Skip to main content

Top Dynasty Rookie Running Backs (2024 Fantasy Football)

Top Dynasty Rookie Running Backs (2024 Fantasy Football)

The NFL offseason is upon us. While others (myself included) debate on 2024 way-too-early fantasy football rankings, 2024 NFL free agency and NFL team needs through the draft and veteran markets, let’s take a look ahead to the 2024 NFL draft and what it has to offer in terms of dynasty fantasy football talent.

Throughout the draft season, I’ll be deliviering prospect overviews at every fantasy position to keep tabs on the top dynasty prospects. For those looking to dig deeper, check out the highly-coveted FantasyPros Dynasty Draft Kit and the fully-fledged 2024 NFL Draft Guide. I’ve already released a piece on the WRs in the 2024 draft class.

Be sure to check out all the individual 2024 NFL Draft prospect profiles for all positions written by FantasyPros’ Matthew Jones. I cross-referenced a lot of my player notes with Jones’ great scouting breakdowns of the RBs in this class.

Let’s dig into the top incoming rookie RBs for dynasty fantasy football leagues in 2024 to get familiar with names we will be overly obsessing about over the next three months.

Note that I will be referring to a player’s dominator rating at length in this piece. It’s also included in the table below.

For those who are new or unfamiliar with the terminology, dominator rating considers both rushing and receiving yards for the running back position. It’s critical to target running backs with upside in the passing game, especially in our PPR-happy fantasy leagues. In layman’s terms, dominator rating is just a way of capturing how productive a player was in their offense in a way to even the playing field when comparing running back prospects. If you are interested in comparing this year’s class to prospects from the last two seasons, check out the table at the bottom featuring 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 class dominator ratings.

2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Guide

Top Dynasty 2024 Rookie Running Backs

Trey Benson (RB – Florida State)

Trey Benson started his career at Oregon before transferring to Florida State in 2022 after an early torn ACL injury. He first broke out onto the scene in his first year as a Seminole in 2022 — 994 rushing yards and nine TDs. He followed up a strong sophomore season with an even better junior year that saw him post a 23% dominator rating with 14 scores and 905 rushing yards.

However, from an advanced rushing metrics perspective, Benson was superior during his first year at FSU in 2022. The 6-foot and 216-pound rusher (updated from 6-1 and 221 from his college website) ranked sixth in the nation in yards after contact per attempt (4.53) with the sixth-most broken tackles forced (79) at an absurd 51% missed tackle rate per rushing attempt.

NFL teams will like Benson’s size and the fact that he has zero fumbles on 348 college touches.

When I first turned on Benson’s tape, I was immediately drawn to his NFL comparison to a slightly smaller Leonard Fournette. For a better size comparison — Fournette was around 240 pounds entering the NFL — his style is like Adrian Peterson’s. Again, these are not career-projecting comparisons but rather how stylistically he plays the position.

During the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, Benson ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at 216 pounds. His vertical jump was 37th percentile, but his broad jump was above the 70th percentile. Overall the sub-4.4 testing is really the main highlight, given it’s the same time at a similar weight to former RBs, Breece Hall and Peterson. Given Brooks’ injury status, Bensen’s strong outing moves him to my rookie RB1 overall in the class. His 1.52 10-yard split ranked in the 90th percentile.

Braelon Allen (RB – Wisconsin)

Braelon Allen owns the second-highest career dominator rating in the class (28%) after a lustrous career at Wisconsin. And he dominated since he first drew the starting job back in 2021 when he rushed for nearly 1,300 rushing yards and 12 TDs — en route to a 29% dominator rating. Allen achieved seven consecutive games with at least 100 rushing yards in his first season as a Badger.

He continued to find success over the next two seasons, although he never eclipsed the lofty expectations he set as a freshman at 17 years old. Regardless, his body of work is one of the best in the 2024 RB Draft Class, as is his average yards per play/snap (2.99).

And his size is rare to find among RBs nowadays at 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds. It’s not quite Derrick Henry-level big, but it’s as close as we have seen a highly-touted prospect enter the league at this size.

David Montgomery, Melvin Gordon and Henry were the first RBs Allen reminded me of after watching him on film. He runs with a ton of power and doesn’t seem to lack the requisite speed for NFL purposes despite his size.

Allen also just turned 20 years old this past January. Certainly possible he has massive room to grow given his youth. He did not run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, but jumped in the vertical and broad tests. Neither were overly impressive with a 32″ vertical (30th percentile) and 117″ broad jump (35th percentile).

Jonathon Brooks (RB – Texas)

Take Jonathan Brooks’ porous career college dominator with a grain of salt. He was splitting time behind two stud RBs at Texas in Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson until this past season when he finally got his crack as the Longhorns’ RB1 job. He rushed for over 1,100 yards and 10 TDs with a solid 21% dominator rating.

But because Brooks missed time with an injury, his dominator rating suffers. His prorated dominator rating based on the games he was healthy in was a whopping 27% through the first 10 games of the 2023 college football season.

The 6-foot-0 and 207-pound RB reminded me of Tony Pollard after watching some of his game highlights.

