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2022 Fantasy Football RB Rankings, Draft Tiers: Previews for Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey, Austin Ekeler, More

Sean Koerner — FantasyPros’ most-accurate draft ranker from 2019-21 — is breaking down his positional rankings and draft strategy for 2022.

This series is part of our PRO subscription, which will not only grant you access to these Tiers, but also to his real-time rankings as part of our 2022 Fantasy Draft Kit.


Running back continues to be the most critical position in fantasy football.

There are two main reasons RB typically decides the fate of your team each season:

As the NFL becomes an increasingly pass-heavy league and RBs are deployed for specific purposes, there are fewer workhorse backs. Positional scarcity makes it critical to draft at least two workhorse RBs.

The position is very volatile. RBs are the most likely players to miss time due to injury, or to lose their job. Given the position is much more about opportunity rather than talent, it paves the way for late-round picks or even waiver-wire pickups to emerge as league winners.

Because of those two factors, there are a lot of draft strategies focused solely on how many RBs you should acquire early on.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Zero RB strategy, which I agree with … in theory. It mainly focuses on Reason No. 2 above, but ignores Reason No. 1 — that’s why I would dub my approach as the RB Surplus Strategy: I first aim to draft two RBs before the end of Round 4/5 because, as I mentioned, it’s critical to acquire two who are set to open the season with a reliable workload. Then I target high-upside backs in the middle and late rounds.

Another important component of your draft strategy should be to understand the purpose of your bench. Generally, you don’t want to waste a bench slot on a quarterback or tight end since it’s very easy to find a replacement for either on the waiver wire if you’re in a pinch or need a bye-week fill-in.

If I have seven bench slots, I’ll usually aim to fill them with two to three WRs and four to five high-upside RBs.

Note: for Best Ball, my strategy is very different, and I usually draft 5 RBs total. (You can listen to my Best Ball tips, including how to approach roster construction here.)

The goal of stashing high-upside RBs, specifically, is to hopefully strike gold if one earns a one-off start or becomes their team’s starter indefinitely. Think about the backup RBs who usually require a No. 1 waiver wire claim or the highest Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) bid to acquire when injury or depth chart news breaks mid-season — I can’t tell you how many times a RB who fits that profile was already on my bench.

Drafting RBs with the highest potential to be league winners allows me to be even more aggressive when I have first priority on waiver wire claims or still have a high percentage of my FAAB available.

To help you easily identify them, I will be releasing my RB Upside Ratings chart very soon. In that chart, I highlight which backup RBs offer the most upside at their current ADP based on where I will rank them when their starter is in/out of the lineup.

Fantasy RB Rankings & Tiers

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Tier Players
1 Jonathan Taylor (IND)
2 Christian McCaffrey (CAR)
3 Austin Ekeler (LAC)
Derrick Henry (TEN)
Najee Harris (PIT)
Dalvin Cook (MIN)
4 Joe Mixon (CIN)
D’Andre Swift (DET)
5 Nick Chubb (CLE)
Aaron Jones (GB)
Javonte Williams (DEN)
Leonard Fournette (TB)
6 Saquon Barkley (NYG)
Alvin Kamara (NO)
7 David Montgomery (CHI)
Ezekiel Elliott (DAL)
James Conner (ARI)
Cam Akers (LAR)
Antonio Gibson (WAS)
8 Travis Etienne (JAX)
J.K. Dobbins (BAL)
Elijah Mitchell (SF)
A.J. Dillon (GB)
9 Breece Hall (NYJ)
Josh Jacobs (LV)
Miles Sanders (PHI)
Kareem Hunt (CLE)
Cordarrelle Patterson (ATL)
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (KC)
Tony Pollard (DAL)
Damien Harris (NE)
10 Devin Singletary (BUF)
Melvin Gordon (DEN)
11 Chase Edmonds (MIA)
Rashaad Penny (SEA)
Ronald Jones II (KC)
12 Kenneth Walker III (SEA)
Rhamondre Stevenson (NE)
Michael Carter (NYJ)
Alexander Mattison (MIN)
Gus Edwards (BAL)
Darrell Henderson (LAR)
Mark Ingram (NO)
Sony Michel (MIA)
Dameon Pierce (HOU)
Darrel Williams (ARI)
J.D. McKissic (WAS)
James Cook (BUF)
Nyheim Hines (IND)
James White (NE)
Kenneth Gainwell (PHI)
Isaiah Spiller (LAC)
Ty Davis-Price (SF)
Tyler Allgeier (ATL)
Zamir White (LV)
Hassan Haskins (TEN)
Samaje Perine (CIN)
Khalil Herbert (CHI)

