in the red area entering the 2024 NFL season.
Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson
Admittedly, this is a leap of faith.
Bijan Robinson saw just two carries from inside the 5-yard line last year under Arthur Smith. The former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons simply preferred to hand the ball to the bigger Tyler Allgeier in that area of the field.
I don’t see that being the case for 2024. Robinson is a dynamic talent who should have his role expand under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.
Baltimore Ravens: Derrick Henry
The Baltimore Ravens brought in veteran running back Derrick Henry for a multitude of reasons. One of those reasons is to act as a short-yardage hammer for one of the most productive offenses in the NFL.
Buffalo Bills: Ray Davis
Assuming we aren’t taking dual-threat quarterbacks into consideration for this exercise, the usage we saw from James Cook near the goal line in 2023 suggests Buffalo doesn’t prefer him as the goal line back. That is evident by the fact that Latavius Murray saw 11 carries to Cook’s four last year.
Enter rookie RB Ray Davis, who is a physical runner with a dense and compact build which is ideally suited for short-yardage work.
Carolina Panthers: Jonathon Brooks
If you’re asking me who I think will be the goal-line back for the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, then my answer would be Chuba Hubbard. Yet, if you’re asking me who I think will lead the team in goal-line carries this season, my answer is Jonathon Brooks.
Brooks has all the physical tools of a three-down back entering the league. His 207-pound frame and top-shelf contact balance make him the best candidate for goal-line work in Carolina’s backfield.
Chicago Bears: Roschon Johnson
D’Andre Swift has never been the preferred goal-line back of any backfield during his NFL career. Even playing behind a great Philadelphia Eagles offensive line in 2023, Swift converted just two of his 10 carries from inside the 5-yard line into scores.
Last year, Roschon Johnson scored the same amount of rushing touchdowns in the same area of the field on half the attempts and is ideally built for the role at 225 pounds.
Cincinnati Bengals: Zack Moss
Chase Brown truthers may want to cover their ears, but I strongly believe Zack Moss will be the Cincinnati Bengals’ preferred short-yardage back in 2024.
Brown saw no carries inside the 5-yard line last year and produced -13 yards on four carries inside the 20 a season ago. In direct comparison, Moss produced 109 yards and four touchdowns on 39 carries in the red zone with the Indianapolis Colts.
Cleveland Browns: Nick Chubb
It may take a while for this prediction to come to fruition, but Nick Chubb should still be the betting favorite to lead the Cleveland Browns in goal-line carries this season.
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A year ago, Jerome Ford lost a significant amount of goal-line work to Kareem Hunt, which likely means Chubb should be the preferred option once he’s given medical clearance to return to the field while recovering from his knee injury.
Dallas Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliott
You wouldn’t know it from last year’s sample size, but Ezekiel Elliott can still be a productive short-yardage producer.
In 2022, Elliott scored nine touchdowns on 16 carries from inside the 5-yard line. The lack of talent in Dallas’ running back room, despite being one of the league’s premier offensive units, makes him a valuable fantasy commodity entering the 2024 season.
Denver Broncos: Javonte Williams
The Denver Broncos offense isn’t exactly one that inspires a ton of optimism this year, but Javonte Williams did lead this backfield in goal-line carries in 2023.
If Williams manages to recapture the per-touch efficiency from his rookie year, then he should be able to fend off Audric Estimé and Jaleel McLaughlin in this area of the field.
Detroit Lions: David Montgomery
Jahmyr Gibbs is undoubtedly a dynamic RB talent, but it was David Montgomery who led Detroit with 31 carries for 11 rushing touchdowns from inside the 10-yard line in 2023.
Montgomery is a proven and reliable ball carrier who excels as a physical, short-yardage back behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, which is what will anchor his fantasy outlook in 2024.
Green Bay Packers: Josh Jacobs
The Green Bay Packers may have re-signed AJ Dillon and drafted MarShawn Lloyd this offseason, but they paid Josh Jacobs market value to be the leading ball carrier.
Jacobs converted five of his 11 carries from inside the 5-yard line in 2022, which certainly suggests he can be a productive and efficient option near the goal line in Green Bay’s productive offense.
It also doesn’t hurt that Dillon converted just one of his seven carries into scores in the same area of the field last year. Don’t overthink this; the Packers paid Jacobs to be a bell-cow back.
Houston Texans: Joe Mixon
Last year, the Houston Texans didn’t have a reliable option to punch in scores in goal-line situations. This year, they have Joe Mixon.
Mixon may not be the most efficient ball carrier in the league, but he’s still a physical RB with a proven track record of converting in short-yardage situations. His role in Houston’s ascending offense should get fantasy managers excited about his outlook for 2024.
Indianapolis Colts: Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor has been a fantasy disappointment over the last two seasons, but his role as Indianapolis’ leading running back is secure entering 2024.
Look no further than his 2021 campaign as the RB1 overall — where Taylor led the league with 11 rushing scores on 26 carries from inside the 5-yard line — to get an idea of how productive of a goal-line producer he is capable of being in an offense that can regularly generate red-zone opportunities.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Travis Etienne Jr.
There was some speculation about whether or not Travis Etienne Jr. was going to lose goal-line work to Tank Bigsby entering the 2023 season. The end result was Etienne seeing 37 red-zone carries to Bigsby’s nine.
Nothing has changed entering the 2024 season, which makes Etienne the clear top option in Jacksonville’s backfield.
Kansas City Chiefs: Isiah Pacheco
A goal-line option in a high-powered Kansas City Chiefs offense should always get the attention of fantasy managers. Fortunately, leading back Isiah Pacheco clearly led this backfield with five rushing scores on nine carries inside the 5-yard line last year.
Pacheco’s main competition was Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who only saw two carries from the same range of the field last season. Don’t overthink this; Pacheco has the inside track to a very valuable fantasy role in 2024.
