Fantasy Football: 7 popular running backs to consider avoiding in 2023 drafts

 

Najee Harris

While a foot issue may have contributed in part, Harris clearly had a difficult season. Whether on purpose or not, Jaylen Warren has transformed the Steelers' backfield during the preseason into a full-fledged committee. Warren outperformed Harris as a rookie last year (he did, of course, benefit from the circumstances), and he has been even more impressive this preseason. Harris only had one carry that went over 20 yards last season, but Warren recently took a 60+ yarder to the house!

There could be a running back issue for the Steelers.

Rhamondre Stevenson

Stevenson is a great running back who is also effective and adaptable. He will undoubtedly have a successful season. But it seems like there are still too many fantasy managers (as well as different gurus) who are unaware of Ezekiel Elliott's expected position for the New England Patriots.

I ask you to keep in mind that Stevenson, who handled 279 touches during the campaign, admittedly dragged in the latter weeks of 2022. In the upcoming season, the Patriots won't attempt to center their whole running game around a single guy. Anyone trying to convince you that Zeke won't participate in some of the team's most crucial backfield touches, such as goal-line carries and receiving opportunities, is just denying the information that is now available.

Breece Hall

The "Yahoo Fantasy Football Show" hosts Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski discussed their desire to start the upcoming season quickly. Because of this, I won't be drafting Hall at his current ADP of 34.3. If I select a player in the third round of a fantasy draft, I want him to be totally healthy and have a clear path to a full-time position.

Hall lacks a defined role now that Dalvin Cook has committed to the Jets. Although they aren't stating it directly, the Jets may also be taking their time during Hall's first few games of the season to ensure that he is fully recovered from ACL surgery, which was performed almost ten months ago.

Hall and Aaron Jones both have comparable ADPs. D.K.

J.K Dobbins

In eight of his 29 games, Dobbins has rushed for 70 yards or more. In comparison, Dameon Pierce had eight in his first year's 13 games.

In fact, only 11 out of 29 games have seen Dobbins surpass 70 total scrimmage yards. To compare once more, Pierce surpassed this figure in every game he played as a rookie with the exception of three.

Only five times has Dobbins had more than three receiving targets in a single game.

Dobbins has only tallied 15 or more fantasy points six times since the year 2020.

Among all running backs over that time period, Dobbins' career average of 10.31 fantasy points per game places him 33rd.

James Conner (RB22), Alexander Mattison (RB23), and other backs would all choose to pursue him at the cost of RB18.

Cam Akers

I'm about to start the season, which Akers version? The person who had a horrible first 12 weeks of the previous year? Or, the league-winning athlete who finished the 2022 season on an incredible run, scoring 86.3 fantasy points from Weeks 13 to 17, ranking fourth among running backs during that time. Although I am aware that he will be given a bell-cow workload and no competition in the backfield, what if this squad is simply bad?

After making no significant improvements throughout the summer, the Rams' offensive line is among the worst five. 35-year-old Matthew Stafford recently recovered from a difficult year that included three concussions, an elbow injury, and a spinal contusion. Moreover, the group is actively

Alvin Kamara

Kamara had the ideal situation for a very long time: Hall of Fame quarterback, great offensive line, and brilliant offensive designer. All of those characteristics are no longer there, and Kamara's effectiveness has substantially decreased over the past two seasons. Due to a ban, he will miss three games, and when he does, Jamaal Williams, not Kamara, will likely be the hammer at the goal line. Although Kamara has had positive summer reports, I can't pay the freight on his 77.6 ADP as he starts his sixth professional season. — Pianowski, Scott

Rachaad White

You can bet I'm wary of their second-year running back if I'm reluctant to spend money on established great receivers like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin down there in Tampa due to my general distrust of the offense. White performed well in the preseason, participating in every offensive play. He stayed away from any significant offseason competition that was added to the backfield. Those are commendable accomplishments, but they also ring of volume-based trap arguments that have previously misled us in the running-back dead zone.

Last season, White didn't really set himself apart from Leonard Fournette, who is still unsigned. His 0.09 forced missed tackles per attempt put him 42nd out of 42 running backs with 100 carries, so he didn't exactly wow anyone. The majority of his fantasy worth came from his performance as a receiver, and the Hall of Fame quarterback stopped using the typical Tom Brady dump-offs. White has been a player I've been passing on, especially with the receivers coming in that bracket (84.3 ADP) being stronger talent-based bets, as the Bucs are likely to take the air out of the ball and roll out an overall doubtful quarterback scenario. Matthew Harmon