Who is the best running back for fantasy football? The 2024 NFL season is upon us which means it’s another fall of fantasy football. With the action fast approaching, it’s time for our Week 1 fantasy RB rankings ahead of this week’s slate.
As always, projecting matchups is a bit tougher early in the season when there is no 2024 data to base picks on. With the help of NFL stats from last season and an understanding of the rosters, we create our Week 1 fantasy RB rankings.
1. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons – vs Pittsburgh Steelers
We’re ready to be hurt again as fantasy managers by Bijan Robinson. Jokes aside, the change from play-caller Arthur Smith to Zac Robinson changes everything for this Falcons’ offense. Robinson could take on the Kyren Williams-like role that Robinson saw back in Los Angeles. While this isn’t a great matchup, a close game with the volume of touches Robinson will receive put him atop our Week 1 fantasy RB rankings.
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2. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers – vs New York Jets
This isn’t a fantastic matchup for Christian McCaffrey, against a New York Jets defense that ranked 10th in yards per carry allowed (4.1) last season, but this is a favorable game script. After missing most of the summer with a calf strain, McCaffrey is tentatively poised to return in Week 1. The likelihood of San Francisco limiting his touches a bit is what drops him a spot in our Week 1 fantasy RB rankings.
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3. Breece Hall, New York Jets – vs San Francisco 49ers
If Breece Hall finishes Sunday as RB1 overall, it won’t be a surprise to us. In their final seven games last season, including the playoffs, the San Francisco 49ers defense allowed 136.4 rushing yards per game to opponents. Running the football is both the best way to attack this 49ers defense and help limit the amount of pressure Aaron Rodgers faces on passing downs. Hall is going to make fantasy managers very happy this year and it starts in Week 1.
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4. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles – vs Green Bay Packers
Saquon Barkley is in the best situation of his career, which should seemingly make him one of the best running backs in fantasy football this season. The Green Bay Packers did make a change at defensive coordinator, but much of the personnel remains the same. A historically bad run defense, the Packers were one of just seven teams to allow 2,100 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns last season.
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5. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens – vs Kansas City Chiefs
Much like Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry went from a bad situation for fantasy success to the ideal landing spot. While we do have concerns with the Baltimore Ravens offensive line, which is even worse than it was last season, the Kansas City Chiefs have struggled against power runs in the last year. Henry is the perfect back to attack the Chiefs with and he should kick off his Ravens’ tenure with a strong performance to open the 2024 NFL season.
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6. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions – vs Los Angeles Rams
Jahmyr Gibbs’ talent gives him the ability to be one of the best fantasy football running backs in 2024. However, he dealt with an injury this offseason and in the summer, which will likely limit his workload early in the regular season. Fortunately, this is a fantastic matchup against a Los Angeles Rams defense that lost its two best defenders (Aaron Donald and Ernest Jones).
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7. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts – vs Houston Texans
With Zack Moss now playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, the hope is that Jonathan Taylor returns to his role of 20-plus touches per game and that is doable. He’s lower in our Week 1 fantasy RB rankings compared to consensus in part due to the risk of Anthony Richardson stealing goal-line touches. Of far bigger concern is a Houston Texans defense that allowed just 3.5 yards per carry (2nd in NFL) last season and now has even more talent in the front seven for DeMeco Ryans to utilize.
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8. James Cook, Buffalo Bills – vs Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals allowed the fourth-highest yards per carry average (4.7) and the most rushing yards per game (143.2) in 2023. Marginal improvements were made this offseason, leading to confidence this will remain one of the worst run defenses in the NFL. If that’s not enticing enough for James Cook’s fantasy managers, this is a very favorable game script. We’re not worried about Ray Davis eating into Cook’s workload this early in the season, locking Cook in as a top-10 play for Week 1.
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9. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams – vs Detroit Lions
We know there are fantasy managers concerned about the Los Angeles Rams using Kyren Williams as a punt returner. If it’s any consolation, he will probably only be returning a maximum of 2 punts per game and even that will be high. However, he does drop in our Week 1 fantasy RB rankings because there is legitimacy to this being a bit of a split backfield with Blake Corum. The rookie might steal a touchdown from Williams, though, the Rams’ starter has more than enough talent and opportunities to finish as a top-10 running back in a high-scoring game.
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10. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers – vs Philadelphia Eagles
Josh Jacobs didn’t meet expectations last season with the Las Vegas Raiders because the offensive line and quarterback situation let him down. That’s not going to be an issue with the Green Bay Packers. What makes this situation even better is that Jacobs will get the featured role with rookie Marshawn Lloyd still working his way up the depth chart. Of note, the Eagles defense allowed 145.1 rush ypg, 4.6 yards per carry and 10 touchdowns in their final 8 games last season.
