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Now a month removed from this year's NFL Draft, we have started to receive some clarity about where rookies reside on their teams' depth charts. With OTAs and mandatory minicamps underway, these first-year players are pushing for opportunities.
Every year, many rookie running backs make names for themselves during the season, with several greatly outperforming expectations. While this year's crop of rookie RBs is considered to be weaker than those of years past, such developments will certainly still happen to some extent.
Below are the 10 rookie running backs who are in the most favorable situations to produce for fantasy managers this season. Six are listed in the top tier as the likeliest to have major roles, with four more in a second tier for those with paths to relevance.
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Best Fantasy Football Situations - Rookies With Most Prominent Roles
These six rookie running backs should be able to make an impact as early as Week 1 judging by their landing spots in the draft. While they may not all be their teams' starters, they will be factors early on nonetheless.
Jonathon Brooks (Carolina Panthers)
After the first day of the draft concluded, as expected, without a running back being taken, one of the primary storylines entering that Friday was who the first RB to be selected would be and where they would go. It turned out that the Carolina Panthers broke the drought by picking former Texas tailback Jonathon Brooks 46th overall.
Brooks sat behind Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson for his first two seasons with the Longhorns, but in 2023, he took over as the starting RB with those two in the NFL. Brooks had a quality season, rushing for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns on 187 carries. He also caught 25 passes for 286 yards and an additional score. Brooks' skill set makes him suitable to take over as Carolina's top running back at some point this season.
BROOKS BOOKS IT TO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN @TexasFootball ! 🤘 @QuinnEwers x @2brookss pic.twitter.com/60U9BMiPvR
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 2, 2023
Panthers Running Back Depth Chart 2024
Right now, Brooks sits below Chuba Hubbard on the depth chart and above Miles Sanders and Rashaad Penny. Sanders was an afterthought by the end of last season, and Penny was a non-factor in Philadelphia. Brooks' only real competition for touches is Hubbard, who posted mediocre efficiency numbers after seizing the starting gig from Sanders last year. The rookie will be a major component of Carolina's plans to start the year and an even bigger one by the end.
One issue for Brooks is that he tore his ACL in November of last year. As he recovers, the team may lean on Hubbard a bit more to begin the season, as the current depth chart suggests. That will change quickly, though, as Brooks is the more talented player.
Carolina's offense a year ago was quite awful; indeed, it was dead last in total yards and second worst in points scored. While the unit should be improved with a new coaching staff, an influx of young talent, and another year of experience for quarterback Bryce Young, scoring opportunities should still be sparse. This will limit Brooks' upside, but he is the safest bet of any rookie RB this year.
Trey Benson (Arizona Cardinals)
The Cardinals decided to retool their offense in this year's draft. First, they picked widely hyped receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth choice. Then in the third round, they took running back Trey Benson 66th overall. Benson immediately slots in right behind veteran James Conner on the team's depth chart; neither of the team's other major backs, Michael Carter and Emari Demercado, can match the talent that Benson provides to the Cardinals.
Cardinals Running Back Depth Chart 2024
- James Conner
- Trey Benson
- Michael Carter
- Emari Demercado
Benson suffered a major knee injury early in his college career at Oregon, but by the time he transferred to Florida State in 2022, he was ready to be a productive weapon. His combination of size, strength, and speed (4.39-second 40-yard dash) make him a great asset for any team he's on. Conner has been solid for Arizona since joining the squad in 2021, though. His 17-game average of 1,416 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns over the past three years is formidable, and he is definitely the team's RB1 entering this year.
JAMES CONNER X TREY BENSON pic.twitter.com/gOAjEN4jQ3
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) May 23, 2024
Conner is 29 years old now, though, an age where RBs often start to decline. Moreover, Conner has racked up quite a few injuries over the years; he has played 15 games in a season just once in seven seasons in the league. Benson will get a fair amount of touches as Arizona's secondary RB option, but he is also likely to have multiple weeks as the team's starter either due to injury or regression from Conner.
Blake Corum (Los Angeles Rams)
The third running back selected in this year's draft was Blake Corum. The Michigan product was taken 83rd overall by the Los Angeles Rams. This is a bit of a curious landing spot, as the Rams already have Kyren Williams leading their backfield. One of 2023's breakout stars, Williams put up excellent numbers; he averaged 5.0 yards per carry and tallied the eighth-most evaded tackles among running backs. Also notably, Williams led all RBs with an 83.9 percent snap share and was fourth in opportunity share.
