2023 Fantasy Football: Running Backs to Avoid & 3 You Need to Draft

Outside of Christian McCaffrey & Austin Ekeler, the running back class is a bit of a mystery in terms of how good backs will be this year. We’ll be breaking down 3 running backs you would be better off avoiding and 3 sleeper running backs that you need to have on your draft board. 

Running Backs to Avoid:

#1: Najee Harris

Last season was a rather disappointing year for Najee Harris for fantasy terms. He played in all 17 games but his statistics from his rookie season dipped quite a bit. Part of that was a result of poor quarterback play, but Najee didn’t help the cause either. As the season went on, we saw Jaylen Warren getting more touches and we expect the Steelers to use more of a committee approach in 2023 rather than letting Najee be the standalone back. 

#2: Tony Pollard

For the past couple seasons, we’ve been saying that the Cowboys need to let go of Zeke and put Tony Pollard front & center. The Cowboys have finally done that but Pollard hasn’t proven himself to be a top 5 running back in the NFL which is where he’s landing in most fantasy drafts. We think Pollard will do just fine, but with how high he’s being drafted, there’s several alternatives we’d rather opt for instead. 

#3: Jonathan Taylor

Putting aside the fact that Jonathan Taylor will miss 4 games due to being on the PUP list, it’s likely that Jonathan Taylor can hold out longer than that. It’s also likely that the Colts just sit Taylor until they can trade him. The uncertainty around Jonathan Taylor’s frustrations with the team and his future as an Indianapolis Colt is a risk that we’d rather not take in the first 6 to 8 rounds. 

Running Backs to Target:

#1: Aaron Jones

Aaron Jones has declined in touchdowns each season since 2019 which takes a toll on his fantasy relevance, but he makes up for it in receptions, receiving yards, and rushing yards. Aaron Jones had a career best season in rushing yards last season with over 1,100 as well as a career high reception total with 59 on the year. He was a top 10 running back last year and that was with Aaron Rodgers, a much better quarterback than Jordan Love playing. With Love taking the snaps, we expect him to rely on Jones more than Rodgers did and use Jones as a safety net. 

#2: Alexander Mattison

Alexander Mattison has been one of the better backups in the NFL over the last 3 years. When he’s been given the chance, he’s done well in filling Dalvin Cook’s role. This year, the Vikings are giving Mattison a true chance to be the starter and seeing how it pans out. With how strong their passing game is, the Vikings will have plenty of red zone opportunities for Mattison to score. 

#3: Damien Harris

Damien Harris saw himself losing the starting role in New England and knows what it’s like to be a backup which is the role he will be playing in Buffalo. However in Buffalo, James Cook is not nearly as talented as Rhamondre Stevenson is. With how low Harris is being drafted which is outside the top 40 running backs, we’d rather have him for depth over other depth backs.