Matt Brandon Oct 6th 5:45 PM EDT. No team will mortgage their short-term playoff success or long-term outlook by overusing a stud back coming off a major injury sustained less than one year ago. They have each been complete busts through four weeks of the NFL season. The short answer, of course, is that you cant really go wrong either way. Many Fantasy players prefer to not double-up on the QB/TE combo in the early rounds, and you can see the sacrifices you have to make in doing so by just looking at Jamey and I's teams next to each other. By using a tiered approach, fantasy managers can see where the next drop-off in talent is and make decisions about whether they need to invest in the current tier or if theyre able to wait. All of this, and more, becomes deathly clear when attempting to identify the best in all of football at the position. This game could come down to which rushing offense steps up.. Taylor also led the NFL in red-zone touches (92), which was not that surprising considering he ranked fifth in that category as a rookie. I took Mark Andrews with the second pick of the third round, only because Josh Allen was taken a pick before me I'm a firm believer in taking an early QB this season, though if it's not Allen around the second/third-round turn, my preference is to wait a little longer for the next tier. McCaffrey averaged 26 fantasy points per game. Harris should dominate. No player came close to sniffing his amount of volume near paydirt. According to our friends at FantasyPros, Henry has a current ADP of No. Flex: RB Najee Harris, Steelers ($9,400) Click here to confirm your accessLogin Now. If you draft either of these players, you should almost certainly draft their handcuffs (Chuba Hubbard/D'Onta Foreman for McCaffrey and Alexander Mattison). Dillon, Packers. Picking Harris at No. Najee Harris Highlights (2020)alabama heisman running back college football jukes trucks hits Those numbers put him top-five in both PPR and standard scoring last season. #ForTheShoe @JayT23. However, it still makes sense because you must be rigid with only selecting the running backs who can anchor the RB1 spot while maintaining flexibility within the first two rounds to avoid missing elite receivers. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: fantasynews | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | He just struggles to stay out there from start to finish each campaign. Hes carried the ball 579 different times for an average of 3.9 YPC. Hes younger, healthier, and has a better offensive line. Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry favorites for 2022 rushing title Kevin Hickey May 18, 2022 9:16 am ET During the second half of the 2021 regular season, Indianapolis Colts running back. Hes young, healthy, super-skilled, and has very little competition for touches both on the ground and through the air. Taylor is running for 89.3 yds on the ground per game so far in his career. 10, while FantasyPros grades Indys schedule as a three out of five. Jamey stopped Kupp's slide with the eighth overall pick, and even with concerns about Matthew Stafford's elbow making headlines in training camp recently, I still think Kupp is the top WR on the board and should be a top-three pick in PPR leagues. The scoring format for the tiers below is PPR and is correct as of Aug. 16, 2022. Name Team; Name Team; Jonathan Taylor: IND: Najee Harris: PIT: D'Andre Swift: DET: Christian McCaffrey: CAR: Javonte Williams: DEN: Breece Hall: NYJ: Austin . Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com Taylors 42 carries inside the 10-yard line were 12 more than the next-closest back (Damien Harris, 30). If youre like me, you look to handcuff your top runners in drafts. In his rookie season, Harris led the NFL with 381 touches, and his 1,667 scrimmage yards trailed only Taylor among RBs. So, who should go 1-2-3 out of the top tier of RBs in PPR drafts? 47. . For while he hasn't cracked his way into the 1,000-yard rushing club as of yet, he's produced more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage in two of his last three seasons, and all he has to do now is remain healthy to see if the powder blue sky in Los Angeles is truly the limit. Check out the full list: Like we said this time last year, Henry will get the ball early and often, but he will really be turning on the afterburners as we get closer to fantasy playoff time. The others on this list are all talented, but workload questions are prevalent. At 23, he sure seems like the best bet regardless of format. He also led the league in carries and was second to the Steelers' Najee Harris with . VIEW ADVICE | Edit Players Summary. It was Kamara who helped keep the Saints' offense relevant in 2021 -- absent All-Pro wideout Michael Thomas and any sort of consistent production at QB following a torn ACL suffered by Jameis Winston -- and it's neither the first nor last time he'll be tasked with being the bulk of the production. Will we see him back to his old self in 2022? . 