Tag: which running backs should I draft

Fantasy Football Consistency Rankings – Running Backs

Running backs are the most consistent of all positions since they handle the ball the most. But which backs were money almost every week?

This ranking considers running backs that started at least 10 games in 2023. Fantasy points were derived using one point per 10 yards rushed or received, six-point touchdowns rushed and one point receptions. Running backs may be devalued in fantasy and the NFL, but they are still likely the most consistent players on your team.

See Also:  Quarterbacks | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends

NAME 15 PTs % GMS 15 PTS 25 PTS 100 YD GMS TD GMS
Christian McCaffrey 88% 16 14 6 12 13
Kyren Williams 75% 12 9 5 9 9
Alvin Kamara 62% 13 8 3 6 4
Derrick Henry 59% 17 10 1 7 9
Rachaad White 59% 17 10 1 7 8
James Conner 54% 13 7 2 6 7
Breece Hall 53% 17 9 5 6 8
Tony Pollard 53% 17 9 0 4 5
Travis Etienne 53% 17 9 2 5 8
Isiah Pacheco 50% 14 7 2 3 8
Jonathan Taylor 50% 14 7 3 5 6
Saquon Barkley 50% 10 5 1 3 7
Bijan Robinson 47% 17 8 2 6 7
Joe Mixon 47% 17 8 1 5 10
Jahmyr Gibbs 47% 15 7 4 5 8
Raheem Mostert 47% 15 7 3 4 12
De’Von Achane 45% 11 5 3 5 6
Kenneth Walker III 40% 15 6 1 4 7
Josh Jacobs 38% 13 5 1 3 5
D’Andre Swift 38% 16 6 1 4 6
Austin Ekeler 36% 14 5 2 4 5
James Cook 35% 17 6 2 8 5
Najee Harris 35% 17 6 0 3 7
Rhamondre Stevenson 33% 12 4 0 3 4
David Montgomery 29% 14 4 1 3 11
Zack Moss 29% 14 4 1 3 6
Aaron Jones 27% 11 3 1 4 2
Javonte Williams 25% 16 4 0 1 5
Khalil Herbert 25% 12 3 0 3 3
Gus Edwards 24% 17 4 1 1 9
Jerome Ford 24% 17 4 1 3 7

Only nine backs topped 15 fantasy points in more than half of their games. While top fantasy scorers are obviously well represented, Alvin Kamara, Rachaad White, James Conner, and Tony Pollard were in that group. Only six running backs managed that mark last year and just Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry repeated from 2022. Five years ago, there were 11 that hit the mark and seven that exceeded 80%. Now there is only one.

The volatility from year to year is dramatic.  And the truly consistent with high production have all but disappeared.

25-Points Gms 100-total-yard  Gms Touchdown Gms
Christian McCaffrey 6 Christian McCaffrey 12 Christian McCaffrey 13
Kyren Williams 5 Kyren Williams 9 Raheem Mostert 12
Breece Hall 5 James Cook 8 David Montgomery 11
Jahmyr Gibbs 4 Derrick Henry 7 Joe Mixon 10
Alvin Kamara 3 Rachaad White 7 Kyren Williams 9
Saquon Barkley 3 Alvin Kamara 6 Derrick Henry 9
Raheem Mostert 3 James Conner 6 Gus Edwards 9
De’Von Achane 3 Breece Hall 6 Rachaad White 8
James Conner 2 Bijan Robinson 6 Breece Hall 8
Travis Etienne 2 Travis Etienne 5 Travis Etienne 8
Isiah Pacheco 2 Saquon Barkley 5 Isiah Pacheco 8
Bijan Robinson 2 Joe Mixon 5 Jahmyr Gibbs 8
Austin Ekeler 2 Jahmyr Gibbs 5 James Conner 7
James Cook 2 De’Von Achane 5 Jonathan Taylor 7
Bijan Robinson 7
Kenneth Walker III 7
Najee Harris 7
Jerome Ford 7

No question why Christian McCaffrey is a top draft pick every summer. Kyren Williams was the biggest surprise even though Blake Corum may interfere this season. There’s been several player moves that will make repeating the above marks in 2024. Saquon Barkley, Joe Mixon and Austin Ekeler changed teams. The annual influx of young (and cheap) running back talent also could erode some of the workloads.

Fantasy Football Consistency Rankings – Running Backs

Running backs are the most consistent of all positions since they handle the ball the most. But which backs were money almost every week?

