A lot of the earliest No. 2 running backs off the board will be players expected to get plenty of work: AJ Dillon, and perhaps a second runner from teams like Detroit, New Orleans or Atlanta. But one of the more compelling No. 2s who will be selected later is Pittsburgh's Jaylen Warren.
A year ago, the undrafted rookie didn't get a lot of opportunities behind workhorse Najee Harris; just 77 carries and 28 receptions, so an average of just 6-7 total touches per game. But it seems like he should have got more work, since he was a more effective runner (4.9 yards per attempt compared to 3.8 for Harris), caught a higher percentage of passes thrown his way (85 percent compared to 77), and did considerably more with his chances -- nearly half as many scrimmage yards (593 versus 1,263) on a third as many touches. It hasn't gone unnoticed.
"There is no way offensive coordinator Matt Canada can keep Warren off the field as much as he did last season," says Mark Kaboly in The Athletic, adding that Warren has been a standout at OTAs. Obviously the team has a level of trust in Harris, but it seems like the team will need to use Warren a little more -- and has one of the better backups should Harris miss time due to injury.
There haven't been a ton of undrafted running backs to make an impact over the years, but it's a position where it does happen (which is part of the reason why running backs find it difficult to get paid in free agency). On average, there have been about 2-3 undrafted backs each season grading out as regular starters in fantasy leagues (I went with guys who ranked in the top 25 in PPR leagues). Table shows all undrafted running backs who finished in the top 25 for their position this century, sorted by year.
UNDRAFTED RUNNING BACKS IN THE TOP 25, 2000-PRESENT | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Att | Run | No | Rec | TD | PPR | Rk |
2022 | Austin Ekeler, LAC | 204 | 915 | 107 | 722 | 18 | 378.7 | 1 |
2021 | Austin Ekeler, LAC | 206 | 911 | 70 | 647 | 20 | 349.8 | 2 |
2021 | Darrel Williams, K.C. | 144 | 558 | 47 | 452 | 8 | 196.0 | 21 |
2021 | James Robinson, Jac. | 164 | 767 | 31 | 222 | 8 | 177.9 | 24 |
2020 | James Robinson, Jac. | 240 | 1070 | 49 | 344 | 10 | 252.4 | 7 |
2020 | J.D. McKissic, Was. | 85 | 365 | 80 | 589 | 3 | 193.4 | 17 |
2019 | Austin Ekeler, LAC | 132 | 557 | 92 | 993 | 11 | 313.0 | 4 |
2019 | Phillip Lindsay, Den. | 224 | 1011 | 35 | 196 | 7 | 197.7 | 20 |
2018 | Phillip Lindsay, Den. | 192 | 1037 | 35 | 241 | 10 | 222.8 | 13 |
2018 | Austin Ekeler, LAC | 106 | 554 | 39 | 404 | 6 | 170.8 | 25 |
2017 | C.J. Anderson, Den. | 245 | 1007 | 28 | 224 | 4 | 177.1 | 18 |
2016 | LeGarrette Blount, N.E. | 299 | 1161 | 7 | 38 | 18 | 234.9 | 9 |
2016 | Isaiah Crowell, Cle. | 198 | 952 | 40 | 319 | 7 | 209.1 | 14 |
2015 | Danny Woodhead, S.D. | 98 | 336 | 80 | 755 | 9 | 243.1 | 3 |
2015 | Chris Ivory, NYJ | 247 | 1070 | 30 | 217 | 8 | 206.7 | 11 |
2014 | Arian Foster, Hou. | 260 | 1246 | 38 | 327 | 13 | 277.6 | 5 |
2014 | C.J. Anderson, Den. | 179 | 849 | 34 | 324 | 10 | 211.3 | 11 |
2014 | Joique Bell, Det. | 223 | 860 | 34 | 322 | 8 | 200.2 | 13 |
2014 | Matt Asiata, Min. | 164 | 570 | 44 | 312 | 10 | 196.2 | 14 |
2014 | Fred Jackson, Buff. | 141 | 525 | 66 | 501 | 3 | 188.6 | 16 |
2014 | Chris Ivory, NYJ | 198 | 821 | 18 | 123 | 7 | 154.4 | 24 |
2013 | Fred Jackson, Buff. | 206 | 890 | 47 | 387 | 10 | 234.7 | 11 |
