The running-back position has undergone a bit of a renaissance. Eight running backs received at least 250 carries in 2022. While committee backfields are still popular, the position has more quality depth than it has since the position’s golden years in the early 2000s.
Despite this, there is still a bit of positional roulette to be played with running backs for fantasy purposes. The “cliff” for RBs seems to come suddenly. Knowing when to stay away from a player is important.
Here are five running backs I am avoiding right now in drafts. While there are a few names on this list whose status could change, very few of these players will find their way onto my rosters in 2023. They each have concerns or a red flag. Some have had offseason changes to their respective situations. Others have external factors that could affect their role. Below is a closer look at Alvin Kamara.
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Fantasy Football Draft Picks to Avoid: Alvin Kamara
Kamara’s legal woes, stemming from an incident at the 2022 Pro Bowl in Las Vegas, loom large. A suspension seems likely. Even without that, however, his days as an RB1 are behind him.
Over Kamara’s career, his receiving role has been his bread and butter as a fantasy running back. That has changed over the last two seasons. His 11% target share in 2023 was a career low, and he continued a downward trend in raw targets for the second year in a row.
Kamara was already left without a significant red-zone role. The Saints have added the reigning NFL rushing touchdown leader Jamaal Williams to the mix. To further complicate things, New Orleans drafted Kendre Miller in the third round – significant capital for a running back. Putting all of that together, Kamara is the most obvious running back to avoid for 2023.
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