This ranking considers running backs that started at least 10 games in 2022 Fantasy points were derived using one point per 10 yards rushed or received, six-point touchdowns rushed and one point receptions. Running backs may be devalued in fantasy and the NFL, but they are still likely the most consistent players on your team.

Also see: Quarterbacks | Wide receivers | Tight ends

NAME 15-pt % Gms 15 Pts 25 Pts 100 Yds TD
Christian McCaffrey 76% 17 13 6 11 11
Austin Ekeler 76% 17 13 6 7 11
Saquon Barkley 75% 16 12 2 8 10
Derrick Henry 63% 16 10 4 12 10
Nick Chubb 59% 17 10 2 11 9
Josh Jacobs 53% 17 9 4 9 8
Rhamondre Stevenson 47% 17 8 1 5 5
Ezekiel Elliott 47% 15 7 0 0 10
Joe Mixon 47% 15 7 1 4 5
James Conner 46% 13 6 1 4 7
Jonathan Taylor 45% 11 5 1 3 4
Dalvin Cook 41% 17 7 3 5 9
Jamaal Williams 41% 17 7 0 3 10
Tony Pollard 38% 16 6 2 7 7
D’Andre Swift 36% 14 5 2 3 7
Aaron Jones 35% 17 6 2 6 5
Kenneth Walker III 33% 15 5 2 6 6
Alvin Kamara 33% 15 5 2 7 2
Kenyan Drake 33% 12 4 0 2 4
Leonard Fournette 31% 16 5 2 4 5
David Montgomery 31% 16 5 0 3 5
Raheem Mostert 31% 16 5 0 3 5
Dameon Pierce 31% 13 4 1 6 5
Cordarrelle Patterson 31% 13 4 0 2 7
Clyde Edwards-Helaire 30% 10 3 0 1 4
Miles Sanders 29% 17 5 3 4 8
Najee Harris 29% 17 5 1 2 9
James Robinson 27% 11 3 0 1 4
D’Onta Foreman 25% 16 4 1 5 3
Tyler Allgeier 25% 16 4 0 5 4
Rachaad White 25% 16 4 0 2 3
Travis Etienne 24% 17 4 2 8 4
AJ Dillon 24% 17 4 0 1 6
Devin Singletary 24% 17 4 0 2 5

The Big 4 – Christian McCaffrey, Austin Ekeler, Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry – all shined in consistency as expected. But Rhamondre Stevenson, Ezekiel Elliott, and James Conner were surprisingly effective with 15-point efforts. Josh Jacobs managed a career-year and yet was only No. 6 when considering how often he had a high-point performance. That’s the effect of big games on total points.

But the dialing back of workhorse backs continued with only six backs topping those 15 points in more than half of their games. There were 14 such backs in 2021, and that’s a major reason why the position is coming so much cheaper this summer.

We also saw those top backs of 2021 suffer major decline with major fantasy-point drops from Jonathan Taylor, Najee Harris, Alvin Kamara, and Darrell Henderson.

25-pt Games 100-total-yard Games Games with TD
Christian McCaffrey 6 Derrick Henry 12 Christian McCaffrey 11
Austin Ekeler 6 Christian McCaffrey 11 Austin Ekeler 11
Derrick Henry 4 Nick Chubb 11 Saquon Barkley 10
Josh Jacobs 4 Josh Jacobs 9 Derrick Henry 10
Dalvin Cook 3 Saquon Barkley 8 Ezekiel Elliott 10
Miles Sanders 3 Travis Etienne 8 Jamaal Williams 10
Saquon Barkley 2 Austin Ekeler 7 Nick Chubb 9
Nick Chubb 2 Tony Pollard 7 Dalvin Cook 9
Tony Pollard 2 Alvin Kamara 7 Najee Harris 9
D’Andre Swift 2 Aaron Jones 6 Josh Jacobs 8
Aaron Jones 2 Kenneth Walker III 6 Miles Sanders 8
Kenneth Walker III 2 Dameon Pierce 6 James Conner 7
Alvin Kamara 2 Rhamondre Stevenson 5 Tony Pollard 7
Leonard Fournette 2 Dalvin Cook 5 D’Andre Swift 7
Travis Etienne 2 D’Onta Foreman 5 Cordarrelle Patterson 7

A top running back is still an advantage, but the drop-off happens more quickly than in prior years. Derrick Henry and Nick Chubb remain elite rushers who don’t add much as receivers, but it still gives them better consistency from week to week.