2024 Rookie Running Back Dynasty Rankings

2024 Rookie Running Back Rankings

The spotlight of this year’s draft has gone to Quarterbacks and receivers with running backs in the shadows. However, the 2024 NFL Draft boasts a plethora of future quality starting running backs. This class is unique. There’s no set RB1, RB2, RB3, and so on. The opinions from a variety of analysts and experts are as diverse as they can be. And now, I’ll be chiming in my own full 2024 rookie running back rankings.

 

1 – Jonathon Brooks, Texas

Despite the torn ACL, Jonathon Brooks comes in as my top running back of the class. Brooks emerged as a viable option to carry the torch left behind by Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson. He totaled 1,139 yards and double digit touchdowns. This resulted in him taking a leap on every draft board throughout the league. Unfortunately, he took a step back afterwards with the injury. This shouldn’t be a cause for concern though. We’ve seen countless players come back better than ever after suffering the same injury and Brooks will be the next victim. With his day 2 projection, he could be competing for the RB1 title immediately.  

The Good:

• Has a physical component to his game, plays bigger than his size suggests
• Patient in the backfield
• Excels at running behind zone schemes
• Plays with a low pad level
• Excels in open space with attractive elusiveness
• Contact balance allows him to stay upright through contact 
• Solid vision
• Showcases encouraging flashes a blocker

The bad:

• Change of direction
• Inadequate receiving skills will prevent him from obtaining 3rd down snaps
• Tentative
• Stop and go speed is disappointing
• Doesn’t have home run speed: will occasionally be caught from behind
• Recovering from torn ACL

I get it, the injury is concerning. It may scare teams off which will also scare dynasty managers off. But don’t overthink it. His package of traits collectively earn the crown of the best in the class. Brooks will likely be a mid 2nd round pick in dynasty drafts and that is immense value managers should be slamming the draft button on. His talent is as good as a late 1st rounder. At worst, he’ll start as a RB2 awaiting his opportunity to shine just like at Texas. Fantasy managers should be banking on him reaching his sky high upside when selecting him. Brooks is expected to be selected in the 3rd round but the possibility exists for him to slip into day 3 with his injury. This should land him as a late 2nd round ADP guy in dynasty. 

2 – Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

Braelon Allen’s main enticement is his age. At only 20 years old, Allen is one of the youngest players in the draft. But don’t let the youth fool you, he still checked every box from a production standpoint. In all 3 of his years at college, he was the foundation of the Badgers offense. He totaled 3,494 yards and 35 touchdowns in just 35 games. He has all the physical attributes to carry that success to the next level.

The Good:

• Yearns contact, extremely physical
• Capable of giving defenders piggy back rides and picking up yards after contact
• Plays with a low pad level
• Consistently keeps his pads squared
• Adept 3rd down skills
• Arguably the best blocker in the draft
• Soft hands

The Bad:

• Faulty vision
• Cutback vision
• Seems unwilling to bounce runs outside
• Takes a while to turn on the jets and get to full speed
• Can’t read blocks when upfield
• Elusiveness
• Limited route tree

Braelon Allen’s blend of size and 3rd down skills makes him the most likely to become a workhorse 3 down back out of the class. He has bellcow size that can handle hefty workloads. The question is, will a team hand Allen that opportunity? With his upside, I think there’s a good chance he’ll emerge to lead a rushing attack. His aptitude as a 3rd down back is an attribute unmatched by any other back in the class. This should get him drafted relatively high in dynasty drafts, possibly as far as the late 1st round. As for the NFL, he’s likely to be selected in the 3rd round. Don’t be surprised if his name is the first one called out of all of the backs come April.

3 – Bucky Irving, Oregon

Bucky Irving is a monster run waiting to happen. He’s as athletically gifted as anyone in this class. At Oregon, he used these gifts to his advantage, leading their rushing attack with 1,180 yards and 11 touchdowns. These traits also make him a threat to any tackler in open space, showcased by him being 1st in the class in percentage of runs where Irving made someone miss since 2022. This mark is higher than special 1st round talents that were drafted last year such as Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs.

