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Running backs whose fantasy football value is rising following the NFL Draft. Andersen Pickard identifies RBs who came out ahead after draft day and what their outlook is for the 2023 NFL season.
Job security. Every NFL player wants it, but very few have it.
This past draft, many running backs heard their name called, officially transitioning from the ranks of college football to the pros. Many of these backs became depth options or special teamers, some will compete for backup roles, and a select couple could even open Week 1 as their team's starter. The results of the draft stripped many veteran running backs of their job security and created competition within the backfield. However, not all teams drafted a running back, showing the ultimate sign of faith in their existing players.
Here are four running backs who won the draft when their team didn’t draft a potential replacement or true threat to their role. All four of these players are set to lead their respective backfields and should continue to be strong fantasy football options in 2023.
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James Conner, Arizona Cardinals
Conner was featured in this same article last season when our own Rishi Patel accurately predicted that sixth-round rookie Keaontay Ingram wasn't a threat for meaningful production. Indeed, Ingram finished the year with just 31 touches for 81 yards while Conner produced 1,082 yards and eight touchdowns.
Even though Ingram wasn't a major threat, there was some speculation that the rebuilding Cardinals could draft a young running back this past April to take some of the burden off Conner as he enters his age-28 season. However, Arizona left the draft without spending any of its picks on an addition to the backfield.
Thus, Conner remains the clear-cut number-one running back in Arizona's backfield. As long as he stays healthy, he should handle an every-down role, collecting rushing yards, receiving yards, and touchdowns. Furthermore, with Kyler Murray rehabbing a torn ACL, Conner will provide added value early in the season when the Cardinals are forced to start Colt McCoy at quarterback.
Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings
The disclaimer here is that Mattison exited the draft with optimism, though he didn't become a true "winner" until the Vikings released Dalvin Cook in June. Nevertheless, Mattison finds himself in a backfield whose only draft addition is DeWayne McBride, a seventh-round pick who faces an uphill battle to even suit up in Week 1.
Beyond Mattison and McBride, the only other noteworthy players in the Minnesota backfield are Ty Chandler and Kene Nwangwu. Chandler had just 20 yards as a rookie last season (all in Week 18) while Nwangwu, a speedster, figures to spend most of his time on special teams.
The path is clear for Mattison to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards with ease, all while remaining a solid receiving and red-zone threat. In six career games with at least 50 percent of snaps, he is averaging 22.2 fantasy points. He has already shown that he can be an alpha running back, and he should be drafted as a high-end RB2 in 2023 fantasy drafts.
Cam Akers, Los Angeles Rams
Akers entered this offseason as the only legitimate running back in the Rams' backfield, and he exits the month of June in a relatively similar situation. Los Angeles spent its sixth-round pick on running back Zach Evans, then signed veteran Sony Michel last week. Michel is an aging veteran who might not even survive training camp cuts while Evans is unlikely to carve out a significant role as a rookie. The Michel and Evans additions are actually good news for Akers' role; the fact that Los Angeles didn't bring in another proven back further confirms that this is truly Akers' backfield.
Injuries have hindered Akers in the past, but as long as he stays healthy, he should have no trouble fending off Michel, Evans, and company. After all, Akers seemed to turn the corner late last season, ranking as the overall RB4 from Weeks 13 to 18 while averaging 17.7 points per game during that span.
There is a real chance that Akers could handle more than 275 touches and 70 percent of snaps this coming season. Injuries could certainly derail this outlook, but for the time being, Akers has zero competition and is shaping up to be a high-end RB2 in fantasy football.
Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
White emerged as a rookie last season, significantly eating into Leonard Fournette's volume. As the season came to a close, White had all but forced Fournette out of his job. Indeed, the veteran back was released this offseason, leaving White alone atop the depth chart.
Tampa Bay did bring in some other faces this offseason, including veteran Chase Edmonds and undrafted rookie Sean Tucker. Neither of these players is a lock to even make the roster, and both are likely fighting for nothing more than the number three role behind White and Ke'Shawn Vaughhn. Vaughn himself was held to just 53 yards through 15 games last season, so if he does lock up the backup running back job, there is no threat whatsoever to White's lead-back role.
White is indeed expected to have a very large workload this season with head coach Todd Bowles suggesting the 24-year-old could be an every-down back. White was equally optimistic about his role, mentioning that he has improved his pass-catching skills and envisions a "lot of balls coming my way" in 2023. White averaged 11.2 fantasy points from Weeks 10 to 18 last year and should be a strong RB2 option this coming season.
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