Fantasy RB Rankings

We'll be looking at the 2022 fantasy football RB rankings to determine where you can find value in your fantasy football drafts this summer. By reviewing this breakout, you will be able to create cheat sheets to help you dominate your drafts by using our fantasy football rankings for the 2022 NFL season. The running back position is often prone to regular changes throughout the offseason, so fantasy managers should be sure to check our 2022 RB fantasy football rankings regularly because our rankings are updated throughout the summer with no information. This can include injury updates or depth chart changes.

What is an RB in Fantasy Football?

The running back lines up in the backfield and is the player who handles the majority of the team’s carries. More recently teams have started implementing a more committee-based approach to this position, which entails multiple guys pitching in. Fantasy managers have also become accustomed to scat backs or change of pace backs and these players are generally smaller in stature and are better pass-catchers. They provide the offense with a different skill set and are not as equipped to handle rush attempts up the middle.

For fantasy football, running backs typically have the highest ceiling of any position. Guys like Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara who not only are excellent rushers, but extremely productive pass catchers are cheat codes. 10 years ago, running backs were the building block for any championship team, but now, with the shift towards the passing game and full-PPR leagues, running backs have lost some of their appeal. However, the elite guys still carry league-winning upside.

RB Fantasy Rankings

One of the biggest debates around this year’s running back rankings is the one on top – Christian McCaffrey or Jonathan Taylor. CMC has the upside, but due to his injury concerns over the past few years, Taylor feels safer. Choosing between the two is ultimately based on how you decide between risk/reward. The top ten seems especially loaded this year with any one of them having a claim to the top spot. The top five are rounded out by Derrick Henry, Austin Ekeler, and Najee Harris who led the NFL in touches by a wide margin. This year presents a larger crop of elite runners with Aaron Jones, D’Andre Swift, Joe Mixon, Dalvin Cook, and Leonard Fournette rounding out the top 10.

One running back who has experienced a surge up the rankings over the course of the summer is Saquon Barkley. Early, he was being treated as a mid-RB2 and he’s almost made his way into the top 10. Many expect him to bounce back now that he's two years removed from his torn ACL. Travis Etienne is another favorite among most analysts who expect him to have a D’Andre Swift-type role for the Jaguars, especially with James Robinson still working to return from a torn Achilles. James Conner is another veteran back coming off one of the better seasons of his career that carries an RB2 price tag, but one who has top 12 upside. The first rookie running back selected in the 2022 Draft was Breece Hall of the Jets, who finds himself in that mid-RB2 range. Cam Akers is another interesting player who will look to control the Rams' backfield. There's no denying the potential for a running back in Sean McVay's system, but he struggled in his return from his torn Achilles, and in recent seasons the Rams' offense has not devoted very many targets per game to the running back position.

There are plenty of options even after the top-25, with runners such as J.K. Dobbins, Chase Edmonds, Rashaad Penny, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Josh Jacobs, Miles Sanders, and Tony Pollard all currently carrying RB3 price tags.

Drafting an RB in Fantasy Football

There may be no other position affected by different scoring formats than the running back position. This works not only specifically within the running back ranks, but also across league valuations.

In standard scoring leagues, running backs still reign supreme and the gap between the RB1 and the WR1 is substantial. Standard leagues end up putting a much bigger emphasis on the running back position because it’s driven by yardage and touchdowns, both of which generally favor the running backs because of their high number of touches. Within the running back ranks in general, standard scoring has its own effect. Running backs such as D’Andre Swift and Travis Etienne may experience a slight downgrade in value because so much of their appeal is what they offer as pass-catchers. Other running backs who are not used in the passing game, such as Damien Harris and Elijah Mitchell, are likely to be more valued because their negative asset has been eliminated in the scoring format.

In PPR scoring leagues, the running back position is becoming more devalued. The zero-RB strategy is often used in PPR leagues because the field of viable running backs grows substantially. Guys such as J.D. McKissic, Darrel Williams, and Tony Pollard have given rise to a new group of running backs who are much cheaper and provide a reasonable floor. Receptions are more valuable than carries with these scoring settings, so it’s important to prioritize targets and high-value touches, such as red zone opportunities, which come with a higher probability of scoring a touchdown.

RB History

The greatest season by any running back and arguably any fantasy player ever belongs to LaDainian Tomlinson back in 2006. He scored 31 touchdowns and amassed over 2,300 scrimmage yards. He scored 453.1 half-PPR total fantasy points, which amounted to over 28 points per game.

There have been many incredible fantasy seasons by running backs and they generally have some of the highest-scoring fantasy seasons of all time. Christian McCaffrey (2019) scored 413.2 points when he had over 1,000 rushing and receiving yards. Marshall Faulk (2000) scored 419.4 points with 26 total touchdowns and over 2,100 scrimmage yards. Another running back that deserves recognition is Priest Holmes who didn’t just put up two of the best fantasy seasons of all time, he did it in back-to-back years. In 2002 he scored 405.7 points with over 2,250 scrimmage yards and 24 touchdowns but somehow managed to get better. The following season he finished with 408 points on over 2,110 scrimmage yards and 27 total touchdowns.

