Now that the 2023 regular season is over, it's time for us to look ahead to the 2024 campaign. We know you're like us and already eager for those Fantasy drafts to begin for next season.
With that in mind, here is the first run of our 2024 top 12 running backs from me, Adam Aizer, Heath Cummings, Jacob Gibbs, Dave Richard, Dan Schneier and Chris Towers. These rankings will change many times between now and July when training camp starts, especially with free agency and the NFL Draft.
But we're ready to get started on the 2024 season, and we love doing rankings. First, let's take a look back at what happened in 2023.
Here are the top 12 running backs from this past season based on PPR points per game:
1. Christian McCaffrey 24.5
2. Kyren Williams 21.3
3. Alvin Kamara 17.9
4. Raheem Mostert 17.8
5. De'Von Achane 16.2
6. Travis Etienne 15.8
7. Jahmyr Gibbs 15.45
8. Breece Hall 15.4
9. Isiah Pacheco 15.3
10. Rachaad White 14.9
11. Saquon Barkley 14.3
12. Joe Mixon 14.3
We had a lot of surprises from this group, especially when you compare it to the CBS Sports Average Draft Position data. McCaffrey was the No. 1 running back in ADP, so he lived up to the billing. But the only other running backs from the top 12 finishers who were drafted in top 12 ADP were Barkley (RB4 in ADP), Mixon (RB9), Etienne (RB11) and Gibbs (RB12).
Williams, who we consider the Fantasy MVP this season, did not register an ADP on CBS. Hall was RB20 in ADP because of concerns with his recovery from last year's torn ACL. White was RB23, Kamara was RB25 (he had a three-game suspension to open the season), Pacheco was RB27, Mostert was RB40 and Achane was RB44.
You can make an argument that 2023 was a good season to use a Zero-RB approach on Draft Day, but I doubt many Fantasy managers will use that strategy in 2024. That's because we're seeing a changing of the guard at running back.
Guys like Derrick Henry (30), Aaron Jones (29), Austin Ekeler (28), Kamara (28) and Nick Chubb (28) are getting older, and we have plenty of young running backs on the rise that we're all excited about, which you'll see below. And that should continue with the upcoming rookie class.
There's a lot to digest over the next few months. But here is what our initial running back rankings look like for 2024, with McCaffrey and Hall as the consensus top two players for all of us.
Jamey Eisenberg
1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Breece Hall
4. Jahmyr Gibbs
6. Kyren Williams
7. De'Von Achane
8. Travis Etienne
9. Rachaad White
10. Isiah Pacheco
11. James Cook
12. Saquon Barkley
Of note: I'm the highest on Pacheco at No. 10, and three people here don't have him ranked (Adam, Dan and Chris). You can make an argument that Pacheco was the best offensive player for the Chiefs in 2023 with how Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce struggled, and Pacheco should continue to improve, especially if Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire don't return in 2024. Now, other running backs could be brought in for competition, and hopefully the passing game improves in Kansas City. But a better offense overall could also enhance Pacheco's production, and he's worth drafting no later than Round 3 in all leagues.
Adam Aizer
1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Breece Hall
3. Bijan Robinson
4. Jonathan Taylor
5. Jahmyr Gibbs
6. Kyren Williams
7. De'Von Achane
8. Travis Etienne
9. Saquon Barkley
10. Rachaad White
11. James Cook
12. Josh Jacobs
Of note: Adam is one of four people here with Barkley and Jacobs in their top 12, along with Dave, Dan and Chris. Barkley and Jacobs are expected to be free agents this offseason, and we'll see where they end up in 2024, which will ultimately determine their Fantasy value. Barkley had an up-and-down season with the Giants in 2023. He missed three games with an ankle injury and had eight games where he reached at least his average (14.3 PPR points per game). He also had five games with 9.3 PPR points or less. In the right situation, Barkley can still be a star. The same goes for Jacobs, who missed the final four games with a quadriceps injury. But he only averaged 13.9 PPR points per game with the Raiders, and hopefully he can earn a featured role in 2024. I'm higher on Barkley than Jacobs, who didn't crack my top 12.
