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

Running Back Fantasy Football Risers - Positive Yardage Regression Candidates (2024)

Rhamondre Stevenson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Aidin Ebrahimi identifies fantasy football RBs who could finish with more scrimmage yards in 2024 than 2023. Which RBs should fantasy managers potentially target in later rounds?

Many people have claimed that the 2023 NFL season was a down year for QBs, but saying that 2023 was a down year for RBs might be more accurate. Teams went from 27.3 rushing attempts and 121.6 rushing yards per game in 2022 to 26.8 attempts and 112.7 rushing yards per game last season.

The decline in efficiency was also apparent. It went from a record-breaking 4.5 yards per attempt in 2022 to 4.2 yards per attempt in 2023. The last time we had an average rushing YPA of 4.2 or fewer was in 2017. So, we can expect an increase in overall offense and rushing stats. 2024 has the potential to be one of the best fantasy seasons ever, as many players can regress positively and record tons of fantasy points.

Without further ado, let's look at four running backs who could have more scrimmage yards in 2024 than they had last season. RBs who played less than 10 games last year will not feature.

Editor's Note: Discover RotoBaller’s top Fantasy Football Sleepers to gain an edge in your drafts. Our free who to draft tool and expert picks spotlight undervalued players, breakout candidates, and late-round gems for all league formats.

 

Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

It almost feels cliché to say that Derrick Henry will have a bounce-back 2024 season. However, there are still a bunch of naysayers out there (probably some Titans fans or fans of AFC North rivals) who pretend that Henry is "washed." Yes, Henry had arguably his worst season last year. He averaged career lows in yards per attempt (4.2) and yards after contact per attempt (2.1).

But the situation last season in Tennessee was far from ideal. The Titans had arguably the worst offensive line in the NFL, new offensive coordinator Tim Kelly did a terrible job, and they had a poor quarterback situation with a washed-up Ryan Tannehill and a rookie Will Levis. Tennessee also gave 100 touches to Henry's rookie backup, Tyjae Spears, as it knew Henry already had one foot out the door.

Now, let's look at his situation in Baltimore. His quarterback is the reigning 2023 NFL MVP, Lamar Jackson. He will also benefit from a new-look offensive line. The Ravens had one of the best offensive lines last year, and although they've lost a few starters, they still have world-class O-line coach, Joe D'Alessandris.

Last year, I raved about D'Alessandris when I wrote about Lamar Jackson's quest for a bounce-back season. He proved me right despite losing Ben Powers to Denver, so I do not doubt that he can train a competent unit in 2024.

Young RB2 Keaton Mitchell still hasn't recovered from his ACL tear and won't be ready for Week 1, which will only boost Henry's touches. He is also one of the most durable RBs in the league and will get many opportunities in the red zone, as Jackson isn't obsessed with red-zone TDs like Jalen Hurts or Josh Allen.

 

Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers

Josh Jacobs finished as the 2022 rushing leader and hoped to get a big extension from the Raiders. However, he was franchise-tagged and then offered a one-year, $12 million contract. Jacobs bet on himself and accepted the deal, but struggled in 2023. The Raiders had one of the worst offensive lines in the league, and it was clear that Jacobs' heart was no longer in it.

The Raiders' play-calling was extremely predictable with Josh McDaniels in charge, an issue that was fixed when Antonio Pierce became the interim head coach. Unfortunately, Jacobs only managed to play three healthy games with Pierce in charge. In those three games, Jacobs averaged 88.3 yards per game and finished as the PPR RB5 in Week 12.

However, he suffered a quad injury late in a game against the Vikings, ending his season. Jacobs is now in Green Bay, where he will benefit from one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.

The Packers offense is also dynamic with the presence of Jordan Love and their handful of electric, young receivers. Jacobs will also have more motivation, having signed a long-term deal with the Packers that will keep him in Green Bay until the end of the 2027 season.

Remember, Jacobs faced an average of 7.2 men in the box last season. Defenses simply cannot do that against Love. Expect Jacobs to have a dominant 2024 season that will have him in contention for the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year.