The big concern for Brooks is he is coming off a torn ACL injury that he suffered in the middle of November. Before his injury, he ranked seventh in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in rushing yards per game (114). The expectation is that he “should” return for training camp but he likely won’t do any testing at the NFL Scouting Combine.

It’s a shame Brooks went down because he would have likely been the easy dynasty fantasy RB1 in the class as a result. His 3.3 yards per snap ranks third-best in the class. He forced a missed tackle on 34% of his rushing attempts — second to only Bucky Irving in the 2024 RB draft class (37%). He was Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) fourth-highest graded RB in the class this past season, with strong grades across the board as a receiver and pass blocker.

There’s also not a lot of tread on his tires, given his lack of usage in his first two years at college. He will be 21 years old in July.

Blake Corum (RB – Michigan)

Blake Corum had his best season to date in 2023, as he aided in Michigan’s championship run as the focal point of the team’s offensive rushing attack. The 5-foot-8 and 205-pound rusher posted a 33% dominator rating in his final season with the Wolverines rushing for 1,245 yards and 27 touchdowns. He recorded the third-highest dominator rating among RBs in 2023.

His breakout year came in 2021, demonstrating his potential as a leading rusher — 944 rushing yards and 11 TDs, which was good for a 19% dominator rating and set the stage for an even more impressive 2022 season. That year, Corum rushed for over 1,400 yards with 18 touchdowns en route to a 27% dominator rating.

Corum improved every single season to tie a bow on his college career with a 23% dominator rating — a near top-five mark in his RB class. He showed talent at an early age after splitting time as a true freshman with future NFL RBs Hassan Haskins and Zach Charbonnet.

He also overcame 2022 knee surgery, which didn’t stop him from a monster 2023 campaign.

Corum was super productive as a rusher all three seasons as the featured weapon, which is further highlighted by his 3.09 yards per snap on offense. One of just six players in the class to crest the 3.00 yards per snap/play threshold.

Yards per play is a great indicator of future success with recent late-round standouts in that category over the past three years including Keaton Mitchell, Tyjae Spears, Elijah Mitchell, Rhamondre Stevenson, Rachaad White and Tyler Allgeier. This metric also confirmed the status of last year’s first-rounders Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson, both of whom graded positively in that category.

Corum’s draft stock will likely be based on how teams feel about his knee and whether that sapped his explosiveness for the long term. His explosive rushes were down substantially in 2023 compared to 2022. The 2022 season before his injury was by far his best from an advanced rushing metrics standpoint, given that he ranked first in PFF rushing (96.2), eighth in breakaway runs and 10th in missed tackles forced.

Still, it’s hard to argue he can’t be a featured back at the next level given his 250+ touches against some of the best defenses college football has to offer the last two seasons. When watching Corum, the RBs that instantly came to mind are Sony Michel, Cam Akers and Joe Mixon.

At the 2024 Scouting Combine, Corum flashed his short-area quickness with a 6.82 3-cone drill – the second-best mark in the class (89th percentile).

Audric Estime (RB – Notre Dame)

Audric Estime sat on the bench as a freshman in 2021, backing up future fantasy football league winner Kyren Williams.

But he got his chance to be the RB1 for the next two seasons, and he thrived — 22% dominator rating as a sophomore and a 28% dominator rating this past season. He also scored 18 TDs (tied for second) and recorded over 1,300 rushing yards.

And he was beyond efficient with his 225+ touches — first in PFF grading (94.2), fifth in yards after contact per attempt (4.3) and third in rushes of 15+ yards.

Also flashed strong hands with a 100% catch rate (26 targets) through two seasons. His pass protection needs fine-tuning, however, based on the scouting notes presented by Matthew Jones.

Still, with ideal size at 5-foot-11 and 221 pounds (slightly less than his college-listed weight at 227), Estime could easily be a future bell-cow back at the NFL level.

When I turned on the tape, I was impressed. Shades of Nick Chubb in his game as a north and south runner who doesn’t waste his efforts.

And as a final note to sign off my love for Estime early in the draft process, the Notre Dame RB owns the second-highest yards per play (3.32) in the 2024 NFL RB Draft Class.

Unfortunately for Estime, he ran a sluggish 40-yard dash 4.71 40-yard dash, not too dissimilar to Kyren Williams’ 4.65 40-yard dash. However his vertical was 38″ (87th percentile) and broad jump was 10’5″ 89th percentile) showcasing his explosiveness.

The concern with Estime is that his poor 40-yard dash hurts his draft capital. But as a player, it doesn’t make me downgrade him too substantially, I’ll likely scoop up the dip on Estime with his ADP going down. The track record of RBs with sub-4.65 40s is not kind. Considering Estime’s draft comp by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein is Jamaal Williams…we are entering close to Estime as true plodder status. Woof.

Bucky Irving (RB – Oregon)

Bucky Irving enjoyed a productive two-year career at Oregon, escalating his numbers for three straight seasons after starting his college football journey at Minnesota. He transferred to Oregon in 2022, rushing for over 1,000 yards and five TDs in his first season as a Duck.

He was uber-efficient, finishing the year as PFF’s sixth-highest graded rusher averaging the ninth-most yards after contact (4.36). Also posted the sixth-highest elusive rating in the nation.