The Good:

• Natural playmaker, persistently capitalizing on open field opportunities
• Couples elite elusiveness and contact balance together to give defenders headaches
• Short area quickness
• Constantly wins the leverage battle with a low pad level
• Vision
• Reads blockers and defenders remarkably
• Has a knack of setting defenders up to make false moves

The Bad:

• Non-factor on 3rd down
• Undersized
• Can get impatient occasionally and overrun blockers
• Hesitates often
• Play strength

Irving’s size will certainly limit the workload he gets which constraints his fantasy upside. He’ll likely be a complementary back that’ll have a sick highlight reel and have fans questioning “Why doesn’t he play more?” The reality is, it’s unlikely Irving will have a backfield all to himself barring injuries. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be an effective fantasy player. He can still be a great change of pace back that’ll earn adequate carries and be a strong fantasy option especially on best ball teams. Fantasy managers should be hoping for a landing spot that’s run heavy and favors outside zone. That’s a system where Irving will excel.

4 – Trey Benson, Florida State

Trey Benson is a beloved player by the draft community. Give a brief look at his profile and you’ll fall in love too. Size? At 6’1 and 223 pounds, check. Athleticism? Projected 4.37 40 yard dash, check. Early declare? Check. High draft position? Projected as a 3rd round pick and one of the first backs selected, check. Production? 905 yards, 14 touchdowns and almost 6 yards per carry. That’s a double check. In hindsight, Benson looks like the type of prospect that’ll get teams drooling. His athletic gifts will have the dynasty community pounding the table for him.

The Good:

• Unique blend of size and athleticism
• Stop and go speed
• Change of direction
• Plays with a low pad level
• Patience
• Contact balance
• Door to be a 3rd down back is open
• In the limited time he blocked, he showed flashes
• Adequate receiving skills

The Bad:

• Struggles decelerating and runs into his own blockers
• Reckless, seeks out contact and overexposes himself
• Occasionally a tad slow finding the hole
• Limited blocking experience
• Tentative 
• Route tree
• Injury history
• Hip fluidity

Benson is a unique player. Compact build with unreal movement skills usually means a highly touted prospect. Yet for some reason, he’s still only a day 2 guy. While the physicals are great, he’s still pretty raw and may need time adjusting to the NFL. If he pays off, it’ll be worth the wait with his sky-high upside. Benson could be the 1st running back selected in the draft and will likely go somewhere in the 2nd-3rd round. His ADP will likely be around a 2nd round selection.

5 – Jaylen Wright, Tennessee 

Everyone’s been sleeping on Jaylen Wright. Don’t make the same mistake and let him slip past you late in the draft. After numerous offensive Tennessee players left for the NFL, they turned their head to Wright and he delivered. He surpassed the 1,000 yard threshold for the first time which made him the first Volunteer to pass the mark since 2015. He did this while maintaining a whopping 7.4 yards per carry. This included 3 games where he had over 10 yards per carry. As an early declare, Wright will look to carry this unreal efficency on to the next level.

The Good:

• Pairing of vision and patience

• Wastes no time, finds holes instantly
• A weapon in open space
• Contact balance
• Elusive
• Despite being undersized, he’s surprisingly physical
• Showed promise as a blocker

The Bad:

• Plays too slow in the backfield
• Stop and go speed
• Change of direction
• Plays upright
• Doesn’t square his pads
• Minimal impact as a receiver
• Route tree
• A bit undersized

Where he goes in the draft will be a huge factor that decides Wright’s fantasy stock. Nonetheless, his package of traits drastically exceeds what his consensus suggests. As a day 3 prospect, it’ll likely take time for him to see significant playing time so disregard him in redraft leagues. Dynasty leagues are a different story. His potential is enough to take a gamble on late in the draft. Whoever takes a chance on him on day 3 will be getting a major steal. Dynasty will likely have his ADP somewhere In the 3rd-4th round. That’s a price dynasty managers should be slamming the draft button for.

6 – Blake Corum, Michigan 

Blake Corum had the benefit of an offensive line and system friendly to ball carriers. But don’t get it twisted, Corum was an enormous piece of the puzzle. His production in college was outstanding, totaling 2,708 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns in his final 2 seasons. Corum checks every box from a production standpoint and checks even more with his athleticism. It’ll be rare to see anyone catch him from behind.

