There is a lot of debate as to how valuable a running back is in fantasy nowadays.
Some argue that don’t bother taking a back till later in the draft as they often get injured and the NFL has moved towards a passing league.
Others argue having a stud running back is a must as there are fewer and fewer.
The running back position is less valuable than it once was in fantasy but you do need at least one bell-cow back on your team.
Below, we will rank and discuss the top 10 fantasy RBs and offer sleeper options at the RB position for your 2023 Fantasy Football draft.
Top 10 Fantasy Football Running Backs
It is wise to take a back in round 1 or 2 in your draft to have at least one stud at the position.
Depending on your scoring settings, if it is PPR or not, some backs will be more valuable than others in PPR.
Here is the top 10 Fantasy Football RB list.
1. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
Christian McCaffrey is this year’s top RB choice in Fantasy Football in standard and PPR scoring.
McCaffrey is a FF machine when he is healthy and on the field.
Not only did he have 1,139 rushing yards and eight rushing TDs but he also added 85 receptions, 741 receiving yards, and five receiving TDs last season.
He joined Kyle Shanahan’s offense midseason last year and excelled.
Now, after being more accustomed to the playbook, McCaffrey is poised to have a monster season with the 49ers.
McCaffrey is a top 3 pick in all Fantasy Football leagues and should be the first RB off the board.
2. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers
Austin Ekeler plays the exact role for the Chargers that McCaffrey does for the 49ers.
Ekeler had 915 rushing yards, 13 rushing TDs, 107 receptions, 722 receiving yards, and five receiving TDs last year.
Despite being a running back, Ekeler was tied with WR CeeDee Lamb for fifth in receptions last year.
There is a new OC for the Chargers in Kellen Moore and he likes to push the ball more downfield.
However, Moore had great success with Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott in Dallas and will have even more success with Ekeler.
Ekeler will have another huge season and is the second-ranked Fantasy Football running back.
3. Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys
With Ezekiel Elliott out of Dallas, it is officially the Tony Pollard show in the backfield.
Pollard was the much more efficient back for Dallas last season.
He had 1,007 rushing yards, nine rushing TDs, 39 receptions, 371 receiving yards, and three receiving TDs.
Pollard did that in a true 50/50 timeshare with Elliott.
Now with Elliott gone and no true backup to take a lot of the workload from Pollard, he is looking like he is a bell-cow this season.
Pollard will put up monster numbers in 2023 and could end up being the top-scoring RB in Fantasy Football in 2023.
4. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
Nick Chubb is more valuable in standard scoring than PPR.
If your league is PPR, you may have Bijan Robinson higher than Chubb on your predraft rankings.
Chubb ranked third with 1,525 rushing yards and he ranked tied for third with 12 rushing TDs last season.
The offense should be better this season with Watson expected to be better than last season.
This would give Chubb a good chance of duplicating or improving from last season.
It is possible Chubb gets a little more involved in the passing game with Kareem Hunt gone but he has less than 30 receptions in four of his five years in the NFL.
Chubb is arguably the best pure runner in the NFL and is poised to have another monster season.
5. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Bijan Robinson was drafted high in the first round by the Falcons to be the bell-cow back.
He is primed to have a monster season in his rookie campaign.
Robinson will run behind a good offensive line and be the focal point of the offense.
In PPR scoring format, he should be higher than Chubb in your predraft ranking.
The rookie RB will go in the first round or early second round at the latest in all drafts.
Robinson will have a big rookie season and be heavily involved in the pass and ground attack.
6. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
Saquon Barkley played more than 13 games for the first time since his rookie season last year.
He had 1,312 rushing yards, 10 rushing TDs, 57 receptions, and 338 receiving yards last season.
When healthy, Barkley is one of the most productive backs in the league.
Brian Daboll’s offensive scheme helped Barkley and Daniel Jones each have an excellent season last year.
