X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Mid-Round Running Backs To Target For ZeroRB Drafters

Chris Mangano lists his top mid-round running back draft targets for ZeroRB strategy users in 2018 fantasy football leagues. These RBs could be sleepers and draft values.

With running backs flying off the board at an insane clip this year, typically 8-10 are taken in the first round alone, elite wide receivers are being drafted at a big discount. This is the exact type of “economy” a ZeroRB drafter thrives in.

Grab elite WR1 and WR2 types in the early rounds while everyone else is going with running backs, then try to find the diamonds in the rough later in the draft. If you choose to go this route I am here to help you find those diamonds.

I’ll be updating this regularly as we get closer to the season and receive more information. Some players may fall off the list, some new ones may show up. But as of today these are my favorite mid-round ZeroRB running back targets in PPR drafts.

Editor's Note: Prepare for draft day with RotoBaller’s expert Fantasy Football Mock Drafts. Use our free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Tool and Draft Assistant to explore player trends, ADP insights, and winning roster strategies for every league format.

 

On the Bubble

These running backs are preferred over the ones listed below, but have ADPs that are before the seventh round. If one should fall in your draft they would be the preferred choice.

  • Dion Lewis ADP: 6.01 - The Titans made Lewis the 12th-highest paid running back (at the time) and he could very well be the team’s lead back.
  • Lamar Miller ADP: 6.02 - D’Onta Foreman looks unlikely to be back anytime soon which means Miller should get plenty of work. He's slimmed down, which should help his explosiveness as well.
  • Tevin Coleman ADP: 6.07 - Has standalone flex/RB2 value with Freeman in the lineup in PPR leagues. Has massive upside if Freeman misses games.

 

Running Back Watch List

Marshawn Lynch (RB, OAK) ADP: 7.05

Don’t let the training camp reports of new head coach Jon Gruden wanting to feature Doug Martin scare you off from drafting Lynch. Despite these reports, it seems crazy that Lynch would not be the starter Week 1. He is the perfect Gruden-type back and showed signs of knocking the rust off late last year. Over his final three games he had 60 carries and 272 yards (4.5 YPC). He even added seven catches for good measure. Lynch was one of only 18 running backs to see over 200 carries last season, and he should easily go over that mark again. The Raiders offense should be better as well which should give him more red zone carries. Despite his struggles last year, Lynch still finished as RB24 in PPR leagues. While his days of being a weekly RB1 are over, getting a potential RB2 this late is a value you can’t pass up.

Kerryon Johnson (RB, DET) ADP: 7.06

When the Detroit Lions selected Johnson with the 11th pick in the second round, most everyone was surprised. Johnson was the sixth running back selected in the draft, and went ahead of more highly touted backs such as Derrius Guice and Royce Freeman. The Lions have lacked a run game for what seems like an eternity, but Johnson could be the guy to change that. As a junior at Auburn he totaled 1,391 yards and 18 touchdowns on 285 carries, and added another 24 receptions for 194 yards plus two more scores. Johnson has the potential to be a three-down back at the NFL level, though his situation is not ideal as he will have to contend with LeGarrette Blount on early downs and Theo Riddick in the passing game. Still, the Lions spent high draft capital on him and it seems unlikely they will not give him plenty of work. As long as he has a good camp he should be the opening day starter.

Royce Freeman (RB, DEN) ADP: 7.09
Like Johnson, Freeman is a rookie who profiles as an NFL starter. Taken in the third round by the Denver Broncos, Freeman is a massive 6’0”, 229 pounds who handled 947 carries in his four year college career. Don’t let Freeman’s size fool you, for a big man he is explosive. He ran a 4.54 forty yard dash and had a 34 inch vertical jump. To put that in perspective, Leonard Fournette (6’0, 240) ran a 4.51 forty and had a 28.5 inch vertical. Freeman only has to beat out Devontae Booker and De’Angelo Henderson for starter duties so his path seems to be clearer than Johnson’s. Even if he can’t beat both, he will at worst be the team’s number two back and could certainly push for more as the season wears on. Freeman did suffer a knee injury his senior year which hampered him in the second half, but given what we saw at the combine he seems to be back to 100%. If he wins the Denver job drafters will be kicking themselves for passing on him.

