Furthermore, the former BYU star had 13 career rushing touchdowns entering the year. Ranking NFL's top 10 RBs for 2022: Christian McCaffrey plummets with injury issues, Jonathan Taylor explodes. Be sure to check out our full RB PPR rankings and RB tiers before you draft! Jacobs was the RB12 a season ago, but the selection of rookie Zamir White and a potential committee has caused his stock to decline a bit. Whether on the ground or through the air, JT has proven hes the most all-around dominant player at the position. Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis Colts 2. . He just struggles to stay out there from start to finish each campaign. 1 overall in fantasy football drafts? Edmonds' stock is on the rise after the Dolphins released Sony Michel. discount code "SPORTING" to become a RotoBaller subscriber. You don't currently have any notifications, Get custom advice with our Draft Assistant. Expectations are this will not be a direct split, but Gordon should still take enough of the pie to hurt Williams fantasy output. 1 pick, Commanders rip 'blatantly false' team sale report, Richardson logs colossal measurements at combine, Top QB in draft has one team he doesn't want to play for. 1 running back, has seen his stock rise substantially. It's easy to look at the success of the Bengals in 2021 and forget what it took for them to get there, which is to say what Mixon had to fight through to keep the team relevant and to ultimately still be around in Cincinnati for it. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Already a premium subscriber? And he does all of his damage in the most buttoned-up manner possible, reminiscent of how Barry Sanders used to operate. For the Steelers this game marks his seventh career start as he continues to develop as Pittsburghs future franchise signal caller. . Still, the issue with Harris pertains to his true upside potential in a potentially capped offense led by a rookie quarterback. He's also coming off a season where he scored just six times. And his good luck continued in the second round, as Najee Harris tumbled to the 17th overall pick nearly a round later than his 6.84 ADP in NFC drafts, though over the past week, Harris' price has fallen to 8.41, so it might not be as outlandish as it seems. Najee Harris UPDATE: Najee Harris (hip) practiced fully Thursday and doesn't carry an injury designation ahead of Saturday night's game against the Raiders. Elevating Ekeler to the starting role has paid off like gangbusters in tandem with the drafting of Justin Herbert, and his dual-threat ability that also allows him to be an effective receiver out of the backfield truly does take defensive pressure off of wide receiver Mike Williams. 3:21 pm ET, a pick I've been advocating for the entire offseason, still think Kupp is the top WR on the board, I'm a firm believer in taking an early QB this season, evidence suggests early-round QBs are worth the investment, Quentin Johnston: Rookie scouting profile. He has good hands, catching nearly 85 percent of his 90 targets through his first two seasons. While the ceilings not as high anymore, he should have the volume to be a borderline top-12 RB this year. Has played in 34 regular-season games (34 starts) Has recorded 2,234 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns on 579 attempts and added 115 catches for 696 yards and six receiving touchdowns. Harris was inefficient but was utilized heavily in the run and passing game, which should remain. window.PLAYERCARDS_CONFIG={affiliateCode:"fpros_cards"}; Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com He has phenomenal vision, burst, and cutting ability. After playing just a 70% snap share once in 2020, Jonathan Taylor surpassed that number in nine contests in 2021, including eight weeks during the teams last eight games. All of this, and more, becomes deathly clear when attempting to identify the best in all of football at the position. At just 23, he was the focal point of the Steelers otherwise-dreadful offense, garnering 307 rushing attempts (second) and 94 targets (tied for first among all RBs). Last season, he was 27th in snaps at just 49% amongst RBs a number that will undoubtedly increase in 2021. 1 running back in fantasy football. Najee Harris Is A Very Talented Player To be a first-round pick, it is obviously imperative that you produce at a high level in college, especially at a position that isn't valued significantly. No matter what team build approach you choose, you're going to be making some kind of sacrifices. The former Volunteer is continually volunteering to punch defenses in their mouths, but with what can only be described as an electric finesse. He's been able to not only produce at a high level, but to do so in an offense that features Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, which is a nod to just how productive he is when his number is called. 99 TE Dawson Knox BUF 7 $7 . Pro Football Network, LLC. He has been placed on IR and won't return in 2022. 