It was a deep draft for running backs, so I will have some interest in some of these later-round picks. I expect we’ll see some notable games from some of them before the season is finished.
Tahj Brooks, for one; the Texas Tech running back Cincinnati selected in the sixth round. I think he’ll beat out Zack Moss, opening the year as the No. 2 back there. Chase Brown probably will get hurt at some point, and Brooks will be getting some run with one of the league’s best offenses.
Similarly, Devin Neal (pictured) of the Saints. I remember him playing lights out for Kansas in a win over Colorado. I would guess he’ll open the season as the No. 2 guy for New Orleans, probably logging some starts as a rookie. I would draft Neal before I would select Kendre Miller, who’s struggled with injuries his first two years.
The 49ers have a starter (Christian McCaffrey) and a good backup (Isaac Guerendo), but with Kyle Shanahan being a Jedi of sorts with lightly regarded running backs, let’s toss Jordan James in there as well. Though in James’ case, I’m not sure we can even call him lightly regarded; he averaged 7.1 yards per carry when he was sharing time with Bucky Irving. He lasted until the fifth round, but he would have gone earlier in most other drafts.
And the Cowboys drafted a pair of backs, Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. They’re going to a backfield that’s pretty lean on talent. It’s those two, and it’s two lightly regarded free agent additions: Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders.
I’m confident we’ll be seeing some decent games from later-round running backs at some point. But at the same time, that doesn’t happen all that often.
In the last 15 years, only two running backs picked after the fourth round have finished a season with top-20 numbers – Alfred Morris and Jordan Howard. Only five others have cracked the top 30.
Using PPR scoring, I see three 11 running backs picked in the fifth round finishing with top-60 stats in their first season. Just four from the sixth round, and only three from the seventh.
| BEST FIFTH-ROUND RUNNING BACKS (last 15 years) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Run | Rec | Total | TD | PPR | Rk |
| 2016 | Jordan Howard, Chi. | 1,313 | 298 | 1,611 | 7 | 232.1 | 10 |
| 2013 | Zac Stacy, St.L. | 973 | 141 | 1,114 | 8 | 185.4 | 21 |
| 2024 | Tyrone Tracy, NYG | 839 | 284 | 1,123 | 6 | 186.3 | 26 |
| 2022 | Tyler Allgeier, Atl. | 1,035 | 139 | 1,174 | 4 | 159.4 | 30 |
| 2012 | Vick Ballard, Ind. | 814 | 152 | 966 | 3 | 131.6 | 33 |
| 2015 | Karlos Williams, Buff. | 517 | 96 | 613 | 9 | 126.3 | 38 |
| 2021 | Kenneth Gainwell, Phil. | 291 | 253 | 544 | 6 | 125.4 | 40 |
| 2016 | DeAndre Washington, Oak. | 467 | 115 | 582 | 2 | 87.2 | 56 |
| 2018 | Jaylen Samuels, Pitt. | 256 | 199 | 455 | 3 | 89.5 | 58 |
| 2016 | Paul Perkins, NYG | 456 | 162 | 618 | 0 | 76.8 | 60 |
| 2011 | Jacquizz Rodgers, Atl. | 205 | 188 | 393 | 2 | 72.3 | 60 |
| BEST SIXTH-ROUND RUNNING BACKS (last 15 years) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Run | Rec | Total | TD | PPR | Rk |
| 2012 | Alfred Morris, Was. | 1,613 | 77 | 1,690 | 13 | 258.0 | 7 |
| 2013 | Andre Ellington, Ari. | 652 | 371 | 1,023 | 4 | 165.3 | 26 |
| 2021 | Elijah Mitchell, S.F. | 963 | 137 | 1,100 | 6 | 165.0 | 26 |
| 2014 | Alfred Blue, Hou. | 528 | 113 | 641 | 3 | 97.1 | 46 |
| BEST SEVENTH-ROUND RUNNING BACKS (last 15 years) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Run | Rec | Total | TD | PPR | Rk |
| 2022 | Isiah Pacheco, K.C. | 830 | 130 | 960 | 5 | 139.0 | 37 |
| 2012 | Bryce Brown, Phil. | 564 | 56 | 620 | 4 | 99.0 | 43 |
| 2012 | Daryl Richardson, St.L. | 475 | 163 | 638 | 0 | 89.8 | 46 |
—Ian Allan