X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Updated Running Back Draft Rankings for Half-PPR Scoring

Updated fantasy football running back draft rankings, tiers and analysis for half-ppr scoring. Bill Dubiel analyzes key RB draft targets and avoids for 1/2 PPR.

Running back is the most volatile position in fantasy football. It's possible to put together a winning team while going "zero RB" (not picking a running back in the early rounds), proving how much change there can be in many running backs' value over the course of a year. I don't recommend doing this, for what it's worth.

This year we have a pretty well-established "big four" at the position, although that is contingent on Ezekiel Elliott's holdout situation--and it may be five if not for Melvin Gordon's holdout situation. After that there is a pretty clear second tier...and then it gets dicey.

Given how strong the first couple of tiers are this year, my advice is to jump on one relatively early this draft season to secure a solid floor/ceiling combo for the 2019 season.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Half-PPR Fantasy Football Rankings - Running Backs

Below are RotoBaller's consensus staff rankings for the 2019 fantasy football season. These rankings are compiled by Nick Mariano, Pierre Camus, Scott Engel, Bill Dubiel, Dominick Petrillo and Spencer Aguiar.

In case you missed it, our very own "Big Pick Nick" Mariano was the #11 overall most accurate industry expert ranker for the 2018 season, and #9 overall in 2017. Additionally, industry legend Scott Engel recently joined the RotoBaller team and provides his insights as well. Scott is an FSWA Hall Of Famer and award winner.

