Running Back Sleepers, Values & Breakouts (2024)
As regular readers know, I tend to follow the touches when attacking the running back position in fantasy drafts, and that usually means drafting 1-2 heavy-usage backs in the early rounds.
This year, there are quite a few high-touch backs available in the 4th-9th range, the so-called “RB Dead Zone,” and some intriguing breakout candidates still on the board even later in drafts, so the “Hero RB” strategy—drafting one bell-cow back early on and then drafting a few guys to potentially fill your RB2 spot—is appealing. And those managers who want to ditch the position completely in the first few rounds (with a Zero-RB approach) can wait and find quality values later on.
Below is a list of Values, Breakout Candidates, and Sleepers that might help fantasy managers sort out their running back strategies in 2024.
Values
There are a number of high-touch and/or talented backs going in the 4th-7th range, so I’ll run through them briefly below. For a deeper dive into each player, be sure to read my Draft Note on their individual player page.
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Kenneth Walker finished RB20 last season and was the RB7 in 2022 once he took over in Week 5. His new OC, Ryan Grubb, called him “electric” and a “three-tool guy,” indicating that he may have a larger role as a pass-catcher. Zach Charbonnet is missing time with an injury. I’ve moved Walker into the “target” category in the fourth round.
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