While the 2023 NFL Draft running back class featured top-12 picks Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, this year’s RB crop didn’t boast the same kind of headlining talent.
Jonathon Brooks was the first running back off the board in 2024, but the Texas product didn’t land with the Carolina Panthers until the 14th pick of Round 2 (46th overall). It was the longest wait for a draft’s first RB since 2014, when Bishop Sankey went 54th overall to the Tennessee Titans.
Only four RBs — Brooks, Trey Benson, Blake Corum, and Marshawn Lloyd — were selected before the end of the third round. Fifteen more running backs heard their names called from Rounds 4 through 7.
Which of those Day 3 RBs have the best chance to contribute in their rookie seasons? We’re ranking the NFL‘s top 10 mid- and late-round running back gems.
2024 NFL Day 3 Rookie RB Rankings
10) Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers
Draft slot: Round 4, No. 129 overall
While Isaac Guerendo missed three weeks of 49ers practice with a hamstring injury, he returned to practice and could play in San Francisco’s preseason finale. With fellow Niners RBs Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason, and Elijah Mitchell sidelined by injuries of their own, Guerendo could have a chance to make his case.
Climbing San Francisco’s stacked running back depth chart won’t be easy once everyone is back at full strength. Still, Guerendo ranked as this year’s most athletic drafted RB after running a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at 221 pounds.
9) Dylan Laube, Las Vegas Raiders
Draft slot: Round 6, No. 208 overall
If you want to succeed as a late-round NFL running back, being able to catch passes is a valuable skill.
Dylan Laube can certainly do that. He led the FCS in all-purpose yards per game in each of his final two seasons at New Hampshire before improving his stock at the Senior Bowl. Now with the Raiders, Laube has a viable path to playing time in Las Vegas.
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Zamir White is ticketed to replace Josh Jacobs as the club’s early-down back, but he’s a former fourth-rounder with no real track record. He could easily lose work to offseason addition Alexander Mattison.
Either way, Laube could see passing-down work for the Raider as the year progresses.
8) Audric Estimé, Denver Broncos
Draft slot: Round 5, No. 147 overall
It’s been an up-and-down preseason for Audric Estimé. The Notre Dame product scored a rushing touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts in Denver’s preseason opener and looked NFL-ready as a receiver and pass blocker, but he also coughed up a fumble that the Colts ran back for a defensive score.
Estimé is expected to work as Javonte Williams’ direct backup while Jaleel McLaughlin handles passing-down snaps as Sean Payton’s modern-day Darren Sproles.
Williams has looked reborn this preseason, but he’s entering the final year of his contract and wasn’t a Payton draft pick. Estimé could steal snaps down the stretch.
7) Will Shipley, Philadelphia Eagles
Draft slot: Round 4, No. 127 overall
Saquon Barkley will handle the lion’s share of the Eagles’ backfield touches after inking a three-year, $37.75 million in March. Behind him, Philadelphia’s RB competition is essentially down to Kenneth Gainwell and rookie Will Shipley.
Will Shipley finds an opening and the @Eagles take the lead 🦅
📱: Stream #PHIvsBAL on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/aX9ovd8Cls
— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024
Gainwell is a useful player, but he shouldn’t be much of an impediment once Shipley gets acclimated to the NFL. The Clemson alum is one of four rookie RBs with at least five preseason targets; Shipley has caught all five for 38 yards and a TD.
In Shipley’s pre-draft scouting report, Pro Football Network analyst Ian Cummings called the 5’11”, 206-pounder a “willing pass protector who can use his lateral twitch to reposition and square up rushers.”
Shipley has been asked to pass block seven times this preseason (tied for most among rookie backs) and allowed just one pressure, per PFF.
6) Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers
Draft slot: Round 5, No. 181 overall
Speaking of pass-protecting, Kimani Vidal was one of the best pass-blocking RBs in the 2024 draft class. He was in pass protection on 103 plays in 2023, 10th-most among all FBS running backs. Vidal earned PFF’s sixth-best blocking grade on those snaps.