Heath Cummings
1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Breece Hall
3. Jahmyr Gibbs
4. Bijan Robinson
5. Kyren Williams
6. Travis Etienne
7. Jonathan Taylor
8. Alvin Kamara
9. De'Von Achane
10. Rachaad White
11. David Montgomery
12. Isiah Pacheco
Of note: Heath is the only one here with Kamara and Montgomery in his top 12. Kamara might be near the end of his run as a top-tier running back since he'll be 29 in July, but he was fantastic in 2023. Despite missing four games, he was second in running back receptions with 76 and finished third in PPR points per game at 17.9. He's outside my top 12, but Kamara will most likely remain a third-round pick in PPR in 2024. Montgomery finished as the No. 13 running back in PPR points per game at 14.1, but I can't cosign him as a top-12 running back in 2024. He should continue to take a backseat to Gibbs, and Montgomery is reliant on scoring touchdowns. Now, he scored 13 of them in 2023, which is great, and he's worth drafting no later than Round 5 in all leagues. But this ranking for Montgomery is too high for me as long as Gibbs is healthy.
Jacob Gibbs
1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Breece Hall
3. Jahmyr Gibbs
4. Kyren Williams
5. Bijan Robinson
6. Jonathan Taylor
7. James Cook
8. Travis Etienne
9. Rachaad White
10. De'Von Achane
11. Isiah Pacheco
12. Saquon Barkley
Of note: Jacob and Dave both have Williams ranked at No. 4, and we'll see if he can replicate his amazing performance from this past season in 2024. He joined McCaffrey as the only running backs to average more than 20 PPR points per game, and despite missing five games, Williams was still No. 5 in total PPR points behind McCaffrey, Etienne, Mostert and Hall. We'll see what happens for the Rams in the playoffs and if anyone is brought in for competition this offseason, but Williams was a star in 2023. He had six games with at least 20.2 PPR points, and he came up huge in Week 17 with 30.1 PPR points at the Giants, which is the Fantasy championship for most leagues. He will most likely be drafted no later than the middle of Round 2 in most leagues.
Dave Richard
1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Breece Hall
3. Jahmyr Gibbs
4. Kyren Williams
5. Bijan Robinson
6. De'Von Achane
7. Travis Etienne
8. Jonathan Taylor
9. Saquon Barkley
10. James Cook
11. Isiah Pacheco
12. Josh Jacobs
Of note: Dave and Chris both have Achane at No. 6, and the Dolphins offseason will be one to monitor with their backfield. Will Mostert, 31, remain in Miami, or will anyone else of significance be brought in for competition? If Achane is the lead running back -- and can stay healthy after missing six games and parts of others -- then he'll be an absolute star. He had eight games with at least 11 total touches as a rookie, and he scored at least 21.5 PPR points in five of them. There's bust potential for Achane based on his injury risk, but with little competition in 2024 then you'll want to draft Achane in Round 2 in all leagues.
Dan Schneier
1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Breece Hall
3. Bijan Robinson
4. Jonathan Taylor
5. Jahmyr Gibbs
6. Kyren Williams
7. De'Von Achane
8. Travis Etienne
9. James Cook
10. Saquon Barkley
11. Josh Jacobs
12. Rachaad White
Of note: A tough call for Fantasy managers, at least right now, could be Gibbs vs. Robinson. The two rookie running backs will likely be tied together for the majority of their careers since both were first-round picks in the NFL Draft in 2023, and Gibbs got the better of Robinson in Year 1. But the hope for anyone drafting Robinson over Gibbs -- and four of us have it ranked that way (me, Adam, Dan and Chris) -- is the new Falcons head coach will feature Robinson more in 2024. It felt like Arthur Smith was a negative, not a positive for Robinson as a rookie, and the new coach in Atlanta can bring out the best in him. Gibbs should also improve as a sophomore, but I'm projecting Robinson to take a huge leap if the right coach comes to Atlanta in 2024.
Chris Towers
1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Breece Hall
3. Jonathan Taylor
4. Bijan Robinson
5. Jahmyr Gibbs
6. De'Von Achane
7. Kyren Williams
8. Travis Etienne
9. Saquon Barkley
10. Josh Jacobs
11. James Cook
12. Rachaad White
Of note: Chris is the highest on Taylor at No. 3, and he should have a bounce-back season in 2024. He missed four games to start the season with an ankle injury and then three games later in the year with a thumb injury, and we never saw him play with quarterback Anthony Richardson. Taylor will hopefully get more involved in the passing game after just 19 receptions on 23 targets, but he'll be a candidate to lead the NFL in rushing yards again. And, as we saw in 2021, he has the potential to score 20 touchdowns. He's only 24, so he remains in his prime, but I still like the upside of Robinson and Gibbs more. That could be a mistake, and Chris might be right that Taylor should be drafted after McCaffrey and Hall. No matter what, Taylor is back as a first-round pick in all leagues.
-30-