3. In his absence, Zack. 1 running back in fantasy football. Drafted 2021 1.24 Exp 2. Hes locked into massive volume behind one of the best run-blocking offensive lines in the league. Taylor also scored 59.3 more fantasy points on the season than the second-best fantasy RB, Austin Ekeler. He was on pace for 90 catches and 1,906 scrimmage yards before the injury bug once again reared its ugly head. Taylor's carried the rock 20-plus times in both games since Jeff Saturday took over as interim head coach, but the offense might have more success through the air this week as Taylor could be. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers. Prior to the drafting of Joe Burrow and then Ja'Marr Chase, it was Mixon literally carrying the load for the Bengals' offense, and he was still able to be a key reason for their special 2021 season despite it morphing into the Burrow-Chase show. No running back was more dominant than Henry in the 2.5 seasons between 2019 and Week 8 of '21. If Henry is healthy, his volume pushes him to the top of this tier, but hes now 28 with a heavy volume history. That makes it more important than ever to put your players into positional tiers. Unlike my regular player rankings, which you can also find on Sports Illustrated, tiers group players of similar value together. He did haul in 18-of-20 targets last season before getting hurt, but thats still a pretty small pre-injury sample size. 1 seems to be pretty concrete across the board, regardless of format, but PPR leagues have yielded vastly different results at No. He will be healthier in 2023. Borderline: Javonte Williams, Saquon Barkley, Nick Chubb, James Conner, Antonio Gibson. With so much disappointment in the QB and coaching ranks in Chicago, Montgomery has been the glimmer of hope and routinely given Bears fans something to cheer about when they had little else. . That elite goal-line usage helped separate Taylor from the pack as the bonafide No. The most notable deletion from this list entirely is Saquon Barkley, who has lately seen injury derail his potential to be a generational talent, and McCaffrey is treading dangerously close to falling victim to the same dark entity. PFF ranks the Colts line No. Cook had a tough season in 2021 and does not have the best history in terms of health. The former two-time NFL rushing champ was off to a blazing start to the 2021 season that saw him as fast, quick and decisive as he's ever been, but he was slowed by injury in the back half of the season that made many forget what he was doing prior to that point. You don't currently have any notifications, Get custom advice with our Draft Assistant. His longest run this season is 36 yds. It makes sense JT was the best RB last year, and King Henry dominated the previous two seasons before breaking a bone in his right foot last Halloween. Don't let the fact he battled through injury in 2021 throw you off of what is the glaringly obvious: Henry remains atop the mountain of best running backs in the NFL. Cheetahs Always Prosper (Tyreek Hill) Adams' Family (Davante Adams) Diggs In A Blanket (Stefon Diggs) Ridley's Believe It Or Not (Calvin Ridley) Nuk If You Buck (DeAndre Hopkins) Downtown A.J. A case can be made for either Taylor at Henry as first off the board but passing on either of them for a wild card with health risks could have dire consequences. Similarly, a back with elite pass-catching ability also has more opportunities to score TDs. . Besides Taylor, Ekeler was the only other back to average 21.0 PPR points between Week 1 and Week 17 last season. An immobile Ben Roethlisberger was a check-down target machine to Harris in 2021 which may not be the case in 2022. Basically, hes good at just about everything. No, I'm a California resident looking for the California Consumer Privacy Act form. He also took Kupp in the fourth round of that one, and he very well could end up with a similarly productive duo this time around. Taking a top-tier running back is still as important as ever, as they are simply harder to come by than solid wide receivers in PPR formats. The Colts celebrates Jonathan Taylor's touchdown against the Steelers on Dec. 27, 2020, at Heinz Field. It is virtually impossible to take Chubb down on first contact, or second, and if he gets into the