Forcing missed tackles is Irving’s main calling card — 40% missed tackles rate per touch in 2023.

He can also be relied on in the passing game after leading all FBS RBs in receptions (55) on the second-most routes run (330).

The major question when it comes to Irving’s prospects in fantasy is size. He’s a smaller RB compared to the majority of RBs in this class at 5-foot-9 and 192 pounds. His 17% career dominator rating suggests he will never be a true three-down RB but more of a committee back who wins with efficiency.

His 3.11 yards per play rank in the top five in the class.

My favorite comparables for Irving include Darren Sproles, Austin Ekeler and Danny Woodhead. In the right situation, Irving could be a fantasy football star. He’s a souped-up jitterbug RB archetype, which can be successful in the correct NFL systems.

He didn’t test crazy – 4.55 40-yard dash – which is somewhat concerning given he is on the lighter/smaller size. His jumps were poor as well with the last-placed vertical jump at 29.5″ and a mediocre broad jump at 115 inches.

MarShawn Lloyd (RB – USC)

MarShawn Lloyd made the move to USC in 2023 after spending his first three college seasons at South Carolina (redshirt freshman year after torn ACL). Although he posted the highest dominator rating of his career in 2022 at 18% in his final season as a Gamecock.

In his final and last season at USC, he posted a 15% dominator rating with nine TDs and 816 rushing yards.

Lloyd was one of the biggest risers during the 2024 Senior Bowl, which shouldn’t go unnoticed. All-Star game performances influence draft capital, which can make or break some of these later-selected RBs.

However, this could end up being a potential pitfall, given Lloyd’s yards per play at 2.4 is very poor compared to the rest of the class.

At 5-foot-9 and 220 pounds, Lloyd looks like a carbon copy of another former Senior Bowl RB riser — Dameon Pierce. And like Pierce, he comes with red flags of a poor overall dominator rating as a player who could never become the true featured RB in a college backfield.

Despite his strengths as a tackle-breaker (like Pierce), it might not be enough to truly vault him into consistent fantasy production if he can’t stand out against other RBs. Again — like Pierce — Lloyd never surpassed 150 touches in any season, with only three games of 20+ touches. Also dealt with injuries consistently, which contributed to smaller workloads.

Lloyd posted the No. 1 elusive rating among his draft-eligible RBs in 2023, per PFF. Pierce ranked third in that category coming out of Florida two years ago.

Ray Davis (RB – Kentucky)

It’s been a wild ride for Ray Davis. He started his college football career at Temple and burst onto the scene immediately after posting a 21% dominator rating in 2019 as a freshman. His sophomore campaign was essentially a wash (313 rushing yards and one touchdown) as he entered the transfer portal, limiting him to just four games.

At Vanderbilt, he missed the majority of the 2021 season with injury, playing in just three games.

But in both shortened seasons, the 5-foot-8 and 211-pound RB was still the most productive back when he was able to play.

He came back full force in 2022 with a 26% dominator rating with over 1,000 rushing yards and eight total TDs.

With one year left of eligibility, Davis transferred again — this time to Kentucky, where he went nuclear, recording a 40% dominator rating and scoring 21 total TDs (14 rushing, 7 receiving).

When you prorate Davis’ career college dominator rating — based on the missed time in 2021-2022 — he comes out with a 27% rating.

It’s very impressive that Davis was able to assert himself at any stop he landed. That won’t change at the next level. He’s going to be 25 years old but that experience could help him hit the ground running if a team needs an RB in a pinch. He’s shown to be more than capable of carrying the load and he’s improved every single season in terms of yards per snap.

Davis truly saved his best for last in 2023 with career-highs across the board in advanced rushing metrics. Has also averaged over 30 catches per season at two different schools the last two seasons, suggesting he can take on a three-down workload sooner rather than later.

He screams like a player who contributes to the backfield in Year 1. He reminded me of other RBs who flashed pass-catching as part of their skill set like Travis Etienne, Jerick McKinnon (before injuries) and Kenneth Gainwell.

Rank Name Team Class Career Dominator Rating Final Season Dominator Rating Best Season Dominator Rating Best Season
1 Ray Davis Kentucky Senior 27% 40% 40% 2023
2 Frank Gore Jr. South Misssippi Senior 27% 36% 36% 2023
3 Blake Corum Michigan Senior 23% 33% 33% 2023
4 Dylan Laube New Hampshire Senior 24% 32% 35% 2023
5 Kimani Vidal Troy Senior 23% 31% 31% 2023
6 Cody Schrader Missouri Senior 30% 30% 49% 2021
7 Braelon Allen Wisconsin Junior 28% 28% 29% 2021
8 Audric Estime Notre Dame Junior 17% 28% 28% 2023
9 Isaiah Davis South Dakota State Senior 22% 27% 27% 2023
10 Jonathon Brooks Texas Junior 9% 27% 27% 2023
11 Jawhar Jordan Louisville Senior 10% 24% 24% 2023
12 Trey Benson Florida State Junior 20% 23% 23% 2023
13 Dillon Johnson Washington Senior 15% 22% 22% 2023
14 Bucky Irving Oregon Junior 17% 19% 19% 2023
15 Will Shipley Clemson Junior 22% 18% 26% 2022
16 Daijun Edwards Georgia Senior 10% 17% 17% 2023
17 Jase McClellan Alabama Senior 9% 16% 16% 2023
18 Kendall Milton Georgia Senior 9% 16% 16% 2023
19 MarShawn Lloyd USC Junior 13% 15% 18% 2022
20 Jaylen Wright Tennessee Junior 11% 14% 14% 2023
21 Michael Wiley Arizona Senior 15% 13% 23% 2021
22 Miyan Williams Ohio State Senior 8% 5% 16% 2022

