And though his numbers took a slight dip from his 1,900-yard (from scrimmage) season in 2020, he was still able to mount a third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season and averaged less than 11 yards per game shy of a 100-yard per game average. This tier spans just over 10 spots in our overall PPR rankings. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. After scoring a combined 33 TDs through his 1st two seasons, Taylor scored just four rushing TDs in 2022. Mitchell could be a 1,000-yard back in San Francisco, but durability issues and the emergence of Trey Sermon in camp make him a risk-reward No. Kamara is truly lightning in a bottle and, without him, the Saints' offense wouldn't have been worth any conversation in 2021. Of course, the elephant in the room is going to be health. Hes rushed for 33 touchdowns with the longest carry being for 62 yds. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? This tier is an extremely difficult one to judge. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. That makes it more important than ever to put your players into positional tiers. Unlike my regular player rankings, which you can also find on Sports Illustrated, tiers group players of similar value together. Dillon, Packers. Hunt is a good back, but as long as he is in Cleveland and playing a complementary role to Chubb, his ceiling will always be capped. We also expect Jacobs to have a significant number of touches, but Kenyan Drake and Zamir White could just eat in enough to dampen his ceiling. Najee Harris should be a top-ten pick in all formats, and he should be considered one of the safest options across the board. Those numbers put him top-five in both PPR and standard scoring last season. Michael Carter is a solid pass-catching RB, and the Jets could be throwing a lot in the second half this season. You can't place a vote until you make a selection first. The tiers below are formed from a consensus ranking between PFNs Fantasy Football Director Ben Rolfe, Senior Fantasy Analyst Tommy Garrett, and Fantasy Analyst Jason Katz. 99 TE Dawson Knox BUF 7 $7 . Harris scored a touchdown in three of his last four games. And he's primed for positive TD regression entering the final year of his rookie deal. From Weeks 11 to 17, Taylor was the RB3 with 24.3 fantasy points per game. His average yds per carry is currently at 4.5 and he has carried it 192 different times this year. If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. 11 RB Joe Mixon CIN 10 $27 . That appears set to be the same situation this year, plus Jalen Hurts should take touches out of that backfield. Steelers 17, Colts 14, Sign up for the Steelers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Hey, remember this guy? That said, there are enough obvious risks here to preclude Ekeler from going ahead of Taylor. Henry was on pace to rush for over 1,990 yards last season before going down with an injured foot. Harris also improved drastically after the team's bye week operating as the RB7 in points per game over the last 9 weeks of the season. Still, the issue with Harris pertains to his true upside potential in a potentially capped offense led by a rookie quarterback. With each reception counting for a point or even just a half-point, a strong three-down receiving back jumps way up in value. You can see stats, bowl records, National Championship appearances, awards and more. Captain: RB Jonathan Taylor, Colts ($17,400) He's earning heavy volume, finding the end zone, and securing targets. Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Najee Harris is my No. 2. Jonathan Taylor or Najee Harris | Who Should I Draft? As you can see, Jamey waited on tight end and quarterback, ending up with intriguing breakout candidates in Kmet and Lance, plus a steady, borderline top-12 QB in Cousins in case Lance busts. Hes strong but stable and can fight through contact. Pierce, who looks like the Texans No. No, I'm a California resident looking for the California Consumer Privacy Act form. Its also imperative to pay attention to injury risks and the age factor. That's a pretty standard Hero-RB-ish build, which is my preferred strategy at this point. Fantasy football draft season is upon us, and the predominant top-two picks in most standard drafts have been Jonathan Taylor and Derrick Henry. Plus the presence of James Cook as a pass-catching back has a major effect. Yet, we have limited knowledge of what this offense will look like or how Kamara will be utilized following Sean Paytons retirement. So, you're probably thinking there is one or two honorable mentions (listed below) who deserve this spot over Jones, but if I agreed with you, they'd be in this spot. The Chargers have a top-12 offensive line according to PFF and a top-five offense according to 21 stats (scoring and yardage), so the fantasy goodness should carry over to 22 as long as Professor Ek stays healthy. He just struggles to stay out there from start to finish each campaign. His longest run this season is 36 yds. We are predicting the Steelers go into Lucas Oil Stadium ad come away with the upset in a low-scoring, physical battle. 