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It was just one year ago that no team wanted to sign running backs to a long-term deal. Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and Tony Pollard all received the franchise tag, while others like Devin Singletary, Ezekiel Elliott, and Kareem Hunt signed one-year deals worth less than $3.1 million.
However, it has been a different story for running backs this offseason. The big names got paid, and several running backs found new homes.
So, here are where the top running backs landed in free agency and what it means for their fantasy value in 2024.
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Saquon Barkley: Philadelphia Eagles
The top-rated free-agent running back this offseason signed a massive deal with the Philadelphia Eagles when the tampering period opened. Saquon Barkley and the Eagles agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $46.75 million with incentives. Barkley will now go from running behind one of the worst offensive lines with the Giants to the best. He should be a first-round pick in fantasy drafts next season, running behind an Eagles offensive line that ranked first in run block win rate in 2023.
“It’s awesome. I hope I can get him in our (fantasy) draft. He’s gonna be a stud.”
JT Realmuto on the Eagles signing Saquon Barkley pic.twitter.com/MMaHVhxTTx
— Luke Arcaini (@ArcainiLuke) March 12, 2024
Josh Jacobs: Green Bay Packers
Not one person could have predicted Josh Jacobs landing with the Green Bay Packers. However, the Packers landed one of the best free-agent running backs this offseason, signing him to a four-year deal worth $48 million. Jacobs will now lead the Packers backfield with both Aaron Jones (released) and AJ Dillon (free agent) not on the team anymore. The former 2022 rushing champ should exceed over 250 carries with his new team, making him a nice pick early in fantasy drafts in 2024.
Derrick Henry: Baltimore Ravens
The perfect landing spot for Derrick Henry became a reality when he agreed to a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens. With Baltimore losing both Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins to free agency, they were in the market for a running back. Now, they'll have Henry leading this backfield following a two-year, $16 million agreement. The veteran back will immediately be a solid fantasy target for many next season, as he'll run behind a solid offensive line and an offense that ran the ball at the highest mark (49.9%) in 2023.
D'Andre Swift: Chicago Bears
D'Andre Swift was one of the first players to sign when the tampering period opened and agreed to a three-year deal with the Chicago Bears. The Bears will be paying the dual-threat back $24 million with $15.4 million guaranteed over the next three seasons. Swift's signing with Chicago was a bit surprising, considering both Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson are still with the team. However, he's a clear upgrade over both after totaling his 1,000-yard rushing season in 2023. The 25-year-old might be a risk in fantasy, though, running behind a worse offensive line.
Tony Pollard: Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans might have lost Derrick Henry in free agency, but they were aggressive in replacing him. The Titans quickly signed Tony Pollard to a three-year deal worth $24 million. The addition of Pollard will complement second-year back Tyjae Spears in the running and passing game to form an explosive backfield in Tennessee. The former Cowboys playmaker won't be going nearly as high in drafts, but he could be a nice value pick in a bounceback year. Around 300 running back touches are vacated in the Titans offense, so the volume should be there for the 26-year-old.
Tony Pollard officially agreed to a 3-year deal with the Titans, per @JosinaAnderson. pic.twitter.com/5gu511Q6W0
— Underdog NFL (@Underdog__NFL) March 11, 2024
Austin Ekeler: Washington Commanders
Austin Ekeler found a home rather quickly this offseason, agreeing to a two-year deal with the Washington Commanders. After a down year in 2023 -- he totaled 1,064 yards from scrimmage -- Ekeler joined the NFC East and agreed to a two-year deal worth $11.43 million. The veteran might have been the biggest bust of the fantasy season and should fall drastically in drafts next season. He will likely see the bulk of the passing down work in Washington, which could make him a nice pick in PPR formats. However, Brian Robinson Jr. should see the early down work in the rushing game.
Aaron Jones: Minnesota Vikings
This is why free agency is so unpredictable. No one could have guessed that Aaron Jones was going to be released by the Packers and then immediately sign with a division rival. Nonetheless, Jones and the Minnesota Vikings agreed to a one-year, $7 million deal. Minnesota is an ideal landing spot for the veteran's fantasy value in 2024, as there is very little competition for touches. Alexander Mattison was released, and Ty Chandler shouldn't affect things too much. If Jones can stay healthy, he should be able to put together a very strong fantasy campaign.
Joe Mixon: Houston Texans
All offseason, the expectation was that Joe Mixon would get cut by the Cincinnati Bengals. When the Bengals signed Zack Moss to a two-year deal, that became a reality. However, before it became official, the Houston Texans swooped in and traded a seventh-round pick for the Pro Bowl running back.
Mixon will now take over RB1 duties in Houston's backfield and should continue to see a high volume of touches. He has totaled at least 250 carries in three of the past five seasons, which shouldn't change in 2024. His ADP will likely be around where he was going in drafts last year.
Plot twist: The #Bengals are now trading Joe Mixon to the #Texans, rather than releasing him, sources say.
So Zack Moss signs in Cincy, Mixon is traded to Houston. From Joe Burrow to CJ Stroud. pic.twitter.com/TG0G3JMGMp
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2024
Devin Singletary: New York Giants
The Giants replaced Barkley with Devin Singletary this offseason by signing him to a three-year deal worth $16.5 million. Losing the Pro Bowl running back will hurt New York in 2024, but Singletary is a fine replacement for the time being. He has totaled over 800 rush yards in three straight seasons while having a career 4.6 yards per carry. It'll be very interesting to see how he does behind this Giants offensive line. Still, he should see enough volume in 2024 to be a solid weekly flex play.
Antonio Gibson: New England Patriots
After spending the first four years with the Commanders, Antonio Gibson will play elsewhere for the next three seasons. That's because the New England Patriots signed Gibson to a three-year, $11.25 million deal. The 25-year-old back will look to revive his career after failing to show much over the past two seasons. He'll be the backup to Rhamondre Stevenson, but should find himself with plenty of passing down work. That likely won't be enough, though, to make him fantasy relevant in 2024.
Gus Edwards: Los Angeles Chargers
Edwards has dealt with a handful of injuries over his career and now will play for a new team in 2024. The veteran and the Los Angeles Chargers agreed to a two-year deal worth $6.5 million. It's a nice landing spot for the 28-year-old on a team that will want to run the football under Jim Harbaugh. The Chargers will almost definitely either bring in another running back or draft one, which likely will hurt Edwards' value. However, he should have plenty of chances to score touchdowns on a solid offense.
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