There are several different potential fantasy football strategies to consider when it comes to drafting running backs, depending on your philosophy of the position. Some managers like to go hard at the position early in drafts, while others like to utilize the Zero RB approach and focus their highest draft capital on other positions.
There is always plenty of talent to be found at the RB position, but it’s also the one that generally suffers the most from injuries. Therefore, fantasy managers often look to draft four or five running backs to fill out their roster, but which are the best to draft in 2024?
Let’s take a look at our consensus RB rankings and which backs offer the best value this season.
Consensus Fantasy Football RB Rankings
The rankings below are a consensus of our fantasy analysts based on PPR scoring. They also shape the redraft values in our fantasy football trade analyzer.
1) Christian McCaffrey | San Francisco 49ers
2) Bijan Robinson | Atlanta Falcons
3) Breece Hall | New York Jets
4) Jahmyr Gibbs | Detroit Lions
5) Saquon Barkley | Philadelphia Eagles
6) Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis Colts
7) Kyren Williams | Los Angeles Rams
8) Derrick Henry | Baltimore Ravens
9) Travis Etienne Jr. | Jacksonville Jaguars
10) Isiah Pacheco | Kansas City Chiefs
11) De’Von Achane | Miami Dolphins
12) Josh Jacobs | Green Bay Packers
13) Rachaad White | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
14) Joe Mixon | Houston Texans
15) James Cook | Buffalo Bills
16) Alvin Kamara | New Orleans Saints
17) Kenneth Walker III | Seattle Seahawks
18) David Montgomery | Detroit Lions
19) Aaron Jones | Minnesota Vikings
20) D’Andre Swift | Chicago Bears
21) James Conner | Arizona Cardinals
22) Zamir White | Las Vegas Raiders
23) Najee Harris | Pittsburgh Steelers
24) Rhamondre Stevenson | New England Patriots
25) Jaylen Warren | Pittsburgh Steelers
26) Raheem Mostert | Miami Dolphins
27) Tyjae Spears | Tennessee Titans
28) Brian Robinson Jr. | Washington Commanders
29) Javonte Williams | Denver Broncos
30) Zack Moss | Cincinnati Bengals
31) Tony Pollard | Tennessee Titans
32) Jonathon Brooks | Carolina Panthers
33) Ezekiel Elliott | Dallas Cowboys
34) Nick Chubb | Cleveland Browns
35) Gus Edwards | Los Angeles Chargers
36) Chase Brown | Cincinnati Bengals
37) Devin Singletary | New York Giants
38) Jerome Ford | Cleveland Browns
39) Rico Dowdle | Dallas Cowboys
40) Blake Corum | Los Angeles Rams
41) Zach Charbonnet | Seattle Seahawks
42) Austin Ekeler | Washington Commanders
43) Chuba Hubbard | Carolina Panthers
44) Ty Chandler | Minnesota Vikings
45) Jaleel McLaughlin | Denver Broncos
46) Tyler Allgeier | Atlanta Falcons
47) Tyrone Tracy Jr. | New York Giants
48) Trey Benson | Arizona Cardinals
49) J.K. Dobbins | Los Angeles Chargers
50) Ray Davis | Buffalo Bills
51) Antonio Gibson | New England Patriots
52) Jaylen Wright | Miami Dolphins
53) MarShawn Lloyd | Green Bay Packers
54) Kendre Miller | New Orleans Saints
55) Kimani Vidal | Los Angeles Chargers
56) Roschon Johnson | Chicago Bears
57) Khalil Herbert | Chicago Bears
58) Clyde Edwards-Helaire | Kansas City Chiefs
59) Justice Hill | Baltimore Ravens
60) Dameon Pierce | Houston Texans
61) Bucky Irving | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
62) Eric Gray | New York Giants
63) AJ Dillon | Green Bay Packers
64) D’Onta Foreman | Cleveland Browns
65) Braelon Allen | New York Jets
66) Keaton Mitchell | Baltimore Ravens
67) Alexander Mattison | Las Vegas Raiders
68) Audric Estimé | Denver Broncos
69) Kenneth Gainwell | Philadelphia Eagles
70) Jamaal Williams | New Orleans Saints
71) Elijah Mitchell | San Francisco 49ers
72) Miles Sanders | Carolina Panthers
73) Tank Bigsby | Jacksonville Jaguars
74) Dylan Laube | Las Vegas Raiders
75) Jordan Mason | San Francisco 49ers
76) Deuce Vaughn | Dallas Cowboys
77) Michael Carter | Arizona Cardinals
78) Samaje Perine | Denver Broncos
79) Will Shipley | Philadelphia Eagles
80) Trey Sermon | Indianapolis Colts
Which RBs Should You Draft for Fantasy Football?
One thing that is crucial to note is that most of the top 15 RB options are solid draft picks to consider this year. Sure, a few of them will struggle or have injuries, but in terms of metrics and potential, all of them are pretty fair options at their current value.
For the most part that group falls within a very similar region when comparing our rankings with ADP. The likes of Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Breece Hall are all fantastic backs, and which one you choose will often come down to draft position and personal preference.
Similarly, if you pick at the back end of the first round, there isn’t much to choose between Jahmyr Gibbs, Saquon Barkley, and Jonathan Taylor. You can then make the same case for the rest of the Round 2 options.
The first place you really start to find value is once you get into the fifth round or later, and the name David Montgomery stands out. Montgomery is being selected as the RB22 off the board, but he ranks 18th in our consensus rankings.
There is naturally concern about Montgomery’s role alongside Gibbs, but we’ve repeatedly seen the Lions commit to using two running backs and having one who dominates around the goal line. That role largely belonged to Montgomery last season, and after last year’s success, there’s no reason it shouldn’t again. A goal-line role may have a boom-or-bust feeling, but it actually provides a solid floor and enticing ceiling.
Another player whose value stands out is Brian Robinson Jr., who appears to be on track to be the team’s RB1. However, competition concerns with Austin Ekeler have pushed his ADP down. Robinson has proven to be very capable with limited touches, and if that role opens up as we hope this year, he could be of tremendous value at his current ADP.
Another couple of players who have a discrepancy between ADP and ranking are Tyjae Spears and Gus Edwards. Much like Robinson and Montgomery, there are concerns over the role, but both have the upside we are looking for at their current values.
