FFB DOES FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS: Your Top 42 Running Backs For 2023

Why did I settle on the number 42, you might ask? I guess that's a weird number for rankings. 

First of all, Jackie Robinson. Around here, we show respect. 

Second of all, how far do we really wanna dive into each team's roster? Let's leave the exhaustive Top-200 rankings to the people who get paid to do them. I thought about doing the top 50 to make it an even number but there's typically only the one "RB1" per team and a slightly lesser handcuff option for fantasy purposes. These rankings can serve as your definitive running backs ranked as we head into Week 1 (PLUS 10 or so additional value pick/handcuffs that can win your league as the shorter end of a committee). Obviously as the year progresses rookies will acclimate and circumstances may change, make sure to take care of that and win the waiver wire if necessary.

Make sense?

Additionally, in regards to the Top-42, if you're in a ten-team redraft league and you're deciding on a starter beyond the top 40 or so at any specific position, stop reading and find a new hobby. You're probably fucked and you should save yourself the league entry fee. If you're looking to these rankings for advice on bench depth, you won't find it. Just deal with it, throw a dart, and hope it lands on someone worth a shit. Or draft an insurance player and figure it out.

Moving on. These rankings are subjective and they're my own. Maybe you don't agree (let's talk about it!) and that's fine. Keep in mind, these are my personal rankings based on a half-PPR format. Some of the rationale behind these may be considered "flawed" and there is a nonzero amount of personal bias involved. Could it be that I was burned in past seasons by somebody (Najee Harris) and that's tainting my view of their performance moving forward? Maybe. Probably. Whatever, who cares? Shut up. 

There's no exact science to this shit no matter how much the frauds over at Pro Football Focus want to act like there is. They can run their projections and plug in a zillion figures into an Excel spreadsheet, but there's nothing exact about fantasy football. 

Ultimately, these are educated guesses with the information we've been given and there's a million factors that could come into play as soon as the opening kickoff is in the air. I'm just doin' the best I can and trying to make an honest living. Even though they're correct and I stand by them, take these rankings with a grain of salt, formulate your own draft strategy, and go be great. 

Here are my TOP-42 RUNNING BACKS FOR THE 2023 FANTASY FOOTBALL SEASON.

1. Christian McCaffrey - San Francisco 49ers 

Clax Note: Might as well be the San Francisco 69ers with how hot he looked in this photoshoot. 

Where were we? Ah yes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". 100% healthy with otherworldly tools in a Kyle Shanahan offense being fully weaponized/utilized/maximized. Capitulate to CMC and reap the benefits, anything else with the first overall is wrong in my eyes. 

He's the consensus overall RB1 across the board, and barring something wacky like injury/suspension/retirement it'd be an upset if he wasn't in the top-3 at season's end. In 11 games after he was traded to San Fran last year, he had 211 total touches, 1210 scrimmage yards, and 10 TDs. If he can get somewhere close to 400 touches again like he did in 2019, he should be a lock for 2000+ yards from scrimmage and 15+ scores no problem. If you're fortunate enough to own the first pick in your draft then you can safely giddy on up, hitch your wagon to the sexy cowpoke you see below and enjoy the ride. 

2. Austin Ekeler (Las Angeles Chargers)

3. Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons)

Clax Note: These two are cut from a similar cloth, the elite runner/receiver hybrid. Ekeler has mastered the balance of running between the tackles and getting ample targets in the air. Bijan is rumored to be equally exciting as an offensive threat, especially as a receiver. Sure, they're both easily capable of 250-300 carries, but what's the fun in that? There's nothing more unfair on a football field than a running back being covered man-to-man by a linebacker. 99 times out of 100 the linebacker is gonna look ridiculous, slow, and lost. Why not toy with them and take advantage of the athleticism at your disposal? Ekeler and Robinson are lethal pass-catchers (are you sensing a theme?) and I've been led to believe Robinson might be closer to Christian McCaffrey than anyone we've seen in recent years. 