Daijun Edwards (RB – Georgia)

Kendall Milton (RB – Georgia)

Like most Georgia RBs before them, no single rusher from the Bulldogs college powerhouse sees a massive workload. They love to split touches among their RBs — exactly what happened between Kendall Milton and Dajun Edwards during the last four years at Georgia. Neither back surpassed a 10% career college dominator rating having to sit behind future NFL running backs James Cook, Zamir White and Kenny McIntosh.

It was a classic case of a thunder and lightning backfield, where it’s easy to guess which RB represented each.

Starting with the 5-foot-10 and 207-pound Edwards, he was technically the lead back his senior year with 879 rushing yards and 17% dominator rating. Every year of his career at Georgia, Edwards had a slightly higher dominator rating than his teammate, Milton, offering a bit more juice as a receiver.

Although Edwards was less efficient on a yards per snap basis (2.8) compared to Milton (3.1).

Milton is the bigger of the two Georgia backs at 6-foot-1 1/2 and 225 pounds, while also posting vastly superior rushing statistics. He was sixth overall in yards after contact per attempt in the class (4.1).

And although Edwards out-gained Milton in 2023’s totality, the latter RB was the leading rusher over the team’s final seven games, posting an 85-594-11 rushing stat line after a sluggish start.

Most consensus rankings will have Edwards ahead of Milton but I’ll take the more contrarian route here favoring the bigger RB at the NFL level. He was more efficient than Edwards and started to take over the backfield as the Bulldogs’ season progressed. Chances are we could have seen more of Milton, who was seeing playing time as a freshman, had it not been for early-career injuries.

Milton’s high-running style reminds me of T.J. Yeldon.

He’s not a burner – 4.62 40-yard dash – so keep that in mind as he goes into the next level. It’s all about the initial burst with Milton versus long speed. Case in point, his 10-yard split was tied for the fastest in the 2024 RB Draft Class at 1.51 seconds.

Edwards only jumped the broad at the Combine, and it was the worst recorded in the class at 9’6”(114″). He was also slightly heavier than his listed weight on Georgia’s website.

Cody Schrader (RB – Missouri)

The No. 1 dominant college career dominator rating in the class belongs to Missouri’s Cody Schrader at 30%, albeit some came against weak competition playing at Truman State before he transferred to Missouri. In his last year at Truman State, he rushed for over 2,000 yards and compiled a 49% dominator rating. Absurd.

That’s the obvious knock on Schrader as we project him to take a substantial leap in competition at the professional level.

Even so, the 5-foot-9 and 202-pound RB was still super productive in his two years at Missouri with a jump in competition after making the team as a walk-on.

Posted a 22% dominator rating in 2022, followed by a 30% dominator rating this past season, with 14 TDs and over 1,600 yards rushing (third in the FBS).

I like the fact that Schrader has already shown the ability to deliver against tougher competition in the SEC — a trait that will make it easier for him to transition to the pros. Reminds me a lot of a few other super late-drafted players who made an impact as rookies such as Jaylen Warren and James Robinson.

My only concern is that his average yards per play is low (2.1), although it does not include his snaps from Truman State. And his athletic profile leaves some to be desired, given a 4.61 40-yard dash is well below average and will hurt him in the pros. He hurt his hamstring during testing and measured in smaller than his listed weight in college.

But a three-down skill set — 111 career receptions — makes Schrader a player primed to deliver if ever called upon.

Dylan Laube (RB – New Hampshire)

Dylan Laube spent five years at New Hampshire as their do-it-all running back, contributing through all facets of the offensive attack. Produced from the get-go with a 23% dominator rating, showcasing his early proficiency as a receiver with four receiving TDs and 259 receiving yards.

He capped off his collegiate career with back-to-back dominator ratings of 35% and 32% from 2022-2023 (both top-five marks in the class). In 2022, he imposed his will as a rusher with over 1,200 yards and 15 rushing scores. In 2023, Laube was more of a receiver with 68 catches for 708 yards on 88 targets.

The elite pass-catching production helps the 5-foot-10 and 206-pounder stand out among his draft-eligible peers and won’t go unnoticed by NFL general managers.

His 1.52 10-yard split ranked above the 80th percentile and his 20-yard shuttle was one of the fastest recorded times since 1999 at 4.02 seconds (96th percentile).

Isaiah Davis (RB – South Dakota State)

The Dakotas continue to churn out NFL-caliber talent and that continues in 2024 with RB Isaiah Davis. Recorded an overall 22% dominator rating for his efforts at South Dakota State, with three seasons with a dominator rating at or above 25%. Hit the ground running as a freshman in 2020 — 819 rushing yards and 10 TDs. He took a slight step back in 2021 after dealing with injuries but came back with vengeance over the last two years with the Jackrabbits.