Tier 1

Jonathan Taylor (IND)

Not only is Jonathan Taylor the best running back in the game, but he has also proven to be as durable as they come at a position where missing a few games a year due to injury is common. JT claims he has never missed a practice in the NFL, college or high school. I’m not saying JT is injury-proof but given his squeaky clean injury past and elite projections this year, he is the no-brainer No. 1 overall pick in fantasy football.

Takeaway: Draft Taylor No. 1 overall in most formats.


Tier 2

Christian McCaffrey (CAR)

CMC has only played 10 of 33 games over the past two seasons, and it’s giving fantasy managers pause in selecting him as a top-three pick. I wouldn’t blame them, especially if they were burned by taking him No. 1 overall either of the past two seasons. I still think he’s worth the “risk” at No. 3 in most formats.

It’s important to remember that injuries are impossible to predict. Therefore, unless a player is dealing with a known injury heading into a season, it’s usually wise to assume they will be healthy for most of the season. Currently, CMC is 100% heading into training camp and has No. 1 overall upside as long as he stays healthy.

Takeaway: Draft McCaffrey No.3 overall in most formats behind Taylor and Cooper Kupp.


Tier 3

Austin Ekeler (LAC)
Derrick Henry (TEN)
Najee Harris (PIT)
Dalvin Cook (MIN)

Austin Ekeler only averaged 12.9 rush attempts per game last season, but when it comes to the three metrics I consider to be the most valuable for a RB, Ekeler dominated.

  • Rush attempts inside the 5-yard line: 14 (tied for fourth)
  • Routes run inside the 10-yard line: 25 (first)
  • Targets: 93 (second)

The Titans will lean heavily on Derrick Henry this year after deciding to trade away A.J. Brown. At 28 years old, I believe Henry has one more elite season of 300-plus carries left in him.

Najee Harris is 244 pounds after being listed as 230 in his rookie season. The added weight is likely his way of preparing for a massive workload in year two.

Takeaway: All four backs should be taken at ADP. (I prefer taking Justin Jefferson ahead of this tier in any PPR.)


Tier 4

Joe Mixon (CIN)
D’Andre Swift (DET)

Joe Mixon set career highs in rushing yards (1,205) and rushing TDs (13) last year. The Bengals added Ted Karras, Alex Cappa and La’el Collins in the offseason, making them the most improved offensive line heading into 2022. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mixon can repeat his career-best numbers from a year ago.

D’Andre Swift has top-five upside if he can stay healthy. He added quite a bit of muscle this offseason, hopefully allowing him to play 14 or more games for the first time in his career.

Takeaway: Target these RBS at their ADPs.

NFL Survivor Pool-Picks-Packers-patriots week 17
Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images. Pictured: Aaron Jones.

Tier 5

Nick Chubb (CLE)
Aaron Jones (GB)
Javonte Williams (DEN)
Leonard Fournette (TB)

Aaron Jones may split carries with A.J. Dillon this year, but his receiving upside is massive with Davante Adams no longer with the team. Here are his performances without Adams over the past two seasons:

  • Week 3 (2020): 16/69/1 & 2/17/0
  • Week 4 (2020) 15/71/0 & 5/40/1
  • Week 8 (2021): 15/59/1 & 7/51/0

That’s 18.6 (0.5 PPR) fantasy points per game average, which would have ranked fourth at RB last year.

Javonte Williams finished as the RB17 despite splitting touches with Melvin Gordon III evenly. That seems like Williams’ floor heading into year two, and he has top-five upside when Gordon is out of the lineup.