4. Nick Chubb (Cleveland Browns) 

Clax Note: Chubb is the best pure rusher we've had the pleasure of watching in a long, long time. He's notably less of a pass-catcher, but if he can go somewhere between 250-300 carries again, you're looking at ~1250 yards on the ground (assuming his career average of ~5 yards per carry holds up). He also only had 1 fumble last season and didn't miss a single game. He's as reliable as they come and you can pencil in 8-12 TDs - a true "set it and forget it" dude which is priceless in our big dumb fantasy world. 

5. Tony Pollard (Dallas Cowboys)

6. Saquon Barkley (New York Giants)

7. Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas Raiders)

Clax Note: Tony Pollard is freed up! Zeke is gone so there's no more of the "well, we're paying him so I guess we should probably play him" mindset, and Tony can show off his full arsenal. He was hindered by the timeshare last year, worse than you probably remember. He had one game in 2022 where he saw >20 carries and got just 51.8% of snaps on the season. It was almost a perfectly even split, a committee in the truest sense, and he was still RB7 with 193 carries/1007 rushing yards/9 TDs. 

Saquon and Josh Jacobs were notable holdouts but they got paid sufficiently and seem satisfied enough to table those talks for now. 

Saquon was closer to his old self in '22 hovering around 300 carries and going for 1312 rushing yards. Giants fans should be excited with what Daboll did last year and what's to come in 2023. 

Jacobs was the surprise RB3 overall carrying 340 times for 1653 yards and 12 TDs. Insane numbers and his second top-10 fantasy season through 4 years in Las Vegas. More importantly, Zamir White isn't quite ready to infringe on significant touches right yet and Jacobs is a true bell-cow again in 2023. Maybe we see his numbers deflate ever so slightly this season, but he'll have another A-tier season under the watchful eye of Mark Davis. 

8. Derrick Henry (Tennessee Titans)

9. Jahmyr Gibbs (Detroit Lions)

10. Joe Mixon (Cincinnati Bengals) 

Clax Note: No reason to get cute with it here. 349 carries, 1538 yards, 13 TDs in '22. An added bonus were his 33 catches for 398 yards. Even at 29 years old, he's a Create-A-Player and the Titans love to run the ball, so they'll continue to lean heavily on his steady production. He still possesses breakaway speed that seems impossible considering his freakish size and strength. 

Jahmyr Gibbs was drafted 12th overall, and teams that do that aren't gonna let their investments rot on the bench. It's that simple. Not to mention Gibbs is a gifted runner and an elite pass catcher with speed (4.36 forty yard dash). His hybrid skillset will have him inside the top-10 even though David Montgomery is there, the rookie has big-play ability for days and he's part of the newer breed of hybrid running backs that ooze versatility and expand the position. 

Joe Mixon was remarkably average for the entire first half of last season. In the second half, he came on strong to salvage a respectable RB13 season but it was a "what could've been" roller coaster for Mixon owners. On a positive note, Samaje Perine has since been shipped to Denver and Mixon does fine work in the passing game. Yeah, there have been some weird off-the-field issues have plagued his offseason and it'd be great if he would stop pointing guns at kids (allegedly). But the Bengals offense is explosive and he's an involved receiver, so if he can minimize his "below-expected" performances he should be in the top-10. 

 

11. Travis Etienne Jr. (Jacksonville Jaguars)

12. Rhamondre Stevenson (New England Patriots)

13. Jonathan Taylor ( Indianapolis Colts ???)

Clax Note: Travis Etienne is going to be one of the beneficiaries of a breakout season for the Jags and their young offense under Doug Pederson. I talked previously about my infatuation with Trevor Lawrence and his receivers, even more so now that Urban Meyer is long gone and this team can finally breathe. There may or may not be some rookies waiting in the eaves for goal-line opportunities, but the allure with Etienne is his home run potential. Etienne was encouraging in what was more or less his rookie season coming off of injury and staying healthy was big for my 2023 confidence. His innate big-play ability and an emphasis on ball security (hopefully) in 2023 should have him squarely in the mix as a top-10 to 15 back. 

