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Dynasty Leagues

Running back rankings

Barkley still looks like best long-term value

In a dynasty league, Saquon Barkley still looks like the No. 1 overall running back to me. He’ll be down for a month with a high ankle sprain, but then we’ll be back to putting up his usual great numbers. He looked pretty awesome in his first two games, averaging 7.8 yards per carry.

Four other running backs, I think, belong in the conversation for the top spot, but they’re all 1-2 years older: Ezekiel Elliott, Alvin Kamara, Christian McCaffrey and Dalvin Cook. But we’re looking long-term here, and over the next half dozen years, I like Barkley a little more than those guys.

In the back half of the top 10, I have a couple of older backs battling for the No. 6 spot. I gave David Johnson a slight edge over Melvin Gordon. (These guys are 27 and 26, and at the running back position, that’s an age where guys can be moving into the back half of their productive years.) Gordon is a year younger, but I’m not sure where he’s playing next year, and in what kind of situation.

I put two rookies just outside the top 10, and I don’t see a lot of difference between them. Josh Jacobs was drafted earlier and has a more secure role, but David Montgomery is on a better team and has looked a little better on the field.

Two other rookies show up in the 20s (and I’ve got these first-year players tagged with black dots). Miles Sanders has been coming on for Philadelphia. Devin Singletary has a hamstring injury but has busted a lot of longer runs for the Bills.

I’m posting dynasty rankings each weekend – one position each Saturday, rotating between WR, QB, RB and TE. These rankings assume PPR scoring, and operate under the assumption fantasy teams get to hold the players forever (so while 2019 is the most important season, consideration is given to what the player might do in 2020, 2021 and beyond).

I’ll hit tight ends next week, then cycle back to wide receivers. To see previous rankings lists, see the “Past Issues” box in the upper right corner of the page.

DYNASTY RUNNING BACK RANKINGS
RkTmPlayerAge
1.NYGSaquon Barkley22
2.DALEzekiel Elliott24
3.NOAlvin Kamara24
4.CARChristian McCaffrey23
5.MINDalvin Cook24
6.ARIDavid Johnson27
7.LACMelvin Gordon26
8.CLENick Chubb23
9.TENDerrick Henry25
10.CINJoe Mixon23
11.OAK• Josh Jacobs 21
12.CHI• David Montgomery 22
13.PITJames Conner24
14.INDMarlon Mack23
15.NYJLeVeon Bell27
16.LARTodd Gurley25
17.JACLeonard Fournette24
18.DETKerryon Johnson22
19.NEJames White27
20.BALMark Ingram29
21.GBAaron Jones24
22.PHI• Miles Sanders 22
23.DENPhillip Lindsay25
24.ATLDevonta Freeman27
25.SEAChris Carson25
26.BUF• Devin Singletary 22
27.LACAustin Ekeler24
28.CHITarik Cohen24
29.NESony Michel24
30.PHIJordan Howard24
31.KCLeSean McCoy31
32.SEARashaad Penny23
33.SFTevin Coleman26
34.DENRoyce Freeman23
35.TBRonald Jones22
36.MIAKenyan Drake25
37.WASChris Thompson28
38.NE• Damien Harris 22
39.NOLatavius Murray29
40.KCDamien Williams27
41.HOUDuke Johnson26
42.PITJaylen Samuels23
43.MIN• Alexander Mattison 21
44.CLEKareem Hunt24
45.LAR• Darrell Henderson 22
46.TBPeyton Barber25
47.GBJamaal Williams24
48.HOUCarlos Hyde28
49.INDNyheim Hines22
50.SFMatt Breida24
51.WASAdrian Peterson34
52.LARMalcolm Brown26
53.NYGWayne Gallman24
54.MIAKalen Ballage23
55.NERex Burkhead29
56.ATLIto Smith24
57.DAL• Tony Pollard 22
58.ARIChase Edmonds23
59.KCDarrel Williams24
60.BALGus Edwards24
61.NYJTy Montgomery26
62.CINGiovani Bernard27
63.BUFFrank Gore36
64.INDJordan Wilkins25
65.BAL• Justice Hill 21
66.DET• Ty Johnson 22
67.PIT• Benny Snell 21
68.TENDion Lewis29
69.OAKJalen Richard25
70.CAR• Reggie Bonnafon23
71.UFAJay Ajayi26
72.SFRaheem Mostert27
73.JAC• Ryquell Armstead 22
74.SEAC.J. Prosise25
75.PHICorey Clement24
76.LACJustin Jackson23
77.WASDerrius Guice22
78.CLEDontrell Hilliard24
79.OAKDeAndre Washington26
80.CHIMike Davis26
81.ATLBrian Hill23
82.SFJeff Wilson23
83.KC• Darwin Thompson 22
84.GB• Dexter Williams 22
85.JACAlfred Blue28
86.CAR• Jordan Scarlett 23
87.BUFT.J. Yeldon25
88.ATL• Qadree Ollison 23
89.CIN• Trayveon Williams 21
90.DENTheo Riddick28
91.MINMike Boone24
92.NYJTrenton Cannon24
93.PHIDarren Sproles36
94.MIAMark Walton22
95.DETPaul Perkins24
96.WASWendell Smallwood25
97.UFAC.J. Anderson28
98.NYJBilal Powell30
99.SFKyle Juszczyk28
100.CINSamaje Perine24

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index