 

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

Rhamondre Stevenson had an awesome 2022 season, recording 1,461 yards from scrimmage. However, he was limited by injuries and lost a fair amount of his touches to Ezekiel Elliott in 2023. The 2023 Patriots were arguably the worst team in the league, with a stagnant offense led by Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe and an even worse coaching staff with Bill O'Brien and a 71-year-old Bill Belichick. But now, the team looks fresh and exciting with new faces like HC Jerod Mayo, OC Alex Van Pelt, and QB Drake Maye.

There are still some issues like an unproven offensive line, but Stevenson's fantasy outlook looks very promising. RBs like Eddie Lacy and Nick Chubb have had their best seasons alongside Van Pelt, and he can get the most out of Stevenson's talents, too. Stevenson can also rack up receiving yards due to New England's lack of receiving talent.

He's probably the best player on the offense right now, so expect Maye to check it down to him a bunch of times throughout the year. Stevenson also has little to no competition in the RB room, and he can be a classic workhorse back with tons of volume.

 

Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys

Speaking of Ezekiel Elliott, he's back in Dallas now and is currently projected to be the RB1. However, head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters that the Cowboys will go with a RB-by-committee approach. This is good news for Rico Dowdle, the only real notable running back in the current RB room. He recorded 505 yards from scrimmage last season playing behind Tony Pollard. He might be injury prone, but he has less mileage on his legs compared to Elliott.

Dowdle is a solid pass-catcher, too. Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush had a passer rating of 124.1 when targeting him. He's perhaps too weak and inexperienced to be trusted in red-zone situations, so he can be used for most of the game and only be replaced in red-zone or third-and-short situations.

Elliott's return to Dallas has been a romantic tale, but he doesn't have what it takes to be a bell-cow back in 2024. Players like Pollard, Felix Jones, and Marion Barber III have succeeded in Dallas when used in a RB-by-committee system, so it's not too far-fetched to imagine Dowdle succeeding as well.



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




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

Cody Martin

to Enter Free Agency
Los Angeles Clippers

Nicolas Batum Staying with Clippers
Jurickson Profar

to Return on Wednesday
Jordan Clarkson

Jazz Finalize Contract Buyout for Jordan Clarkson
Aldrich Potgieter

Wins Rocket Mortgage Classic
Thorbjorn Olesen

Finishes Tied for 41st at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Denny McCarthy

Finishes Tied For 12th at Travelers Championship
Chris Kirk

Finishes Tied For Second at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Michael Kim

Finishes Tied for 26th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Max Homa

Misses Cut at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Lucas Glover

Finishes Tied For Ninth at Travelers Championship
PGA

Nico Echavarria Finishes Tied For Sixth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Brooklyn Nets

Day'Ron Sharpe Staying with Nets
Colby Thomas

Called Up From Triple-A
Shea Langeliers

A's Reinstate Shea Langeliers From Injured List
Pittsburgh Steelers

Rumors Still Swirling Around Potential T.J. Watt Trade
Jalen Williams

will Undergo Surgery on Right Wrist
Bryce Harper

Activated and Starting on Monday
Deandre Ayton

Finalizing Contract Buyout with Portland
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Lands on Injured List With Fractured Ribs
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Tyler Boyd

Interested in Playing for Steelers
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Now Looking to Acquire a Tight End
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
L'Jarius Sneed

Says he's Healthy
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Minkah Fitzpatrick

Heading Back to Miami
Jonnu Smith

Shipped to Pittsburgh
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Jalen Ramsey

Steelers Acquiring Jalen Ramsey
Kerry Carpenter

Leaves Game with Apparent Hamstring Injury
Brooklyn Nets

Day'Ron Sharpe Heads to Free Agency
Santi Aldama

Receives Qualifying Offer
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner has Team Option Declined
Jabari Smith Jr.