Rhamondre Stevenson avoided Dalvin Cook being added to the Pats backfield this offseason and only has to worry about goal line touches with Zeke Elliott now in the mix. The positive here is that Zeke is really his only competition and Zeke's best days are mostly behind him. While Stevenson is a bruiser in his own right, he might also be a security blanket checkdown option for Mac Jones - he drew 88 targets last season, reeling in 69 of them. 250 carries seems like a good starting point and he was RB11 last season with consistent reps despite only scoring 6 total TDs (I think we see that number go into the double digits).   

Where is Jonathan Taylor gonna play this year? If he stays in Indy, my heart tells me there has to be some level of resentment to consider regarding his contract situation and the general quarterbacks he's been tasked with trying to keep afloat. Also, tinfoil hat time: do the Colts know something more about his ankle than the general public and that's why they're skittish on paying him? If he does find a trade destination, where will he land and how will he adjust to a new offense on short notice? Too many questions to have him in the top-10 and last year didn't help his case from a health standpoint, but still a top-10 talent if/when 100%. 

  

14. Aaron Jones (Green Bay Packers)

15. Najee Harris (Pittsburgh Steelers)

16. Kenneth Walker III (Seattle Seahawks)

17. Alexander Mattison (Minnesota Vikings)

18. Cam Akers (Los Angeles Rams)

Clax Note: Aaron Jones is still in Green Bay even if Aaron Rodgers is not. He led the league in total TDs in 2019, and while I don't expect 19 out of him, he's still a viable option in the running game and does enough through the air to warrant a late third or fourth round pick. Jones only had 2 rushing TDs last year and AJ Dillon is responsible for that, lurking close behind to take considerable goal line work away. I almost view this as a positive - it's an outlier to only have 2 TDs on the ground and there will be better days ahead. Plus, he supplemented that with 5 receiving TDs so I believe there's some modest positive regression in his near future. 

Najee is a plodder at times, but he's still got the top-15 skillset. I'm sure of it. I owned Najee shares last year and it was a grind to say the least. However, the Steelers have their QB of the future in Kenny Pickett, the receiving corps looks energized, and Najee should benefit from a reinvigorated offense in general and full year of stability at QB. He's been decidedly good-not-great so far as a Steeler, producing 10 total TDs in each of his first two seasons. Despite the TDs, he's never been able to do better than 3.9 yards per carry, but he's still found ways to stay fantasy-relevant (RB14 in 2022). I think he finally eclipses that ypc number this season, but Jaylen Warren proved last year that he's going to be a thorn in the side of Najee Harris owners everywhere. If I whiff on this one, at least he does cool shit from time to time. 

You already know my thoughts on Alexander Mattison. TL;DR - BUY BUY BUY. He's capable of doing it alone. True RB1 with unproven, young backups in a good offense. Some people aren't 100% sold  because they're afraid to stick their necks out there, but I am brave and I think he has elite value at an ADP of 50. Whenever he's been given the opportunity to shoulder the load he's done so with aplomb! BUY BUY BUY!

Everyone is on the Charbonnet train in Seattle, and I think he'll provide a fun change-of-pace, but Kenneth Walker is still their primary guy after his torrid finish to 2022. Rashaad Penny is gone and from Week 6 onward, Kenneth Walker was the workhorse. He was 9-for-11 on double digit performances with 8 TDs during that stretch. One dimensional play is a slight concern, and a glaring lack of pass-catching from KWIII knocks him down a few slots. 

What a weird year it was for Akers in 2022. Coming off an Achilles injury, he was a complete waste of a draft pick for most of the year. He got benched, spent some time away from the team, then came back and was finally put to work fully in the last 3 weeks of the regular season. During that stretch: 63 carries, 345 yards, and 3 TDs.  

