Fantasy football draft strategy is a key component to setting yourself up for success this season. Every year, we have people going back to the classics: Zero RB, Late-Round QB and Hero RB.
The issue is that these strategies continue to emerge year after year, yet they are highly contingent on each season’s fantasy football average draft position (ADP).
After doing plenty of best ball and fantasy football mock drafts, I’m confident that an Anchor RB (or Hero RB) strategy is perfect for this season. This build typically involves selecting a running back with your first pick (potentially second if you are at the turn), then punting the position until later in the draft.
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Anchor RB Fantasy Football Draft Strategy Overview
Who Are the Anchors This Season?
I believe there are seven true running back anchors this year. These backs in ADP order are: Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Ashton Jeanty, Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry and De’Von Achane.
These backs are guaranteed 300+ touches on offenses known to heavily utilize them. Whether efficiency freaks (such as Gibbs) or volume beasts (such as Henry), these backs are as close as it gets to guaranteed fantasy production.
All of these backs (except Jeanty) have demonstrated their elite ability at the NFL level. Although Jeanty is a rookie, his prospect profile, draft capital and landing spot all indicate a massive season is ahead.
As for Achane, we know the talent is there, but the team around him is concerning. Either way, if you select one of these backs, they are locked in at the top of your roster and should be a true Anchor on your team.
Some may believe that Jonathan Taylor, Bucky Irving and Josh Jacobs should be considered anchors. If you feel that way, they can be treated similarly. However, I believe they all have production and durability questions. They are also going later in the second round, which doesn’t necessarily hold to an Anchor RB build.
Building Your Roster
Now that you have the running back position locked in, it’s time to fill out the rest of your team. If you are using an Anchor RB strategy, I think it’s most impactful to get a difference maker at the quarterback or tight end position.
For the quarterback position, this includes Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jayden Daniels or Jalen Hurts. At tight end, the true difference-makers are Brock Bowers and Trey McBride. With Anchor RB, you can take one of these players when other teams select their second back.
This will give you a positional advantage while filling out your receiver position with two or three quality pieces. Hypothetically, based on current best ball ADP, through five rounds, your team could look like:
- QB1: Jalen Hurts (Round 4)
- RB1: Bijan Robinson (Round 1)
- WR1: A.J. Brown (Round 2)
- WR2: Garrett Wilson (Round 3)
- WR3: George Pickens Round (5)
That’s a very good team. The sixth round is where I like to dive back into the running back position. In this tier, there is a mix of veteran backs and rookies. From Alvin Kamara, Joe Mixon, David Montgomery and James Conner to the third tier of rookie backs (Quinshon Judkins and Kaleb Johnson), all of these players complement the Anchor RB.
An advantage of having a locked-in RB1 is that you can play your RB2 a little riskier. Since you are relying on a back that has guaranteed touches, I typically lean towards more volatile RB2s. In the list above, that is most likely Conner and Montgomery.
If you miss that tier, Aaron Jones and D’Andre Swift are two backs that typically fall in drafts. However, both of these backs are on powerful offenses with limited competition. As of this writing, Swift remains atop the depth chart with Roschon Johnson and Kyle Monangai backing him up. Meanwhile, Jones should get the large share of touches over the newly added Jordan Mason.
Both of these backs have the upside to finish any week as an RB1. If Jones and Swift don’t align with how you view this area of the draft, take whichever back you believe provides that weekly upside. Most likely, this avoids volume backs on bad teams such as Johnson and Judkins.
Buoy Running Backs
Even if you have an anchor to hold your team steady, you’ll need to stay afloat. That’s where your bench running backs come in.
If we are holding to this strategy, you likely have a difference maker at quarterback or tight end, an Anchor RB1, an RB2 and three to five solid receivers. As we approach the double-digit rounds of your draft, it is time to start filling out your depth at the position.
With a star running back and a solid RB2, the supporting cast needs to have upside. Chances are, you have a receiver in your Flex and will need a running back breakout (or injury) for any of these depth pieces to crack your starting lineup.
With this in mind, there are some great late-round shots at the position.
Late-Round Anchor RB2 Targets
Draft Ray Davis while you can. The more reports that come out of Buffalo, the more Davis will shoot up draft boards.
As of this writing, the most recent reports are that James Cook has put his house up for sale and has not appeared at the team’s facilities. That’s not good. Towards the end of the season, reports started to come out that Cook expected a big payday for his second contract. Although he had 18 touchdowns last season, his asking price was high considering he has only had one top season.
If Cook holds out or misses time, this backfield is left to Davis and Ty Johnson. Although Johnson had an incredible receiving game against the Lions last season, the journeyman pass-catcher is unlikely to become the featured back.
Davis, entering his second season, has all of the traits to be a lead back. Despite his lack of production last season, he flashed big-play ability in both receiving and rushing. Most notably, in Week 6, he had 20 carries for 97 yards and three receptions for 55 yards.
