Welcome, fantasy friends and foes, to the Must-Have Running Backs in the 2022 fantasy football season.
The 2022 NFL season kicks off next week. So the wait is finally over. But before we get there, fantasy football nerds like us still have drafts to do.
The path to a fantasy championship typically runs through the running back position. Here are four must-have running backs that fantasy managers need to roster to achieve fantasy gold.
Beyond our fantasy football content, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you prepare for your draft this season. From our free mock Draft Simulator – which allows you to mock draft against realistic opponents – to our Draft Assistant – that optimizes your picks with expert advice – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football draft season.
Quadzilla, Green Bay Packers running back A.J. Dillon, is kicking off the must-have running backs this season. Dillon established himself as a complete back in 2021 with 34 catches on 37 targets for 313 yards and two touchdowns. Dillon is an immense power back who averaged 4.3 yards per carry and scored five touchdowns last season in a timeshare with Aaron Jones. However, he established himself as the go-to guy for the Packers’ running game, while Jones was best utilized as a pass catcher for Aaron Rodgers. The wide receiver room is desperate for playmakers with the departures of Davante Adams and Marquez Valdez-Scantling. However, Rodgers believes that the running back duo can significantly influence the passing game. The Packers will get both backs on the field together, and they should be a focal point of their offensive attack, including both backs reaching a high reception mark.
“I think 50 is really realistic. I think 50 for both of those guys is realistic,” Rodgers said.
Green Bay’s head coach Matt LaFleur called Aaron Jones and Dillon running backs “1A and 1A,” per The Athletic. Dillon is positioned to be the lead runner for the Packers and is currently being drafted as the RB23, which is a massive bargain considering his upside to be a top-10 back with the increased looks in the Packers’ offense. Additionally, if Jones happens to miss any time, Dillon becomes a top-five, must-have running back. Look for Dillon to be on plenty of fantasy championship rosters this season.
The release of Sony Michel still leaves a logjam in the Miami Dolphins’ backfield. However, the committee backfield appears to be led by Chase Edmonds. Holdover Myles Gaskin has proven to be a solid back, but he is better suited as a situational-type runner. It’s difficult not to acknowledge Raheem Mostert‘s experience in the offense run by new head coach Mike McDaniel, who ran Kyle Shanahan’s version of the outside zone run scheme. Of course, the concern with Mostert is his ability to stay on the field. He has only played nine games across the last two seasons. Mostert will be utilized as an early-down and short-yardage back. Still, we need to return to Chase Edmonds, who signed this offseason for $12.6 million over two years. Edmonds has never proven capable of handling every-down-back duty and should not be expected to pace the Dolphins in carries. However, Edmonds will lead the running back room in targets and receptions. He averaged 48 receptions over the past two seasons for the Arizona Cardinals, averaging 4.5 yards per carry over the last three seasons. This explosive back will be a valuable fantasy weapon and the back to target in a Miami offense that added Tyreek Hill, especially if you employ the zero-RB strategy.
The Dallas Cowboys have plenty of questions on offense this season. From a mediocre line to a shaky wide receiving corps outside of CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys face plenty of uncertainty. However, one aspect of their offense that shines in Dallas is the play of Tony Pollard. He finished last season 28th in running back scoring with a combined 1,056 yards. Pollard outplayed Ezekiel Elliott the previous season and will have a more impactful role this season. The trade of Amari Cooper left a massive hole at the WR2 where rookie Jalen Tolbert and Michael Gallup, who is recovering from a torn ACL injury, will try to step up and fill a role in the Cowboys’ offense. Pollard will be more involved in the passing game, and has reportedly been practicing as a slot receiver in camp. He is a big play waiting to happen, averaging 5.5 yards per carry and 6.2 yards per touch, ranked second in the league. The workload increase will catapult his draft value into RB2 territory and make him a must-have running back for fantasy managers.
Completing the quartet of must-have fantasy running backs is New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson. As a rookie last season, Stevenson was in Bill Belichick’s doghouse after fumbling in Week 1, including being inactive for the following three games. However, Stevenson displayed his versatility upon his return with 133 carries for 666 yards, five scores, and 14 catches for 123 yards during his rookie season. Stevenson can break a big play on any touch and is a tough runner with excellent vision. In addition, he worked on improving in the passing game this offseason, and he even got praise from Coach Bill:
Belichick on Rhamondre Stevenson:”Rhamondre has done a real good job improving his pass-game skills.” Emphasizes that he likes what he’s seen from Stevenson as a pass-protector in Year 2.
The retirement of James White opens the door for Stevenson to step directly into the team’s third-down back role. However, do not be surprised if we see him take carries and maybe the job away from Damien Harris, who scored 15 touchdowns last season. Harris is in the previous year of his rookie deal, so we may see the torch passing to the sophomore running back this season. However, if Harris struggles or goes down, Stevenson has the upside to be the primary running back in a run-heavy offense. In addition, Stevenson possesses standalone value as a flex option in PPR leagues. Combining those factors should persuade fantasy managers to target Stevenson as the primary target as one of your running backs this season.
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Dennis Sosic is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Dennis, check out his archive and follow him @CALL_ME_SOS.