Barkley is injury prone, which is why he isn’t listed among the top five backs but if he can stay healthy, he will have another monster season.
7. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
Derrick Henry has been one of the best running backs when healthy for a few seasons.
He missed significant time in 2021 but came back last year and had 1,538 rushing yards and 13 rushing TDs.
Henry ranked second in rushing yards and tied for second in rushing TDs last season.
Last season was the only year Henry had more than 30 receptions in a season, which hurts his value in PPR scoring.
Henry rushed over 100 yards in nine of 16 games last season, so if your league gives a bonus for rushing for 100+ yards, this boosts Henry’s value.
Ranking Henry depends a lot on your league’s scoring system.
In standard scoring, Henry has a chance to rank in the top three among backs but in PPR, his value slides a bit.
8. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders
Josh Jacobs led the NFL in rushing yards last season.
He also added 53 catches and 400 receiving yards.
Jacobs is the catalyst for the Raiders’ offense.
While it is expected Jacobs reports before week 1, he may be limited in the first couple of weeks.
He is not happy with the team due to contract talks.
This makes Jacobs a riskier running back to draft, despite being very productive.
Jacobs is a very good running back but he carries some risk entering the season.
9. Travis Etienne Jr, Jacksonville Jaguars
In his first season as the starter, Etienne played all 17 games and had 1,125 rushing yards, five rushing TDs, 35 receptions, and 316 receiving yards.
The issue with Etienne was he would get very cold, having two stretches of three straight games of struggling but he would also go on a hot streak and have a few games in a row of tearing it up.
He is in a very good offense with Trevor Lawrence and Calvin Ridley.
However, the offensive line remains the team’s weakness.
In his second year in this offense, he will be more consistent and more active in the passing game.
You can probably draft Etienne in the second round and he will have another good season.
10. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor was granted permission to seek a trade.
Depending on whether Taylor finds a new team or stays in Indy impacts his draft stock significantly.
If he goes to a new team that needs a starting RB, Taylor has the potential to be a top-five FF RB.
However, if he stays in Indy, he is a major risk.
It is not a certainty that Taylor even suits up if he remains on the Colts.
Just two years ago, Taylor had 1,811 rushing yards and 18 rushing TDs.
Last season, he had 861 rushing yards and four rushing TDs in just 11 games played.
Taylor is an elite running back but is a risky RB to draft unless he finds a new suitor before the season starts.
Top Sleeper Fantasy Football Running Backs
If you choose to wait on a back, there are still plenty of options.
Sleepers win leagues and hitting on a sleeper RB is a huge advantage.
Here are some sleeper running backs that are not discussed below but are still good options:
- Dameon Prince, Houston Texans
- Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos
- Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
- Brian Robinson Jr, Washington Commanders
- D’Andre Swift, Philadelphia Eagles
Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings
Dalvin Cook is now on the New York Jets.
This leaves Alexander Mattison to lead the backfield for the Vikings.
Mattison has been more than a capable backup running back and has been very good in games he has started if Cook was out.
In 2021, Mattison started four games and he averaged 89.0 rushing yards per game, scored two rushing TDs, and contributed to the passing game.
He does not have a lot of wear and tear as he has not been hit nearly as much as other starting backs.
Minnesota has a very good offense.
Justin Jefferson demands a lot of attention from opposing defenses, which will create a lot of running room for Mattison.
Mattison is primed for a big year and could have RB1 numbers by season’s end.
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions drafted Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
He will split time with newly acquired David Montgomery but Gibbs is the far more explosive and enticing back.
Detroit had D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams last season and both were very effective.
The Lions have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, which helps Gibbs tremendously.
Gibbs will be used as both a rusher and he will catch a decent amount of balls.
To start the season, Gibbs may not get as many touches as you would hope but by midseason, he should officially take over the starting role and see more and more playing time.
Gibbs will wind up being a significant contributor to your fantasy team and is an excellent sleeper pick.
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