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Gone are the days of the workhorse running back. Unless your name is Christian McCaffrey or Derrick Henry, then odds are you have a backfield running mate who sees significant touches.
In fantasy football, the running back position is diluted due to running back committees. As such, many teams have multiple backs that provide fantasy value, but very few teams have high-end fantasy running backs.
Knowing which backup running backs to draft is important to maximize the value of your fantasy team. Everyone should strive to have at least one starter on their fantasy team, but after the top 10-12 running backs are drafted, the pickings get pretty slim. Players such as Jahmyr Gibbs and De'Von Achane, who are technically not the starter, have been omitted from this list because there is no question that they will be highly drafted. Let's take a look at your best true backup bets this coming season.
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Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Chase Brown enters his second NFL season after flashing serious juice in 2023. Last season, Brown was stuck behind Joe Mixon, who is a true workhorse back. The Bengals signed Zack Moss and did not otherwise address the position this offseason.
Moss will get the first chance to start, but Brown displayed enough talent last year to earn more touches. Moss is a quality back. He is a good pass-catcher and is relatively efficient at running the ball. He is not a speed demon by any means, but he can break off a long run or two throughout the season.
Brown is far more electric and it feels like he will be difficult to keep off the field. After only logging two carries through the first six games in 2023, Brown saw a huge uptick in opportunities (targets and rushes) due to the inefficiencies of Joe Mixon. Brown finished the season with 59 total opportunities. That number is poised to grow in 2024.
It is unlikely that Moss was brought in to be a true feature back and it would behoove the Bengals to use Brown's skill set. Brown will likely only cost a double-digit round pick to acquire in fantasy football. If anything, he is an excellent insurance back.
Chase Brown gonna takeoff this season🚀 pic.twitter.com/YDyV912UeC
— Chaston Scott (@CinCity808) May 4, 2024
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
Since signing Jaylen Warren as an undrafted free agent, the Steelers have tried to capitalize on his skill set and spell Najee Harris. Both backs will see a lot of involvement behind a significantly improved offensive line and quarterback situation.
The Steelers are not a darling team of the NFL. They are gritty and boring, which will likely leave Warren, and even Harris, as solid values in fantasy. Although both players should be drafted right next to each other in fantasy, the reality is that Warren's early ADP of 90.80 is more than two rounds behind Harris.
This situation is very similar to the Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard tandem of 2022. Harris is a big bruiser (Elliott) and Warren is a shifty, electric player (Pollard). Harris needs the Steelers to use Warren so that he can receive a break and continue being effective. Likewise, Warren needs the Steelers to use Harris so that he can stay fresh and use his speed. We all witnessed what Tony Pollard looked like as the workhorse back in 2023; it was not pretty.
Pittsburgh's offensive situation should be much improved. The hiring of Arthur Smith should also help Pittsburgh support two running backs. Smith was the offensive coordinator for very good Derrick Henry-led offenses in Tennessee. Additionally, much to fantasy players' chagrin, we witnessed multiple backs have value in Atlanta during Smith's tenure as head coach.
Warren is far more than an insurance back, and should be rostered in every fantasy league.
Me watching Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren shine behind this young core OL. pic.twitter.com/Dv6lci8vex
— Lando🦹🏼♀️ (@DinkleBurghh) May 3, 2024
Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals
Incumbent James Conner is a very good running back and the Cardinals love him. However, Conner has had issues staying on the field, missing at least two games in each of his seven NFL seasons. Do not expect him to buck that trend in Year 8 at age 29.
The Cardinals drafted Trey Benson at the top of the third round of April's draft to improve their depth and presumably ensure the future of the position. Benson is a certified beast. At six feet and 216 pounds, Benson has the size to carry a full workload in the NFL.
Benson ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash predraft. His combination of size and speed should translate well to an offense with a running quarterback. Benson will slot in as the backup this year but he should see a decent amount of touches if the Cardinals want to take some of the load off Conner. Should Conner go down with an injury, Benson would be an instant top-20 fantasy option.
Calling all contending rosters with James Connor🗣️
Go get Trey Benson
-223lbs, 6’1
-4.39 40 yard dash
-3 down backJames Connor🤕
Although Connor is that guy and will explode when healthy he has quite the injury history missing 8 games over the past 2 seasonsBuy Benson pic.twitter.com/AfaUI78sAi
— Prospext (@Prospextt) May 16, 2024
Ray Davis and Ty Johnson, Buffalo Bills
Many of you may not know the name Ray Davis. He was drafted in the fourth round of April's draft by a Buffalo team that just let Latavius Murray walk.
Make no mistake, James Cook is the running back you want in Buffalo, but Davis is currently listed as the No. 2 back behind Cook on the depth chart. The Bills demonstrated last season that they want to use multiple backs to spell Cook and they especially like to use bigger backs inside the 5-yard line.
At 5-foot-8 and 211 pounds, Davis fits the archetype of a powerful goal-line back. Murray had flex value throughout 2023 and Davis appears poised to step into that role. Cook will get the Bills close to the end zone and look for Davis to finish the job.
Ty Johnson is another name to watch in the Bills backfield. Johnson is a speedy running back with solid pass-catching chops. It's unlikely that he will see significant red-zone snaps, but given his status as a veteran in this backfield, he could be a solid insurance back.
Dane Brugler(@dpbrugler) on Bills 4th Round Pick Ray Davis
"With his quick reads and lateral agility, Davis will juke defenders out of their cleats using dynamic plant-and-go cuts."
"His performance against Florida in 2023 might be the best running back tape in this class."… pic.twitter.com/DjgsAIOd8Y
— Peter DiBiasi (@DibiasiPeter) May 11, 2024
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