Fantasy RB Rankings FAQ

Who is the best fantasy RB?

This very much is based on scoring format. In standard scoring leagues, Jonathan Taylor is most likely the consensus No. 1 pick. He paced the position in 2021. Many expect him to be the odds-on favorite to lead the league in rushing and he should have 15+ touchdowns again in 2022. He’s not used as heavily in the passing game as others, but his overall yardage should be comparable. While any running back can get injured at any time, the perception is that he’s a safer choice than Christian McCaffrey.

However, in PPR scoring leagues, Christian McCaffrey is, without a doubt, the best fantasy player on the planet. His upside is substantial because of how frequently he’s used in the passing game. He has a 1,000/1,000-yard season to his credit and has over 100 receptions in a single season. He's struggled with injuries the last two seasons, but when he’s healthy, fantasy managers are essentially getting two players with one selection. He’s a top-10 running back while also playing the part of a mid-range WR2. Fantasy managers can debate about injury prone and if he’s worth the risk, but when McCaffrey is healthy, there’s not a single player that can rival his upside.

How Many RBs Should I have on my Roster?

The running back position is annually hit the hardest by injuries. It is the most physically demanding position and it’s common for guys to miss 1-2 games each season. Due to this fact, fantasy managers should have plenty of replacement options available. Most leagues require two starting running backs with the upside for a third in the form of a flex play. With three possible starters, fantasy managers should plan on having around 4–6 running backs on their squad. If you start off heavy on running backs with two early selections, you might be able to get by on the lower end. If you wait on running back until the later rounds, you should be adding more potential starter-worthy players late in hopes of getting lucky.

What is Zero RB Strategy?

Zero-RB is a strategy that seeks to benefit from the high rate of injuries that typically occur among running backs. By avoiding this position in the first 5-7 rounds of your draft, you’re able to load up on quarterback, wide receiver, and tight end. This strategy will allow you to create positional advantages at these three other positions. While your running back group will most likely be worse than your league mates, if you are able to hit on a backup running back or waiver wire addition at the position, it can send your lineup into overdrive. It makes sense when implementing this strategy to target backs who have a wide range of outcomes and who are one injury away from a significant increase in their workload.

The increase in PPR leagues is also making this a more viable strategy because there are plenty of pass-catching backs that are often devalued in fantasy leagues but carry plenty of weekly consistency. With more and more teams using multiple backs instead of just one workhorse, fantasy managers have more options to find quality running backs.

When Should I Draft an RB?

This is largely dependent on what scoring format your league operates under. If it’s a standard scoring league, it’ll be important for you to attack the running back position earlier than later. In this type of format, running back is the most important position, so it’s important to get a player you can consistently depend on.

If it’s a PPR scoring league, fantasy managers have a little more flexibility in how they want to form their roster. In full-PPR leagues, it can make a lot of sense to wait on running back until the fifth or sixth round and target backs who will have consistent volume in the passing game, such as Chase Edmonds, Cordarrelle Patterson, Kareem Hunt, and Tony Pollard. These decisions will often be driven by how your draft board falls, but in PPR scoring leagues, you have a lot more flexibility in when you want to attack the position because there are more viable options later and because the PPR settings increase the value of receivers and tight ends, making it a more reasonable decision to select those positions first.

What Should I look for in Drafting Fantasy RBs?

What fantasy managers are looking for in their running back is greatly determined by what kind of scoring format they’re playing under. In standard scoring leagues, it’s important to not only chase volume, but runners on good offenses because this will increase their touchdown scoring potential. Players who offer a high number of touches per game provide fantasy managers with a safe floor.

In PPR scoring leagues, fantasy managers should be looking at targets and high-value touches. High-value touches are defined as any touches inside the red zone. These are especially important because they come with higher scoring potential. Someone like D’Andre Swift did not have the number of overall carries as Jonathan Taylor, but his high number of receptions per game helped him make up the difference. Receptions are significantly more valuable than carries in this setting unless the carry comes with a high rate of scoring, such as being a carry inside the five or 10-yard line.

In general, fantasy managers should be prioritizing running backs who have a high number of overall touches with preferably their fair share coming in the form of targets. Running backs who have a three-down skill set are also highly desirable because they rarely come off the field.

Do Different Scoring Formats affect RBs?

The different scoring formats will play a big factor in how you value the running back position. Certain players are more and less valuable depending on what scoring format they’re being used in.

In standard scoring leagues, running backs who don’t catch a lot of passes are not downgraded as they would be in PPR. This works in the opposite direction for running backs who do catch a lot of passes. Fantasy managers will want to target overall touch totals and touchdown potential in standard leagues. In PPR leagues, they’ll want to focus on targets and high-value touches. These two different criteria will result in some players that fit into both and other players who are best in one format or the other. It’s important to recognize which scoring format you’re playing in so you can target the right kind of player.