4 RB’s outside the Top 20
4 Running backs I’m targeting outside of the top 20 being drafted. This is where you can make some headway against your league. Being able to take top #1 wide receivers early and being able to grab one or two of these guys that have a chance at finishing in top 10 running backs this year.
Isiah Pacheco – Pacheco’s outstanding season as a 2022 7th round pick should not be taken lightly. From Week 10 through Week 17 he was the RB21 in points per game and ranked sixth in total rushing yards. Both he and Jerick McKinnon were top-20 scoring RBs over that stretch, but Pacheco took over more as the Chiefs made their postseason run. Averaging 13 touches for 65 rushing yards to McKinnon’s seven touches per game. The beast from Rutgers capped off his rookie campaign with an impressive Super Bowl outing. Pacheco should be viewed as the early-down starter for KC as he heads into Year 2, with room to grow if he sees his pass-game usage expanded. He had 6 catches in the conference championship which suggests a boosted receiving role is a possibility that would bolster his numbers even more!
David Montgomery – Montgomery signed a 3-year deal with the Detroit Lions this offseason, setting him up to be the new Jamaal Williams on the field for at least this year. A similar red-zone role will lead to more scoring for Montgomery which will supplement solid fantasy production at a relatively cheap price tag. Williams’ in 2022 had 262 carries… 16.1 touches per game – and Montgomery’s contract suggests the team will be featuring him to be fantasy viable alongside Gibbs. Montgomery when healthy with the Bears was a solid RB 2 in fantasy and with an expanded red-zone opportunity with a less mobile QB he could break the 10 TD barrier and help you win your league.
Rachaad White – White saw his role expanded as the season progressed, forcing a timeshare with Leonard Fournette. Weeks 10-17, White operated as the 1A in the Buccaneers’ backfield averaging 11 fantasy points per game. He only averaged four yards per carry, and had a 66.4 PFF rushing grade – but Tampas offensive line was a mess last season with injuries. The first-year rusher was still better than Fournette on the ground, as the veteran finished third-to-last in rushing EPA (-39.13). White edged out Fournette on the field the first round of the NFL playoffs. Fournette carried the ball just 5 times while White started and rushed for 41 yards on 7 carries, adding 4 catches for 36 yards and had a 56% snap share. White’s superior season and ability as a receiver solidify him as the RB 1 for Tampa. After releasing Fournette they signed Chase Edmonds in free agency and added Sean Tucker as an undrafted free agent, which neither should affect Whites touches this year.
Alexander Mattison – Mattison has been a fantasy stud when Dalvin Cook was injured, but he has never had more than 166 touches in a season. Now he is running back 1 for the Vikings and in a great situation, he should be at least a RB2 with. Although, he’s never been a featured back for an entire season — the glimpses of him in a full-time role as a Viking shed some light on his potential upside should he ascend to RB 1 status. Mattison is only 25 years old and when he carried the ball last year, he finished with a career-high 84.2 PFF rushing grade which ranked 15th overall. Currently behind him on the depth chart it’s Ty Chandler, DeWayne McBride and Kene Nwangwu.