Over 3,000 rushing yards and 30 TDs in his last two seasons at the college level. Impressive, especially at 6-foot-1 and 218 pounds. He also flashed as a receiver, averaging 22 catches over that same span.

Davis finished the 2023 season as PFF’s highest-graded RB between the FCS/FBS with 80 missed tackles forced and 25 rushes of 15+ yards. Had a 30% missed tackle rate over his four-year career at South Dakota State.

Potentially the most notable statistic to list for Davis is his elite yards per play at 3.33, which is No. 1 in the 2024 RB draft class.

Rank Name Team Yards Per Play Height Weight
1 Isaiah Davis South Dakota State 3.33 6’1” 220
2 Audric Estime Notre Dame 3.32 5’11” 227
3 Jonathon Brooks Texas 3.3 6’0” 207
4 Bucky Irving Oregon 3.11 5’10 195
5 Kendall Milton Georgia 3.1 6’1” 220
6 Blake Corum Michigan 3.09 5’10” 210
7 Braelon Allen Wisconsin 2.99 6’2” 245
8 Trey Benson Florida State 2.92 6’1′ 221
9 Daijun Edwards Georgia 2.8 5’10” 201
10 Jawhar Jordan Louisville 2.74 5’10” 185
11 Jaylen Wright Tennessee 2.72 5’11” 210
12 Miyan Williams Ohio State 2.72 5’9” 226
13 Jase McClellan Alabama 2.69 5’11” 212
14 Dylan Laube New Hampshire 2.45 5’10” 208
15 MarShawn Lloyd USC 2.37 5’9” 210
16 Frank Gore Jr. South Misssippi 2.34 5’8” 195
17 Kimani Vidal Troy 2.34 5’8” 218
18 Michael Wiley Arizona 2.17 6’0” 210
19 Ray Davis Kentucky 2.14 5’10” 216
20 Will Shipley Clemson 2.14 5’11” 205
21 Cody Schrader Missouri 2.07 5’9” 214
22 Dillon Johnson Washington 1.97 6’0” 218

Will Shipley (RB – Clemson)

Will Shipley was a three-year player at Clemson, producing from the get-go as a freshman with a 23% dominator rating.

He continued to ascend into his sophomore season with over 1,100 rushing yards and 15 TDs and an even more impressive 26% dominator rating.

He took a major step backward this past season, splitting work with Phil Mafah and losing the starting job outright. The 5-foot-11 and 205-pound Tiger finished his college career on a sour note with an 18% dominator rating.

My biggest concern with Shipley is his poor average yards per play (2.14), which ranks third-worst in the class. His so-so and mediocre career dominator ratings don’t do much to mitigate it. He has shown proficiency in pass-catching with 84 career receptions but he seems more of a product of whatever offensive environment he is a part of.

Frank Gore Jr. (RB – Southern Mississippi)

We are all familiar with the name Frank Gore. And if his son had gone somewhere other than Southern Mississippi, it’s possible Frank Gore Jr. would be generating more draft buzz. Because he dominated production, as he should, at a small school program.

Posted a 27% career dominator rating (fourth in the class), capped off by a 36% career dominator rating in 2023 (second-best in 2023 and third overall). Every year, his dominator rating increased. His 2.34 yards per play leaves a lot to be desired as does his smaller size at 5-foot-8 and 201 pounds.

More recently, Gore Jr. was named the MVP of the East-West Shrine Game. He was also invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, which not all small-school prospects get to attend.

Kimani Vidal (RB – Troy)

Kimani Vidal finished second in the FBS in forced missed tackles (94) in 2023. The 5-foot-8 and 218-pound rusher is built with a stout compact frame, which aided him in his efforts to 1,661 rushing yards (second in the FBS) in 2023. That awarded him a 31% dominator rating in his final season at Troy (fifth-highest in 2023) after a 24% dominator rating in 2022. Concerns are his bottom-10 yards per play at 2.34 and the level of competition faced at Troy.

Dillon Johnson (RB – Washington)

Dillon Johnson fully burst onto the top of college football in his final season as the Huskies’ RB1, posting a 22% dominator rating with 16 TDs and nearly 1,200 rushing yards.

A late breakout isn’t ideal, especially considering it took Johnson transferring from Mississippi State after three years for him to finally hit his fantasy ceiling. He has the poorest yards per play average (1.97) in the class — not ideal. What he lacks as a rusher he does make up as a receiver with 172 career catches at the college level for over 1,000 receiving yards.

There are also major question marks about Johnson’s ceiling, given his slow 40-yard dash time at 4.68 and last ranked 10-yard split (1.62) during the 2024 Scouting Combine. Th 6-foot and 217-pound rusher also tested poorly in the jumps with a 31.5 vertical and 117 broad jump. I was already skeptical about Johnson heading into the process, and this combine performance has me fading him into oblivion.

