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Dynasty Leagues

Updated running back rankings

Drake running for a new contract

Kenyan Drake played well on Thursday night, reminding everyone that his services will be for sale at the end of the season. He’ll be a notable back somewhere in 2020.

It might be in Arizona. He looked like a nice fit in that offense, with his speed and receiving ability. Three days after his trade out of Miami, he put up 162 total yards and a touchdown in a near-upset of undefeated San Francisco.

Drake is built more like a wide receiver (6-1, 211), so I don’t think he’ll ever be a heavy-duty back who’ll play 16 games. He’s not built for that kind of workload. But he makes plays. This is the same guy who scored on a key kickoff return to help Alabama win a college national title in this same building four years ago. And Drake authored the 2018 Play of the Year when he scored a walk-off touchdown to beat the Patriots, with Rob Gronkowski left lying on the ground.

Drake might be one of the top half-dozen pass-catching backs in the league.

Drake was largely unproductive in his three-plus years with the Dolphins, but it wasn’t all his fault. That’s the worst team in the league right now, without much of an offensive line. The previous year, Drake was handcuffed to Adam Gase, who doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing.

I’m not sure if Arizona will re-sign him. It has a pair of other capable backs (David Johnson, Chase Edmonds). But Drake will sign somewhere. I think he’ll be part of a one-two punch for some team. So as I update the rankings for dynasty leagues, I think he can start being considered about 25 running backs in. Would you rather have him than Devonta Freeman and Todd Gurley? I think that’s a conversation that can occur. (Gurley was about the best player in the league in the 2017-18 seasons, but with his knee issues, how much longer is he going to last?)

On the rankings below, I’m assuming PPR scoring. And with these being dynasty rankings, I’m looking not just at 2019 but the next few years.

In the case of Gurley, he’s got some here-and-now value, but he’s not a player I would want. I don’t think he’s even the best running back on his own team – Darrell Henderson to me looks like he’s better than Gurley right now and has a lot more tread left on his tires.

These rankings are a lot harder to put together, as you try to weigh future potential against what guys are doing right now. Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson, for example, are currently starting running backs, but there’s a decent chance each are in the final half season of their careers. Gore is 36.

On this one, I have a list of all the running backs. I go by gut feel on this one, scrolling down the list, moving guys up a few spots here and there.

I hit a position each Saturday. It was quarterbacks last week. Next week we’ll be back to wide receivers. To see previous rankings, see the “past issues” link on the right side of the page.

DYNASTY LEAGUE RUNNING BACKS
RkTmPlayerAge
1.NYGSaquon Barkley22
2.MINDalvin Cook24
3.CARChristian McCaffrey23
4.DALEzekiel Elliott24
5.NOAlvin Kamara24
6.CLENick Chubb23
7.OAK• Josh Jacobs 21
8.GBAaron Jones24
9.CHI• David Montgomery 22
10.TENDerrick Henry25
11.INDMarlon Mack23
12.CINJoe Mixon23
13.ARIDavid Johnson27
14.JACLeonard Fournette24
15.PITJames Conner24
16.DENPhillip Lindsay25
17.LACMelvin Gordon26
18.PHI• Miles Sanders 22
19.NYJLeVeon Bell27
20.NEJames White27
21.SEAChris Carson25
22.BALMark Ingram29
23.BUF• Devin Singletary 22
24.LAR• Darrell Henderson 22
25.ATLDevonta Freeman27
26.NESony Michel24
27.LACAustin Ekeler24
28.SFTevin Coleman26
29.MIN• Alexander Mattison 21
30.CHITarik Cohen24
31.SFMatt Breida24
32.ARIKenyan Drake25
33.LARTodd Gurley25
34.PHIJordan Howard25
35.TBRonald Jones22
36.GBJamaal Williams24
37.DENRoyce Freeman23
38.SEARashaad Penny23
39.CLEKareem Hunt24
40.HOUDuke Johnson26
41.DETKerryon Johnson22
42.KCLeSean McCoy31
43.NOLatavius Murray29
44.PITJaylen Samuels23
45.KCDamien Williams27
46.HOUCarlos Hyde28
47.WASDerrius Guice22
48.MIAMark Walton22
49.TBPeyton Barber25
50.INDNyheim Hines22
51.NE• Damien Harris 22
52.DAL• Tony Pollard 22
53.NERex Burkhead29
54.ARIChase Edmonds23
55.NYGWayne Gallman25
56.CAR• Reggie Bonnafon23
57.INDJordan Wilkins25
58.ATLIto Smith24
59.PIT• Benny Snell 21
60.WASAdrian Peterson34
61.CINGiovani Bernard27
62.JAC• Ryquell Armstead 23
63.BAL• Justice Hill 21
64.BALGus Edwards24
65.OAKDeAndre Washington26
66.NYJTy Montgomery26
67.DETTra Carson27
68.TENDion Lewis29
69.LARMalcolm Brown26
70.DET• Ty Johnson 22
71.LACJustin Jackson23
72.UFAJay Ajayi26
73.KCDarrel Williams24
74.WASChris Thompson29
75.SFRaheem Mostert27
76.CIN• Trayveon Williams 21
77.MIAKalen Ballage23
78.BUFFrank Gore36
79.KC• Darwin Thompson 22
80.OAKJalen Richard25
81.BUFT.J. Yeldon26
82.PHIBoston Scott24
83.CLEDontrell Hilliard24
84.GB• Dexter Williams 22
85.ATL• Qadree Ollison 23
86.CAR• Jordan Scarlett 23
87.SEAC.J. Prosise25
88.CHIMike Davis26
89.ATLBrian Hill23
90.SFJeff Wilson23
91.DETJ.D. McKissic26
92.NYJTrenton Cannon24
93.MIA• Myles Gaskin 22
94.LARJohn Kelly23
95.NYJBilal Powell31
96.UFAAlfred Blue28
97.MINMike Boone24
98.UFAC.J. Anderson28
99.DETPaul Perkins24
100.DENTheo Riddick28

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index