open field -- it's good night, Nancy. McKissic, Cook, Hines and Carter will no doubt be used as a pass catcher for their their respective teams. Pro Football Network, LLC. How do PFN's fantasy football RB tiers for 2022 shape up as fantasy managers head into their drafts over the coming weeks? Taylor played all 17 regular-season games in 21 and looked fine despite the massive usage. Christian McCaffrey, Najee Harris, . Matt RYa should only improve the stud RBs chances to duplicate his dominant run from a season ago. Kamara appears to be safe from an NFL suspension, at least for 2022, so his value is rising. His average yards per carry sits at 5.1 and he has toted the ball 756 times. Not everyone agrees on the exact order the top players should be going off the board in, but there's a pretty strong consensus, to the point where you rarely find yourself surprised by much. However, with Jones still expected to be a major part of the backfield in Green Bay, Dillons opportunity to be a top-15 running back is severely hampered. NFL Preview Preview Week 10 Running Back Rankings for Fantasy Football: Nick Chubb, Travis Etienne, Jonathan Taylor, Najee Harris After a flurry of running back injuries early in the. Hell be a top-five pick. But understandably, you want to make the best decisions on every investment in every round. With both expected to be ready for Week 1 in 2022, many fantasy owners have been wrestling with the decision of which top-tier RB to choose if they land the No. 15 overall,. Both teams are looking to establish the run, keep the game simple and let their defenses do their jobs. Bijan Robinson is the number 1 rated RB - no surprise there. Najee Harris was focused on preparing to handle the type of workload he experienced last season, when he led all rookies in touches. DOB Mar 9, 1998 Age 24.9. If Jonathan Taylor were staring at me in the first round, I couldn't pass him up, but he might be the only one. During his 17 games this season, Najee Harris is averaging 61.1 yards per contest and has crossed the goal line 7 different times on the ground. . You can see stats, bowl records, National Championship appearances, awards and more. All Rights Reserved. All Rights Reserved. 2 RB Austin Ekeler LAC 8 $35 . Elliott is ranked at his lowest point since he entered the NFL, but that could make him a bargain in drafts. 3. Akers has lost value in drafts as he heads into what looks like a committee with Henderson. The former Volunteer is continually volunteering to punch defenses in their mouths, but with what can only be described as an electric finesse. tool, which they've made available to SN Fantasy readers forfree. But he should be the offensive focal point tonight. Conner should get the first shot at major work, but Darrel Williams is looming to hamper his ceiling potentially. All five of these running backs could finish the season in Tier 2, but for now theyre all being selected as mid-RB1s in most drafts. RB, Steelers. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers 14. Mixon was a very good receiver out of the backfield in college, and in 2021, he will finally get more opportunities to display his pass-catching abilities. There's a reason he won this league last year. This tier spans just over 10 spots in our overall PPR rankings. Hunt will continue to see work in Cleveland behind Chubb in a Browns offense that will be run heavy until Deshaun Watson returns. 1 pick. Steelers 17, Colts 14, Sign up for the Steelers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. That's a pretty standard Hero-RB-ish build, which is my preferred strategy at this point. . I've compared him to Nick Chubb since he was a rookie, but Taylor has the backfield to himself. He also separated himself from the field in total carries (332) and average yards per game (106.5). No, I'm a California resident looking for the California Consumer Privacy Act form. 1 in PPRs with just 30-40 catches. Mattison, Williams and Gainwell are among the top options, and the latter two could have standalone flex value at times regardless. Indianapolis starts veteran Matt Ryan at quarterback who has never beaten the Steelers in three tries. ? Singletarys ceiling is capped by the fact the Bills simply love to use Josh Allen in goal-line rushing situations. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Edmonds' stock is on the rise after the Dolphins released Sony Michel. 6 or 7 -- and even then he's a risk. You don't currently have any notifications. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see Henderson start in Week 1. However, he's got a stronger WR2 in Michael Pittman and RB2 in David Montgomery to make up for the gap there. But it is unclear who,. The Panthers recently traded for Baker Mayfield, so the Carolina offense could be in for some major positive regression this season. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Moving forward, Harris is a dynasty running back who should keep the fantasy points coming in for years. Jonathan Taylor vs. Derrick Henry: Which top-tier fantasy RB should go No. Taylor is not just the No. And, as things often go in these industry leagues, I probably could've waited longer than I did I went with Patrick Mahomes with the 11th pick of the fourth round, but Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson weren't drafted until the next round. The volume he is going to see in 2022 will ensure he is one of the safest running backs available in fantasy football. Harris will see goal-line work, though, making him a low flex. Start Over | Edit Players Summary Game Log Stats Projections Points Targets Notes See if your team wins or loses with this trade. Start free trial today. Harris tallied 954 yards rushing, 219 yards receiving, and 9 TDs in the fantasy season. In his absence, Zack. Dobbins is back healthy, but the Ravens love to use a committee approach, and we could see him sharing touches all season, especially when Gus Edwards returns. Use this breakdown of the top fantasy running backs to make smart draft decisions. Harris scored a touchdown in three of his last four games. And despite all of his total raw touches, Harris only saw 37 touches (22nd) in the red zone and scored six red-zone touchdowns. Even before he got hurt last season, Henry was averaging fewer yards per carry (4.3 to JTs 5.5) and yards per catch (8.6 to 9.0). 2022 Running Backs Busts: Jonathan Taylor, Alvin Kamara, Najee Harris. No matter what team build approach you choose, you're going to be making some kind of sacrifices. Last season, he was 27th in snaps at just 49% amongst RBs a number that will undoubtedly increase in 2021. Etienne is also returning from major injury, and James Robinson is still expected to play a significant role in the Jaguars backfield. Splitting duty with Kareem Hunt has done absolutely nothing to slow or curb the production of Chubb. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? @ohthatsNajee22 headset Play Clip. Hate that Matt Canada is back. First running back in franchise history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons in the NFL. After scoring a combined 33 TDs through his 1st two seasons, Taylor scored just four rushing TDs in 2022. Lets examine our updated consensus tiers as managers enter their 2022 fantasy drafts. Andrew Erickson, I have seen Najee Harris slander on the timeline in recent weeks. Among rushers w/ 125 or ^ rushing attempts (per @FTNData), 76.5% of his rushing yds have come after contact pic.twitter.com/uxFU4uiSPy, Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) January 13, 2022, Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio. Taylor missed six games this year and finished under 5.0 yards per rush (4.5) for the first time in his 3-year career. : #MINvsIND on FOX Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? It's the reason the Dallas Cowboys awarded Ezekiel Elliott a historic contract not so long ago, and why you then saw Christian McCaffrey financially blow the roof off -- with Derrick Henry likely resetting the market in the near future. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? The biggest difference between Taylor and Henry, besides health and age lies in the passing game. Barkley is sort of hovering between the two tiers, and given the glimpse of the old Barkley that we saw in the first week of the preseason, he could even sneak up into the tier above by Labor Day weekend. Andrew Erickson, Awesome tool on @FantasyPros that I have been re-introduced to: The Boom or Bust Report, Mixon and Jonathan Taylor were the only RBs to post 7 top-six weekly finishes in 2021. pic.twitter.com/dAKDV29zFG, Andrew Erickson (@AndrewErickson_) May 17, 2022, We all know the deal with CMC. Austin Ekeler, D'Andre Swift, and Dalvin Cook all went ahead of Kupp, but then so did Justin Jefferson, making him, not Kupp, the No. Henry was on pace to rush for over 1,990 yards last season before going down with an injured foot. Ekeler will likely see touchdown regression, but hes a dual-threat back with a high points-per-touch average who plays in an explosive Chargers offense. No surprises here, as Jonathan Taylor was the No. Jonathan Taylor puts the @Colts ahead! You can see stats, bowl records, awards and more. Gibsons value appears to be on the decline after a preseason fumble.