Preseason Running Back Depth Charts

August 13, 2020

Eli Grabanski reviews running back depth charts for every NFL team with insights as to which RB situations are best to target or avoid in 2020 fantasy football drafts.

In fantasy football, the running back position is one of the most vital to target accurately if you are hoping to have any kind of success. Because of this, it’s important to navigate backfield situations and follow any depth chart changes throughout the NFL season.

Have no fear, Rotoballer is here! We are here to help you develop your running backs draft strategy, and help you target running backs that are best for your team's strategy. Below are our 2020 fantasy football running back depth charts as we near the beginning of the NFL season. For each team, you will find the primary running back (RB1), the secondary running back (RB2), the longshot candidates to take the job, and the best dynasty values.

Due to the nature of the NFL, running back is one of the most volatile positions in fantasy football and one of the highest turnover positions in the NFL year-to-year and week-to-week. By staying on top of all the running back changes and in-season position battles, you can adjust your rosters off the waiver wire, find sleepers, potential breakouts, and dominate your fantasy football leagues.

AFC EAST: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Sony Michel is a former first-round pick for the New England Patriots, but he hasn't been particularly impressive in his first two years in the league. His lack of pass-catching ability is a huge hindrance to his upside, and it would be surprising to see him catch more than 20 passes. James White has been cemented as the Patriot's primary pass-catching back and a PPR stud for the last few seasons now, and that shouldn't change even with Tom Brady gone. Damien Harris and Rex Burkhead will both be right on Sony Michel's tail, and one of them could take over the backfield if Sony Michel is ineffective once again.

For the Dolphins their running backs have the potential to produce massive value at their current ADP. While their running game was horrible last year and Ryan Fitzpatrick was their leading rusher, they've improved their offensive line and hired offensive coordinator Chan Gailey to breathe life into the run game. Jordan Howard fits the mold of Gailey's traditional lead backs and is a good bet for 215+ carries. Matt Breida will play frequently as well as a change-of-pace and pass-catching back. In standard play, Jordan Howard is the player to buy, but both Breida and Howard will have value in PPR.

Le'Veon Bell was a little disappointing last year, but a significant portion of that was because of how bad the Jets offensive line was. Even though he has to deal with Adam Gase as his head coach and Frank Gore's immortality at the position, Bell's dual-threat ability makes him a good value in PPR and standard leagues. Speaking of Frank Gore, if Bell misses any time in 2020 I don't expect Gore to be more than a FLEX play at his age.

Zack Moss has garnered a lot of hype this offseason and for good reason, but Devin Singletary should still see more touches. The good news is that offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has historically been a run-happy play-caller, and there should be plenty of room for both to eat. Singletary is a solid RB2 in standard and PPR formats, and Moss is a FLEX play who will flirt with RB2 status throughout the year in the Frank Gore role for the team.

AFC WEST: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Clyde Edwards-Helaire was the only running back selected in the first round. He joins a high-powered Chiefs offense that just saw Super Bowl standout Damien Williams opt-out due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and he will receive a majority of the work this season barring a free agent signing. Darwin Thompson, DeAndre Washington, and Darrel Williams will compete against each other for change-of-pace duties behind Edwards-Helaire.

In Denver, they have a very interesting running back group headlined by Melvin Gordon. Gordon to Denver was one of the most interesting free agent signings made this offseason, as the Broncos already have Phillip Lindsay who has run for 1000 yards in each of the last two seasons. Historically, Pat Shurmur has generally preferred primarily utilizing one RB, so the days of Lindsay's borderline RB1 production may be over. Expect Gordon to get a bulk of the work, and Lindsay to be one of the highest upside handcuffs on the market.

Josh Jacobs was phenomenal as a rookie last year taking 242 carries for 1150 rushing yards, cementing himself as the Raiders running back of the future. In PPR leagues, Jalen Richard will have some value as the primary pass-catcher. Rookie Lynn Bowden will be a do-it-all weapon that gets a few plays designed for him each game.

In Los Angeles, the Chargers let go of Melvin Gordon this offseason, leaving Austin Ekeler as the presumed starter for the team. With regards to carries, the Chargers will likely run a bit of a committee approach with carries being split between Ekeler, rookie Joshua Kelley, and Justin Jackson. But make no mistake, Ekeler has a stronghold on the featured pass-catching back role for the team and will be a phenomenal draft pick in PPR formats.