98 RB Damien Harris NE 10 $12. Harris is a true workhorse who should continue to deliver the mail for coach Mike Tomlin in his second season. Najee Harris, on the other hand, enters the NFL at 23 years-old and is already an established pass-protector. $48 Jonathan Taylor ($50) $46 Christian McCaffrey ($41) . Harris also improved drastically after the team's bye week operating as the RB7 in points per game over the last 9 weeks of the season. While Taylor was dominant last season, Henry was arguably even better in 20. The hope is that new head coach Brian Daboll will be able to resurrect the Barkley we knew when he was a rookie. He had higher grades on Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor and LSU's Clyde Edwards-Helaire last year than the 2021 class. The RB5 last season, Conner will likely experience touchdown regression even though his role in Arizona projects to increase a bit without Chase Edmonds. Chubbs fantasy value in PPR is severely limited by his lack of targets in the past two years. And though his numbers took a slight dip from his 1,900-yard (from scrimmage) season in 2020, he was still able to mount a third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season and averaged less than 11 yards per game shy of a 100-yard per game average. McKissic, CommandersNyheim Hines, ColtsMichael Carter, Jets. The Panthers recently traded for Baker Mayfield, so the Carolina offense could be in for some major positive regression this season. Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com PFF ranks the Colts line No. That said, there are enough obvious risks here to preclude Ekeler from going ahead of Taylor. Taylor played all 17 regular-season games in 21 and looked fine despite the massive usage. Here are the ones I trust when employing the Hero RB strategy. Pollard carries increased value in a PPR format, especially with injuries to the Cowboys RB group. The Colts gutted out their coaching staff at midseason and many Steelers fans think Pittsburgh should have done the same. The scoring format for the tiers below is PPR and is correct as of Aug. 16, 2022. The former two-time NFL rushing champ was off to a blazing start to the 2021 season that saw him as fast, quick and decisive as he's ever been, but he was slowed by injury in the back half of the season that made many forget what he was doing prior to that point. My highest-graded team was team 7, who took Jonathan Taylor in the first round and ended up with another potential RB1 in Rhamondre Stevenson, to go along with an elite bounce-back candidate in Mark Andrews. Steelers' Najee Harris: Overcomes early fumble Rotowire Jan 8, 2023 Harris carried the ball 23 times for 84 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 28-14 win over the Browns. It is virtually impossible to take Chubb down on first contact, or second, and if he gets into the open field -- it's good night, Nancy. CMC has played just 10 total games over the past two seasons, while Cook has never played more than 14 games. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? DOB Mar 9, 1998 Age 24.9. Mixon was a very good receiver out of the backfield in college, and in 2021, he will finally get more opportunities to display his pass-catching abilities. The Titans have a better schedule ranked a four out of five but a much worse offensive line. College Alabama. Andrew Erickson, Awesome tool on @FantasyPros that I have been re-introduced to: The Boom or Bust Report, Mixon and Jonathan Taylor were the only RBs to post 7 top-six weekly finishes in 2021. pic.twitter.com/dAKDV29zFG, Andrew Erickson (@AndrewErickson_) May 17, 2022, We all know the deal with CMC. Akers has lost value in drafts as he heads into what looks like a committee with Henderson. But he should be the offensive focal point tonight. Despite his current ADP ranking below those of both Najee Harris and Jonathan Taylor, Gibson arguably presents the most upside of the three backs this season. However, his usage metrics were still very strong across the board. Compare Najee Harris and Jonathan Taylor careers through the years of your choosing. No player in fantasy football has a higher ceiling if he can stay healthy. Fournette averaged a career-high 18.3 fantasy points per game a season ago, and hell remain the top back in a Buccaneers offense that will score lots of points. He was a top-5 runner last season before suffering a knee injury that had him running in quicksand in the second half. You don't currently have any notifications, Get custom advice with our Draft Assistant. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? We must consider much more than just sheer rushing ability when ranking backs in PPR leagues. Cheetahs Always Prosper (Tyreek Hill) Adams' Family (Davante Adams) Diggs In A Blanket (Stefon Diggs) Ridley's Believe It Or Not (Calvin Ridley) Nuk If You Buck (DeAndre Hopkins) Downtown A.J. All Rights Reserved. Thats the reason hes not among my RB1s heading into drafts. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? The debate is largely over whether he can stay healthy and remain efficient at this stage in his career. David MontgomeryBreece HallTravis EtienneCam AkersAJ DillonJosh Jacobs. That's a move you'll see a lot of this year, pairing upside with safety in that duo Derek Carr is another late-round QB target to consider pairing with Lance or Justin Fields. Dillon, but he should see more work as a pass catcher in a new-look Packers offense that no longer has Davante Adams. 10 RB Najee Harris PIT 9 $29. 2. So, who should go 1-2-3 out of the top tier of RBs in PPR drafts? SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers. 6-keys: media/fantasynews/nfl/reg/free/stories, at Michael Carter is a solid pass-catching RB, and the Jets could be throwing a lot in the second half this season. Harris had a strong finish to the season and will bounce back in 2023 at full health and pay off for where he's drafted. @ohthatsNajee22 headset Play Clip. Montgomery could easily see one of the biggest workloads in the entire league, but the Bears offense is among the worst in the NFL, limiting his ceiling. Given Henrys importance to the Titans offense and Tennessees shot at contending it would be somewhat surprising to see him garner another touch count in the 330-370 range. Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com Combined with 40-reception upside, Taylor is a locked-in first-round RB in fantasy football drafts. . 11 RB Joe Mixon CIN 10 $27 . 2022 CONSISTENCY RATINGS:Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end. The first surprise came with the No. If there is any running back that could potentially de-throne Derrick Henry as the poster child for the volume is king mantra, its Najee Harris. Barkley is sort of hovering between the two tiers, and given the glimpse of the old Barkley that we saw in the first week of the preseason, he could even sneak up into the tier above by Labor Day weekend. 5 overall in PPR drafts. Taylor is not just the No. Taylor is the consensus No. Swift has big upside due to his receiving chops, but he needs to avoid nagging injuries to meet expectations. An immobile Ben Roethlisberger was a check-down target machine to Harris in 2021 which may not be the case in 2022. Even if his workload carrying the ball is not as high as others, he could see a significant enough target share to push for a top 24 finish at the position. Hes young, healthy, super-skilled, and has very little competition for touches both on the ground and through the air. Those numbers put him top-five in both PPR and standard scoring last season. He scored 10 touchdowns last season and averaged 4.4 yards per touch last season. All five of these running backs could finish the season in Tier 2, but for now theyre all being selected as mid-RB1s in most drafts. 1 pick in our first mock draft of 2022. For a franchise that has always prided themselves on establishing the run, 2020 was abysmal. Lets dive deeper into the debate of whether you should draft Taylor or Henry at No. Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons 15. His average yards per carry sits at 5.1 and he has toted the ball 756 times. Harris carried the ball 23 times for 84 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 28-14 win over the Browns. Thats the main reason he has yet to make a Pro Bowl appearance or receive any high NFL honors. 2022 AUCTION VALUES (Standard & PPR):QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Overall. Running Backs: Derrick Henry, Austin Ekeler, Alvin Kamara, Ezekiel Elliott, Jonathan Taylor, Najee Harris, Cordarrelle Patterson, D'Andre Swift, Nick Chubb, James Robinson, Kareem Hunt, Darrell . However, with Jones still expected to be a major part of the backfield in Green Bay, Dillons opportunity to be a top-15 running back is severely hampered. No, I'm a California resident looking for the California Consumer Privacy Act form. With each reception counting for a point or even just a half-point, a strong three-down receiving back jumps way up in value. Get insight into every teams' depth chart to see all the backups and sleepers you need to know with our 2022 RB . I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. His 1,811 rushing yards led the entire league, and his 20 total touchdowns was good enough to tie Austin Ekeler for first among all players. Damien Harris, PatriotsCam Akers, RamsMiles Sanders, EaglesDevin Singletary, BillsDarrell Henderson, Rams. Jamey stopped Kupp's slide with the eighth overall pick, and even with concerns about Matthew Stafford's elbow making headlines in training camp recently, I still think Kupp is the top WR on the board and should be a top-three pick in PPR leagues. Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry favorites for 2022 rushing title Kevin Hickey May 18, 2022 9:16 am ET During the second half of the 2021 regular season, Indianapolis Colts running back. Health was an issue in 2022. Cuff options: Jonathan Taylor, Jordan Wilkins, Marlon Mack Review: The Colts' line is among the best when healthy, and early injuries worries have been somewhat abated. Michael Hickey/Getty Images. Its also imperative to pay attention to injury risks and the age factor. Jonathan Taylor or Najee Harris | Who Should I Draft in Dynasty? In his absence, Zack. Captain: RB Jonathan Taylor, Colts ($17,400) He's earning heavy volume, finding the end zone, and securing targets. 02 Mar 2023 21:32:29 Tier 7 Low RB2sChase Edmonds, DolphinsJosh Jacobs, RaidersDameon Pierce, TexansElijah Mitchell, 49ers. Hell be a top-five pick. We also expect Jacobs to have a significant number of touches, but Kenyan Drake and Zamir White could just eat in enough to dampen his ceiling. Both of these teams went into the 2022 season hoping to be competitive in their respective divisions. Hall should lead the Jets backfield in touches, though Michael Carter will camp his ceiling in the receiving categories. Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Fournette is set to be a three-down back for the Buccaneers in 2022, but there are growing concerns around the strength of Tampa Bays offensive line.