Entering a draft, I like to have my thoughts squared away in regards to backup running backs. It’s a safe bet that a few of these guys will be top-10 players at their position at some point this season.
On that topic, I just exited a draft – a 12-teamer with half-point PPR. So for ballpark purposes, we can look at where those backs were chosen, giving us an idea of what it’s going to take to land the key backups that we’re hoping for.
Up front, there are different kinds of backups. There are teams that will regularly rely on one-two punch backfields – Rams, Pats, Steelers, Bucs, Broncos – so I don’t really consider those teams to have the kind of stash-away prospect we’re hoping for. If you’re selecting Blake Corum or Rhamondre Stevenson, it’s with the hope they’ll be doing something in the here and now. But to keep this exercise clean, I’m choosing to simply list the second running backs drafted from each team.
Two teams didn’t have a second back chosen – Dolphins and Colts. I actually like Jaylen Wright more than some of the backs who were chosen. Miami seems to have a credible line, and I don’t think undersized De’Von Achane can hold up for all 17 games. Maybe Wright shares time with Ollie Gordon some, but I think he should be rostered.
In terms of rags-to-riches backs, there are nine who I have flagged with black dots. These are guys I’m thinking about going into drafts. Certainly Mike Washington, with Ashton Jeanty suffering an ankle injury on Sunday. Even setting the injury aside, Washington has popped a couple of nice runs in the preseason.
There are two backs who’ve been hurt for the vast majority of their first two seasons who are healthy now and looking pretty likely to be starting some games – Jonathon Brooks and MarShawn Lloyd. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my draft list synched up quite right, missing out on both of them. I didn’t have the right feel for where guys would be going.
I liked what I saw of Woody Marks (pictured) in one of Houston’s preseason games (particularly on a 19-yard touchdown). He looks better and more confident relative to his first season, and the offense looks better. The Texans have a lesser, older starter (David Montgomery). Marks is a guy I’d like to have, but he went earlier than I expected in this most recent draft.
| SECOND BACKS PICKED BY TEAM | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Tm | Player | Comment |
| 6.06 | LAR | Blake Corum | 1-2 punch backfield |
| 6.12 | NE | Rhamondre Stevenson | 1-2 punch backfield |
| 7.02 | PIT | Jaylen Warren | 1-2 punch backfield |
| 7.03 | ARI | • Tyler Allgeier | J.Love sidelined (ank) |
| 7.05 | TB | Kenneth Gainwell | 1-2 punch backfield |
| 7.09 | CAR | • Jonathon Brooks | Hubbard sidelined (ham) |
| 8.07 | DEN | J.K. Dobbins | committee backfield |
| 8.12 | MIN | Aaron Jones | listed as co-starter |
| 9.01 | HOU | • Woody Marks | clean backup |
| 9.02 | CHI | • Kyle Monangai | currently out (knee) |
| 9.03 | NYG | Tyrone Tracy | blown pass pro v. Buff. |
| 9.04 | JAC | Chris Rodriguez | 1-2 punch backfield |
| 10.03 | WAS | Rachaad White | committee backfield |
| 11.09 | SEA | Zach Charbonnet | on PUP (knee) |
| 12.12 | ATL | • Brian Robinson | clean backup |
| 13.01 | DET | Isiah Pacheco | currently out (knee) |
| 13.05 | BUF | • Ray Davis | T.Johnson also available |
| 13.11 | NO | Alvin Kamara | currently out (knee) |
| 13.12 | LAC | Keaton Mitchell | undersized (191 lbs) |
| 14.01 | GB | • MarShawn Lloyd | clean backup |
| 14.05 | LV | • Mike Washington | clean backup |
| 14.08 | KC | Emmett Johnson | backup job TBD |
| 14.09 | DAL | Jaydon Blue | backup job TBD |
| 14.10 | PHI | • Tank Bigsby | clean backup |
| 15.02 | TEN | Tyjae Spears | 1-2 punch backfield |
| 15.04 | SF | Kaelon Black | backup job TBD |
| 15.10 | NYJ | Braelon Allen | Breece sidelined (groin) |
| 15.11 | CLE | Dylan Sampson | backup job TBD |
| 16.08 | BAL | Adam Randall | backup job TBD |
| 17.08 | CIN | Samaje Perine | clean backup |
| -- | MIA | Jaylen Wright | O.Gordon also available |
| -- | IND | D.J. Giddens | backup job TBD |
As a reminder, in the list above, it’s not how I would pick them. It instead simply shows the second running back from each team drafted. Three of these backs (Stevenson, Dobbins, White) are actually higher on the last FFI draft list I saw than the teammate who went earlier.
—Ian Allan