Leonard Fournette offers the most value in this tier, considering he typically goes later at RB14. He was the RB4 in Weeks 1-15 before a hamstring injury knocked him out for four games. I expect him to have a similar role this year, and the Bucs might lean on their running game a bit more after losing key pieces in the passing game.

Note: Fournette is trending right now after reports/pictures are circulating about him showing up to minicamp at 260 pounds. It’s worth noting that this was from six weeks ago, and there is a decent chance he’s closer to 230-240 at training camp next week. We need to monitor this closely because it will be a concern if he’s still 250 or more pounds once training camp starts. Either way, his ADP might plummet based on this news.

Takeaway: Target Fournette at ADP, but monitor reports on his weight at the start of training camp.


Tier 6

Saquon Barkley (NYG)
Alvin Kamara (NO)

Saquon Barkley was dealing with an ankle injury heading into 2021, so I avoided him in nearly all of my drafts. However, now he appears 100% heading into the upcoming season and is very tempting at RB13.

There is a ton of uncertainty regarding Alvin Kamara’s legal situation. There is a strong chance he will be suspended for 4-6 games this season, but there is also a possibility that it’s delayed until next season.  If you draft Kamara, you’re taking on a lot of risk.

Takeaway: Both offer top-five upside but are risky at their ADPs.


Tier 7

David Montgomery (CHI)
Ezekiel Elliott (DAL)
James Conner (ARI)
Cam Akers (LAR)
Antonio Gibson (WAS)

On the surface, this is an excellent mid-range RB2 Tier. All five backs can handle a full workload and provide RB1 value, but most of them could face more competition for touches this season.

Cam Akers and James Conner are the safest bets at their ADPs. Both backs should operate as the lead back in high-scoring offenses and come at an affordable draft-day price.

Antonio Gibson is typically the first back taken from this tier, but I would caution against that. He’s potentially going to be sandwiched between J.D. McKissic (passing downs) and third-round rookie Brian Robinson (short yardage), which limits his weekly floor/ceiling combo.

Takeaways
– Target Akers and Conner.
– Avoid Gibson.

cowboys vs 49ers-props-deebo samuel-elijah mitchell-nfl-playoff-picks-wild card-round-2022
Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images. Pictured: 49ers RB Elijah Mitchell

Tier 8

Travis Etienne (JAX)
J.K. Dobbins (BAL)
Elijah Mitchell (SF)
A.J. Dillon (GB)

James Robinson tore his Achilles in late December, so he likely won’t be ready to play in Week 1 or much of the first half of the season. Travis Etienne will be the Jaguars’ workhorse to begin the season and has the potential to be an Alvin Kamara-like fantasy asset.

J.K. Dobbins might be eased in to begin the season as he returns from an ACL tear that held him out of the 2021 season. I’m typically avoiding him at ADP.

Elijah Mitchell is one of the toughest RBs to project for the 2022 season. He will offer high-end RB2 value if he remains the 49ers lead back all season. However, Kyle Shanahan is the most unpredictable coach regarding RB rotations.

A.J. Dillon is my favorite type of RB to target in the middle rounds. Yes, he opens the season as Aaron Jones’ “backup”, but he should be able to provide low-end RB2 value even if Jones stays healthy all 17 games. However, if Jones misses any time this season, Dillon would be a mid-low end RB1 option. Therefore, you are essentially getting his RB1 injury upside for free at ADP.

Takeaway: Target Dillon at his ADP.


Tier 9

Breece Hall (NYJ)
Josh Jacobs (LV)
Miles Sanders (PHI)
Kareem Hunt (CLE)
Cordarrelle Patterson (ATL)
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (KC)
Tony Pollard (DAL)
Damien Harris (NE)

Breece Hall is my favorite RB of the 2022 rookie class. He reminds me of a blend of Joe Mixon and Kareem Hunt, which is good. Hall might begin the season splitting touches with Michael Carter, but sharp money would be on him operating as a workhorse back in the second half of the season.