Jaylen Wright (RB – Tennessee)

Jaylen Wright never took over a backfield at the college level, settling for an 11% career dominator rating. But his efficiency was off the charts during his final season at Tennessee. He finished first in the class in yards per carry (7.4), averaging the second-most yards after contact per attempt (4.35) with the fifth-highest breakaway run rate. However, it still resulted in just a 14% dominator rating. Wright will struggle to carve out a massive role at the NFL level.

That being said, he has elite athleticism to be productive even in a smaller role. He blew the doors off the NFL Scouting Combine with a 40-yard of 4.38 seconds. Also jumped 38″ in the vertical and 134″ in the broad jump (1st in the class). No doubt he will rise after extremely strong testing at 5-foot-10 1/2 while at 210 pounds.

Jase McClellan (RB – Alabama)

Jase McClellan posted the highest dominator rating of his career this past season (16%) with 888 rushing yards and eight rushing TDs. His college career dominator rating leaves a lot to be desired (8%) but such is life as part of Nick Saban’s stable of running backs. Until it’s your time, you don’t see the field.

An ACL injury in 2021 further set him back (also sat behind Brian Robinson Jr.) and he played behind Jahmyr Gibbs in 2022 (who transferred to the Crimson Tide).

McClellan has been with Alabama for all four years and his marquee chance to shine in 2023 was somewhat underwhelming. The Alabama pedigree alone will likely get him decent draft capital but that won’t help him assert himself in NFL backfields. He measures at 5-foot-10 and 221 pounds.

Jawhar Jordan (RB – Louisville)

Jawhar Jordan’s status as a super senior stems from the fact he has been in college football since 2019, starting his first two years with Syracuse. He did virtually nothing in Upstate New York and transferred to Louisville in 2021. It wasn’t until 2022 that Jordan started to play, posting a 14% dominator rating with four TDs and 815 rushing yards.

He tied a bow on his college career on a high note — over 1,100 rushing yards and 14 total scores, to go along with 246 receiving yards (24% dominator rating).

Given his age at 25 years old, you’d expect more than a 10% career college dominator rating. Without adequate size at 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, there’s nothing overly special about Jordan that suggests he can carve out a substantial role at the NFL level.

Miyan Williams (RB – Ohio State)

Miyan Williams’ best year was back in 2022 when he posted a 16% dominator rating with 14 TDs and 825 rushing yards. He’s a beefy back at 5-foot-9 and 226 pounds and was one of PFF’s highest-graded rushers during his 2022 breakout season with the Buckeyes.

Alas, Williams suffered a knee injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the 2023 season. That limited Williams to six games; he played a substantial snap share just once (Week 8 vs Penn State).

A team taking a chance on Williams is hoping they get the 2022 version, when he was forcing a missed tackle on 38% of his rushing attempts as a top-10 rusher in yards after contact per attempt.

But considering he was never able to truly be the guy at Ohio State, Williams is a tough sell in rookie drafts coming off a major knee injury.

Michael Wiley (RB – Arizona)

Michael Wiley spent all five of his college seasons at Arizona, seeing heavy usage as a receiver out of the backfield.

However, he posted a bottom-five yards per play in the class, alongside a forgettable career and best-season dominator ratings.

At 6-foot-0 and 210 pounds, Wiley doesn’t fit the typical archetype of a third-down back. It’s clear he has the most to offer with his pass-catching props, though — over 120 catches, 1,150 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns over his tenure as a Wildcat.

Other Notable Names in the 2024 RB Class:

  • Emani Bailey (RB – TCU)
  • Rasheen Ali (RB – Marshall)
  • Jaden Shirden (RB – Monmouth): His 1.51 10-yard split ranked above the 90th percentile.
  • Tyrone Tracy (RB – Purdue): Jumped the second-highest in the vertical jump at 40″ flat and led the class with the fastest 3-cone drill at 6.81 seconds. Stands at 5-foot-11 and 209 pounds.
  • Issac Guerendo (RB – Louisville): An underrated addition/invitee to the NFL Combine, Guerendo was way off the radar until he blazed a 4.33 40-yard dash, jumped a 41.5″ vertical and a 129″ broad jump. His workout-warrior NFL Combine performance alone will get the 6-foot and 221-pounder easily drafted with his size/speed profile.

Single Season Dominator Ratings (2021-2024 Draft Classes)