Position Rank Overall Rank Player Name Position Tier Overall Tier
1 1 Saquon Barkley 1 1
2 2 Alvin Kamara 1 1
3 3 Christian McCaffrey 1 1
4 4 James Conner 1 1
5 8 David Johnson 2 1
6 14 Joe Mixon 2 2
7 16 Nick Chubb 2 2
8 17 Dalvin Cook 2 2
9 18 Le'Veon Bell 2 2
10 19 Todd Gurley 2 2
11 21 Devonta Freeman 3 3
12 22 Ezekiel Elliott 3 3
13 25 Leonard Fournette 3 3
14 26 Kerryon Johnson 3 3
15 29 Damien Williams 3 3
16 30 Chris Carson 3 3
17 32 Aaron Jones 3 3
18 36 Sony Michel 4 4
19 38 Marlon Mack 4 4
20 40 David Montgomery 4 4
21 42 Josh Jacobs 4 4
22 47 Derrick Henry 4 4
23 49 Mark Ingram 4 4
24 56 Phillip Lindsay 5 5
25 60 Duke Johnson 5 5
26 61 Melvin Gordon 5 5
27 64 James White 5 5
28 66 Tevin Coleman 5 5
29 70 Miles Sanders 5 5
30 72 Austin Ekeler 5 6
31 74 Derrius Guice 5 6
32 76 Kenyan Drake 5 6
33 80 Tarik Cohen 6 6
34 82 Devin Singletary 6 6
35 83 Latavius Murray 6 6
36 96 Rashaad Penny 6 7
37 97 Jordan Howard 6 7
38 99 Royce Freeman 6 7
39 104 Kalen Ballage 6 7
40 107 Peyton Barber 6 7
41 110 Matt Breida 6 7
42 119 Tony Pollard 7 8
43 120 Carlos Hyde 7 8
44 122 Justin Jackson 7 8
45 123 Darrell Henderson 7 8
46 128 Dion Lewis 7 8
47 129 Darwin Thompson 7 8
48 131 Adrian Peterson 7 8
49 139 Ronald Jones II 7 9
50 141 Jaylen Samuels 7 9
51 142 Frank Gore 7 9
52 143 LeSean McCoy 7 9
53 145 Mike Davis 7 9
54 150 Chris Thompson 8 9
55 157 Damien Harris 8 10
56 159 Justice Hill 8 10
57 160 Kareem Hunt 8 10
58 162 Ito Smith 8 10
59 166 C.J. Anderson 8 10
60 170 Alexander Mattison 8 10
61 171 Jalen Richard 8 10
62 175 Nyheim Hines 9 11
63 176 Malcolm Brown 9 11
64 183 Ty Montgomery 9 11
65 197 Jamaal Williams 9 11
66 202 Rex Burkhead 9 11
67 207 Giovani Bernard 9 11
68 209 Chase Edmonds 9 11
69 212 Gus Edwards 9 12
70 229 Theo Riddick 10 12
71 230 Brian Hill 10 12
72 236 Karan Higdon 10 12
73 252 Benny Snell Jr. 10 13
74 266 Corey Clement 10 13
75 271 Zach Zenner 10 13
76 273 Travis Homer 10 14
77 275 Damarea Crockett 10 14
78 279 Ryquell Armstead 10 14
79 282 Bilal Powell 10 14
80 283 Mike Weber 10 14
81 295 Alfred Morris 11 14
82 306 T.J. Yeldon 11 14
83 311 Dexter Williams 11 14
84 316 Dare Ogunbowale 11 14
85 330 Dontrell Hilliard 11 15
86 342 Rhett Ellison 11 15
87 349 Trayveon Williams 11 15
88 356 Darrel Williams 11 15
89 365 Qadree Ollison 11 15
90 376 Alfred Blue 11 16
91 385 Trenton Cannon 11 16
92 395 Ty Johnson 11 16
93 399 Kenneth Dixon 11 16
94 403 Cameron Artis-Payne 11 16
95 409 Josh Adams 11 16
96 414 Jordan Wilkins 12 16
97 421 Spencer Ware 12 17
98 431 Alex Barnes 12 17
99 435 Bryce Love 12 17
100 438 Wayne Gallman 12 17
101 452 Jeff Wilson 12 17
102 459 Devontae Booker 12 17
103 462 Wendell Smallwood 12 17
104 465 Darren Sproles 12 17
105 466 Rod Smith 12 18
106 470 Mike Boone 12 18
107 473 Ameer Abdullah 12 18
108 475 Kyle Juszczyk 12 18
109 476 Myles Gaskin 12 18
110 477 Raheem Mostert 12 18
111 478 Andre Ellington 12 18
112 479 Rodney Anderson 11 18
113 480 James Develin 11 18
114 481 Jordan Scarlett 11 18
115 482 C.J. Prosise 11 18
116 484 Devine Ozigbo 12 18
117 486 Mark Walton 12 18
118 487 J.D. McKissic 12 18
119 488 Deandre Washington 12 18
120 489 Elijah Holyfield 12 18
121 491 Josh Ferguson 13 18
122 494 Marcus Murphy 13 18
123 496 Buddy Howell 13 18
124 498 LeGarrette Blount 13 18
125 499 Paul Perkins 13 18
126 500 Dwayne Washington 13 18
127 505 Jeremy McNichols 13 18
128 506 D'Ernest Johnson 13 18
129 507 Elijhaa Penny 13 18

 

Tier 1

This is a pretty typical top tier, with the feature back dual threats taking the top four spots. If we knew they were going to play 16 games, Ezekiel Elliott and Melvin Gordon would likely find themselves in this spot, but obviously they're both a complete question mark until they sign somewhere.

Personally, I like David Johnson as maybe the third back in the group (behind McCaffrey and Kamara) given how different his circumstances are this year versus in 2018. Johnson proved he could be an elite player in 2016, then unfortunately lost his entire 2017 to injury. His 2018 season was a mess thanks to the incompetence of former offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, brutal offensive line play and a quarterback in Josh Rosen who simply didn't represent an aerial threat. With Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury now in place, Johnson should be able to find (and be delivered the ball in) space and get back to his running and gunning ways of 2016.

 

Tier 2

I love Nick Chubb heading into 2019 and would not argue with anybody who put him in that first tier to be honest. The Browns have an improving offensive line, an offense positively loaded with weapons, and the departure of Duke Johnson should free up some receptions out of the backfield for Chubb. At the very least I like him better than Mixon in the early goings.