AFC SOUTH: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

The Colts have one of the murkier running back situations in the league. The Colts drafted Wisconsin standout, Jonathan Taylor, in the second round and he's anticipated to receive the majority of the carries. But it may not happen right away with Marlon Mack still on the team, Taylor will split work with Mack for the first part of the season before taking over as a bell cow. In Dynasty leagues, Taylor is going to be one of the premier players and possess a ton of value. Nyheim Hines also figures to play frequently as the primary pass-catching back on the roster and could be a good depth piece in PPR leagues.

Derrick Henry is the engine that makes the Tennessee Titans offense go. As long as he's healthy, Henry will get one of the biggest workloads in the NFL and has a very good chance of leading the league in carries. Rookie Darrynton Evans will fill the pass-catching role for the team after Dion Lewis left in the offseason.

The Texans traded DeAndre Hopkins for David Johnson in a move that didn't make a lot of sense to many NFL fans. Johnson lost his starting job after 6 weeks last season and was ineffective as a runner. He's never been a particularly efficient runner, so he will once again be reliant on volume, touchdowns, and his pass-catching abilities. However, in Houston, David Johnson's pass-catching upside is limited with Duke Johnson and makes him more of an RB2 this season. Duke Johnson should be a solid FLEX play in PPR formats and if could be in for a bigger role if David Johnson proves to be a poor runner again this season.

The Jaguars have repeatedly tried to trade Leonard Fournette, but no other team is interested in his price tag, leaving Fournette as the big dog in Jacksonville. Fournette will see a ton of carries on the ground, but his pass-catching upside is going to take a hit this year with the Jaguars adding Chris Thompson. Thompson will be frequently mixed in on passing downs, with Ryquell Armstead as the primary handcuff should Fournette miss time. In Dynasty, Fournette will be a free agent next season, so it could be a good opportunity for Ryquell Armstead if the Jags decide not to draft or sign a running back in 2021.

AFC NORTH: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are two extremely talented running backs, and there's plenty of room for both to feast in Kevin Stefanski's offense. While both players will get carries and receiving work, Chubb will be the primary ball carrier and Hunt will be the primary pass-catching back. This thunder and lightning duo will be one of the best in the league, and if one of them misses time, the other's value will skyrocket into high-end RB1 territory.

The Steelers are locked in on James Conner as their starter for the 2020 season, despite Conner struggling with injuries over the past few years. If James Conner were time miss time, Jaylen Samuels would likely be the starter based on the last two seasons. However,  monitor fourth-round draft pick Anthony McFarland who has blazing speed and potential to be a dynamic home-run hitter.

Mark Ingram is becoming the new Frank Gore in that he manages to be an effective starting running back at an age when running backs typically decline (30). But nipping on his heels for the starting role is 2nd round draft pick J.K. Dobbins. Long-term, Dobbins is the player to own, but this will be a committee all year between Ingram, Dobbins, and Gus Edwards.

In Cincinnati, Joe Mixon is cemented as the primary back. If Mixon were to miss time Giovani Bernard would be the starter with some Trayveon Williams and Semaje Perine sprinkled in.

NFC EAST: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Doug Pederson hasn't had a back as talented as Miles Sanders in his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, but historically he's run more of a committee approach with regards to carries. Sanders probably won't get 250+ carries, but Sanders' stronghold on the pass-catching role still makes him an intriguing early-round pick in PPR formats. Boston Scott is set to be the primary backup behind Sanders, and we'll also see some Corey Clement mixed in as well.

Saquon Barkley has about as safe a hold on the starting job as any running back in the league. Former Titan Dion Lewis will get some work on third-downs as a pass-catcher, and Wayne Gallman will be the primary ball-carrier should Barkley miss some time.

Ezekiel Elliott is another back that has a really strong hold on the starting running back job. Tony Pollard will once again be a capable backup and one of the most valuable handcuffs in the league. Rico Dowdle won't see much play-time unless Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard are out.

The Washington Football Team has a very ugly RB situation where it's hard to predict who will come out on top. Derrius Guice was the projected starter, but he recently got cut from the team after a domestic violence incident. Antonio Gibson might be the best value due to his pass-catching ability. Adrian Peterson will get carries, but at his age and lack of pass-catching ability, his role is ultimately limited. Bryce Love should factor in on some plays as well, making this a backfield most won't want to have a part of.