Marlon Mack (RB, IND) ADP: 8.01

With Frank Gore headed to Miami, and Robert Turbin suspended, Mack inherited the starter role in Indianapolis. The Colts didn’t address running back highly in the draft either, taking Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins with the 104th and 169th picks respectively. While Hines may give Mack some competition in the passing game, Mack should have little to no competition for the early down and goal line work. And despite the presence of Hines, Mack had 23 receptions while playing just 30% of the teams snaps, so he should do more than enough in that aspect as well. The cherry on top to all of this is that Andrew Luck appears healthy and ready to start day one. Add in a new offensive philosophy under head coach Frank Reich and all signs are pointing up for Mack.

Rex Burkhead (RB, NEP) ADP: 8.09

Burkhead is the prototypical ZeroRB target. He has standalone value even if we assume that Sony Michel likely takes the starting role, and has tremendous upside should something happen to Michel. Last season Burkhead played all 10 games with Lewis in the lineup and still averaged three receptions a game and 12.98 PPR points. More than flex-worthy. Burkhead is also a big guy and should handle a decent chunk of the team’s goal-line carries, which are often plentiful in this offense. He is someone you can draft and play Week 1 and has the potential to be a league-winner should Michel go down or fall out of favor with the always fickle Bill Belichick.

Corey Clement (RB, PHI) ADP: 11.09

Clement is probably best known for his Super Bowl touchdown catch that helped the Eagles to their first championship, but what was lost in his rookie season was how good he was on limited touches. According to Warren Sharp of SharpFootball, Clement was the Eagles #1 player in receiving Success Rate (65%) and was the #1 running back in success rate (51%). While Jay Ajayi will likely remain the starter, the second year Clement could push him for touches, especially if the Eagles want to keep Ajayi fresh. In one of the league’s most dynamic offenses, getting more touches is always a plus. Clement should have standalone value from Week 1, and offers major upside should Ajayi miss time.

Giovani Bernard (RB, CIN) ADP: 12.04

Why doesn’t Bernard get any love? In 2017 in games only he and Mixon played (no Jeremy Hill) he averaged 11.33 fantasy points per game, which puts him at a solid flex level. However, in the two games Mixon missed plus the week 15 game when he left after a quarter, Bernard had 48 carries, 208 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 16 catches for 133 yards. Thats 62.1 PPR points or 20.7 PPR points per game. Those are elite running back numbers. So what does this mean for 2018? It means when you draft Gio you are at worst getting a solid weekly flex player who has elite running back upside if Mixon gets hurt. This is the kind of handcuff you want to draft, one who can help you now and can win your league later.

Chris Carson (RB, SEA) ADP: 12.09

First of all, I don’t buy into the camp reports that Carson will be the starter over Rashaad Penny. The Seahawks invested high draft capital into Penny, and they traded up for him, so they obviously like him. But they like Carson too and there isn’t a lot of running back depth on this roster. So even if Carson starts off as the backup, he should have a role, and if Penny struggles or gets injured that role could be massive. Carson looked great in his short time on the field last year, and despite running behind one of the worst offensive lines averaged 4.2 yards per carry. He also caught seven of his eight targets while averaging 14.8 yards per catch. If we get farther along into pre-season and Carson is still getting first team reps over Penny, his ADP will sky-rocket, so now is the time to draft him.

