Fantasy Index

header banner img
OUR FANTASY BASEBALL MAGAZINE IS BACK! PRE-ORDER NOW
Win here.

Factoid

Flex players

Running backs versus wide receivers as flex options

You’re in the middle of your draft, looking for a player to use as a flex option. Do you select a running back or a wide receiver for that role?

I think there’s a good number of people who via “gut instinct” like to go with running backs for that role. I have seen many open drafts by select three straight running backs. The better choice, I think is to go with wide receivers.

When you use PPR scoring, it’s not even close.

It wasn’t always this way. If you go back to the ‘70s and ‘80s, the best flex player in almost every season was a running back. That is, you take away the top 24 running backs and top 24 wide receivers (12 teams starting two each at those positions) and the best remaining player was almost always a running back.

But times change. In none of the last nine years has a running back been a top-8 flex player. In two thirds of those seasons, all 12 of the flex players in a typical league should have been wide receivers.

Austin Ekeler (pictured) was the 25th-best running back in PPR leagues last year. He was outscored by 33 wide receivers (24 starters, and 9 others). So while Ekeler as the No. 1 flex option among running backs, he turned out to be just the 10th-best flex player.

In thee 2012, 2014 and 2016 seasons, most notably, the 25th-best running back (using PPR scoring) was outscored by at least 44 wide receivers.

I left tight ends out of this study. I’m not positive, but I doubt that in any of these years, the 13th-best tight end outscored the 25th-best tight end.

In the chart below, you see the numbers since the merger. For each year, so you see the 25th-best running back, with his catches, receiving yards, rushing yards, total yards, total yards and PPR points (including 2-point conversions and passing stats, though they’re not listed). The “Rank” number shows where he ranks as a flex among combined running backs and wide receivers (after the top 24 at each position are removed).

TOP BACKUP RUNNING BACK AS A FLEX
YearPlayerNoRecRunYardsTDPointsRk
1970Cyril Pinder, Phil.282496579062130.61
1971Fred Willis, Cin.242235908137147.71
1972MacArthur Lane, G.B.262858211,1063155.61
1973Eddie Ray, Atl.1919243462611147.61
1974Ed Podolak, K.C.433063866923130.21
1975Ronnie Coleman, Hou.181297909195139.91
1976Dexter Bussey, Det.282188581,0763153.61
1977John Cappelletti, LAR282285988266146.61
1978Pete Johnson, Cin.312367629987172.81
1979Archie Griffin, Cin.434176881,1052165.51
1980Dexter Bussey, Det.393647201,0843165.41
1981Tony Collins, N.E.262328731,1057178.51
1982Gerald Riggs, Atl.231852994845101.41
1983Ted Brown, Min.4135747683311190.31
1984Larry Kinnebrew, Cin.1915962378210157.24
1985Sammy Winder, Den.311977149118170.11
1986Johnny Hector, NYJ333026059078171.71
1987Earl Ferrell, St.L.232625127747142.41
1988John Stephens, N.E.14981,1681,2665170.61
1989Keith Woodside, G.B.595272738001145.014
1990Eric Metcalf, Clev.574522487004151.012
1991Leonard Russell, N.E.18819591,0404146.012
1992Brad Muster, Chi.343894148035144.36
1993Leroy Thompson, Pitt.382597631,0223158.26
1994Ricky Ervins, Was.512936509434169.34
1995Garrison Hearst, Ariz.292431,0701,3132173.16
1996Bam Morris, Balt.252427379795152.917
1997Natrone Means, Jac.151048239279161.711
1998Leroy Hoard, Min.2219847967710149.721
1999Robert Smith, Min.241661,0151,1812154.123
2000Emmitt Smith, Dall.11791,2031,2829193.21
2001Maurice Smith, Atl.192307609906154.015
2002Michael Pittman, T.B.594777181,1951184.55
2003Shawn Bryson, Det.543406069463166.64
2004Emmitt Smith, Ariz.151059371,0429178.39
2005Jamal Lewis, Balt.321919061,0974165.79
2006Warrick Dunn, Atl.221701,1401,3105183.04
2007Adrian N. Peterson, Chi.514205109303166.511
2008Leon Washington, NYJ473554488039183.38
2009Darren Sproles, S.D.454973438408177.05
2010Danny Woodhead, NYJ-N.E.343795479266162.616
2011Roy Helu, Was.493796401,0193168.99
2012Darren McFadden, Oak.422587079653156.521
2013DeAngelo Williams, Car.263338431,1764167.612
2014Jonathan Stewart, Car.251818099904148.028
2015Ronnie Hillman, Den.241118639747163.419
2016Theo Riddick, Det.533713577286161.825
2017Latavius Murray, Min.151038429458157.513
2018Austin Ekeler, LAC394045549586170.810

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index