Now that Free Agency and the NFL Rookie Draft are done, let’s talk about the 2024 Running Back Winners and Losers from a fantasy perspective!
Free Agency is pretty much done. The 2024 NFL Rookie Draft is done. When we look at the RB position for 2024, who comes out shining like a star? With all things factored in, who will have a tough road ahead of them?
First, let us take a look at the winners in the RB position. They could be winners because of multiple factors. The player moved to a team with a very large need. Their team did not use any rookie picks in their position. The main competition for snaps has moved on to a new home. Let’s get to the 2024 RB Winners and Losers!
Winners in the RB Position for 2024
1) Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
Barkley has only played every game in a season twice out of his six total seasons. His offensive line and QB play have let him down a majority of the time. After more than 5,000 yards rushing, 2,000 yards receiving, and 47 TDs, Barkley is taking his ball and going home, literally. He went to Whitehall High School in Pennsylvania and then to Penn State University.
The Eagles are a perfect match for this player. They have a better offensive line, better receiving options, and a better QB. The Eagles have been looking for that stud RB to carry the rock, and they found one. In 2022, the Eagles #1 RB was Miles Sanders who rushed for over 1,200 yards and caught 20 passes. The 2023 #1 RB for the Eagles was D’Andre Swift with over 1,000 yards rushing and 39 receptions. Barkley has found his dream landing spot.
2) Zamir White, Las Vegas Raiders
White has been handed the keys to the rushing game for 2024. Josh Jacobs has moved on to the Green Bay Packers and the Raiders only brought in free agent Alexander Mattison as veteran competition. The Raiders finished up the RB tree with the sixth-round rookie out of New Hampshire, Dylan Laube.
Jacobs went down with a leg quad bruise in Week 14 of 2023. This injury opened the door for the second-year RB out of Georgia. In the 4 games to finish the 2023 season, White averaged 21 carries, 99 yards rushing, over 2 receptions, and 15 yards receiving per game. He earned the bell cow status and has zero competition to keep him off the field.
3) Zack Moss, Cincinnati Bengals
Moss got his opportunity last season with the Jonathan Taylor hold-in and injury. After getting drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft, he was traded to the Colts about halfway through the 2022 season. Moss got his first three career starts after going to the Colts.
2023 brought the biggest chance for Moss in his career to date. Taylor would miss the first four games of the season. Moss got the start in five games in a row from Weeks 2-6. He would have 2–100-yard rushing performances, with a high week of 165 yards. He also had 14 receptions over that span of games. The Bengals saw enough to bring him in as the replacement for Joe Mixon. Moss got a 2-year contract worth $8 million to lead their high-powered run game.
4) Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
Derrick Henry is gone. Tony Pollard was signed to a 3-year contract worth $21 million. Pollard got his chance last year to be the lead RB for the Cowboys and failed big time. After performing above average as a change of pace back to Ezekiel Elliott, Pollard delivered his lowest yards per carry in his career. He also delivered his worst yards per reception.
Spears will get more work each week as the season moves along. He played more than 60% of the offensive snaps just three times. Yet, Spears nearly equaled Pollard’s receiving stats and had better yards per carry. Pollard signing to the Titans was a big win for Spears and his playtime.
5) Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings
Jones ends up with the Vikings on a 1-year deal worth $7 million. His competition for carries is Ty Chandler, Myles Gaskin, and Cam Akers. In other words, he is not coming off the field very often. Jones will also be playing in an offense with either Sam Darnold or rookie JJ McCarthy under center. The Vikings will run more than they throw. Everything points to a very nice season for Jones as long as he stays healthy.
Losers in the RB Position for 2024
1) Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
Hubbard had the best year of his three-year career last year in 2023. His playtime increased as the season went along and Miles Sanders was not delivering as promised. Hubbard produced 1,131 total yards of offense. The Panthers rewarded him by selecting the #1 RB prospect out of Texas, Jonathon Brooks. Brooks has all the skills and tools to dominate offensive snaps on all three downs. Hubbard’s play time and statistics will probably return to 2022 numbers.
2) Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
Williams had a breakout year last year in 2023. He produced 1,144 yards rushing and 12 TDs. Williams added another 32 receptions for 206 yards and 3 TDs. The negative was his injuries. He missed Weeks 7-11 with a high ankle sprain. Williams then broke his hand in the NFC Wildcard round game. He will also miss the OTAs for the entire summer of 2024 with a foot issue.
The Rams drafted Blake Corum in the third round of this past NFL draft. He will definitely steal some snaps from Williams. Corum and Williams will coexist and steal carries and receptions from each other. A true split backfield is expected.
3) James Conner, Arizona Cardinals
Conner is going to be entering his eighth season in the NFL at age 29. He has never played a full season of games. Conner will usually miss anywhere from 4-6 games a season. Last season was no different, but he did break 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career.
The Cardinals decided to add some real competition and solidify their RB room by drafting Trey Benson at the beginning of the third round of this past NFL draft. At 6’1″ and 211 lbs, Benson is an every-down back. He produced over 900 yards rushing in each of the last two seasons at Florida State. He had a combined 24 TDs and 33 receptions for 371 yards combined over the last two years. Benson will take at least half of the work from Conner.
4) Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After being drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft, White had his career year last year in 2023. He produced 990 yards rushing and 64 receptions for 549 yards. White scored 9 TDs on the year also. The negative to his nice 2023 statistics was his very low 3.6 yards per carry. The Buccaneers need better production in the run game.
To increase competition and produce better yardage per snap, the Buccaneers selected Bucky Irving in the fourth round of this past NFL draft. At Oregon last year, Irving produced 6.3 yards per carry on 186 rushing attempts. Add in another 7.4 yards per reception on 56 catches. Irving’s sophomore statistics at Oregon were even a little better. He will vulture some significant work from White.
5) Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
After a very promising 2022 season, Stevenson took a step back last year with his lowest yards per rush in his three-year career. He also only delivered half of the receptions. What was once very promising has led the Patriots to bring in solid competition.
Antonio Gibson was signed to a 3-year $11.25 million deal. Gibson was shorted on the opportunity end of the Washington Commanders depth chart. A new home for Gibson is exactly what the doctor ordered. Running Back by Commitee is truly the plan in New England.
Thank you for checking out my 2024 Running Back Winners and Losers article! You can read all of my articles on my IDP Guys author page. Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @OldMan_FF and @IDPGuys (we have offense, too), and please consider becoming a subscriber!