Every year, fantasy managers are burned by a running back (or a few), and it pushes them to vow against drafting those players ever again. Some even swear off drafting an RB until the double-digit rounds altogether. Whether through injury or ineffectiveness, nothing tilts us harder than a disappointing RB. On the other side of that coin are the bounce-back RBs, the redemption stories. We didn’t trust Jamaal Williams this time last year, and he put up 1,000 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2022. Every alarm of sensibility told us we couldn’t let another Saquon Barkley injury crush our spirits. He was RB5 overall in PPR and now is awaiting his fair compensation. It’s ok to close your eyes and plug your nose to select an RB. We play a game with an insane amount of variable factors and random luck. If you take the plunge with these four RBs, their painful 2022 season has good odds of making you smile in 2023.

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4 Bounce-Back Running Backs

Javonte Williams (DEN)

The Broncos have a star in former North Carolina product Javonte Williams. His terrible knee injury last season came on the heels of a thunderous breakout. Javonte’s fantasy upside didn’t die. In fact, his recovery has gone better than expected, and he enters camp without the dreaded Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) designation. The Broncos need a return to play from Williams so as not to need to lean on the very mediocre Samaje Perine for too long. After an understandably slow start, I expect a massive return to form by midseason for the young Tarheel in what should be a balanced and effective Sean Payton offense.

James Cook (BUF)

To be fair, James Cook didn’t necessarily disappoint many last season. His ADP was well into the later rounds, with his role as a rookie far from hashed out in the powerful Buffalo offense. Those responsibilities still really didn’t get off the ground in 2022. Devin Singletary was an inefficient mess, and the Zack Moss–Nyheim Hines team swap only landed the Bills a better punt returner. Still, Cook was underutilized in all but two games where he cracked the top-15 RBs in PPR. Known as an electric receiver and smooth operator in space, Cook’s target share was alarmingly low in Ken Dorsey’s offense, and they were hard-pressed to find big plays outside of Stefon Diggs‘ marvelous form on the outside. Look for an expanded role as a receiving weapon this season, especially since Singletary was replaced by Damien Harris this season. Cook is plenty good enough to put up some huge PPR performances.

D’Andre Swift (PHI)

It really hurts to love D’Andre Swift, the player, so much that I can’t quit him in fantasy. Never the picture of health in Detroit, the Lions did everything in their power to not use Swift to his full potential. Of the four RBs on the Eagles’ depth chart entering 2023, Swift is the only one with more than a few random snapshots of elite RB play. Rashaad Penny is awesome but has yet to stay healthy during his career. Boston Scott is only good against the Giants. Kenneth Gainwell is one of the most underappreciated talents in the league but needs a miracle to earn enough work in this awkward committee. Swift stands to be the winner in high-leverage, high-value situations. Philly has an elite offensive line to run behind, while franchise QB Jalen Hurts is likely to be coaxed into making more high-percentage quick throws to protect himself. Swift is one of the most exciting talents at RB in the entire league. It boils my blood that the Eagles get to roll him out as another weapon this year.

Dameon Pierce (HOU)

Those of us who were excited to see the next great angry runner tote the rock for the Houston Texans enjoyed quite a flurry from Dameon Pierce last season. He had me reminiscing about the late Marion Barber for the Cowboys from a decade ago. Pierce was held back from a heavy workload while with the Florida Gators. He split time with Cowboys RB Malik Davis, and the subsequent fresh legs jumped off the screen in 2022. The fearsome rusher was an RB1 in PPR for three-consecutive games from Weeks 3-5. Pierce rushed for 139 yards in Week 9 against the Eagles and 94 yards the next game versus the Giants.

Defenses clamped down on the Houston running game after that, leading to a poor stretch of production into a season-ending high ankle sprain in Week 14. Our early-season breakout darling let us down at the most pivotal time in the fantasy football campaign. Pierce is still easily the best RB on this team and now has a very good QB (C.J. Stroud) to keep defenses more honest. Devin Singletary is a new arrival but is undersized to go with poor receiving and pass protection chops. The bias against Pierce stems from his second-half swoon last year, but all signs point to more havoc and defenses making business decisions in tackling. At cost, there isn’t a more secure option at the position.

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