Las Vegas Raiders: Zamir White
Zamir White is well-positioned to be the leading ball carrier for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024.
With uninspiring options like Alexander Mattison and Dylan Laube behind him on the Raiders’ depth chart and his rocked-up 215-pound frame, White certainly projects as the best goal-line option Las Vegas has this season.
Los Angeles Chargers: Gus Edwards
Gus Edwards’ move from the Ravens to the Los Angeles Chargers makes for a bit of a lateral move regarding his fantasy projection. However, his role as the preferred goal-line option likely sticks with his imposing physical running style and familiarity with Greg Roman’s offensive scheme.
Los Angeles Rams: Kyren Williams
Kyren Williams was the bell cow, do-it-all option for the Los Angeles Rams backfield in 2023 and projects as the leading ball carrier again this year.
Blake Corum is certainly a potential threat in this area of the field with his physical running style and dense, compact build — which helps with his ability to play through contact at a high level. Yet, assuming Williams’ efficiency doesn’t plummet from last year, he should still see the most goal-line work of any back in Los Angeles in 2024.
Miami Dolphins: Raheem Mostert
Miami Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert may not be considered the top fantasy option by many managers entering the 2024 season, but his 21 total touchdowns last year suggest he should be the preferred goal-line back entering his 10th NFL season.
De’Von Achane is smaller and weighs less than 190 pounds, making him a less-than-ideal option to thump the ball into the end zone in short-yardage situations. Mostert may be getting a bit long in the tooth, but he’s still Miami’s best short-yardage option in 2024.
Minnesota Vikings: Aaron Jones
Aaron Jones shareholders have had to stomach Dillon stealing away multiple goal-line carries for years now in Green Bay, but the veteran RB may not face the same situation in Minnesota this year.
Jones will have to contend with Ty Chandler for looks in this area of the field, which makes Jones the front-runner in this category. Chandler isn’t exactly renowned for his overwhelming physicality as a runner between the tackles.
New England Patriots: Rhamondre Stevenson
In another multiverse, Rhamondre Stevenson would be a great goal-line option for a highly productive offense. Unfortunately, he’s stuck in a New England Patriots offense projected to be among the lowest-scoring offenses in the league this year.
Seeing that Antonio Gibson is the only other viable option on New England’s roster, Stevenson should dominate the work in this area of the field.
New Orleans Saints: Alvin Kamara
We all know how frustrating Taysom Hill can be for Alvin Kamara shareholders, but the veteran RB still led New Orleans in carries from inside the 5-yard line in 2023 despite missing three games due to suspension.
Kendre Miller and Jamaal Williams may be competent alternatives in this department, but their lack of usage last year means I’m still projecting Kamara as the Saints’ top goal-line option in 2024.
New York Giants: Devin Singletary
Devin Singletary’s career goal-line usage has been a frustrating fantasy development. Josh Allen regularly stole work away from Singletary during his time in Buffalo, and he saw fewer carries from inside the 5-yard line last year than Dameon Pierce over his lone year in Houston.
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Singletary projects as the New York Giants’ leading ball carrier in 2024, but one should keep an eye out for Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s gifted athletic profile. Tracy could potentially steal some work away from the veteran as the season progresses.
New York Jets: Breece Hall
Breece Hall generated an RB2 overall finish in full-PPR formats in 2023 with just two carries inside the 5-yard line last year. That is madness.
The addition of Braelon Allen would normally scare me a bit because of the rookie’s massive physical frame, but Hall is such an elite option that I simply don’t see him coming off of the field in goal-line situations.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Najee Harris
Say what you will about Najee Harris’ per-touch efficiency concerns in comparison to Jaylen Warren, but he should comfortably be the top goal-line option in Pittsburgh’s offense.
New Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith stubbornly gave Allgeier double the amount of goal-line carries over Robinson in Atlanta last season because he was the bigger back. If we take that same line of thinking here, then Harris should be the preferred option in this area of the field.
Philadelphia Eagles: Saquon Barkley
If there is one potential hiccup in Saquon Barkley’s fantasy projection profile, it would be contending with Tush Push aficionado Jalen Hurts for goal-line carries.
There is no doubt in my mind that Barkley will lose some rushing touchdown production to Hurts this year. However, a dynamic talent like Barkley will certainly see his fair share of work in this area of the field.
San Francisco 49ers: Christian McCaffrey
There’s no need to spend much time analyzing this. Christian McCaffrey scored 11 rushing touchdowns from inside the 10-yard line last year. He’s one of the best goal-line options in the NFL.
Seattle Seahawks: Kenneth Walker III
This may be tough to believe, but Seattle Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III saw the 10th-most rushing attempts from inside the 5-yard line last year.
Zach Charbonnet is a competent ball carrier, but Walker should continue to be the preferred goal-line option.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rachaad White
Rachaad White has gotten off to a rough start in regard to his efficiency as a ball carrier through his first two years in the NFL. Fortunately, there isn’t a running back on the roster who projects to steal any work away from him in this area of the field in 2024.
Bucky Irving is both smaller and less explosive than White, which makes me feel very comfortable projecting the latter for the most work in goal situations for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season.
Tennessee Titans: Tyjae Spears
In case you weren’t paying attention to Tony Pollard’s lack of efficiency in goal-line situations last year, then you may have missed that he scored just three rushing touchdowns on 13 carries from inside the 5.
Tyjae Spears has the explosiveness, contact balance, and lateral quickness to knife through small openings in short-yardage situations in Tennessee’s backfield.
Washington Commanders: Brian Robinson Jr.
The Washington Commanders may have added Austin Ekeler to the backfield, but Brian Robinson Jr. still projects to be the leading ball carrier in goal situations with his 228-pound frame.