Rams Running Back Depth Chart 2024
Williams is in line to receive a large workload again barring injury. However, Corum is the clear RB2 already for the Rams. Neither Boston Scott nor Ronnie Rivers pose a legitimate threat to this status. Moreover, that "barring injury" asterisk for Williams looms large. He has an extensive history of foot and ankle ailments dating back to his rookie season in 2022. Most recently, Williams missed OTAs due to a foot injury. The door for Corum could open sooner rather than later.
When Corum does get carries, he should be quite effective. His best attribute is his ability to break tackles, something he did with frequency at Michigan. At 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds, Corum has a compact frame that he pairs with elite strength to run with power. He also possesses excellent agility; Corum's Agility Score is at the 94th percentile for RBs.
BLAKE CORUM 😤
MIchigan with their third rushing TD of the game! #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/qDBNwkxhPI
— ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2024
The Rams had a strong offense a year ago, and their key pieces are returning for 2024. Los Angeles should be a well-oiled machine offensively yet again, so a significant role for Corum will prove to be quite fruitful.
Ray Davis (Buffalo Bills)
With the 28th pick of the fourth round, the Buffalo Bills took running back Ray Davis out of Kentucky. Davis is one of the best inside runners in this year's draft class; he is adept at wiggling through defenses and finding open space between the tackles. Davis excelled as a Wildcat last year by picking up 1,129 yards on the ground and adding 323 more as a receiver. He also scored 21 total touchdowns.
"SWEET BABY RAY‼️"
Ray Davis takes it 75 yards to the HOUSE 🏠 pic.twitter.com/Q6JnFGBboO
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 30, 2023
Unfortunately, Davis finds himself in a similar situation as Corum. Atop the Bills' RB depth chart is young talent James Cook, who averaged the fifth-most yards per touch among RBs a season ago. Cook is currently entrenched as Buffalo's RB1, but Davis is set to be his clear backup. Ty Johnson is not a particularly inspiring option, and Darrynton Evans has not yet emerged despite having been in the league for four seasons now.
Bills Running Back Depth Chart 2024
Davis is on a great offense, though, as Buffalo has consistently ranked among the league's most potent offensive teams in recent years. Since 2020, the Bills have been top five in yards and top six in scoring every season. Davis should get enough work behind Cook to make him deserving of a top-55 spot among fantasy RBs this year. He has the potential to be more than that as well if he earns a larger slice of the touches than anticipated.
Bucky Irving (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Davis was part of a massive run on running backs in the fourth round of the draft. Three picks before he went to Buffalo, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scooped up Oregon's Bucky Irving. The most intriguing facet of Irving's profile was his usage as a receiver with the Ducks. Irving caught 56 passes for 413 yards and two scores a year ago. Despite being undersized (5-foot-9 and 192 pounds) and posting poor testing numbers (27th-percentile Speed Score, eighth-percentile Burst Score), Irving earned himself fourth-round draft capital with his versatility and agility.
Ducks are on the board!
Incredible run by Mar’Keise Irving sets up a Bo Nix TD. 🙌
📺 FOX
📱 https://t.co/Lmk8trEtvp@oregonfootball | #Pac12FB pic.twitter.com/LwIO9flKTG— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) September 17, 2022
Buccaneers Running Back Depth Chart 2024
The Buccaneers already have a lead back in Rachaad White. White got a large workload a season ago with a 75.3 percent opportunity share. He averaged just 3.5 true yards per carry, though, and his EPA was -44.0. While White should still be considered the clear RB1 in Tampa Bay, the addition of Irving could signal a desire to be less reliant on him.
Also important is Chase Edmonds. Edmonds backed up White last year, but he got little usage. Irving is currently listed as second on the team's depth chart, though it is not necessarily a given that Irving holds this spot. Still, at the moment, Irving is in line to be the primary backup to White.
Irving's comfort as a pass-catcher bodes well for his ability to carve out a role for himself even if White receives a large share of the carries as before. White is a capable receiver, though, but Irving should still see enough work to be a top-60 RB in fantasy football.
Braelon Allen (New York Jets)
The final running back taken in the fourth round, Braelon Allen, was selected 134th overall by the New York Jets. This came as a surprise, as many expected Allen to go a full round earlier. Also surprising was the fact the Jets took another RB, South Dakota State's Isaiah Davis, a round later despite the team already having Breece Hall.