 

More NFL Draft Strategy




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Trey Benson

"Gonna Play a Lot This Year"
Chig Okonkwo

"Looks Like he has an Extra Gear"
Michael Wilson

Lands in Concussion Protocol
Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys "Not Considering Trading" Micah Parsons
NHL

Jakub Lauko Returns to Czechia
Nicholas Robertson

Signs One-Year Contract with Maple Leafs
Terry McLaurin

Steelers Reportedly Contact Commanders Regarding Terry McLaurin
Alex Laferriere

Kings Re-Sign Alex Laferriere to Three-Year Deal
D'Ernest Johnson

Signs with Ravens
Kyle Juszczyk

Isaac Guerendo Leave Practice Early on Saturday
Los Angeles Chargers

Denzel Perryman Arrested on Felony Charges
Miles Sanders

Could Miss "a Couple of Days" with Knee Injury
DJ Giddens

Standing Out in Colts Practice, In Line for Significant Role?
Parris Campbell

Cowboys Place Parris Campbell on Injured Reserve
Baker Mayfield

to Return Next Week
Tyler Warren

Colts Putting A Lot on Tyler Warren's Plate
RJ Harvey

a Joker Candidate in Broncos Offense
Tank Bigsby

Featured Heavily in Friday's Scrimmage
Bryce Young

Tetairoa McMillan Working on Improving Timing with Bryce Young
Duop Reath

Has Salary Guaranteed by Portland
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Agrees to Contract Extension with the Lakers
Shedeur Sanders

Sits Out Team Drills with Arm Soreness
Cam Skattebo

Suffers Setback in Recovery From Hamstring Injury
Isaiah Davis

Standing Out in Jets Practice
Breece Hall

Set for Big Role in Passing Game
Denver Broncos

Zach Allen Agrees to a Four-Year Extension with the Broncos
William Contreras

Goes Deep in Five-Hit Night
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Exits Early Friday, Expects to Play Saturday
Randy Rodríguez

Randy Rodriguez Named New Giants Closer
Jaden Springer

Signs Exhibit-9 Deal with New Orleans
Julian Champagnie

has Salary Guaranteed by San Antonio
Jackson Chourio

Could be Out a Month
Aaron Judge

Yankees Eyeing Return for Aaron Judge Next Week
Juan Soto

Back in Lineup Against Giants
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Reinstated and Starting on Friday
George Springer

Goes on Concussion Injured List
JoJo Romero

the Top Candidate for Saves in St. Louis
Nolan Arenado

Going on Injured List With Shoulder Injury
Conor McGregor

Enters UFC Testing Pool
Grayson Rodriguez

Considering Having Surgery
Devin Williams

Yankees Plan to Keep Devin Williams in Closer's Role
HyunSung Park

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Tatsuro Taira

Set For UFC Vegas 108 Main Event
Mateusz Rębecki

Mateusz Rebecki Looks For His Second Consecutive Win
Chris Duncan

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Elves Brener

Looks For His Fourth UFC Win
Esteban Ribovics

Set For UFC Vegas 108 Main Card Bout
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos

Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos Aims To Bounce Back
Karol Rosa

