Having a workhorse running back who is going to produce at a high-level week in and week out is critical in fantasy football today. The first two or three rounds are when you should be drafting at least your RB1 and probably both your starting running backs and choosing the right guys to lead that position can be the difference between winning and losing your league.
Najee Harris
The first guy I like early in the second round of 10 team leagues is the rookie out of Alabama, Najee Harris. Harris was a standout workhorse during his time with the Crimson Tide and is the reason why the Steelers decided to move on from the injury-prone James Conner and draft Harris with the 24th overall pick in this year’s NFL draft. Harris is a quick and physical back who can get downhill and make guys miss while also having the ability to run defenders over. The two most important things for a running back to be successful and put up fantasy points are workload and efficiency, and Harris is going to have the workload in this offense where he should touch the ball 20 plus times a game, with a lot of looks at the goal line. The Steelers offensive line has been criticized as one of the worst in the league this off-season, so while Harris may not be the most efficient back in the league, he will get enough work and has enough talent to turn those touches into fantasy points, despite what is expected to be a weak line to run behind. Currently going 20th overall and the 11th running back coming off the board according to ESPN.com average draft position, Harris should be going in the top 10 of running backs and the top 12-15 overall.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Edwards-Hilaire was highly disappointing in his 2020 rookie campaign, rushing for 803 yards on 181 carries (4.43 yards per carry) which is decent, but was only able to find the endzone four times. The Chiefs have the best quarterback in the league in Patrick Mahomes and like to use that to their advantage around the goal line, running gimmicky plays that defenses do not expect coming, which leads to less touches and fewer opportunities for CEH. Edwards-Helaire only had 28 carries inside the redzone, 15 inside the 10-yard line, and nine touches inside the five. I expect that to change this year and for that touchdown number to regress to the mean. There is a reason Kansas City used their first-round pick in 2020 on Edwards-Helaire, and I expect him to get the bulk of the carries in what should be one of the best offenses in the NFL this season. CEH is currently going as running back 13 and 24th overall in drafts right now, behind guys like Joe Mixon and Antonio Gibson. He should be going at 10 or 11 amongst running backs and in the top 15-18 overall. Many running backs are judged in their second season on whether or not they can be “the guy” and CEH will show the NFL that he is “the guy” in Kansas City this season.
Nick Chubb
Nick Chubb is another guy that I am going to target for my team because of how consistent and reliable he is year in and year out. Chubb, who just signed a three-year, $36.6 million deal, will be the main guy in a backfield that also includes Kareem Hunt. While Hunt will take some touches away from Chubb like we saw last year, I do not think it matters. The Browns were the fourth run heaviest team in 2020, running the ball on 47.78% of their offensive plays. Chubb missed four games last year with an injury but still ran for over a thousand yards, carried the ball almost 16 times a game and averaged 5.6 yards per carry. He also found paydirt 12 times in the 12 games that he was active and healthy. Hunt averaged about 3.5 less touches per game than Chubb last year, and most of the goal line work will go to Chubb, which is why the threat of Hunt is not what people make it out to be as a full-blown running back by committee. Chubb is currently going seventh among running backs in drafts and 11th overall. In standard non-PPR leagues Chubb should be a top 5-8 pick, and the argument can be made for him going ahead of Ezekial Elliot, Saquon Barkely, and even Alvin Kamara.
With the lack of true three-down bell cows the NFL has in the game today, getting a running back early on is crucial, and these three guys will give you a chance every week if they stay healthy. Going back-to-back picks at the running back position is the best recipe for success in standard non-PPR leagues because of the lack of depth at the position and the great amount of depth at other positions like wide receiver and quarterback.
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