Hall is undoubtedly New York's RB1; he is one of the top young running backs in football. He did tear his ACL in 2022, but he gradually regained his form and avoided missing any time last year. After Hall, though, the Jets were a bit thin at running back before the draft. Israel Abanikanda did not do much in limited action last year as Hall's backup. As a result, Allen is the favorite to be the team's primary backup to Hall.
Jets Running Back Depth Chart 2024
Allen brings great size to the table, as he stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 235 pounds. He leverages his size and strength to pick up extra yards on carries. Importantly, though, Allen expanded his role as a receiver a year ago at Wisconsin. He went from catching 13 passes in 12 games as a sophomore to making 28 grabs in 11 games as a junior. Allen has also reportedly been making nice plays as a pass-catcher in OTAs.
And that Rodgers’ pass no longer the highlight.
Braelon Allen the running back with a high-point catch on a deep pass up the left sideline from Tyrod Taylor. Tremendous grab to rip it away from defender.
Allen, a power back in college, making a ton of plays in camp as a pass…
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) June 4, 2024
The Jets were second in RB targets in 2023. While that may not translate to this year due to Aaron Rodgers' absence a year ago, Rodgers' Packers were 10th in RB targets in 2022, eighth in 2020, and sixth in 2019. Nathaniel Hackett, who was Green Bay's offensive coordinator from 2019-21, is entering his second season as New York's OC.
If Allen can continue to improve his versatility, that would go a long way in making his RB2 role behind Hall more significant. The Jets figure to be among the most improved teams offensively with the return of Rodgers from an Achilles tear, and the rising tide should lift all boats.
Good Fantasy Football Situations - Rookies With Paths
Below are four more rookie RBs who may not be high on their teams' depth charts at the moment but have realistic routes to relevance.
MarShawn Lloyd (Green Bay Packers)
The Packers have seen a lot of changes at RB this offseason. One big move was the departure of Aaron Jones, who was released in March. Jones started 81 games for Green Bay over six seasons there. He has been replaced with star tailback Josh Jacobs, who led the league with 1,653 rushing yards in 2022.
AJ Dillon remains to back up Jacobs, but he got some more new company when the draft rolled around. The Packers selected MarShawn Lloyd with the 88th pick, making him the fourth running back off the board. Lloyd impressed scouts during the predraft process, including with a 4.46-second 40-yard dash while being 5-foot-9 and 220 pounds.
That was FAST ⚡️@uscfb strikes first ✌️ pic.twitter.com/K1boBdEsPM
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 30, 2023
Packers Running Back Depth Chart 2024
The Packers are expected to host a top-10 offense this year. With the attention they gave the running back position this offseason, it is clear they plan to run the ball more in 2024; Green Bay was 22nd in rushing attempts last season. Sadly for Lloyd, the bulk of those carries will be going to Jacobs. It is also unclear if Lloyd can be relied upon to be the team's backup. He has a path, though, considering Dillon posted the worst efficiency numbers of his career a season ago.
Green Bay's backfield is more crowded than the previous ones explored in this article, dropping Lloyd down to this tier. Dillon is surpassable, though, and Lloyd would become one of the better backup RBs to have if he can pull it off.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. (New York Giants)
The Giants backfield took a hit this offseason when star running back Saquon Barkley left for the rival Philadelphia Eagles in free agency. This leaves a big void in New York's offense, as Barkley had 247 of the team's 330 RB carries last year despite missing three games.
The Giants added Devin Singletary in free agency to be their main back. Singletary has reached 1,000 scrimmage yards in three consecutive seasons and should be a capable starter. However, the team also drafted Tyrone Tracy Jr. out of Purdue in the fifth round.
Giants Running Back Depth Chart 2024
Tracy was a wide receiver for most of his college career; he only moved to running back in 2023. He rushed 113 times for 716 yards (6.3 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns for the Boilermakers last year. Still, Tracy's background as a receiver should help him get early touches in New York. He should also continue to improve as a runner as he grows more comfortable with the position.
Offensive explosion in Evanston! 🎆
Tyrone Tracy is slippery and rips off a 50-yard @HawkeyeFootball TD: pic.twitter.com/13UxduAgXv
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 26, 2019
Tracy is behind Singletary and Eric Gray on the team's depth chart right now. Gray is a sleeper himself due to the unsettled nature of the Giants backfield, but he did not do all that much in his brief chances as a rookie a season ago. He led New York in carries in Week 5 while Barkley was injured, but he put up just 25 yards on 12 attempts. Tracy could absolutely overtake Gray in short order, placing him firmly in this tier.
Jaylen Wright (Miami Dolphins)
With Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, De'Von Achane, and Raheem Mostert, the Miami Dolphins certainly had no shortage of speedy weapons entering the draft. Nonetheless, they decided to add another by drafting Jaylen Wright in the fourth round. Wright possesses a 95th-percentile Speed Score and an equally strong Burst Score. He used his speed and acceleration to great success at Tennessee, becoming one of the best outside runners in this year's class.
ONE SNAP.
ONE PLAY.
TOUCHDOWN @VOL_FOOTBALL. pic.twitter.com/SRREQmbxHF— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) November 18, 2023
Mostert had the best year of his career last year; he crossed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time, and he led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns. He is 32 years old now, though. At some point, his production will begin to fall off, leaving his teammates valuable opportunities to claim. Mostert is currently the RB1 on Miami's depth chart.
Dolphins Running Back Depth Chart 2024
Miami's current RB2, De'Von Achane, is actually the one poised to have the best season. Achane was ridiculously efficient as a rookie last year; he led the league's RBs in yards per touch, breakaway run rate, production premium, EPA, and fantasy points per opportunity. He played just 11 games, though, due to injuries, with his small frame being considered the culprit. While he has reportedly added muscle this offseason, Achane could be in for more missed time this year.
Thus, while Wright is currently a clear third option in Miami, it is feasible that he can become much more than that. If Mostert falters, Achane misses time, or something else unexpected happens, Wright will be there to step up in one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL.
Audric Estime (Denver Broncos)
With the 147th pick in this year's draft, the Broncos opted for Notre Dame running back Audric Estime. Estime is a big back at 5-foot-11 and 226 pounds, and he uses his size and physicality to overpower defenders in the inside. Despite lacking high-end speed with his 40-yard dash time at 4.71 seconds, Estime set a Fighting Irish record in 2023 with 18 rushing touchdowns.
A hat trick for Audric Estime! 😤 pic.twitter.com/mjo3A5Fqzq
— Notre Dame on NBC (@NDonNBC) October 28, 2023
The current starting RB for Denver is Javonte Williams. Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2022, and he came back with dismal efficiency last season. He could bounce back to his pre-injury explosiveness, but based on last season's performance, Denver could be headed for a backfield by committee.
Broncos Running Back Depth Chart 2024
The other options in Denver are Samaje Perine and Jaleel McLaughlin. McLaughlin showed good juice as a rookie last year, but it was on a small sample size. He is also quite small and went undrafted in 2023. Perine did not see much work as a runner last year, but he was utilized well as a receiver. That is one area where he will have an edge over Estime, who caught just 26 passes over his three years in South Bend.
Ultimately, Denver's backfield has four players who can be considered fantasy-relevant this year. Williams should be a cut above the rest in terms of workload, but Estime has an opportunity to emerge alongside him. If he can establish himself as the team's best power back, Estime can outperform his expected fantasy value, although broadening his receiving skills would be a big boost to his chances to earn a big role.
NFL Rookie Running Back Fantasy Football Projections - Summary
In total, 10 running backs in varying situations were listed above. For a useful summary of their current roles, fantasy value, and projected ceiling, see the table below.
| Player | Current Role | Fantasy Value | Overall Ceiling |
| Jonathon Brooks | Secondary Back | Top 30 | Top 20 |
| Trey Benson | Secondary Back | Top 40 | Top 25 |
| Blake Corum | Secondary Back | Top 50 | Top 35 |
| Ray Davis | Secondary Back | Top 55 | Top 35 |
| Bucky Irving | Secondary Back | Top 60 | Top 40 |
| Braelon Allen | Secondary Back | Top 60 | Top 40 |
| MarShawn Lloyd | Third Option | Top 65 | Top 40 |
| Tyrone Tracy Jr. | Third Option | Top 70 | Top 45 |
| Jaylen Wright | Third Option | Top 70 | Top 45 |
| Audric Estime | Fourth Option | Top 70 | Top 45 |
It is important to note that these situations can change throughout the offseason. This summary should be viewed as a snapshot in time, not a finished product. Monitoring developments across the league will be crucial to your success in your fantasy drafts.
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