19. James Conner (Arizona Cardinals)

20. Dameon Pierce (Houston Texans)

21. Breece Hall (New York Jets)

22. Miles Sanders (Carolina Panthers)

23. JK Dobbins (Baltimore Ravens)

24. Javonte Williams (Denver Broncos)

25. Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints)

Clax Note: James Conner has been one of those that's flown under the radar to some degree. Far from the sexiest pick out there, he's just one year removed from an RB5 finish in 2021. He was hampered by injuries last year and he can be a bit touchdown-dependent, so that's something to work around. He missed 4 games last year but he still did enough to muster a RB20 season despite the circumstances.

Breece Hall would've been higher but... Dalvin Cook. And the knee injury. We'll see how he bounces back.

And Javonte Williams.

And JK Dobbins, to some degree. 8 total games over the last two seasons scares me, but there's always the rookie season if you need courage in drafting him.  

Alvin Kamara is facing a suspension for beating some idiot's ass in Las Vegas this past offseason, but I can't bring myself to put him any lower than RB25. Derek Carr (an actual quarterback) is coming in and Alvin is at his best when he's being targeted out of the backfield. He's still a slippery runner with burst but he was misused over the past two seasons, plain and simple. He's 28, and they brought in Jamaal Williams (a verified TD machine) so I'm not entirely sure how high his ceiling is anymore but even in a "down" year he was RB18 with plenty left to give. Side note: maybe my favorite active NFL player and a Tennessee legend. 

26. D'Andre Swift (Philadelphia Eagles)

27. James Cook (Buffalo Bills)

28. Rachaad White (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

T29. Antonio Gibson (Washington Commanders)

        David Montgomery (Detroit Lions)

Clax Note:Swift should be considered strictly one half of a committee, as is the case with his entire career unfortunately. We've never actually seen Swift as the premier back and he's still been able to hang around the top-20 every year, even with some injuries thrown in. He's a good receiver, so I like his upside in an offense with a highly mobile QB as opposed to his counterpart, Kenneth Gainwell.

James Cook is supposedly the leader in the Buffalo backfield, but Damien Harris and Latavius Murray are pesky veterans that will demand significant carries and goal line opportunities. This screams RBBC and I'm not a huge fan of that in a pass-first offense that centers more around Josh Allen and less around their run game.

Antonio Gibson is ahead of Brian Robinson Jr. because of his receiving abilities. The league has slowly transitioned and there's markedly less value in ONLY taking handoffs. The Commanders have their QB in Sam Howell, Dan Snyder is gone, and Gibson played WR in college at Memphis. I like him to finally reach his potential as a hybrid daddy while amicably surrendering touches to BRJ in what is a nice two-headed basilisk of a backfield in Washington.

I had initially forgotten about David Montgomery. Thanks to YOU, my loyal savage readers, for making me aware. I had him in the 25-30 range on my note pad so I'm gonna call it a tie at RB29. In my defense, he is sorta boring, but he brings valuable consistency and experience to the Detroit running backs room. If Gibbs is lightning, then Montgomery is the thunder in this backfield. Slow, steady, and unassuming, but still part of the storm technically. It's yet to be seen what that timeshare looks like with Gibbs, and I Montgomery has historically enjoyed high snap counts. Reason would tell us that those may decrease, which drops him down from his typical RB20-24 range for me.

31. Dalvin Cook (New York Jets)

32. Isiah Pacheco (Kansas City Chiefs)

33. Jamaal Williams (New Orleans Saints)

Clax Note: Dalvin Cook suddenly has the Jets looking like a contender. He's still got gas in the tank, to say the least (RB10 in 2022) and it'll be a formidable 1-2 punch alongside Breece Hall (once he's fully healthy). Cook's last 4 seasons in Minnesota: RB10, RB15, RB3, RB5. The Jets got an absolute pony and the Super Bowl rumbles are getting louder... Rodgers and this offense should be fun to watch for a change.