Those skills should be enough for Vidal to see playing time in a relatively thin Chargers running back room.
Gus Edwards profiles as an efficient, early-down lead back, but J.K. Dobbins received just $50,000 guaranteed this offseason after injuries wrecked most of his career with the Baltimore Ravens.
5) Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins
Draft slot: Round 4, No. 120 overall
The Dolphins certainly have a type at running back.
Already rostering speed merchants Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane, Miami traded up in April to land Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright, who ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.
Wright is a home-run threat. He posted 19 runs of 15+ yards in 2023, fifth-best among Power Five running backs, per PFF.
However, as Pro Football Network’s Adam Beasley wrote after Wright rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in the Dolphins’ preseason opener, he also runs with vision and patience.
Beasley projects Wright as part of Miami’s RB rotation in 2024.
4) Braelon Allen, New York Jets
Draft slot: Round 4, No. 134 overall
Although Breece Hall should dominate touches out of the Jets’ backfield, someone has to take on the 300+ snaps that Dalvin Cook and Michael Carter played for New York in 2023.
Braelon Allen is competing with fifth-round rookie Isaiah Davis and holdover Israel Abanikanda for action behind Hall, but we’re betting on the Wisconsin product seeing the most time of Gang Green’s reserve options.
Braelon Allen TRUCK STICK
📱: Stream #WASvsNYJ on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/4jHusVmroN
— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024
“We picked him for a lot of reasons, because he’s actually really good out of the backfield and route-running, he’s really good in protection, too,” Jets head coach Robert Saleh said of Allen last week. “We think he’s an all-around good back, and he’s a very powerful runner, too, and he’s displaying that, down in and down out.”
3) Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Draft slot: Round 4, No. 125 overall
While Rachaad White was a breakout fantasy star thanks to his receiving ability, he was one of the league’s least efficient rushers on a per-snap basis. White finished sixth-worst in rushing yards over expectation per attempt in 2023.
Given the same blocking schemes, down and distance, and box counts, an average NFL running back should have produced more than White.
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Bucky Irving was a more consistent down-by-down runner for Oregon in 2023 and has continued to thrive into the preseason. Through two exhibition games, 58% of Irving’s rushes have gone for 5+ yards, the third-highest rate in the NFL, per Warren Sharp.
2) Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills
Draft slot: Round 4, No. 128 overall
The Bills have cycled through Leonard Fournette, Damien Harris, and Latavius Murray as power backs behind James Cook but still haven’t found a long-term complement.
Enter Ray Davis, a 203-pounder out of Kentucky who should take over that short-yardage role. He’s hauled in three passes during the preseason (including one impressive sideline catch in Week 1) and averaged 7.8 yards per carry in Week 2.
Since his only real competition behind Cook is Ty Johnson (who handled 37 touches for Buffalo last season), Davis should be on the field early and often.
1) Tyrone Tracy, New York Giants
Draft slot: Round 5, No. 166 overall
Tyrone Tracy escaped with a minor ankle injury after going down at Giants training camp earlier this month and is back at practice this week. The Iowa/Purdue product already appears to be ahead of Eric Gray on New York’s RB depth chart.
Nice vision by Tyrone Tracy on this duo run, he popped a lot. Showed nice contact balance as well pic.twitter.com/qCscv8W4u8
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) August 9, 2024
Veteran Devin Singletary’s three-year, $16.5 million contract and previous experience with Giants head coach Brian Daboll ensure he’ll receive most of the club’s touches early in the season. But Tracy, a converted wide receiver, should earn opportunities as a pass catcher and grab more work from there.
Tracy averaged 4.44 yards after contact per attempt in 2023, the second-best mark among Power Five running backs with at least 100 carries. Breaking tackles and generating yardage after being hit is a repeatable skill and could get Tracy into New York’s starting lineup sooner rather than later.