Signs Massive Extension
Jusuf Nurkić

Hornets Trading Jusuf Nurkic to Utah
Collin Sexton

Heading to Charlotte
Cam Thomas

Set for Restricted Free Agency
Milwaukee Bucks

Bobby Portis Staying in Milwaukee
Jonas Brodin

Expected to Miss Start of Next Season
TB

Conor Sheary Placed on Waivers for Contract Termination
Los Angeles Clippers

James Harden, Clippers Agree on a New Contract
Dante Fabbro

Stays with Blue Jackets on Four-Year Deal
Joel Hofer

Commits to Blues for Two More Years
Kevin Bahl

Signs Long-Term Extension with Flames
Oneil Cruz

Smacks Two Homers
Jordan Spence

Traded to Ottawa
Petr Mrazek

Heads to Anaheim
John Gibson

Red Wings Acquire John Gibson
Matthew Knies

Inks Six-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Aaron Judge

Blasts Two Homers, Dealing With Back Issue
Claude Giroux

Signs One-Year Deal with Senators
Yordan Alvarez

has Chance to Return Next Weekend
Minnesota Timberwolves

Julius Randle Signs Three-Year Extension
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Opts into Player Option
Luis Robert Jr.

Heads to Injured List
Gabriel Arias

Carted Off on Sunday
Bryce Harper

Faces Live Pitching
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Remains Out on Sunday
Utah Jazz

Bojan Bogdanovic Retiring From Basketball
Los Angeles Lakers

Dorian Finney-Smith Declines Player Option
Jaylin Williams

Signing Three-Year Extension
LeBron James

Accepts Player Option
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
NFL

NFL Won't Hold Supplemental Draft This Year
Damon Arnette

Getting Second Chance With Texans
Deommodore Lenoir

Arrested for Obstruction of Justice
Yordan Alvarez

Eyeing Return Before All-Star Break
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Quinn Priester

Fans 11 in One-Hit Gem
Spencer Schwellenbach

Dominant in Victory
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Expected to Make Second-Year Jump
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Out of Lineup Saturday
Jalin Hyatt

Looking to Flip the Script in 2025
Garrett Mitchell

to Undergo Shoulder Surgery
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez in Guardians Lineup on Saturday
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Ty Dillon

Could Benefit from Kaulig Speed
Chase Burns

Slated to Make Next Start on Monday
Dylan Sampson

Being Used as a Receiver
Carson Schwesinger

Figures to be in Full-Time Role in 2025
Cedric Tillman

Should Have Full-Time Role
Bryce Young

Looking More Comfortable, Showing More Intensity
Charlie Coyle

Blue Jackets Acquire Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood From Colorado
Jack Quinn

Signs Up for Two More Years with Sabres
Brandon Saad

Stays in Vegas on One-Year Deal
Trent Frederic

Inks Eight-Year Extension
Josh Naylor

Exits Friday's Contest Early with Neck Stiffness
Emil Heineman

Shipped to the Islanders
Noah Dobson

Traded to Montreal
John Tavares

Agrees to Four-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Sam Bennett

Signs Eight-Year Extension with Panthers
NYI

Islanders Select Matthew Schaefer With No. 1 Pick in NHL Draft
Aaron Rodgers

Roman Wilson Could Fit Nicely With Aaron Rodgers
Josh Simmons

on Schedule to Open the Year as a Starter
Micah Parsons

Contract Length an Issue for Cowboys, Micah Parsons
Denver Broncos

Broncos Unsure How Their Running Back Room Will Look
Russell Wilson

Not the Only Leader in Giants Clubhouse
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card
Daniil Tarasov

Panthers Bring in Daniil Tarasov
Frederick Gaudreau

Kraken Pick Up Frederick Gaudreau From Wild
Michael Thorbjornsen

Returns in Detroit at Rocket Classic
Adam Hadwin

Could Struggle Over the Weekend in Detroit
Cam Davis

Hopes Detroit Magic Can Spark Turnaround
Matt Wallace

a Boom-or-Bust Option at Rocket Classic
Joel Dahmen

Not Cutting it Lately
Michael Kim

Searching for Spark at Rocket Classic
Rasmus Hojgaard

a High-Ceiling Play in Rocket Classic
Matt McCarty

a Wild Card Heading into Detroit
Emiliano Grillo

Rolling into the Summer Season
Rickie Fowler

Looking for More Magic at Rocket Classic
Wyndham Clark

Brings High Upside to Detroit Golf Club
Max Greyserman

Could Make Noise at Rocket Classic
Akshay Bhatia

a Strong Value Play at Rocket Classic
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF