A pair of young, unheralded running backs were featured on Thursday night. James Robinson and Myles Gaskin. Where do those players fit into the long-range plans for those teams.

I thought both played well enough that they’ll be starting and featured for the near future. I don’t think either the Jaguars or the Dolphins are looking to replace them (either by trade or lineup change). But I don’t think either stands out as a guy who’ll still be starting on opening day in 2022.

Robinson runs hard. Too hard, you could argue. He takes a lot of big hits; those kind of collisions tend to result in injuries and fumbles. But he doesn’t have much speed or elusiveness. He’s a try-hard guy. A better version of Peyton Barber, you might say. He’s a feel-good story, but a year from now, I would think he’d be more likely to be a backup or committee back, rather than a clear starter.

I’m familiar with Gaskin. He played his college ball across the lake at Washington, going over 1,000 yards every year. It’s been good to see him clawing his way to relevance after a quiet first season. He’s a much better pass catcher than veterans Jordan Howard and Matt Breida, making him a better fit with Miami’s current offense.

Gaskin has caught 4, 6 and 5 passes in their first three games, and he looked good as a runner at Jacksonville. At least for a while. On their first drive, he opened with 7 carries for 35 yard, but his final 15 carries went for only 31. Regardless, he’s got some vision, and he’s a lot more elusive than Howard. I don’t know that Gaskin will still be starting next year at this time, but he looks like he’s going to be in the league for a few years.

When Miami drafted Gaskin (in the sixth round) he was listed at 5-foot-10 and 193 pounds. Small guy. But he’s been working at it. In their opening roster this year, they’ve got him 7 pounds heavier.

I don’t know that either back (Robinson, Gaskin) helps you a ton long term. But they’re playing right now, and that’s worth something.

Below is my list of the top 100 backs for dynasty leagues. This is assuming PPR scoring, and with the assumption that once you’ve got a player, you get him for as long as you want to keep him. That is, you can stash away a backup like Alexander Mattison, Benny Snell or Chase Edmonds, and if they ever become a starter, you’ve got them.

I hit one position (for dynasty purposes) each week. It was quarterbacks last week (and you can find that via the “past issues” box on the right side of the screen. It will be tight ends next week.

When you see the other rankings we compile, they involve carefully projecting all of the individual stats. With these ones, they’re simply done by hand. I spend about an hour slowly going over the list, making adjustments, until it feels right.

DYNASTY RUNNING BACKS
RkTmPlayerAge
1.CARChristian McCaffrey24
2.DALEzekiel Elliott25
3.KC• Clyde Edwards-Helaire21
4.NOAlvin Kamara25
5.MINDalvin Cook25
6.IND• Jonathan Taylor21
7.LVJosh Jacobs 22
8.TENDerrick Henry26
9.GBAaron Jones26
10.CINJoe Mixon24
11.LACAustin Ekeler25
12.PHIMiles Sanders 23
13.CLENick Chubb25
14.NYGSaquon Barkley23
15.ARIKenyan Drake26
16.CHIDavid Montgomery 23
17.SEAChris Carson26
18.BAL• J.K. Dobbins22
19.SFRaheem Mostert28
20.DENMelvin Gordon27
21.CLEKareem Hunt25
22.LAR• Cam Akers21
23.HOUDavid Johnson29
24.TBLeonard Fournette25
25.PITJames Conner25
26.BUFDevin Singletary 23
27.DET• D'Andre Swift21
28.NYJLeVeon Bell28
29.BALMark Ingram31
30.MINAlexander Mattison 22
31.PITBenny Snell 22
32.JAC• James Robinson22
33.ATLTodd Gurley26
34.TBRonald Jones23
35.DENPhillip Lindsay26
36.BUF• Zack Moss23
37.NOLatavius Murray30
38.ARIChase Edmonds24
39.WAS• Antonio Gibson22
40.MIAMyles Gaskin 23
41.NEJames White28
42.NEDamien Harris 23
43.HOUDuke Johnson27
44.GB• AJ Dillon22
45.CHITarik Cohen25
46.NESony Michel25
47.DETKerryon Johnson23
48.LARDarrell Henderson 23
49.PHIBoston Scott25
50.INDNyheim Hines24
51.NYGDevonta Freeman28
52.LAC• Joshua Kelley23
53.DALTony Pollard 23
54.SEACarlos Hyde29
55.KCDarrel Williams25
56.GBJamaal Williams25
57.CARMike Davis27
58.LARMalcolm Brown27
59.SFJerick McKinnon28
60.BALGus Edwards25
61.DETAdrian Peterson35
62.CINGiovani Bernard29
63.WASBryce Love 23
64.NERex Burkhead30
65.MIAMatt Breida25
66.SFTevin Coleman27
67.INDMarlon Mack24
68.JACChris Thompson30
69.WASJ.D. McKissic27
70.LACJustin Jackson24
71.ATLBrian Hill25
72.LVDevontae Booker28
73.NYGDion Lewis30
74.JACRyquell Armstead 24
75.LVJalen Richard27
76.SEARashaad Penny24
77.INDJordan Wilkins26
78.PITJaylen Samuels24
79.TB• KeShawn Vaughn23
80.TEN• Darrynton Evans22
81.NYJ• LaMical Perine22
82.ATLIto Smith25
83.KCDamien Williams28
84.PHI• Jason Huntley22
85.NOTy Montgomery27
86.SEA• DeeJay Dallas22
87.MIAJordan Howard26
88.NYJFrank Gore37
89.DENRoyce Freeman24
90.PIT• Anthony McFarland21
91.ATLQadree Ollison 24
92.KCDarwin Thompson 23
93.MINMike Boone25
94.NYGWayne Gallman26
95.SFJeff Wilson25
96.ARI• Eno Benjamin21
97.GBTyler Ervin27
98.TBLeSean McCoy32
99.BALJustice Hill 23
100.JACDevine Ozigbo24

—Ian Allan