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Nora Cornolle

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Neil Magny

Returns At UFC Vegas 108
Kevin Vallejos

Set To Open Up UFC Vegas 108 Main Card
Danny Silva

Set For His Third UFC Fight
Mikal Bridges

Signs Extension with Knicks
Jackson Chourio

Expected to Go on Injured List With Hamstring Strain
Jonathan Aranda

Rays Hope Jonathan Aranda Can Return in September
Shelby Miller

Brewers Acquire Shelby Miller
José Caballero

Jose Caballero Shipped to the Bronx
Bailey Falter

Traded to Royals
Charlie Morton

Headed to Detroit
Camilo Doval

Yankees Acquire Camilo Doval
Griffin Jax

Traded to Tampa Bay
Connor McDavid

Oilers Hope to Finalize Connor McDavid's Contract Extension Soon
Willi Castro

Joining Cubs
BUF

Devon Levi Re-Signs With Sabres for Two Years
Martin Pospisil

Signs Three-Year Extension
Dario Šarić

Dario Saric Hoping to Have Meaningful Role with Kings
Donte DiVincenzo

to Skip EuroBasket Due to Injury
Ayo Dosunmu

Set to Remain in Chicago
Malevy Leons

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Thunder
Daeqwon Plowden

Kings Pick Up Daeqwon Plowden on Two-Way Deal
Bryce McGowens

Signs Two-Way Deal with Pelicans
Jonathan Kuminga

Declines Latest Offers from Golden State
Gary Woodland

Eyeing Strong Finish to Reach Playoffs
Max McGreevy

Chasing a Miracle at Wyndham
Stephan Jaeger

a Solid Value Play at Wyndham Championship
Max Homa

Fighting to Salvage Disappointing Season
Nicolai Hojgaard

a Sleeper at Wyndham Championship
Rickie Fowler

Riding Quiet Momentum Into Wyndham
Brian Campbell

a Wild Card at Wyndham Championship
Akshay Bhatia

Looking to Flip the Script at Wyndham Championship
Aaron Rai

Finishes Tied For 34th at Open Championship
Andrew Novak

Finishes Tied For 63rd at Open Championship
Hideki Matsuyama

Finishes Tied For 16th at Open Championship
Kurt Kitayama

Wins 3M Open
Tom Kim

Finishes Tied For 28th at 3M Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Misses Cut at 3M Open
Max Greyserman

Misses Cut at 3M Open
Jordan Spieth

Looks to End Regular Season on a High Note at Wyndham Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Finishes Tied For Fourth at Open Championship
Eric Cole

Misses Cut at 3M Open
Keith Mitchell

Needs a Big Week at Wyndham Championship
Robert MacIntyre

is the Perfect Kind of Ball-Striker for Wyndham Championship
Charlie McAvoy

Ready to Go for Next Season
Dylan Samberg

Agrees to Three-Year Contract with Jets
Michael Kim

Needs More Solid Finishes
NBA

Thanasis Antetokounmpo Added to Greece Training Camp Roster for EuroBasket 2025
Los Angeles Clippers

Patrick Baldwin Jr. Waived by Clippers
Josh Green

May Not be Ready for Start of Hornets Training Camp
NBA

Thomas Bryant Set to Move to Greece
Cam Thomas

Nets Far Apart in Contract Talks
Kristaps Porzingis

Feeling "Great" Ahead of New Season
Chris Paul

Hints He Could Extend His Career Beyond the 2025-26 Season
Brandon Miller

Close to 100 Percent
Jayden Struble

Canadiens Lock Up Jayden Struble for Two Years
Robert Whittaker

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Reinier de Ridder

Gets Split-Decision Win
Conor Timmins

Avoids Salary Arbitration with Two-Year Deal
Marcus McGhee

Drops Decision At UFC Abu Dhabi
Toronto Raptors

Colin Castleton Waived by Raptors on Monday
Petr Yan

Extends Win Streak
Marc-Andre Barriault

Suffers Decision Loss
Shara Magomedov

Gets Back In The Win Column
Jose Ochoa

Dominated At UFC Abu Dhabi
MMA

Asu Almbayev Dominates At UFC Abu Dhabi
Kyle Larson

Falls Short of Back-To-Back Victories at Indianapolis
Denny Hamlin

Rallies Into Third Place At Indianapolis
Chase Briscoe

Pit Strategies End up Failing Chase Briscoe at Indianapolis
Ty Gibbs

Wins NASCAR's Inaugural In-Season Challenge Tournament
Ryan Preece

Finishes Fourth but Loses Ground to Playoff Cutline
Brad Keselowski

Has Good Strategy, but Not Enough to Win
Ryan Blaney

Bails from Hail Mary Strategy Attempt but Recovers to Finish Seventh
Tyler Reddick

Eliminated from Brickyard 400 in Crash After Top Five Run
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF