Week 16 of the NFL season is in the books, and our attention is drawn toward the top-performing rookie players nationwide. The 2023 rookie running back group has showcased impressive stats in the season’s early stages.
As we approach Week 17, we have compiled the dynasty rookie RB rankings for fantasy football in the upcoming slate.
Who Are the Best Rookie RBs for Fantasy This Week?
Our NFL Week 17 dynasty running back rankings are courtesy of PFN’s Consensus Fantasy Rankings.
1) Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Bijan Robinson seemed to be on the right trajectory until Week 15’s shocking RB77 finish.
He had four straight top-20 outcomes from Week 10 through Week 14 (except his bye week). However, the rain in Carolina bogged down both offenses, leading to a 14-yard performance on eight total touches.
He got back on track, as we expected, in Week 16. Robinson finished with 19 touches for 122 yards as the RB10 in PPR leagues. He’s reached at least 17.6 points in four of his past six games, so his floor and ceiling are rising from where it was in the middle of the season.
2) Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Just one spot below Robinson in our overall rankings is Jahmyr Gibbs. He’s been electric the last two weeks after a dip in production from Week 12 through 14. Gibbs finished as the RB3 in Week 16 for the fourth time this season.
With seven games of 21.5 points or more, Gibbs has become a must-start RB regardless of opponent. Between his dynamic skill set, elite situation to produce, and a play-caller who knows how to keep Gibbs involved, the former Alabama tailback is a foundational player for rosters.
3) De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
It made sense for Miami to slowly reintegrate De’Von Achane back into the lineup after he returned from injury and dealt with lingering effects. Still, his usage over the last three weeks has to be tough for managers who struck gold with the rookie.
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Achane has only 23 carries and nine receptions since Week 14, and he failed to get a bigger workload against Dallas despite Raheem Mostert suffering an ankle injury.
Achane’s immense ceiling isn’t likely to see a return against Baltimore’s physical defense this week. Although he’s incredibly gifted, Miami’s slew of offensive line injuries might limit Achane’s success more than expected.
4) Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
The last month has been a promising pathway for Tyjae Spears. The third-round rookie has been an injection of chunk plays when he’s been given the chance, and he’s sitting at 743 scrimmage yards on the year. Although his touches are unlikely to surpass 14 in any given game, Spears has surprising fantasy value thanks to his reception totals.
Spears has eight top-32 finishes this season, so he’s far from a bad play if you need a Flex option or are hurting at running back. His ceiling isn’t consistent, but Spears’ floor is more manageable than some options.
5) Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
It seemed the Cincinnati Bengals were working Chase Brown into a bigger role after he received at least nine touches between Week 13 and 15, finishing no lower than RB34 in those three weeks. However, his rushing production was tied directly to scoring, as the Bengals’ running game disappeared in that span. He plummeted to RB49 this past week against Pittsburgh.
Brown may be stuck behind Joe Mixon in 2024 despite some optimism he might be overtaking the veteran. Instead, we’ll see if Brown can still be a viable fantasy presence in 2024.
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