A healthy Dalvin Cook has sky-high potential in the Vikings offense that should lean on the run a bit more given that Gary Kubiak is now influencing the decision-making. The obvious risk factor is his injury history, and that has to be factored into your draft strategy. Understand what the upside is but don't necessarily count on 16 games from him

 

Tier 3

Kerryon Johnson represents an interesting case heading into 2019, and he's one of my top breakout targets for 2019. Johnson was immediately effective for the Lions, averaging 5.4 yards per carry on 12.5 carries per game along with four targets per game. With Theo Riddick now gone, I expect Johnson to maintain that carry average while adding more targets, which should allow him to be a true dual-threat feature back. C.J. Anderson will certainly be in the mix, but it's the Kerryon Johnson show in 2019.

Aaron Jones is criminally underrated here, and I know that's become a popular opinion in many fantasy circles. Jones has averaged 5.5 yards per carry over the last two years, but has suffered from limited playing time and some minor injuries. Jones should be the leader in the backfield this season and get enough work in the passing game to make him a solid value at his current ADP.

 

Tier 4

The hate on Marlon Mack due to the Thanos-like disappearance of Andrew Luck has gone way too far. Mack averaged a healthy 4.66 yards per carry and found pay-dirt 10 times in just 12 games in 2018. Although it's now Jacoby Brissett under center instead of MVP-caliber Andrew Luck, the Colts offensive line is one of the best in football heading into the season, and there will obviously be a renewed focus on the run game. Mack is a strong RB2 and should provide consistent value every week.

I'm not sure why Mark Ingram is widely regarded as a low-end RB2 going into this season. The bruising Alabama product will have the clear lead in the Baltimore backfield, which should be one of the most run-heavy offenses in football. We've seen from his time in New Orleans that Ingram is also a capable pass-catcher, and with Lamar Jackson still adjusting to NFL defenses Ingram will be an integral part of the offense on all three downs. I love him as a top-15 back and I think he's a steal at his current ADP.

 

Tier 5

Tevin Coleman may also be an excellent value given that Jerick McKinnon appears to be out of the picture for the time being. He should receive the healthy portion of the split between him and Matt Breida, and his reunion with Kyle Shanahan can be nothing but good news.  Coleman's best season (2016) came under Kyle Shanahan's guidance in Atlanta, and it saw him score 11 touchdowns as a secondary back to Devonta Freeman. As the 1A he should be a top-20 back in an improving 49ers offense.

James White is possibly the premier pass-catching back in the NFL, putting up an 87-751-7 receiving line in 2018 while adding 425 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. He was ticketed for a RB1 season until Sony Michel was finally unleashed, and White regressed to more of a change-of-pace option. That time share should return for 2019, rendering White no more than an every-week flex option with RB3 upside.

 

Tier 6 and Lower

The above rankings don't reflect the LeSean McCoy release (McCoy has been removed but no other changes have been made yet). The obvious change is going to occur with Frank Gore and rookie Devin Singletary. What I'm picturing is the sort of 1A/1B setup that the Saints had with Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram. Note: I am not comparing them in skill or production, merely the opportunity that will be presented. Both backs should start the season with RB3 value in the run-heavy Bills offense, but Singletary obviously has the upside of the two.

Jaylen Samuels may very well have stand-alone flex value even if James Conner is fully healthy all year. Samuels will be deployed like Ty Montgomery was with the Packers--he may be a running back in some situations and act as a wideout in others. In the high-powered Steelers offense that means he should be startable in most weeks, and should Conner go down he would immediately become a RB2 for me.

More Fantasy Football Analysis


Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Sebastian Walcott

Smacks Second Home Run Of 2025
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Kenley Jansen

Records His Sixth Save Of The Season
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Miguel Vargas

Homers Against The Twins On Thursday
Hunter Goodman

Delivers In Game 1 On Thursday With Two Hits
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Christopher Morel

Home Run Seals Victory For Rays
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Zach Neto

Hits Go-Ahead Home Run On Thursday
Yandy Díaz

Yandy Diaz Tallies Three Hits In Win Against Arizona
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Pete Fairbanks

Picks Up Fourth Save On Thursday
Carlos Estévez

Carlos Estevez Picks Up Save On Thursday
Corbin Burnes

Picks Up Eight Strikeouts In Thursday's Start
MacKenzie Gore

Strikes Out Eight In Loss On Thursday
Cade Povich

Picks Up Win On Thursday
Bobby Witt Jr.