Josh Jacobs is going a bit too early for my liking. The Raiders have a brand new coaching staff, and they used their fourth-round pick on RB Zamir White. Jacobs will be the Raiders starting RB as long as he’s healthy, but don’t be surprised if Kenyan Drake and White are in the mix quite a bit.

Hunt and Tony Pollard fit the same profile as Dillon, which is why they’re my three favorite RBs to target this year. All three are technically backups but will command enough touches to provide low-end RB2/Flex value most weeks. If the starting RB ahead of them misses time, all three would carry RB1 value. Their high floor/ceiling combo makes them a cheat code in the middle rounds.

The remaining backs in this tier are already the lead back for their team, meaning they will have their fair share of spiked weeks. However, they are on a team that likes to rotate in the backups heavily, limiting their upside. They’re fine to target ADP as your RB3, but I wouldn’t reach for any of them.

Takeaways
– Target Kareem Hunt and Tony Pollard at their ADPs.
– Avoid Josh Jacobs at ADP.


Tier 10

Devin Singletary (BUF)
Melvin Gordon (DEN)

The Bills decided to use Singletary as their workhorse back starting in Week 15, and he cashed in by posting the RB2 overall score over the final four games. However, with second-round pick James Cook joining the mix, I’m cautious about targeting Singletary here.

Takeaways: Avoid these RBs if Hunt and Pollard are still on the board.


Tier 11

Chase Edmonds (MIA)
Rashaad Penny (SEA)
Ronald Jones II (KC)

This tier offers some sneaky upside, considering all three backs are going outside the top 30 but could easily be their team’s leading RB this season.

Takeaway: These RBs all offer a wide range of outcomes but are worth the risk at ADP.


Tier 12

Once we get to this part of the draft, we are targeting backups. It’s important to remember that the end-of-season rank for most of these backs is directly tied to the health of their team’s starting RB. Therefore, it’s best to think of these RBs in categories to help you decide which type of back to target.

Backups that you can start in a pinch and carry RB2+ injury upside:

Kenneth Walker III (SEA)
Rhamondre Stevenson (NE)
Michael Carter (NYJ)

The sneaky upside with these three backs is that any of them could become their team’s starter even when their backfield is at full health. Of course, second-round rookie Kenneth Walker has the best chance of doing that, but he will be very limited as a pass catcher, which lowers his overall upside.

Takeaway: While I do like their unique upside, I am typically avoiding them at ADP.


Backups that you can start in a pinch and carry RB2-or-better injury upside:

Alexander Mattison (MIN)
Gus Edwards (BAL)
Darrell Henderson (LAR)
Mark Ingram (NO)
Sony Michel (MIA)
Dameon Pierce (HOU)
Darrel Williams (ARI)

These backs can offer you RB3/Flex value when you are in a pinch due to bye weeks, injuries, etc. They also might provide RB2 value (or better) if the starter for their team misses time. These are solid backs to have stashed on your bench.

Third-down specialists:

J.D. McKissic (WAS)
James Cook (BUF)
Nyheim Hines (IND)
James White (NE)
Kenneth Gainwell (PHI)

Third-down backs act as a safety net later in your draft. They should be able to provide you with a handful of PPR points most weeks but are unlikely ever to see a workhorse role, which limits their upside. If you have a lot of uncertainty at RB, targeting one of these backs is usually a great way to give your team a bit more stability.

James White is still recovering from his 2021 hip injury, so there is a chance he won’t be ready for Week 1. Check his latest report(s) before targeting him later in the draft.

Backups that will need an injury (or two) to provide RB2/3 value:

Isaiah Spiller (LAC)
Ty Davis-Price (SF)
Tyler Allgeier (ATL)
Zamir White (LV)
Hassan Haskins (TEN)
Samaje Perine (CIN)
Khalil Herbert (CHI)

These RBs won’t be more than change-of-pace backs when their team’s starting RB is healthy. However, if their team’s starting RB were to miss time, they could potentially become the lead back and provide RB2/3 value. I’m a fan of stashing these backs on your bench in deeper leagues.


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