X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

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
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Why Zero-RB Still Won't Work in 2019

Zero-RB is a popular strategy that is touted online by several fantasy analysts. The gist of it is basically avoiding the running back position completely throughout the first few rounds of the draft, or taking a first-round workhorse, and then targeting wide receivers and maybe a premium tight end early on.

The strategy, if properly executed, can absolutely win leagues and is optimal for PPR leagues where rushing is devalued and high-volume receiving backs can dilute the RB pool significantly and make the middle-end backs' production negligible.

*As a disclaimer, this article is directed towards non-full PPR leagues, either half-PPR or standard scoring. That is the main format in which the strategy is viable.*

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!

 

Why Go Zero-RB?

There is legitimate merit to the Zero-RB strategy. Running backs are intrinsically fungible due to the nature of the position. They take more hits than any other offensive skill player on the field and can have their production dictated by various, uncontrollable factors. Top-end running back production is often accompanied by great offensive line/quarterback play along with scheming/blocking. It also helps when an offense includes downfield receiving threats who space out defenders further away from the line of scrimmage.

A particular held belief that is accompanied by various metrics is that talent level among running backs does not matter after a certain threshold. Essentially, if they are competent enough, they could get the job done. Not everyone needs a Saquon Barkley in their backfield. As long as they aren't at the level of Alfred Blue or Bishop Sankey, there is a good chance a running back could thrive in offenses that allow them to. We saw this with Austin Ekeler/Justin Jackson last year after Melvin Gordon got hurt. Then on the flip side, we witnessed two "elite" running backs have garbage years in recent history when everything around them fell apart (David Johnson's 2018, Todd Gurley's 2016).

 

Why It Should Still Be Avoided

In real-life football, running backs do not matter (much). However, in fantasy, they do. Owning multiple running backs in good offenses who touch the ball 20 times per game is essentially a cheat code. Their volume allows multiple scoring opportunities per game which raises your fantasy floor and ceiling significantly. Every year, outside of quarterbacks (who should not be drafted early at all outside of Superflex leagues), running backs are the top scorers, year-after-year. Five of the top-six FLEX-eligible scorers from last season in half-PPR were running backs. The highest-scoring running back (Saquon Barkley) scored more than 50 points more than the highest scoring wide receiver (Tyreek Hill).

2019 is especially top-heavy at running back and requires you to draft a handful in the first five rounds to have a competitive corps, at least during the first few weeks. Guys like Phillip Lindsay last season pop up every year or so, but banking on lucking into that waiver wire savior is not an ideal process. Wide receivers provide floor/security with their health and year-to-year production, but backs truly can carry your team, and there is a legit competitive advantage to flexing them. If two of the three running backs you start per week go off, they alone could win your matchups weekly (assuming the rest of your team doesn't lay an egg).

This year, in particular, the draft thins out at RB very quickly. After round four, and maybe early-round five, the other options left are backups (Latavius Murray), satellite backs (James White), and unclear situations (Ronald Jones II). While several of these types of backs could become/remain fantasy viable, there is inherent risk investing here given that you are paying for part-time players and hoping for full-time production. Wide receivers selected in the same range, while not as elite as those selected early, are still full-time players and will occasionally be presented with heavy workloads, especially if they are underrated WR1s on their respective teams (Robby Anderson, Allen Robinson, Christian Kirk).

 

Conclusion

In full-PPR, touchdowns are slightly devalued, allowing backs who just operate as budget receivers to contribute nearly as much. That is essentially why the disclaimer was included. Guys like James White and Chris Thompson (in the past) could fill in just as well as a workhorse back on some weeks.

Nevertheless, in non-PPR and half-PPR leagues, running backs are king. Stock up early and often. The best way to go about it is to draft three to four in the first five rounds. Pass up the wide receiver who is marginally better when making a selection around here unless the value is too good to pass up.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Al Horford10 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report
Derrick White10 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
TJ Friedl11 hours ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Aaron Gordon11 hours ago