NFC West: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

The 49ers made the Super Bowl last year on the back of their running game led by Raheem Mostert. Mostert will start the year off as the head of the committee, but that could change quickly as Kyle Shanahan runs a 'hot hand' approach. Tevin Coleman is next in line, but Jerick McKinnon and Jeff Wilson should also have roles in the offense.

Kliff Kingsbury favored the bell cow approach in his first year with the Cardinals whether it was with David Johnson, Chase Edmonds, or Kenyan Drake. Drake will open the year as his bell-cow running back, and have a lot of upside in both standard and PPR fantasy formats. Chase Edmonds will be the change-of-pace back and a premier fantasy handcuff.

In Seattle, Chris Carson will be the lead back as he has been the last two years. Pete Carroll has hinted that Rashaad Penny will begin the year on the injured reserve/PUP list, but as soon as the former first-round pick gets back he will be the number two back. Carlos Hyde and DeeJay Dallas also have upside in Brian Schottenheimer's offense but will need Carson to miss time in order to achieve it.

The Rams cut their star bell-cow running back, Todd Gurley, in the offseason leaving a void at the position. To fill the void head coach Sean McVay has hinted that their plan at running back is to go with a hot hand approach using newly drafted RB Cam Akers, second-year back Darrell Henderson, and the veteran Malcolm Brown. Long term Cam Akers is the back to own, with Darrell Henderson having some value in dynasty leagues as well.

NFC South: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

While Matt Rhule has hinted towards some scale back of Christian McCaffrey's workload from last year, McCaffrey is still the alpha dog in Carolina and his talent will make it hard for the Panthers to keep him off the field. If McCaffrey were to miss time, this backfield will turn into a full-blown committee featuring Reggie Bonnafon, Jordan Scarlett, and Mike Davis.

For most of the offseason, fantasy experts have been arguing about whether Ronald Jones or Ke'Shawn Vaughn is the player to own in the Buccaneers high-powered offseason. That situation got even muddier when the Buccaneers signed LeSean McCoy this past offseason. Ronald Jones is the 'starter' but make no mistake, this will be a full-blown committee where the Buccaneers ride the hot hand.

In New Orleans, you have one of the most stable situations of any backfield. Alvin Kamara will dominate the receiving workload and have a slight edge in carries over Latavius Murray. If Alvin Kamara misses any time, Latavius Murray is the clear-cut player to own. Ty Montgomery and Dwayne Washington round out the depth chart and would need both Kamara and Murray to miss time in order to be fantasy relevant.

Like him or hate him as a fantasy value this year there's one thing people can't deny: Todd Gurley will get the majority of the workload in Atlanta when he's healthy. If Gurley's knee issues flare-up again Ito Smith would be the player to own, with Brian Hill and Qadree Ollison backing him up.

NFC North: Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Dalvin Cook threatened to holdout earlier this offseason for the Vikings but appears to have set that behind him and will be the Vikings starting back come the season opener. Alexander Mattison will get some work as a change-of-pace back and is one of the most valuable handcuffs in the league should Dalvin Cook miss time. It would take a miracle for Ameer Abdullah to start games for the Vikings, but in Gary Kubiak's system, any player that gets the lead back role is capable of producing RB1 numbers. Both Cook and Mattison have value in dynasty leagues due to Cook's impending free agency.

In Chicago, David Montgomery is locked and loaded as the between-the-tackles running back, while Tarik Cohen will dominate the receiving workload. In standard play, Montgomery should be a solid value at his current ADP but should be avoided in PPR formats. If David Montgomery missed time, Tarik Cohen would maintain largely the same role and Ryan Nall or Artavis Pierce would take over the between-the-tackles role.

The Packers made some decisions for the future during the 2020 NFL draft drafting QB Jordan Love in the 1st round and RB A.J. Dillon in the 2nd round. Dillon won't affect Aaron Jones' workload too much this year but indicates that the Packers will not be re-signing Jones when his contract runs out at the end of the year. Jones should have a similar workload to last year and both Jamaal Williams and A.J. Dillon getting some work here and there as change-of-pace running backs.

With their second-round pick, the Detroit Lions selected RB D'Andre Swift out of Georgia. Play-caller Darrell Bevell preferred primarily using one running back for much of his career but has been more committee-friendly in recent years. This backfield will go with the two-headed monster approach with Swift and Kerryon Johnson sharing the workload. Bo Scarbrough and Ty Johnson will provide depth and capable change-of-pace options in the event of injury.

Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis