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In a previous article, I mentioned how the number of rushing attempts and efficiency declined in the 2023 season. Even though QBs struggled in 2023, every team still passed more than it ran.
Naturally, this caused multiple high-quality RBs to have poor seasons, whether it was a lack of volume, efficiency, or both. But now some of these players find themselves in new situations and can bounce back and become fantasy stars again in 2024.
Without further ado, let's look at the four running backs who will bounce back in 2024. The four RBs in that aforementioned article (Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Rico Dowdle) won't feature.
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Kenneth Walker III - Seattle Seahawks
After Rashaad Penny went down five games into the 2022 season, rookie RB Kenneth Walker III emerged as the starter and dominated. From Week 6 onward, Walker ran for 904 yards and eight touchdowns while adding 151 yards through the air. He was a weapon in fantasy, too.
He finished as the overall RB6 in standard leagues (RB9 in PPR) during that span despite missing a game and a half due to injury. But his 2023 season didn't get off to the best start. He got hurt in training camp and missed over two weeks of practice.
That injury bothered him for a while, but he still managed to finish as the RB5 (standard) after the first 10 weeks of the 2023 season. He went down after just four carries against the Rams in Week 11, which caused him to miss the next two games.
KENNETH WALKER IS IN HIS Adrian Peterson ERA…
LOOK OUT 👀
(Via @new_era72) pic.twitter.com/JuYblf61eZ
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) August 1, 2024
The Seahawks lost all three games, and they would have made the playoffs had they won just one of these games.
When Walker returned, he was a bit rusty and Zach Charbonnet benefited during his absence. But now he looks healthy and the team has changed around him. The Pete Carroll era is finally over and Mike Macdonald is in his place. Ryan Grubb will control the offense.
Grubb is known for being a passing coach, but he can also help the running backs. Before coming to Washington, the team struggled in the run game, as no one topped 500 yards in 2021. That quickly changed with Grubb at the helm, as the run game improved exponentially in his two years there.
Their new-look offensive line looked to be a huge concern, but the recent addition of Connor Williams in early August is a promising sign. Williams is a very talented center and looks to have recovered from his ACL injury last year.
Grubb is excited to work with Walker and recently claimed that "the sky is the limit for him." He has also hinted at utilizing him more as a pass-catcher, which will only improve his potential in fantasy football.
Tony Pollard - Tennessee Titans
This time last year, most fantasy experts were enamored with Tony Pollard. After his extremely impressive Pro Bowl season as the Cowboys' RB2, Pollard was given the keys to be "the man" in Dallas. He didn't live up to expectations for a bunch of reasons.
A left fibula fracture that he suffered in the 2022 playoffs caused him to undergo surgery, and it made the Cowboys slightly more cautious with how they handled Pollard's touches. Dallas' offensive line was also getting older and more ineffective, and the offense was much slower than his breakout 2022 campaign.
Tony Pollard looks extremely explosive. 24 yard gain here into the red zone #TENvsSF pic.twitter.com/HMsbr9sh0M
— Justin Graver (@titansfilmroom) August 10, 2024
He still managed to finish the year with over 1,000 yards, but his season was a disappointment overall. Now, he's in Tennessee and is looking to prove his worth. Pollard and Tyjae Spears will most likely be used in a "running back by committee" system.
The two have pushed each other in training camp and have a lot of faith in their abilities. Pollard recently said they will be a "nice one-two punch" while Spears made the very bold (and almost impossible) claim that they will both be top-5 RBs in 2024.
The team's offensive line looks pretty good with the addition of JC Latham, who has reportedly "held his own" in practices. Sophomore Peter Skoronski and new arrival Lloyd Cushenberry III are also very capable linemen. With this change in scenery, Pollard can have a good debut season in Tennessee.
Aaron Jones - Minnesota Vikings
After seven years in Green Bay, which included an RB2 finish in 2019, Aaron Jones is headed to Minnesota. Jones averaged 1,027 rushing yards, 404 receiving yards, and 12 total touchdowns a season in his last four years as a Packer before 2023.
He hurt his hamstring in the first game of the season after scoring two touchdowns against the Bears, and just as he was starting to recover, he suffered an MCL injury in Week 11. But he turned his season around in sensational fashion.
He ran for 110 yards in each of his last three regular-season games, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt to help his team win all three games and make the playoffs. In the playoffs, he continued his hot streak and ran for 118 yards and three touchdowns in the Packers' unlikely win against the Cowboys.
Aaron Jones with a nice run during 11s pic.twitter.com/ZLBB0xjcY9
— vikesinsider (@vikesinsider) August 3, 2024
He finished the season -- and his Packers tenure -- off with a 108-yard performance against the 49ers in the Divisional Round. Fun fact: This was the first time that any player ran for over 100 yards against the Niners since Justin Fields in Week 8 of the 2021 season.
So it's clear that Jones has quite a lot left in the tank. The Packers offensive line was weak last year, but Jones will benefit from the Vikings' strong tackles in Brian O'Neill and Christian Darrisaw. He is expected to get around 18 touches per game, and can certainly produce big numbers with that workload.
Saquon Barkley - Philadelphia Eagles
Let's end with the big one. Saquon Barkley missed a few games last year due to injury and failed to show much value as a receiver. Daniel Jones being under center, the Giants' average offensive line, and overall weak play-calling doomed Saquon's season last year.
Some people are worried about Jalen Hurts stealing away goal-line touchdown opportunities from Barkley, but the Eagles have never had someone as reliable as Barkley next to Hurts in the backfield before.
And let's be honest, the Eagles are much more worried about protecting Hurts than Barkley, so we could see Hurts scoring fewer "Tush Push" touchdowns in 2024.
DeVonta Smith’s reaction to this Saquon Barkley cut 😂
Via @Eagles pic.twitter.com/wk4hz1ebsM
— Joel Haas (@Joel_Haas1) August 18, 2024
The Eagles offensive line is also leaps and bounds better than the Giants O-line. Even though Jason Kelce is gone, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, and Lane Johnson are still here. Dallas Goedert is also a good run-blocking TE.
Barkley is excited to finally be a part of an ambitious team, which you can argue the Giants haven't been for over a decade. The Eagles fully expect to contend for the Super Bowl this year, and Barkley might just be the missing piece.
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