The Good:

• Eye catching athleticism
• Seamlessly changes direction
• Vision
• Will find the cutback lane every time
• Physicality is impressive for his size
• Low pad level
• Able to manipulate and setup defenders with his eyes
• Able to slip through tight spaces

The Bad:

• Undersized
• Blocking
• Receiving ability
• Route tree
• Negligible on 3rd down
• Contact balance
• Already 23

Corum presents as a high floor low ceiling prospect. His athleticism makes him an intriguing option but his upside is stunted by his age and size. Although he has a stout frame, there’s not many teams that’ll trust him to be a 3 down back. He’ll make an immediate impact as a complementary back but it’s hard to see him growing past that. That doesn’t mean he won’t see adequate carries though. His home run speed will be valuable to any NFL team. Corum will likely be selected with a pick of value, somewhere in the 3rd round. A realistic landing spot includes the LA Chargers and a reunion with Jim Harbaugh. Depending on his draft capital in the NFL draft, Corum could rise to as high as a late 1st in dynasty drafts. 

7 – Daijun Edwards, Georgia 

Georgia is no stranger to producing NFL studs at running back and Daijun Edwards is the next victim.  Part of Edwards’ spotlight was stolen by Kendall Milton which has resulted in him getting heavily slept on. Despite splitting carries, Edwards still managed to put up respectable numbers with nearly 900 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has a bundle of traits that’ll translate to the next level and is being disrespected by his absurdly low consensus. 

The Good:

• Patience and timing 
• One of the best blockers in the draft
• Soft hands
• Effective on screens/flats
• 3rd down skills
• Elusive
• A weapon in open space
• Contact balance
• Short area quickness

The Bad:

• Vision and cutback vision
• Reading blockers
• Doesn’t possess home run speed
• Physicality
• High pad level
• Scared of physicality, wants to bounce outside too much
• Route tree

Edwards is a name to look out for in the late parts of the draft. His talent is better than what his draft stock tells you. He’ll likely either be a late pick or an undrafted player in the NFL as well as dynasty drafts. That cheap price is a major steal for someone with upside like Edwards.

8 – Ray Davis, Kentucky

Ray Davis is another prospect not getting enough love. He bounced around quite a bit, spending 5 years in college and playing for Temple, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. When he became a Wildcat, his draft stock skyrocketed after emerging as an integral part to their offense. Davis accumulated 1,129 yards and 14 touchdowns while also adding 7 touchdowns through the air. Davis has a high floor and will have an instant impact to the team that takes a late chance on him.

The Good:

• Low pad level
• Squares Pads
• Patience
• Ability to read blocks
• Physical
• Plays bigger than his size suggests
• Lower contact balance

The Bad:

• Only 5’10
• Despite size, has lackluster athleticism
• Takes a while to get to full speed
• Vision
• Insufficient blocker
• Receiving ability
• Route tree
• Non-factor on 3rd down
• Age

Davis is a high floor, low ceiling player. He’s one of the most fundamentally sound backs but lacks the high end athleticism to stand out. Being undersized yet not athletic isn’t a charm NFL teams are looking for. Davis has the teachable traits but doesn’t have the unteachable ones. That plummets his draft stock, his fantasy value and his upside. Davis likely won’t hear his name called until the later rounds especially if he tests as badly as I expect. For dynasty, he should be there during the ¾ turn.

9 – Audric Estime, Notre Dame 

Audric Estime’s hype train has been picking up a lot of steam after he experienced a breakout season. He was one of the most productive college backs with 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns. Estime wins by weaponizing his bruising frame, making him one of the hardest backs to tackle. He’s a bowling ball that runs all over the bowling pins on the field. This level of physicality is a trait teams enjoy.