5 overall in PPR drafts. And, as things often go in these industry leagues, I probably could've waited longer than I did I went with Patrick Mahomes with the 11th pick of the fourth round, but Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson weren't drafted until the next round. 3:21 pm ET, a pick I've been advocating for the entire offseason, still think Kupp is the top WR on the board, I'm a firm believer in taking an early QB this season, evidence suggests early-round QBs are worth the investment, Quentin Johnston: Rookie scouting profile. #ForTheShoe @JayT23. Kamara is one of the halfbacks on this list who recently landed his bag, but it hasn't altered his approach to the game. There are expectations he will take a bigger role in the passing game, but could losing goal-line work to AJ Dillon offset that? When healthy, hes easily the best player in all of fantasy football. I've compared him to Nick Chubb since he was a rookie, but Taylor has the backfield to himself. Henry was on pace to rush for over 1,990 yards last season before going down with an injured foot. DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2022 fantasy cheat sheet. Bijan Robinson is the number 1 rated RB - no surprise there. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Elliott had a tough year in 2021, but hes still a talented back. Check out the full list: Like we said this time last year, Henry will get the ball early and often, but he will really be turning on the afterburners as we get closer to fantasy playoff time. 2022 AUCTION VALUES (Standard & PPR):QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Overall. He is among the most talented backs in the league, but he needs to rebound from a fantasy season that saw him tally 861 rushing yards, 143 yards receiving, and 4 TDs. Tier 4 Low RB1sAaron Jones, PackersSaquon Barkley, GiantsJavonte Williams, Broncos. Considering the extent of CMCs injuries have not resulted in major surgeries or completely torn ligaments, I like him bouncing back to form in 2022. Najee Harris' fantasy outlook for 2021. Harris has coughed up the ball 3 different times in his career and his longest rush is 25 yards. Already a premium subscriber? The Titans have a better schedule ranked a four out of five but a much worse offensive line. 1 RB in standard leagues. The Colts celebrates Jonathan Taylor's touchdown against the Steelers on Dec. 27, 2020, at Heinz Field. A myriad of variables determine how successful a running back will be at the NFL level, and the bottom line is not all of them are created equal, with some being forced to produce with much less of a supporting cast for much of their career to this point, e.g., Joe Mixon. Hes so utterly dominant on the ground that he could finish No. Christian McCaffrey, Najee Harris, . Prior to the drafting of Joe Burrow and then Ja'Marr Chase, it was Mixon literally carrying the load for the Bengals' offense, and he was still able to be a key reason for their special 2021 season despite it morphing into the Burrow-Chase show. Mattison, Williams and Gainwell are among the top options, and the latter two could have standalone flex value at times regardless. Fantasy managers looking for some late-round running backs should consider the likes of Ingram, White, Allgeier, Hilliard, Williams and Ingram, who could all see bigger roles if injuries occur to the starting running backs ahead of them. After showing out last year as a rookie, the former Memphis Tiger will look to take another step forward in what should be an improved Washington Football Team offense. That 126.7 per-game average trails just 10 players total throughout the history of the NFL. In standard leagues, these two are the creme de la creme. However, it still makes sense because you must be rigid with only selecting the running backs who can anchor the RB1 spot while maintaining flexibility within the first two rounds to avoid missing elite receivers. Najee Harris and Jonathan Taylor are both underperforming this season but both backs are capable of taking over a game. McCaffrey averaged 26 fantasy points per game. During his 17 games this season, Najee Harris is averaging 61.1 yards per contest and has crossed the goal line 7 different times on the ground. Watch the NFL all season long with fuboTV. At just 23, he was the focal point of the Steelers otherwise-dreadful offense, garnering 307 rushing attempts (second) and 94 targets (tied for first among all RBs). This game could come down to which rushing offense steps up.. . Hes being drafted as a low RB2 or flex in most leagues. Ken Walker, SeahawksMelvin Gordon, BroncosJames Robinson, JaguarsJames Cook, BillsJ.D. If Jonathan Taylor were staring at me in the first round, I couldn't pass him up, but he might be the only one. His individual potential is massive, but his actual fantasy ceiling at least for now seems capped at No. How Pittsburgh's offense responded after Najee Harris' exit. I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. ? Harris is a true workhorse who should continue to deliver the mail for coach Mike Tomlin in his second season. It makes sense JT was the best RB last year, and King Henry dominated the previous two seasons before breaking a bone in his right foot last Halloween. Everyone loves upside and potential steals, but there seems like way too much potential downside to grabbing CMC before No. 1 pick in standards and PPRs for many years running before he ran into myriad injuries the past couple seasons. If you like high risks with potential sky-high rewards, look no further. The others on this list are all talented, but workload questions are prevalent. Tier 3 Mid RB1sDalvin Cook, VikingsJoe Mixon, BengalsAlvin Kamara, SaintsD'Andre Swift, LionsLeonard Fournette, Buccaneers. Austin Ekeler, D'Andre Swift, and Dalvin Cook all went ahead of Kupp, but then so did Justin Jefferson, making him, not Kupp, the No. Splitting duty with Kareem Hunt has done absolutely nothing to slow or curb the production of Chubb. Among rushers w/ 125 or ^ rushing attempts (per @FTNData), 76.5% of his rushing yds have come after contact pic.twitter.com/uxFU4uiSPy, Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) January 13, 2022, Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio. Tier 12 Low HandcuffsDamien Williams, FalconsMark Ingram, SaintsZamir White, RaidersD'Onta Foreman, PanthersBrian Robinson, Jr., CommandersTyler Allgeier, FalconsDontrell Hilliard, TitansJoshua Kelley, Chargers. Additionally, we could see a drop off in his 18.4% target share following a number of pass-catching additions this offseason. 5. The Lions could re-sign the veteran running back in the offseason, especially if they don't trust Swift to stay healthy for an entire season. Taylor had the most elite skills, the gaudiest stats, the best health, and the highest usage last season. Picking Harris at No. Name Team; Name Team; Jonathan Taylor: IND: Najee Harris: PIT: D'Andre Swift: DET: Christian McCaffrey: CAR: Javonte Williams: DEN: Breece Hall: NYJ: Austin . He also led the league in carries and was second to the Steelers' Najee Harris with . That's a move you'll see a lot of this year, pairing upside with safety in that duo Derek Carr is another late-round QB target to consider pairing with Lance or Justin Fields. Dillon, but he should see more work as a pass catcher in a new-look Packers offense that no longer has Davante Adams. However, Elliott is still expected to take the majority of carries, limiting Pollards upside. Taylor has accumulated 861 yds carrying the ball in 11 games played this year. Please check your email for a confirmation. Jonathan Taylor is the better back but Najee Harris has shown steady improvement the last two weeks. Austin Ekeler, Chargers Najee Harris, Steelers Derrick Henry, Titans. He's been able to not only produce at a high level, but to do so in an offense that features Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, which is a nod to just how productive he is when his number is called. Not everyone agrees on the exact order the top players should be going off the board in, but there's a pretty strong consensus, to the point where you rarely find yourself surprised by much. 1 overall, Chris Towers had his eye on upside and highest ceiling overall To see the full results of our draft, you can find it at this link. RBs perform a little better than their average vs HOU, This is a 4 star matchup. He is rushing for 78.3 yds on the ground per contest. Edmonds' stock is on the rise after the Dolphins released Sony Michel. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. Walker's (hernia) status for Week 1 is in question, but he's still very draftable as a No. 2, get a good pair of noise-canceling headphones to block out the unlimited heckling your leaguemates will subject you with throughout the season. Copyright 2019-2023. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings 3.. Najee Harris, PIT ADP 8.08. Jonathan Taylor is the better back but Najee Harris has shown steady improvement the last two weeks. Harris had a strong finish to the season and will bounce back in 2023 at full health and pay off for where he's drafted. Montgomery will lead a run-based attack in Chicago, though Khalil Herbert could earn more touches. But understandably, you want to make the best decisions on every investment in every round. Borderline: Javonte Williams, Saquon Barkley, Nick Chubb, James Conner, Antonio Gibson. Dillon led the Packers in carries and rushing yards and figures to see a bigger role in 2022, but Jones will limit him to mid to low RB2 value. He finished with a whopping 20 scores and 1,558 all-purpose yards. Saquon BarkleyAaron JonesJavonte WilliamsNick ChubbEzekiel ElliottJames Conner. Fantasy football running back tiers: Ranking the best RBs from Jonathan Taylor to Saquon Barkley and more. And now, as Fields and Co. become acclimated to a new coaching staff, Montgomery will have to serve as the security blanket for the Bears' offense -- a role he's not entirely unfamiliar with -- providing impact as both a runner and a receiver. 2 overall, and things mostly continued the way you expect for the next few picks, with one exception; Cooper Kupp kept falling. Indys offensive line helped the young stud a great deal and should be strong again this year despite losing two starters. Given JTs clean bill of health and the fact that hes 23 he sure seems like the better bet than a 28-year-old Henry coming off a major injury. Still, Ekelers injury history could make drafters squeamish. https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2022/11/26/steelers-colts-nfl-najee-harris-jonathan-taylor/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. For the Steelers this game marks his seventh career start as he continues to develop as Pittsburghs future franchise signal caller. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts. Having battled injury early in his promising career, he's since overcome that dark cloud -- mostly -- and become everything the Vikings could have hoped for. 1 pick, Commanders rip 'blatantly false' team sale report, Richardson logs colossal measurements at combine, Top QB in draft has one team he doesn't want to play for. All Rights Reserved. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts 12. The first surprise came with the No. section: | slug: ranking-nfls-top-10-rbs-for-2022-christian-mccaffrey-plummets-with-injury-concerns-jonathan-taylor-soars | sport: football | route: article_single.us | While Taylor proved his ability as a pass catcher out of the backfield last season, it remains to be seen if Henry will ever truly materialize as a stud receiving back. Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com He has a pre-athletic testing score of a 96.5 overall prospect score RBs who had a 90 or above in past years: Jonathan Taylor, Saquon Barkley, Breece Hall, Najee Harris, Travis Etienne, Derrick Henry, Zeke, Fournette. By using a tiered approach, fantasy managers can see where the next drop-off in talent is and make decisions about whether they need to invest in the current tier or if theyre able to wait. Moving forward, Harris is a dynasty running back who should keep the fantasy points coming in for years. . He led the NFL in rushing yards (1,811), rushing touchdowns (18), yards from scrimmage (2,171), and total TDs (20). Perhaps Jonathan Taylor has lost a step after enduring a heavy workload last season. Jonathan Taylor is 'hottest back in the NFL,' feels good despite leading league in touches . The hope is that new head coach Brian Daboll will be able to resurrect the Barkley we knew when he was a rookie. Brown (A.J. If he can do all of that on a bum knee, imagine what he can do on two good ones, as was the case early on last season. King Henry could easily be the rushing champ again before his reign ends, but dont waste a top PPR pick on a volume-dependent back with little receiving pedigree less than nine months removed from a foot injury. But as he works to do so, promising upstarts like the Harris Bros. (spoiler: they're not actually brothers) threaten to challenge the incumbents for supremacy going forward, as veterans like Conner and Jacobs threaten to find another gear to reach this coming season. McCaffrey was the consensus No. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. . As such, he's cascaded from near the top of this mountain to the valley below, and needs to prove himself in a major way in 2022. Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis Colts 2. . If Henry is healthy, his volume pushes him to the top of this tier, but hes now 28 with a heavy volume history. But he should be the offensive focal point tonight. No quarterback targeted running backs more than new Colts quarterback Matt Ryan did in 2021 8.6 targets per game. Pro Football Network, LLC. He has good hands, catching nearly 85 percent of his 90 targets through his first two seasons.