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My draft strategy has shifted in recent years — I usually want the most dynamic receiver room possible, wideouts who start themselves. Meanwhile, I’ll gravitate towards a Hero RB build, one major back to anchor things and the others on a budget.
This doesn’t mean running backs aren’t important. It’s just a nod to volatility and shifting workload shapes. The middle class at the position has more acceptable answers than an era ago, and we’ve come to accept fewer points from our RB2s and RB3s. Still, if a genie appeared and would only give answers to one position, I’d beg for the running back list.
With that in mind, let’s play a game of Green Light, Yellow Light, Red Light for running backs. 🚦
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Green Light = Backs I’m confident to draft. Proactive picks around (maybe even slightly ahead of) market cost.
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Yellow Light = Backs I could take at cost or a discount, but I will not go out of my way to pick.
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Red Light = Backs I’m avoiding. Many times here, it’s price, not player.
Disagree? I’m all ears.
👍 Green Light RBs
Breece Hall, Bijan Robinson: Two bell-cow backs running behind excellent offensive lines and tied to teams likely to make the playoffs. They’re also players on the escalator; Hall enters age-23 season, Robinson is a year younger.
Isiah Pacheco: He proved he could be a three-down back during the money weeks, and Andy Reid’s offense is due for positive regression after surprisingly ordinary production in 2023.
Devin Singletary: He surprisingly out-kicked expectations in Houston, and now he’s reunited with Brian Daboll, who trusted Singletary in Buffalo. Depth chart is unproven after Singletary.
🤔 Yellow Light RBs
Kyren Williams: An undeniable league-winner in 2023 but Rams likely have a role in mind for third-round pick, Blake Corum.
Rachaad White: A volume monster last year but it’s harder to trust the offense with offensive coordinator Dave Canales gone.
Rhamondre Stevenson: A potential bell cow but young Patriots passing game could have trouble sustaining offense.
🛑 Red Light RBs
Saquon Barkley: He won’t miss the leaky NYG offensive line, but Jalen Hurts doesn’t pass to backs much, and it’s not clear who the TD hog will be around the goal line. Receiving efficiency is trending in the wrong direction.
Jahmyr Gibbs: David Montgomery will always be part of this backfield and Gibbs is also dealing with a hamstring injury. If you want a splashy young player and don’t mind a volume cap, target De’Von Achane instead — he lasts about a round longer.
Alvin Kamara: Efficiency hissing out of balloon and Saints might have NFL’s worst offensive line. A bunch of cheap catches bailed out Kamara last year, but he’s an ordinary touchdown source (10 in his last 28 games) and stepping into that dangerous age-29 season.
Source Agencies