Even if Cook decides he wants to be a Bill this season despite his contract, Davis is a great backup and could siphon touches each week. If Cook continues to burn bridges, Davis has league-winning upside when paired with an Anchor RB.
Bahyshul Tuten has been one of my favourite draft targets this year. Going in the double-digit rounds of drafts, Tuten is a true boom-or-bust pick.
As a prospect, Tuten was scouted as a big-play back with explosive speed and decent receiving chops. The issue (and it’s a big one) is ball security (nine fumbles over his last two seasons).
We have seen dozens of proven backs who have been benched for ball security issues. As a rookie, it could stop Tuten from seeing the field. So far, we are just beginning offseason practices, and Tuten has already had a fumble in camp. Yikes.
Landing in Jacksonville with the second pick of the fourth round, Tuten immediately competes with Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby for the featured role. With Liam Coen coming over from the Buccaneers, all the skill positions have the potential to take a huge step forward in Jacksonville.
Narrative-wise, there are a lot of similarities between Irving and Tuten. Drafted 19 spots behind Tuten, Irving landed in what was viewed to be a very crowded backfield with veteran Rachaad White and undrafted free-agent Sean Tucker. Despite starting the season well behind White, Irving made it clear he was the most talented runner of the bunch and never looked back.
Coen brings his multi-back approach to Jacksonville, but he also brings his passing game. Last season, Tampa Bay was third in the league in targets to the running back position. With both White and Irving having 50+ targets, this backfield could be a fantasy goldmine. With each of Tuten, Etienne and Bigsby being within six pounds of each other, they all possess the size to carry the load.
Pairing the Anchor RB strategy with an upside back like Tuten could hit big. If all goes well, that could easily be a league-winning tandem. If Tuten fails to make an impact, you still have a secured RB1 and solid RB2 to keep your team afloat.
Tyrone Tracy might be the most slept-on running back this offseason. Last season, Tracy entered the season behind the veteran Devin Singletary. Without injury, Tracy managed to usurp Singletary and become the lead back down the stretch. Over the season’s final seven games, Tracy averaged 65% of the snaps and 4.23 targets per game.
In the draft, the Giants selected fan-favorite Cam Skattebo in the fourth round. Skattebo is a bulldozer of a back with excellent pass-catching chops. His receiving ability and short-yardage grit instantly place Tracy on the hot seat, despite his 1,100 yards last year. However, like Tuten’s fumbling issues, Skattebo has a glaring red flag.
Skattebo is a liability in pass protection. We’re talking James Harden playing defense type of liability. Calgary Flames face-off specialist Stephane Yelle after a face-off liability. Edmonton Oiler Evan Bouchard skating backwards level of bad. Thankfully, like the Bouch-Bomb, Skattebo has the power to blast through the defense. If those references didn’t make sense to you, just know that Skattebo is a theme park turnstile when it comes to stopping pass rushers.
With rookie Jaxson Dart under center, pass protection will be key to keeping this offense moving. Much like how pass-protecting rookies have a path to get on the field, this could be Skattebo’s ticket off the field. As a result, the known ability and production of Tracy could keep Skattebo off the field, even if fans believe he is not as talented between the tackles.
In the end, Tracy is another back with a clear path to weekly fantasy production you can target late in drafts. With an Anchor RB and a weekly play at RB2, Tracy is an upside back that could supplement your lineup each week.
In each of Ekeler’s final four regular-season games last season, he had 50% or more of the snaps. This includes the game immediately after returning from injury and missing Weeks 13 to 17. In the playoffs, his snap share decreased; however, he had four or more targets and six or more rushes in each game. As a result, you can make the case that he began to take over the backfield to close out the season.
Currently, Washington is arguably the best offense without a verified fantasy running back. Brian Robinson Jr. is the first back drafted as the RB33, with Ekeler going as the RB47.
Robinson started the season on fire, with six touchdowns in the first six games. After that, Ekeler saw more touches, and Robinson only scored two more times in the team’s final eight regular-season games. Although Robinson has the youth and size to be the team’s featured back, Ekeler will have a role in most games.
Although Ekeler’s upside is limited (unless there is an injury), I believe there is a path for weekly Flex appeal with his involvement in the passing game. I think Ekeler is a cheap selection that could crack your lineup if you catch the injury bug.
The Finished Product
An elite running back paired with a difference maker at quarterback or tight end and a plethora of steady receivers is a recipe for success. I like to have four reliable receivers, with my bench being predominantly full of depth running backs.
In most leagues, you only need two running backs to start, giving you the ability to play matchups with depth backs for your RB2 position (if you didn’t take a back in the sixth or seventh round or have to deal with an injury).
As a result, you should have a well-rounded starting roster across the board. This provides the stability to start a wild card running back with upside each week.
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