Rank Player Final Season Dominator Rating Best Season (Year) Best Season Dominator Rating Class
1 Mohamed Ibrahim 39% 2020 50% 2023
2 Cody Schrader 30% 2021 49% 2024
3 Deuce Vaughn 28% 2021 46% 2023
4 Kevin Harris 14% 2020 45% 2022
5 Jaret Patterson 43% 2020 43% 2021
6 Larry Rountree III 42% 2020 42% 2021
7 Chuba Hubbard 30% 2019 40% 2021
8 Breece Hall 40% 2021 40% 2022
9 Ray Davis 40% 2023 40% 2024
10 Chase Brown 39% 2022 39% 2023
11 Israel Abanikanda 39% 2022 39% 2023
12 Sean Tucker 30% 2021 38% 2023
13 D’Vonte Price 18% 2020 38% 2022
14 Bijan Robinson 37% 2022 37% 2023
15 Tyler Allgeier 36% 2021 36% 2022
16 Frank Gore Jr. 36% 2023 36% 2024
17 DeWayne McBride 35% 2022 35% 2023
18 Dylan Laube 32% 2023 35% 2024
19 Kenneth Walker III 34% 2021 34% 2022
20 Devon Achane 33% 2022 33% 2023
21 Chris Rodriguez 21% 2020 33% 2023
22 Blake Corum 33% 2023 33% 2024
23 Najee Harris 32% 2020 32% 2021
24 Spencer Brown 32% 2020 32% 2021
25 Pooka Williams Jr. 25% 2018 32% 2021
26 Rachaad White 31% 2021 31% 2022
27 Tyjae Spears 31% 2022 31% 2023
28 Kimani Vidal 31% 2023 31% 2024
29 Demetric Felton 30% 2020 30% 2021
30 Javian Hawkins 30% 2020 30% 2021
31 Kyren Williams 30% 2021 30% 2022
32 Sincere McCormick 26% 2019 30% 2022
33 Travis Dye 14% 2021 30% 2023
34 Javonte Williams 29% 2020 29% 2021
35 Jermar Jefferson 29% 2018 29% 2021
36 Braelon Allen 28% 2023 29% 2024
37 Pierre Strong Jr. 28% 2021 28% 2022
38 Hassan Haskins 28% 2021 28% 2022
39 Keaton Mitchell 28% 2022 28% 2023
40 Tyler Goodson 27% 2020 28% 2022
41 Audric Estime 28% 2023 28% 2024
42 Khalil Herbert 27% 2020 27% 2021
43 Kenneth Gainwell 27% 2019 27% 2021
44 Jerome Ford 27% 2021 27% 2022
45 Tank Bigsby 27% 2022 27% 2023
46 Isaiah Davis 27% 2023 27% 2024
47 Jonathon Brooks 27% 2023 27% 2024
48 Travis Etienne 25% 2019 26% 2021
49 Eric Gray 23% 2020 26% 2023
50 Elijah Mitchell 21% 2018 26% 2021
51 Kylin Hill 16% 2019 26% 2021
52 Tavion Thomas 11% 2021 26% 2023
53 Will Shipley 18% 2022 26% 2024
54 Rhamondre Stevenson 25% 2020 25% 2021
55 Abram Smith 25% 2021 25% 2022
56 Zach Charbonnet 24% 2021 25% 2023
57 Isaiah Spiller 22% 2020 25% 2022
58 Zamir White 24% 2020 24% 2021
59 Zamir White 15% 2020 24% 2022
60 Jawhar Jordan 24% 2023 24% 2024
61 Kendre Miller 23% 2022 23% 2023
62 Jahmyr Gibbs 19% 2021 23% 2023
63 Trey Benson 23% 2023 23% 2024
64 Michael Wiley 13% 2021 23% 2024
65 Brian Robinson Jr. 22% 2021 22% 2022
66 Dameon Pierce 22% 2021 22% 2022
67 Dillon Johnson 22% 2023 22% 2024
68 Michael Carter 21% 2020 21% 2021
69 Zonovan Knight 13% 2020 21% 2022
70 Bucky Irving 19% 2023 19% 2024
71 Snoop Conner 18% 2021 18% 2022
72 MarShawn Lloyd 15% 2022 18% 2024
73 Trey Sermon 17% 2020 17% 2021
74 Zach Evans 17% 2022 17% 2023
75 Kenny McIntosh 17% 2022 17% 2023
76 Jerrion Ealy 14% 2020 17% 2022
77 Daijun Edwards 17% 2023 17% 2024
78 James Cook 16% 2021 16% 2022
79 Kendall Milton 16% 2023 16% 2024
80 Jase McClellan 16% 2023 16% 2024
81 Miyan Williams 5% 2022 16% 2024
82 Roschon Johnson 12% 2019 14% 2023
83 Jaylen Wright 14% 2023 14% 2024
84 T.J. Pledger 11% 2021 11% 2022

Career Dominator Ratings (2021-2024 Draft Classes)

