Christian McCaffrey might miss a month with a hamstring injury, but as best I can tell, he’s still the first running back you would select in a dynasty draft. He’s only 25, and he’s that much better than everyone else at the position, with his dual-threat production as a runner and a pass catcher.
Staying healthy, I think, is the only real concern, but that’s an issue with of the best players at the game’s most punishing position.
McCaffrey has been heavily used, with seasons with over 2,000 combined yards at both the college and pro levels. The Panthers would be wise to start thinking about dialing back how often they slam him between the tackles – use him more like the Saints use Alvin Kamara (who’s never had a 1,000-yard rushing season). If the Panthers were willing to sacrifice some McCaffrey runs, it might allow them to enjoy more years of him creating mismatches as a receiver out of the backfield.
One per week, I shift the focus to dynasty leagues, looking not just at 2021 but at how the running backs might rank if fantasy franchises were able to retain the rights to players indefinitely. I hit one position each Saturday, rotating between QB-RB-TE-WR.
McCaffrey, I’m thinking, is still the running back I would take first. Then I don’t see much difference between the next three options. Jonathan Taylor is the youngest of those guys, but he’s not as proven. Derrick Henry has been the game’s most durable running back, which is a persuasive selling point, but at 27 is in the back half of his career as an uber-elite player. Dalvin Cook is really productive, but he’s 26 and has also had durability issues (he didn’t practice all this week, for example, making him iffy for Week 3).
Inside the top 20 Ezekiel Elliott and D’Andre Swift are the most notable movers (relative to where I ranked them before the season started). Elliott has fallen 6 spots, while Swift has moved up 7.
In the list below, players who improved by at least 10 spots are in bold. Players who fell by at least 10 spots have a black dot next to their name.
On the rankings below, I’m assuming PPR scoring, with 12 teams each starting about two running backs per week (and maybe another as a flex). Teams are allowed to keep players indefinitely, so when you get into the 40s, it’s reasonable to start thinking about backups who’ll be starters one day and players who are out for the year with injuries.
Last week: Quarterbacks
Next week: Tight ends.
DYNASTY LEAGUES: RUNNING BACKS | |||
---|---|---|---|
Rk | Tm | Player | Age |
1. | CAR | Christian McCaffrey | 25 |
2. | IND | Jonathan Taylor | 22 |
3. | TEN | Derrick Henry | 27 |
4. | MIN | Dalvin Cook | 26 |
5. | NO | Alvin Kamara | 26 |
6. | CLE | Nick Chubb | 25 |
7. | PIT | Najee Harris | 23 |
8. | NYG | Saquon Barkley | 24 |
9. | DAL | Ezekiel Elliott | 26 |
10. | WAS | Antonio Gibson | 23 |
11. | GB | Aaron Jones | 26 |
12. | LAC | Austin Ekeler | 26 |
13. | DEN | Javonte Williams | 21 |
14. | DET | D'Andre Swift | 22 |
15. | KC | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | 22 |
16. | CIN | Joe Mixon | 25 |
17. | CHI | David Montgomery | 24 |
18. | LV | Josh Jacobs | 23 |
19. | JAC | James Robinson | 23 |
20. | SEA | Chris Carson | 27 |
21. | MIA | Myles Gaskin | 24 |
22. | NE | Damien Harris | 24 |
23. | LAR | Darrell Henderson | 24 |
24. | PHI | Miles Sanders | 24 |
25. | CLE | Kareem Hunt | 26 |
26. | BUF | Devin Singletary | 24 |
27. | SF | Elijah Mitchell | 23 |
28. | GB | AJ Dillon | 23 |
29. | ARI | Chase Edmonds | 25 |
30. | BUF | Zack Moss | 23 |
31. | NE | Rhamondre Stevenson | 23 |
32. | NE | James White | 29 |
33. | TB | Leonard Fournette | 26 |
34. | SF | Trey Sermon | 22 |
35. | DAL | Tony Pollard | 24 |
36. | DEN | Melvin Gordon | 28 |
37. | ATL | Mike Davis | 28 |
38. | ARI | James Conner | 26 |
39. | DET | Jamaal Williams | 26 |
40. | IND | Nyheim Hines | 24 |
41. | NYJ | Michael Carter | 22 |
42. | LV | Kenyan Drake | 27 |
43. | CAR | Chuba Hubbard | 22 |
44. | TB | • Ronald Jones | 24 |
45. | MIN | Alexander Mattison | 23 |
46. | NO | Tony Jones | 23 |
47. | BAL | J.K. Dobbins | 22 |
48. | LAR | Sony Michel | 26 |
49. | PHI | Kenneth Gainwell | 22 |
50. | JAC | Travis Etienne | 22 |
51. | WAS | J.D. McKissic | 28 |
52. | BAL | Ty'Son Williams | 25 |
53. | SF | JaMycal Hasty | 25 |
54. | NYJ | Ty Johnson | 24 |
55. | HOU | Mark Ingram | 31 |
56. | KC | Darrel Williams | 26 |
57. | ATL | Cordarrelle Patterson | 30 |
58. | LAC | Larry Rountree | 23 |
59. | NYG | • Devontae Booker | 29 |
60. | MIA | • Salvon Ahmed | 22 |
61. | LAC | Justin Jackson | 25 |
62. | BAL | • Gus Edwards | 26 |
63. | NYJ | • Tevin Coleman | 28 |
64. | CHI | Damien Williams | 29 |
65. | CIN | Samaje Perine | 26 |
66. | SEA | DeeJay Dallas | 23 |
67. | HOU | • David Johnson | 29 |
68. | NE | J.J. Taylor | 23 |
69. | HOU | • Phillip Lindsay | 27 |
70. | BAL | Latavius Murray | 31 |
71. | SF | • Raheem Mostert | 29 |
72. | LAR | Cam Akers | 22 |
73. | PIT | Anthony McFarland | 22 |
74. | JAC | Carlos Hyde | 30 |
75. | IND | Marlon Mack | 25 |
76. | SEA | Alex Collins | 27 |
77. | TEN | Darrynton Evans | 23 |
78. | PHI | Boston Scott | 26 |
79. | TB | Giovani Bernard | 29 |
80. | KC | Jerick McKinnon | 29 |
—Ian Allan