The Good:

• Play strength
• Contact balance
• Physicality
• Frame
• Patience
• Impressive burst for his size

The Bad:

• High pad level
• Awareness as a blocker
• Receiving skills
• Route tree
• Elusiveness
• High end athleticism
• Long speed
• Footwork needs to be cleaned up

His bruising run style is appealing. He can run right through a tackler or take them on a free piggy back ride. You won’t have fun trying to tackle him 1 on 1 in the open field. His size and physicality also makes him a threat in the red zone, a great asset for fantasy football teams. However, this power comes at the cost of high end athlsticizm. Estime projects as a round 3-4 pick for the NFL draft. He’ll likely start off as a short yardage back but could work his way into a bellcow role. The ceiling for Estime is high but the floor is low. Expect Estime’s name to be called somewhere in between the 3rd-4th round. As for his dynasty value, seeing him at the ⅔ turn is realistic. 

10 – Marshawn Lloyd, USC

Marshawn Lloyd is a human highlight reel. His blend of explosiveness and elusiveness makes him an eye popping weapon in the open field. This translated to a breakout campaign as a Trojan, earning career highs in yards, carries and yards per carry. 

The Good:

• Home run athleticism
• Elusiveness
• Stop and go speed
• Contact balance
• Receiving skills
• Ability to read blockers/defenders

The Bad:

• Undersized
• Cutback vision
• Patience
• High pad level
• Physicality
• Decelerating, results in him colliding with teammates occasionally
• Blocking ability

The athletic traits Lloyd possesses are unmatched. If he gets loose in the open field, he’ll juke you out of your shoes or simply run past you. Unfortunately, you can’t be a one trick pony in the NFL and expect to have a prosperous career. That’s something dynasty managers attracted to his athleticism must be wary of. Don’t expect him to come in and make an instant impact. In the NFL, Lloyd will likely go somewhere on early day 3. For dynasty, expect him to fall no further than the mid 3rd round.

11 – Rasheen Ali, Marshall

The Good:

• Patience
• Squares pads
• Stop and go speed
• Home run speed
• Impressive pass protector
• Cutback vision
• Falls forward consistently

The Bad:

• High pad level
• Change of direction
• Contact balance
• Vision
• Receiving skills
• Hesitancy
• Ball security concerns
• Played weak competition

12 – Cody Schrader, Missouri 

The Good:

• Short area quickness
• Contact balance
• Elusiveness
• Change of direction
• Squared pads
• 3rd down skills

The Bad:

• Patience
• Physicality
• Vision
• High pad level
• Already 24

13 – Will Shipley, Clemson

The Good:

• Receiving ability
• Blocking skills
• Capable 3rd down back
• Route tree
• Contact balance
• Play strength
• Size

The Bad:

• High pad level
• Vision
• Cutback vision
• Impatient
• Elusiveness
• Explosiveness
• Footwork

14 – Emani Bailey, TCU

The Good:

• Athleticism
• Short area burst
• Elusiveness
• Contact balance
• Change of direction
• Willing and impressive blocking ability for his size

The Bad:

• Vision
• Cutback vision 
• Doesn’t keep pads squared
• Decelerating
• Receiving skills
• Route tree
• Size

15 – Jawhar Jordan, Louisville 

The Good:

• Short area burst
• Contact balance
• 3rd down skills
• Low pad level
• Change of direction
• Consistently falls forward

The Bad:

• Impatient
• Vision
• Tentative
• Elusiveness
• Doesn’t square pads
• Already 24

16 – Dillon Johnson, Washington

The Good:

• Play strength
• Size
• Physicality
• Contact balance
• Patience
• Low pad level
• Squares his pads

The Bad:

• Vision
• Athleticism
• Doesn’t have home run speed
• Short area burst
• Receiving skills
• Tends to put his head down and run through contact instead of reading his blocks
• Footwork

17 – Kendall Milton, Georgia 

The Good:

• Size
• Contact balance
• Physicality
• Blocking
• Decision making

The Bad:

• Patience
• High pad level
• Receiving skills
• Athleticism
• Elusiveness

18 – Jase McClellan, Alabama

The Good:

• Short area quickness
• Contact balance
• Elusiveness
• Ability to read blocks
• Change of direction
• Blocking ability

The Bad:

• Patience
• Tends to overrun his blockers
• Vision
• Cutback vision
• Receiving skills
• High pad level
• Doesn’t square pads

 

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