Cleared To Face Phoenix
Michael Porter11 hours ago

Jr. Good To Go Wednesday
Nikola Jokic11 hours ago

Playing Against Phoenix
Jackson Chourio11 hours ago

Will Start In Right Field Friday
Jrue Holiday11 hours ago

Might Return On Thursday
Khris Middleton12 hours ago

Expected To Play On Thursday Night
Joel Embiid12 hours ago

To Return Soon?
Jamal Murray12 hours ago

Out Again On Wednesday
Rudy Gobert13 hours ago

Ready To Rock Against Pistons
LeBron James13 hours ago

Officially Active Against Memphis
Eduardo Rodriguez13 hours ago

Starts Throwing Program
Anthony Davis13 hours ago

Won't Play Against Grizzlies
Victor Wembanyama13 hours ago

Playing On Wednesday
Anthony Edwards13 hours ago

Will Play Against Detroit
Garrett Mitchell13 hours ago

Will Miss 6-8 Weeks
Aaron Nesmith13 hours ago

Back For Pacers Wednesday
Alec Burks13 hours ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Chad Green13 hours ago

To Lead Closer Committee In Toronto?
Mitchell Robinson13 hours ago

Returns For Knicks Wednesday
Erik Swanson13 hours ago

Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson Officially Heading To Injured List
Kevin Gausman13 hours ago

To Make Season Debut Sunday Or Monday
Dejounte Murray14 hours ago

Upgraded To Available
John Konchar14 hours ago

Downgraded To Out
Vince Williams14 hours ago

Jr. Misses Another Game On Wednesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo14 hours ago

Expected To Face The Pelicans
Gleyber Torres15 hours ago

Will Bat Leadoff On Opening Day
Mark Hubbard15 hours ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson15 hours ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Max Scherzer15 hours ago

Making Solid Progress
Akshay Bhatia15 hours ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen15 hours ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers15 hours ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers16 hours ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers16 hours ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Jordan Lawlar17 hours ago

To Have Thumb Surgery, Out A Couple Months
Wyndham Clark17 hours ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers18 hours ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
MLB18 hours ago

Braves And Phillies Rained Out On Thursday
Jayden Daniels18 hours ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
MLB18 hours ago

Mets And Brewers To Be Postponed Thursday
Tank Bigsby18 hours ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Will Smith18 hours ago

Inks 10-Year Extension With Dodgers
Josh Reynolds18 hours ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Jon Berti19 hours ago

Yankees Acquire Jon Berti From Marlins
Kodai Senga20 hours ago

Throws Wednesday
Matt McLain20 hours ago

Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
Doug Ghim20 hours ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA20 hours ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry20 hours ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox20 hours ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak20 hours ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan22 hours ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg22 hours ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn22 hours ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby22 hours ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin22 hours ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord22 hours ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala23 hours ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark23 hours ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler23 hours ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Colton Cowser24 hours ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Sam Ryder24 hours ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen24 hours ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama24 hours ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin1 day ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Yariel Rodriguez1 day ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Taylor Moore1 day ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson1 day ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery1 day ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Jordan Montgomery1 day ago

Diamondbacks Agree On One-Year Deal
Amon-Ra St. Brown1 day ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff1 day ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins1 day ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
Jon Gray2 days ago

Dealing With Stiff Neck
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield2 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR2 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras2 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb2 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
Justin Verlander2 days ago

Throws Successful Live BP Session
D'Andre Swift2 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson2 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell2 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott2 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley2 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs2 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad2 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson2 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Shea Theodore2 days ago

Maintains Good Scoring Form With An Assist
Brock Boeser2 days ago

Hits Goal No. 37
Cam Talbot2 days ago

Collects Fourth Consecutive Win
Anze Kopitar2 days ago

Records Fourth Straight Multi-Point Game
Oskar Sundqvist2 days ago

Suffers Knee Injury
Elias Lindholm2 days ago

Sits Out Monday
Jonathan Marchessault2 days ago

Bags Overtime Winner Monday
Pittsburgh Steelers2 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson2 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Jarrett Stidham2 days ago

To Compete For Starting Job
Amanda Ribas3 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson3 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla3 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo3 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron3 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley3 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr3 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR3 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen3 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain3 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott3 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo4 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott4 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa4 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala4 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron4 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
Rose Namajunas6 days ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Amanda Ribas6 days ago

Set For Main-Event Matchup
Edmen Shahbazyan6 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
AJ Dobson6 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla6 days ago

Seeking Victory In Third UFC Appearance
Luis Pajuelo6 days ago

Makes His UFC Debut
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF