Five running backs were selected in the top 40 picks over the weekend, and that's rare -- it last happened in 2008. Fantasy teams can hope this class produces as many stars as that one, with Jonathan Stewart and Chris Johnson among those top-40 selections (and Ray Rice and Matt Forte also selected in the first two rounds).
Many of the five top-40 picks -- Saquon Barkley, Rashaad Penny, Sony Michel, Nick Chubb and Ronald Jones -- go to teams where the incumbents struggled last year. That's especially true of Jones. Of the 83 running backs with at least 50 attempts last year, 36 were under 4.0 yards per carry. That includes all three running backs Jones' new team, the Buccaneers, played for.
| RUNNING BACKS UNDER 4.0 YPC, 2017 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Yds | Avg | Lg | TD |
| Peyton Barber, T.B. | 108 | 423 | 3.9 | 34 | 3 |
| Carlos Hyde, S.F. | 240 | 938 | 3.9 | 61 | 8 |
| Malcolm Brown, LAR | 63 | 246 | 3.9 | 20 | 1 |
| Latavius Murray, Minn. | 216 | 842 | 3.9 | 46 | 8 |
| Melvin Gordon, LAC | 284 | 1,105 | 3.9 | 87t | 8 |
| Leonard Fournette, Jac. | 268 | 1,040 | 3.9 | 90t | 9 |
| Javorius Allen, Balt. | 153 | 591 | 3.9 | 37 | 4 |
| Marlon Mack, Ind. | 93 | 358 | 3.8 | 35 | 3 |
| Ty Montgomery, G.B. | 71 | 273 | 3.8 | 37t | 3 |
| Jacquizz Rodgers, T.B. | 64 | 244 | 3.8 | 36 | 1 |
| Jerick McKinnon, Minn. | 150 | 570 | 3.8 | 58t | 3 |
| Devontae Booker, Den. | 79 | 299 | 3.8 | 26 | 1 |
| Mike Tolbert, Buff. | 66 | 247 | 3.7 | 25 | 1 |
| Lamar Miller, Hou. | 238 | 888 | 3.7 | 21 | 3 |
| Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 117 | 435 | 3.7 | 40 | 2 |
| Matt Forte, NYJ | 103 | 381 | 3.7 | 20 | 2 |
| Alfred Blue, Hou. | 71 | 262 | 3.7 | 48 | 1 |
| Mike Gillislee, N.E. | 104 | 383 | 3.7 | 16 | 5 |
| Frank Gore, Ind. | 261 | 961 | 3.7 | 21 | 3 |
| Jamaal Williams, G.B. | 153 | 556 | 3.6 | 25 | 4 |
| DeMarco Murray, Tenn. | 184 | 659 | 3.6 | 75t | 6 |
| Elijah McGuire, NYJ | 88 | 315 | 3.6 | 69t | 1 |
| Kerwynn Williams, Ariz. | 120 | 426 | 3.6 | 25 | 1 |
| Mike Davis, Sea. | 68 | 240 | 3.5 | 33 | 0 |
| Joe Mixon, Cin. | 178 | 626 | 3.5 | 25 | 4 |
| Samaje Perine, Wash. | 175 | 603 | 3.4 | 30 | 1 |
| Jonathan Stewart, Car. | 198 | 680 | 3.4 | 60t | 6 |
| Chris Ivory, Jac. | 112 | 382 | 3.4 | 34 | 1 |
| Theo Riddick, Det. | 84 | 286 | 3.4 | 21 | 3 |
| Adrian Peterson, N.O.-Az. | 156 | 529 | 3.4 | 27t | 2 |
| Ameer Abdullah, Det. | 165 | 552 | 3.3 | 34 | 4 |
| Rob Kelley, Wash. | 62 | 194 | 3.1 | 21 | 3 |
| Doug Martin, T.B. | 138 | 406 | 2.9 | 27 | 3 |
| Thomas Rawls, Sea. | 58 | 157 | 2.7 | 23 | 0 |
| DeAndre Washington, Oak. | 57 | 153 | 2.7 | 11 | 2 |
| Eddie Lacy, Sea. | 69 | 179 | 2.6 | 19 | 0 |
It isn't all on the running back, but Tampa Bay will no doubt give Jones every opportunity to win that starting job out of training camp. Could be one of the better rookie performers this year.
--Andy Richardson