Rank Player Class School Career Dominator Rating Class
1 Deuce Vaughn Junior Kansas State 35% 2023
2 Breece Hall Junior Iowa State 33% 2022
3 Jaret Patterson Junior Buffalo 33% 2021
4 Sean Tucker Junior Syracuse 32% 2023
5 Mohamed Ibrahim Graduate Minnesota 31% 2023
6 Rachaad White Senior Arizona State 31% 2022
7 Cody Schrader Senior Missouri 30% 2024
8 Braelon Allen Junior Wisconsin 28% 2024
9 Tyler Allgeier Junior BYU 28% 2022
10 Sincere McCormick Junior UTSA 28% 2022
11 Frank Gore Jr. Senior South Misssippi 27% 2024
12 Bijan Robinson Junior Texas 27% 2023
13 DeWayne McBride Junior UAB 27% 2023
14 Kyren Williams Junior Notre Dame 27% 2022
15 Kenneth Gainwell RS Sophomore Memphis 27% 2021
16 Chuba Hubbard RS Junior OSU 27% 2021
17 Pooka Williams Jr. Junior Kansas 27% 2021
18 Jermar Jefferson Junior Oregon State 27% 2021
19 Ray Davis Senior Kentucky 27% 2024
20 Abram Smith Senior Baylor 25% 2022
21 Spencer Brown Senior UAB 25% 2021
22 Javian Hawkins Junior Louisville 25% 2021
23 Dylan Laube Senior New Hampshire 24% 2024
24 Devon Achane Junior Texas A&M 24% 2023
25 Tank Bigsby Junior Auburn 24% 2023
26 Tyler Goodson Junior Iowa 24% 2022
27 Travis Etienne Junior Clemson 24% 2021
28 Blake Corum Senior Michigan 23% 2024
29 Kimani Vidal Senior Troy 23% 2024
30 Keaton Mitchell Junior East Carolina 23% 2023
31 Chris Rodriguez Senior Kentucky 23% 2023
32 Kenneth Walker III Junior Michigan State 23% 2022
33 Isaiah Spiller Junior Texas A&M 23% 2022
34 Will Shipley Junior Clemson 22% 2024
35 Isaiah Davis Senior South Dakota State 22% 2024
36 Pierre Strong Jr. Senior South Dakota State 22% 2022
37 Kevin Harris Junior South Carolina 22% 2022
38 Jahmyr Gibbs Junior Alabama 21% 2023
39 Jerome Ford Senior Cincinnati 21% 2022
40 Javonte Williams Junior N.Carolina 21% 2021
41 Demetric Felton RS Senior UCLA 21% 2021
42 Elijah Mitchell Senior Louisiana 21% 2021
43 Trey Benson Junior Florida State 20% 2024
44 Chase Brown Junior Illinois 20% 2023
45 Zach Charbonnet Senior UCLA 20% 2023
46 Hassan Haskins Senior Michigan 20% 2022
47 Khalil Herbert RS Senior VA Tech 20% 2021
48 Larry Rountree III Senior Missouri 20% 2021
49 Tyjae Spears Junior Tulane 19% 2023
50 Israel Abanikanda Junior Pittsburgh 18% 2023
51 Kendre Miller Junior TCU 18% 2023
52 Travis Dye RS-Senior USC 18% 2023
53 Najee Harris Senior Alabama 18% 2021
54 Bucky Irving Junior Oregon 17% 2024
55 Audric Estime Junior Notre Dame 17% 2024
56 Eric Gray Senior Oklahoma 17% 2023
57 Zonovan Knight Junior NC State 17% 2022
58 Michael Carter Senior N.Carolina 17% 2021
59 Jerrion Ealy Junior Mississippi 16% 2022
60 Kylin Hill Senior Miss State 16% 2021
61 Dillon Johnson Senior Washington 15% 2024
62 Michael Wiley Senior Arizona 15% 2024
63 Zach Evans Junior Ole Miss 15% 2023
64 Zamir White Senior Georgia 15% 2022
65 Brian Robinson Jr. Senior Alabama 15% 2022
66 Zamir White Senior Georgia 15% 2022
67 Snoop Conner Junior Mississippi 14% 2022
68 Rhamondre Stevenson Senior Oklahoma 14% 2021
69 MarShawn Lloyd Junior USC 13% 2024
70 Tavion Thomas Junior Utah 13% 2023
71 D’Vonte Price Senior Florida International 13% 2022
72 Roschon Johnson Senior Texas 12% 2023
73 Dameon Pierce Senior Florida 12% 2022
74 Trey Sermon Senior Ohio State 12% 2021
75 Jaylen Wright Junior Tennessee 11% 2024
76 Daijun Edwards Senior Georgia 10% 2024
77 Jawhar Jordan Senior Louisville 10% 2024
78 Kenny McIntosh Senior Georgia 10% 2023
79 Kendall Milton Senior Georgia 9% 2024
80 Jase McClellan Senior Alabama 9% 2024
81 James Cook Senior Georgia 9% 2022
82 Jonathon Brooks Junior Texas 9% 2024
83 Miyan Williams Senior Ohio State 8% 2024
84 T.J. Pledger Senior Utah 8% 2022

Dynasty Rookie Draft Advice

FantasyPros Discord Community (Live Chat)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio

More Articles

10 Dynasty Rookie Draft Value Picks (2024 Fantasy Football)

10 Dynasty Rookie Draft Value Picks (2024 Fantasy Football)

fp-headshot by Brian Ford | 7 min read
Dynasty Draft Primer: NFC South (2024 Fantasy Football)

Dynasty Draft Primer: NFC South (2024 Fantasy Football)

fp-headshot by Bo McBrayer | 5 min read
5 Fantasy Football Draft Sleepers (2024)

5 Fantasy Football Draft Sleepers (2024)

fp-headshot by Josh Shepardson | 4 min read
Fantasy Football Tight Ends to Avoid (2024)

Fantasy Football Tight Ends to Avoid (2024)

fp-headshot by Richard Janvrin | 2 min read

About Author

Hide

Current Article

15+ min read

10 Dynasty Rookie Draft Value Picks (2024 Fantasy Football)

Next Up - 10 Dynasty Rookie Draft Value Picks (2024 Fantasy Football)

Next Article