The Chiefs tend to play tricks with their backfield. Will it be Pacheco, or will Jerick McKinnon or even Clyde-Edwards Helaire be featured? It tends to rotate and Pacheco only saw >50% of the snaps in 2 games last year. Andy Reid rides the hot hand and, while he's got a formula that works in real life, it's less than ideal for fantasy purposes. Pacheco was a hero down the stretch last season so there's that, but he was still lacking in snap volume and Chiefs like to mix things up. 

Jamaal Williams: Anime/Pokémon nerd. Touchdown machine. Massive TD vulture guy and a hard runner. Big-time value while Kamara is suspended, and lasting value when he comes back. If you want to consider him a backup you can, but he's the primo "backup" to target because of the TD potential. Remember when I talked about value picks/handcuffs? Jamaal Williams is both. Will he score 17 TDs again like he did in 2022? Doubtful, but he's a strong candidate to get goal line looks, so maybe. Anything is possible. 

34. Khalil Herbert (Chicago Bears)

35. Brian Robinson Jr. (Washington Commanders)

36. Samaje Perine (Denver Broncos)

37. AJ Dillon (Green Bay Packers)

Clax Note: Herbert is the leader in the clubhouse for Chicago's RBBC. Not overly ecstatic about him but D'Onta Foreman is the other half of that. I like Herbert's upside more than Foreman. Justin Fields will be running more than Herbert so who even cares?

Samaje Perine is in Denver now after serving as the backup in Cincinnati. With Javonte Williams reportedly on a pitch-count to start the season, this will open the door for Perine to get plenty of snaps early. One could assume that it will be a modified committee even as Javonte Williams gets back to full speed. Perine's never been a powderkeg and in a weird way he's best utilized as a third-down/change-of-pace back, but he's consistent and he can disrupt with his receiving out of the backfield. Side note: I would've guessed he was 32 years old, he's only 27. 

AJ Dillon - Goal-line specialist. TD dependent draft pick, but a component of the Green Bay RBBC nonetheless.

38. Jerick McKinnon (Kansas City Chiefs)

39. Jaylen Warren (Pittsburgh Steelers)

40. Ezekiel Elliott (New England Patriots)

Clax Note: Jerick McKinnon is the pass-catcher in KC. He's pesky and fast and he's earned the trust of Mahomes and Andy Reid. He caught 9 TDs last season and the Chiefs use him to exploit mismatches constantly. RB21 last year so look for a slight dip, but still a useful piece.

Jaylen Warren - the aforementioned thorn in Najee Harris owners' sides. An UDFA heading into last season, he saw more and more action as the year went on. Eventually, it became a tandem and he was a fan-favorite for when the Steelers faithful may have been frustrated with Najee's lack of pop/getting stuffed at the line of scrimmage. 

Zeke remains a TD dependent draft pick. Luckily, he's not being brought into New England to be an every-down back. He will mostly likely see most of his reps in the red zone and he's one of the best at finding the endzone. Nice handcuff option with the chance for TD vultures. Value pick/handcuff alert.

41. Tyler Allgeier (Atlanta Falcons)

42. Gus Edwards (Baltimore Ravens) 

Final Clax Note: Allgeier was solid last year as a rookie and I know they brought in Robinson, but don't sleep on Allgeier here. They're not going to feature ONLY Bijan, and Allgeier is more of a ground-and-pound artistan. He's certainly second fiddle, but I maintain that he holds significant value in an offense that leads the league in rushing attempts. Don't forget, 210 carries and 4.9 ypc in 2022 as a rookie. 

Gus Edwards is another one that's on the back end of a committee, but who really nows how JK Dobbins will be? Dobbins' sample size isn't enough for me to overlook one of the better backup options who carries an absurd 5.15 yards per carry over 501 career attempts. How that translates to 200 carries in a season I'm not sure. I'm not sure he goes over 150 touches this year, but he's one injury away from being the main man in Baltimore and that's a risk I'm willing to take in the later rounds.

For questions, concerns, criticisms, or anything else. Hit my line at @Clax_TN on the app formerly known as Twitter. Thanks for reading and good luck on draft day!

-Clax