Scores Three Runs, Steals A Base On Thursday
Alex Bregman

Homers In Loss To Seattle
Mike Yastrzemski

Homers, Drives In Two On Thursday
Salvador Perez

Notches Four Doubles, Four RBI In Thursday's Doubleheader
Jordan Beck

Homers Three Times On Thursday
Jameson Williams

Lions Didn't Entertain Trade Offers For Jameson Williams
Dalton Rushing

Homers In Four-Hit Game
Qadir Ismail

Raiders Sign Qadir Ismail
New York Giants

Giants Plan To Exercise Kayvon Thibodeaux's Fifth-Year Option
Russell Wilson

Will Be Giants Starting Quarterback
Max Muncy

With A Pair Of Doubles Back At Triple-A
Michael Lorenzen

Tosses Quality Start
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs Close Out The First Round With Josh Simmons
Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Trade Up One Spot In First Round To Select Jihaad Campbell
A.J. Puk

Likely To Miss Multiple Months
Buffalo Bills

Bills Address Secondary And Take Maxwell Hairston With 30th Overall Pick
NFL

Eagles, Chiefs Swap First-Round Picks
Washington Commanders

Josh Conerly Jr. Goes At No. 29 Overall To Commanders

Giants Trade Up For Jaxson Dart At No. 25
Detroit Lions

Tyleik Williams Taken By Lions At No. 28 Overall
Baltimore Ravens

Ravens Go With Malaki Starks At No. 27 Overall In NFL Draft
Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Takes Donovan Jackson No. 24 Overall
NFL

Rams Trade The 26th Pick In The 2025 NFL Draft To The Falcons
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Trade Back Into First Round To Draft James Pearce Jr. At No. 26 Overall

Matthew Golden Selected No. 23 Overall By Green Bay
NFL

Texans Trade The 25th Pick In The 2025 NFL Draft To The Giants

Omarion Hampton Taken No. 22 Overall By Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Selects Derrick Harmon At No. 21 Overall
Denver Broncos

Broncos Build Secondary By Selecting Jahdae Barron At No. 20

Buccaneers Add Emeka Egbuka At No. 19
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Isaiah Stewart

Remains Out For Game 3
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Linus Ullmark

Attempts To Overcome Playoff Struggles Thursday
Anthony Cirelli

A Game-Time Call Thursday
Logan Thompson

Comes Up Big In Game 2
Connor McMichael

Strikes Twice In Wednesday's Win
Anze Kopitar

Tallies Four Points In Game 2 Victory
Adrian Kempe

Notches Two Goals, Two Assists In Wednesday's Win
Tyler Seguin

Gives Stars Series Lead With Overtime Winner
Tyler Herro

Scores Game-High 33 Points In Wednesday's Loss
Donovan Mitchell

Fires In 30 Points In Game 2 Win
Paolo Banchero

Notches 32 Points In Game 2 Loss
Jaylen Brown

Posts 36-Point Double-Double Wednesday
Jalen Green

Erupts For 38 Points In Game 2 Victory
Brandin Podziemski

Limited To 14 Minutes Wednesday
Jimmy Butler III

Set For MRI Thursday
Brandin Podziemski

Upgraded To Available
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Michael Porter Jr.

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Davion Mitchell

Moves Into Starting Lineup Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Picks Up Questionable Tag
Al Horford

Starts Game 2
Michael Porter Jr.

Practices On Wednesday
Jayson Tatum

Out On Wednesday
Isaiah Stewart

May Miss Another Game Thursday
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Posts Team-High 26 Points In Tuesday's Loss
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Notches 27 Points Despite Poor Shooting
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Pascal Siakam

Scores Team-High 24 Points In Game 2 Win
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF