

We live in an era where the majority of the teams in the NFL are pass-first, but the crazy thing is; the top 5* passing teams didn’t make the playoffs and the top 5* rushing teams did. The running back position doesn’t last forever with repetitive hits over and over again. Therefore, in dynasty leagues, it is essential to target young backs with loads of potential.

As I break into 40-31, I find that all these RBs having a different story. The story may be that they are part of a committee or possibly a rookie that isn’t supposed to be drafted until Day 3. This set of 10 players are the most confusing players to rank. They are confusing because they are all very talented, however, it is unclear where they will stand in 2020.

For instance, David Johnson fell off the face of the earth in the latter half of 2019. There is a good chance that the Falcons will move on from Devonta Freeman. Tevin Coleman and Raheem Mostert are part of the league’s best RBC. These players still provide great value in dynasty leagues and their current ADP makes them worth a hold to see where they will strive in 2020.

Read who I have ranked at RB: 70-61; 60-51; 50-41

Don’t forget to check out where I ranked my dynasty QB (Post Combine):1-25; 26-44

Mattison served as Dalvin Cook‘s backup throughout the 2019 season and many fantasy owners had him on their roster waiting for his moment, unfortunately for the owners, Cook and Mattison were hurt at the same time. Mattison resembles what the Vikings want to do offensively and was drafted to become Cook 2.0. For dynasty, he remains one of the top handcuffs to own, especially due to Cook’s injury history. If Cook was to go down, Mattison would be able to step in and not miss a beat.

Cam Akers had one of the worst offensive lines in college football in 2019 at Florida Stae. This didn’t stop him from being a powerful force on the field. His go-to move is his stiff-arm that puts defenders on their backs. Akers struggles with pass protection, but that will come to him as he transitions into the NFL. I think pass protection isn’t a very good attribute to look for in collegiate RB.

You have to watch Akers film to see how good of a runner he is. At FSU, he played in an offense that didn’t fit his playstyle and behind an offensive line that got blown up more often than not. Akers may sneak into Day 2 of the NFL Draft. If he can fall to a team that is needy for RB, he is a great stash in dynasty leagues.

Sep 21, 2019; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Cam Akers (3) runs for a touchdown against Louisville Cardinals defensive back Cornelius Sturghill (6) during the second half at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens had the top rushing offense in the NFL in 2019 with Gus Edwards as the second option in Baltimore behind Mark Ingram. Mark Ingram is 30 years old and under contract until 2021. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill will continue to battle to be the next RB for the Ravens in 2 years. I would grab Edwards in dynasty leagues and hold on to him as he is only 24 and could take over the lead role in the league’s top rushing offense.

Jordan Howard is entering his 5th year in the NFL and provided a solid 9 game performance before he ended up missing the next 6 games and getting one touch in week 17. His injury was a weird one, in which he wasn’t expected to miss much time at all. Week by week fantasy members were wondering when he was coming back and he finally made an appearance after a week 16 championships. What seemed like a promising and viable fantasy option turned into a question mark for his future. As of right now, there isn’t any news on what the Eagles want to do with Howard, but for fantasy owners, if he is on the field, he is worth a flex play.

Philadelphia Eagles’ Jordan Howard rushes during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Devonta didn’t have the year many fantasy owners were expecting. He couldn’t manage to top 100 yards rushing all season and missed two games all year. Freeman is entering his 7th year in the NFL and seems to be decreasing in value by the year. Atlanta may be looking for another back in the future because of the lack of talent between Brian Hill and Ito Smith. The bright side of Freeman is his receiving numbers. He had 59 catches for 410 yards and 4 TD, which saved him from becoming an irrelevant back. In 2020, Freeman should be treated as a low RB2 or a flex play in dynasty leagues.

Tevin Coleman, who was listed as the starter for the 49ers, doesn’t meet expectations for fantasy owners. After his 4 TD performance against the Panthers, Coleman did not rush for over 40 yards or get over 12 carries. In a run-first offense, Coleman has fallen to the second-best running back on the team after Raheem Mostert. Also, with Jerrick McKinnon returning to the team next year, the backfield is looking like a mess for 2020.

Ronald Jones was the 38th pick in the 2018 NFL draft. He will enter his 3rd year in the league in 2020 and I truly think that we have not seen what Jones can do. Jones split carries with Peyton Barber in 2019 and I think he enters the 2020 season as the #1 back in Tampa Bay, barring they don’t bring in Melvin Gordon or a rookie RB. Jones will play in a lot of negative game script in 2020 unless Winston can limit the interceptions. Arians may look to pound the rock more in 2020 to keep the ball in their possession for longer periods. Jones is young and his offense has shown they can move the ball at times. Ronald Jones is a late-round sleeper in dynasty leagues that holds no risk-based off his current ADP.

The Cardinals are in a dilemma with their lucrative contract running back David Johnson. Johnson is still under contract until 2022, where then he will be a UFA. Right now it looks like the Cardinals are stuck paying him 13M a year unless someone is willing to trade for him, but with that hefty contract, it doesn’t look likely. It is evident that the 28-year-old back is not part of Kingsbury’s air raid offense and he likes what he sees from Edmonds and Drake. For dynasty owners interested in Johnson, I would track the offseason buzz surrounding him to see if any positive news comes out.

Raheem Mostert had an impressive 2019 campaign and finished with a rushing total of 137/772/8. Shanahan came out and verbally said there is no reason why Mostert doesn’t deserve more carries. He had roughly 5.6 yards per carry which is a great number if you are looking for high-upside. People may say his recent success is all relevant towards the scheme and offensive line, but watching his explosiveness on tape shows he is a more-than-capable back. However, in 2020 it is hard to imagine Mostert turning 28 years and repeating his great season. Nonetheless, his talent is what makes him a low RB2 and flex play moving forward.

Damien Williams had a mediocre 2019 as he split carries with LeSean McCoy, Darwin Thompson, and Darrell Williams. After a strong performance in the 2018 NFL playoffs, it seemed like Williams would be poised for a big 2019 Fantasy season. He let most owners down week after week.

Damien Williams returned to form in the 2019 NFL playoffs and had a great Super Bowl performance, a performance that many believed should have earned Williams the MVP award. Williams is still under contract with the Chiefs til 2021 and should remain fantasy relevant in the league’s best offense. Unless the Chiefs take an RB early in the 2020 NFL Draft, Williams should remain a target in dynasty leagues.

Read who I have ranked at RB: 70-61; 60-51; 50-41

Also, check out my 2020 QB Dynasty Rankings 1-11;12-21; 22-34

Follow my work on Twitter @FinalDriveFF and check out other Belly Up Fantasy Sports articles.