2013 | Danny Woodhead, S.D. | 106 | 429 | 76 | 605 | 8 | 227.4 | 12 |
2013 | Joique Bell, Det. | 166 | 650 | 53 | 547 | 8 | 222.7 | 14 |
2013 | Pierre Thomas, N.O. | 147 | 549 | 77 | 513 | 5 | 213.2 | 16 |
2012 | Arian Foster, Hou. | 351 | 1424 | 40 | 217 | 17 | 306.1 | 3 |
2012 | BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cin. | 278 | 1094 | 22 | 104 | 6 | 177.8 | 21 |
2012 | Joique Bell, Det. | 82 | 414 | 52 | 485 | 3 | 159.9 | 23 |
2012 | Danny Woodhead, N.E. | 76 | 301 | 40 | 446 | 7 | 156.7 | 24 |
2011 | Arian Foster, Hou. | 278 | 1224 | 53 | 617 | 12 | 309.1 | 3 |
2011 | Fred Jackson, Buff. | 170 | 934 | 39 | 442 | 6 | 212.6 | 14 |
2011 | Mike Tolbert, S.D. | 121 | 490 | 54 | 433 | 10 | 206.3 | 16 |
2011 | Pierre Thomas, N.O. | 110 | 562 | 50 | 425 | 6 | 184.7 | 21 |
2010 | Arian Foster, Hou. | 327 | 1616 | 66 | 604 | 18 | 396.0 | 1 |
2010 | BenJarvus Green-Ellis, N.E. | 229 | 1008 | 12 | 85 | 13 | 199.3 | 19 |
2010 | Mike Tolbert, S.D. | 182 | 735 | 25 | 216 | 11 | 188.1 | 21 |
2010 | Fred Jackson, Buff. | 222 | 927 | 31 | 215 | 7 | 187.2 | 22 |
2010 | Danny Woodhead, 2TM | 97 | 547 | 34 | 379 | 6 | 162.6 | 25 |
2009 | Ryan Grant, G.B. | 282 | 1253 | 25 | 197 | 11 | 236.0 | 11 |
2009 | Fred Jackson, Buff. | 237 | 1062 | 46 | 371 | 4 | 218.7 | 13 |
2009 | Pierre Thomas, N.O. | 147 | 793 | 39 | 302 | 8 | 196.5 | 19 |
2008 | Pierre Thomas, N.O. | 129 | 625 | 31 | 284 | 12 | 193.9 | 19 |
2008 | Dominic Rhodes, Ind. | 152 | 538 | 45 | 302 | 9 | 185.0 | 24 |
2007 | Earnest Graham, T.B. | 222 | 898 | 49 | 324 | 10 | 231.2 | 10 |
2007 | Kenny Watson, Cin. | 178 | 763 | 52 | 374 | 7 | 207.7 | 14 |
2007 | Ryan Grant, G.B. | 188 | 956 | 30 | 145 | 8 | 188.1 | 17 |
2007 | Willie Parker, Pitt. | 321 | 1316 | 23 | 164 | 2 | 183.0 | 20 |
2006 | Willie Parker, Pitt. | 337 | 1494 | 31 | 222 | 16 | 298.6 | 7 |
2005 | Willie Parker, Pitt. | 255 | 1202 | 18 | 218 | 5 | 190.0 | 18 |
2004 | Priest Holmes, K.C. | 196 | 892 | 19 | 187 | 15 | 216.9 | 18 |
2004 | Nick Goings, Car. | 217 | 821 | 45 | 394 | 7 | 208.5 | 20 |
2003 | Priest Holmes, K.C. | 320 | 1420 | 74 | 690 | 27 | 447.0 | 1 |
2002 | Priest Holmes, K.C. | 313 | 1615 | 70 | 672 | 24 | 442.7 | 1 |
2002 | Marcel Shipp, Ariz. | 188 | 834 | 38 | 413 | 9 | 216.7 | 22 |
2001 | Priest Holmes, K.C. | 327 | 1555 | 62 | 614 | 10 | 338.9 | 2 |
2001 | Dominic Rhodes, Ind. | 233 | 1104 | 34 | 224 | 10 | 226.8 | 12 |
2001 | Stacey Mack, Jac. | 213 | 877 | 23 | 165 | 10 | 187.2 | 21 |
2001 | Jamel White, Cle. | 126 | 443 | 44 | 418 | 6 | 168.1 | 24 |
2001 | Maurice Smith, Atl. | 237 | 760 | 19 | 230 | 6 | 154.0 | 25 |
2000 | Tony Richardson, K.C. | 147 | 697 | 58 | 468 | 6 | 210.5 | 21 |
2000 | James Allen, Chi. | 290 | 1120 | 39 | 291 | 3 | 198.1 | 24 |
Austin Ekeler is the gold standard here, the No. 1 fantasy back a year ago and the No. 2 the year before that. James Robinson also was a standout for a couple of years before an Achilles injury derailed his career.
Other top performers from this century include fantasy legends like Priest Holmes and Arian Foster. Many others made it into the top 25 for their pass-catching work: J.D. McKissic, Danny Woodhead and Fred Jackson. That might be Warren's best route to relevance in 2023: emerging as the team's primary option in passing situations. It's a strength of Harris, too, but Warren's superior effectiveness (in terms of both catch rate and after-the-catch performance) could help him get on the field more.
--Andy Richardson