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11. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals – vs Buffalo Bills
James Conner is criminally underrated in fantasy football. After settling in following a four-game absence in 2023, Conner averaged 4.8 yards per carry and nearly 102 scrimmage yards per game from Weeks 10-17 with 7 touchdowns. Plus, the Buffalo Bills defense allowed 4.6 ypc last season and the Cardinals offense should keep this game close.
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12. Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars – vs Miami Dolphins
Travis Etienne doesn’t draw the greatest matchup in Week 1 – Miami Dolphins allowed 3.8 yards per carry in 2023 – but workload matters. Tank Bigsby hasn’t done nearly enough to truly challenge for the complementary role, which should allow Etienne to remain the focal point of this ground game. Just have reasonable expectations as Etienne only had two 100-yard games last season and he might not replicate his touchdown total (12).
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13. Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks – vs Denver Broncos
We’re bullish on the Seattle Seahawks offense this season, especially in Week 1, but the best production will come from the passing game. However, first-year head coach Mike Macdonald will want to highlight the run game and that’s a great benefit to Kenneth Walker over Zach Charbonnet. Just understand that Walker is one of the most volatile running backs in fantasy. He had five games last season averaging 5-plus yards per carry and six with a sub-3.5 yards per carry average.
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14. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – vs Washington Commanders
Rachaad White certainly inflated his fantasy value last season with his pass-catching work (64 receptions) and there might not be that many opportunities this season. Fortunately, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers improved their offensive line and that could change things for one of the worst NFL rushing offenses in 2023. White’s 3.7 ypc career average isn’t great, but it’s more a statement of the blockers he had before. Against the Washington Commanders – 4.5 ypc, 126.8 rush ypg allowed in 2023 – White can be a high-end RB1.
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15. David Montgomery, Detroit Lions – vs Los Angeles Rams
As we mentioned with Jahmyr Gibbs in our Week 1 fantasy RB rankings, the Lions’ second-year back likely will be sharing more touches early in the season. This is also a very promising matchup against a bottom-5 defense. Montgomery is a strong bet to find the end zone and that could come with 50-plus scrimmage yards on Sunday Night Football.
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16. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs – vs Baltimore Ravens
The Kansas City Chiefs don’t seem to have an abundance of confidence in Isiah Pacheco. They attempted to sign Josh Jacobs this offseason and when that didn’t work, just days out from Week 1, landed Samaje Perine. That gives the Chiefs offense a viable pass-catching threat to see the field over Pacheco. There’s also rookie Carson Steele, a preseason standout who brings a very physical element to the Chiefs’ run game. Pacheco is still the lead back, but there’s a low fantasy ceiling.
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17. De’Von Achana, Miami Dolphins – vs Jacksonville Jaguars
How lucky do you feel? Fans of De’Von Achane, those projecting him to be one of the best fantasy football running backs in 2024, will point to his 7.8 yards per carry average last season. It’s certainly true, 800 yards on just 103 attempts with 8 touchdowns is legendary efficiency. This is where we’ll remind you that Achane had five games with 10-plus carries and six with single-digit attempts. There’s just immense volatility here and when you’re in an offense where Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert, Jaylen Wright and Jonnu Smith will all be getting touches, Achane could be a bust on any given week.
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18. Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings – vs New York Giants
The Minnesota Vikings run game was awful in 2023, in large part because of their running backs but also due to the blocking up front. Aaron Jones is a massive talent upgrade for this backfield, especially with defenses needing to focus on Justin Jefferson. This is a favorable matchup on paper – New York Giants allowed 4.7 ypc, 24 touchdowns in 2023 – but Minnesota also views Ty Chandler as a quality back. The split backfield is the only reason Jones isn’t higher in our Week 1 fantasy RB rankings.
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19. Joe Mixon, Houston Texans – vs Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts run defense is hit-and-miss. In 2023, it allowed the fourth-most rushing touchdowns (22), but it also held opponents under 90 rushing yards 6 times with a sub-3.5 ypc average 7 times. The Houston Texans will be attacking this inexperienced Colts’ secondary regularly, likely resulting in a lot of red-zone trips. What you’re hoping for with Mixon is 65-plus scrimmage yards and a touchdown.
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20. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints – vs Washington Commanders
Alvin Kamara finished as one of the top fantasy football running backs last season because Derek Carr peppered him with targets. In 13 games, Kamara had five-plus receptions 7 times and seven-plus receptions on 4 occasions. Our hope is that the new offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, changes things and gets Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed more involved. If Carr reverts to his old ways, making Kamara a PPR star, we’ll move him back up the rankings for Week 2.
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