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

Introducing the 2020 Rookie Running Back Class

Aaron Schillinger introduces the top rookie running backs entering the 2020 NFL draft in order to provide dynasty fantasy football league owners with an overview of their potential value.

The 2020 class has been getting a ton of hype for some time now and as the offseason goes on, it’s only going to pick up.

If you’ve gathered yourself some 2020 rookie picks, hold on to them because they’re only going to gain value. This year’s running back class is going to be very talented and deep.

Let's dive into the 2020 RB draft class to see which rookie runners you might want to consider in dynasty and re-draft leagues. For a look at the QB position, click here.

Editor's Note: RotoBaller’s Dynasty content delivers year-round dynasty fantasy football rankings, trade advice, rookie analysis, and player outlooks. Build a title-winning roster with sleepers, stash targets, and our full dynasty fantasy football guide.

 

D’Andre Swift, Georgia

The first name on this list is Georgia Bulldogs running back D’Andre Swift. Swift is the total package when it comes to being a complete running back. His combination of speed, elusiveness, and versatility in the passing game is something special to watch. As you watch him play throughout his time in college, it’s tough to find any major holes in his game.

Playing at Georgia, Swift has spent some time behind some big-name running backs like Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. Despite being a freshman when those two were on the roster, Swift still saw the field a decent amount. He carried the ball 81 times as a freshman for 618 yards and three touchdowns as the third-string guy. Swift isn’t heavily involved in the passing game, but is efficient and more than capable of catching the ball out of the backfield. Based on pure talent and profile, Swift is the first running back I’d be targeting if we were drafting dynasty rookie drafts today. However, a lot can change between now and the NFL Draft, and often times landing spot changes things immensely.

 

Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin

Wisconsin seems to always end up with big offensive lineman and talented running backs on their roster. The name to watch out of Wisconsin this year is Jonathan Taylor. In the Rose Bowl against Oregon, Taylor just recently became the first Badgers running back to rush for 2,000+ yards in consecutive seasons. Not only is Taylor breaking records, but he’s a very powerful north/south runner with excellent patience, burst, and vision. His long speed and work in the receiving game could improve, but he’s got the tools and profile to be a three-down back in the NFL.

While I do currently have Swift ahead of Taylor in my rankings, the skill set is great and depending on where these two are drafted in the 2020 NFL Draft, Taylor could end up surpassing Swift.

 

Travis Etienne, Clemson

The next running back to note is Travis Etienne out of Clemson. Unlike Swift, Taylor, and really any running back in this class, Etienne possesses speed and explosiveness that is in a tier of its own. He was a high school track star and personally I can’t wait to see what he does at the NFL Combine. Another trait of his that really stands out is his contact balance. Etienne breaks tackles easily and is very productive between the tackles.

Etienne is a very exciting prospect, but there are also some holes in his game that he needs to improve on. His blocking skills need work and that can always prevent a rookie from getting on the field early. With a slightly smaller frame, he may not be someone that ends up as a three-down back in the NFL, but the way the NFL is moving, there’s definitely a chance he ends up getting more work than initially expected.

 

J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State

Next up is J.K. Dobbins, the versatile running back out of Ohio State. Some NFL mock drafts have shown Dobbins as potentially the first running back to get drafted in this 2020 class. Dobbins has increased his draft stock this year after posting 2,003 rushing yards which were enough to break the recent Ohio State record held by Eddie George.

While the Buckeyes did lose to Clemson in the College Football Playoff, Dobbins racked up 147 rushing yards and 47 receiving yards on six catches. Dobbins has proven to be a reliable pass-catcher and blocker, and can definitely be someone that is a three-down back in the NFL.

 

Najee Harris, Alabama

Yet another Alabama running back makes his way into the NFL, this time it's Najee Harris. Harris is a very tough runner and his legs move nonstop to get every yard he can. For a running back of his size, he has great footwork and quickness. He looks oddly similar to Derrick Henry based on the way he runs and thanks to his size. Not only does he have that size and power, but the combination of his power and quickness makes him a very intriguing prospect.

One of the more appealing things about Harris is the fact that he’s leaving college with under 400 career carries, meaning he’ll enter the NFL without a ton of wear and tear.

 

Cam Akers, Florida State

Akers is a quick and elusive running back who runs with great balance. On top of his quickness, he never goes down easily and rarely goes down on the first point of contact. Akers’ pass protection will give him a chance to get on the field early on, and his pass-catching ability makes him a potential weapon in the NFL in the future. His patience is decent but needs work as someone who tends to get ahead of himself with his runs.

Akers isn’t someone that is going to go off the board super early, he could end up as a decent value later in the draft. It will be interesting to see where he gets drafted, and his dynasty value could change depending on what type of role he finds himself in. If he ends up as a complementary back, he could have some decent value as a pass-catcher. Akers does have the skills to potentially see the field on all three downs, so we’ll just need to wait and see what team drafts him to really see what he can do and how he’ll be utilized.

 

Late-round names to watch

Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma
Chuba Hubbard has put together some excellent performances in 2019, with four games of 200+ rushing yards. He has good vision and is very explosive.

Zach Moss, Utah
He was the lynchpin for the offense of the surprising Utes as their workhorse back. He totaled over 1,800 scrimmage yards and scored 17 times in his senior year. He is more of an interior runner that could find a role on a committee somewhere in the pros.

Eno Benjamin, Arizona State
Eno Benjamin is a smaller running back who is shifty, can change directions, and hits holes well. He’s not a great pass-catcher and doesn’t profile as a three-down back, but has interesting skills that will likely make him a complementary back in the NFL.

Lamical Perine, Florida
He showed up big in the Gators' bowl win over Virginia, running for 138 yards and two TD while adding another score through the air. He was underutilized in college but could find a home on an NFL roster.

More Dynasty League 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

Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF