Tier 1: Day One Three-Down Backs

Miles Sanders -- photo by Christian Peterson / Getty Images







Sanders has the most complete profile of any back in this class, and he goes with high draft capital to a talented offense led by a good, young QB and a forward-thinking coaching staff. Jordan Howard and the Eagles' history of deploying a committee backfield system do not worry me. Sanders has immediate RB1 potential in fantasy.













I had Montgomery slotted just ahead of Jacobs in my pre-draft rankings, but the first-round draft capital spent on the Raiders back causes them to swap spots. Oakland has a quality satellite back on the roster in Jalen Richard, but I believe their selecting Jacobs so highly indicates that they want to feature him in a three-down role. He's not incredibly athletically gifted, but as an efficient runner possessing elite receiving skills, he's up to the task.













Montgomery is a tackle-breaking machine and a quality receiver out of the backfield, and he'll be everything the Bears hoped Jordan Howard would be. The presence of dynamic satellite back Tarik Cohen on the roster caps Montgomery's snap share upside below the level of top-tier bellcows, but he should be an immediate RB2 as a 12-15 touch per week guy on a decent offense.

Tier 2: Three-Down Players with Some Path to Opportunity

Devine Ozigbo -- photo by Steven Branscombe / Getty Images









I don't think Henderson is ideally suited to a role as a high-volume early-down runner or to a role as a pure satellite back, but if Todd Gurley were to miss time, racing through the wide running lanes created in the Rams offense would cover up a lot of sins. Henderson is a talented tweener with elite weekly upside if he's ever fortunate enough to spend time at the top of the depth chart.













Dalvin Cook has played in 15 of a possible 32 games through his first two seasons as a pro, and by my comparison method, former Viking and Cook handcuff Latavius Murray is one of Mattison's five closest overall comparable players, with 86.5% similarity. Mattison has three-down ability and is now one injury away from weekly RB2 status.













Williams should supplant the un-dynamic Jamaal Williams as the Packers' RB2 rather quickly, and if anything were to happen to Aaron Jones, he would have weekly RB1 potential as the explosive lead back in an Aaron Rodgers-led offense.













Ozigbo went undrafted but signed as a UDFA in New Orleans, the NFL franchise equivalent of one of those phone booth-shaped money blowing machines, but with fantasy points flying all over the place instead of dollar bills. The Saints' signing of Latavius Murray indicates that they still want to use a two-back system after the departure of Mark Ingram, so Ozigbo is uniquely situated as a handcuff who can step into opportunity with an injury to either one of two players. I believe he has three-down ability and the talent to rival any back in this class not named Miles Sanders, and his simply beating out Murray for the right to play Robin to Alvin Kamara's Batman at some point this season would not shock me.













Johnson is strong, fast, and capable in the passing game, and should earn himself a change-of-pace and third-down role early on in his career. If Kerryon Johnson were to go down, he offers tantalizing upside through a unique combination of big-play potential and all-purpose ability.













As a true jack-of-all-trades, Harris is a classic Patriots running back in that his role in their offense is pretty much completely unpredictable. He's able to handle between-the-tackles, goal-line, and third-down duties, and would theoretically be a weekly starting option in fantasy if Sony Michel were hurt for any amount of time. How New England actually uses him is anyone's guess.

Tier 3: Quality Specialists, Good-Situation Handcuffs, & Upside Plays

Travis Homer -- photo by Al Diaz / Miami Herald









Williams joins a crowded Chiefs running back room after signing as a UDFA, but I believe he enters the league ready-made as one of the best pass-catching backs in the NFL. How much work he sees is to be determined of course, but a satellite back role in the high-octane Kansas City offense has potential to be PPR gold.













Love also joins a crowded running back room in Washington. He isn't built like a traditional high-volume rusher and he does come with some injury risk, and while he shouldn't have to shoulder a large load with Derrius Guice atop the depth chart, he also doesn't have a clear path to opportunity. Perhaps the plan is to have him supplant Chris Thompson as the team's satellite back. His Jamaal Charles-level ceiling makes him well worth a wait-and-see stash on taxi squads.













The Seahawks added a lot of speed to their offense in the draft with the selections of receivers DK Metcalf and Gary Jennings Jr. in addition to the explosive Homer. With Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny duking it out for early-down work, Homer could step into the third down pass-catching role early on and offer sneaky upside in dynasty best ball formats as the back Seattle always wanted CJ Prosise to be, especially if they plan to let Russell Wilson air it out more this season.











Hill is best when he can get into space and just blaze, so operating in an offense where defenders will be forced to give a lot of respect to the QB keeper could be just what he needs to thrive as a rusher. I don't think he's well suited to heavy volume on the ground or to a pure pass-catching role, but playing lightning to Mark Ingram's thunder in a 1-2 punch is just about ideal.













Weber has a decent all-purpose skill-set but doesn't create a lot on his own, so he's in a good spot as Ezekiel Elliott's backup running behind a quality Dallas offensive line. His value is purely as a handcuff who can provide RB2 production in the event that Elliott misses time.













Incumbent Steelers starter James Conner is Snell's third-closest overall match according to my comparison method at 86.9% similar, and while Snell doesn't profile as a particularly versatile or dynamic player, neither did Conner. Playing in a friendly offensive environment helps to cover up weaknesses, and unless Pittsburgh again plans on deploying Swiss Army Knife Jaylen Samuels in a pure backup role, Snell should be a quality handcuff to Conner.





16. Ryquell Armstead, Jaguars









I believe that reports of Leonard Fournette's demise have been greatly exaggerated, and speculation that Armstead could simply overtake him as the Jaguars lead back is a little silly. Fournette has his flaws and has had his struggles, but Armstead can't touch him as an all-purpose talent. The Temple product is no more than a handcuff on a mediocre offense.













The NFL was less enamored with Barnes' incredible Combine performance than was the dynasty community, and he lands as a UDFA as the third back on a Titans offense with a wide and volatile range of outcomes. His game boasts quality versatility, but with backs on the roster in Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis who can do the things that Barnes can do better than he can do them, there isn't much reason for Tennessee coaches to make sure he gets on the field. He's an upside taxi squad stash.





18. Rodney Anderson, Bengals









Anderson's lack of athletic testing data makes him a difficult evaluation, but the consensus among film-based analysts is that he's one of the best pure talents in this RB class (and his rushing efficiency numbers from his time at Oklahoma indicate that that might be true). He comes with high injury risk and finds himself behind an established stud in Joe Mixon on the Bengals depth chart, possibly in addition to satellite back-types Giovani Bernard and Trayveon Williams. It's difficult to envision a scenario in which he sees significant opportunity in Cincinnati, but his mythical talent makes him worth a stash.













Thompson is an elite athlete but doesn't offer workhorse size or special receiving skills, and there are players in the Kansas City running back room who are better suited to nearly every backfield role than he is. The Chiefs offense is a carnival of fantasy points though, and that combined with Thompson's athletic ability gives him enough upside to make him worth a speculative pick in the late rounds of a rookie draft.

Tier 4: Sub-Talents with Opportunity & Good Players Who are Buried

Darrin Hall -- photo by Charles LeClaire / USA TODAY Sports









I don't believe Singletary has the size, receiving skills, or athleticism necessary to succeed in (or maybe even earn) any kind of substantial role in an NFL backfield. A plum landing spot would've made him a worthy 2nd-round rookie pick regardless, but he ended up in a Bills offense crowded with runners and led by a volatile quarterback. Third-round draft capital is the only thing keeping Singletary this high in my rankings, as I believe TJ Yeldon is a far superior talent in the Buffalo backfield.





21. Darrin Hall, Browns









Hall is an athletic beast, but the Browns backfield is currently stocked with high-end RB talent. He'll begin his career as the fourth guy on the depth chart, but he's an interesting option as a Nick Chubb handcuff if Cleveland doesn't have long-term plans for Kareem Hunt.











Laird is an elite receiver out of the backfield whose three closest comparable players by my method are Giovani Bernard, Duke Johnson, and Christian McCaffrey. He's worth a taxi squad stash in deeper leagues due to his Danny Woodhead-type upside, but it's unlikely he's more than an ancillary piece in a Dolphins backfield filled with pass-catching types.











Williams is a tweener RB with poor agility and no meal-ticket trait to suggest that he can be anything more than a backup in the NFL. He's buried in a Bengals backfield full of quality talent, and though Cincinnati may have plans to have him take over for Giovani Bernard as their primary satellite back, I'm not sure that role has much value with an all-purpose beast like Joe Mixon in the RB1 chair.





24. Qadree Ollison, Falcons





Tier 5: Buried Sub-Talents and/or Almost Nonexistent Opportunity -- Very Little Interest (in alphabetical order)

Tony Pollard -- photo by Icon Sportswire, Getty

Bruce Anderson, Buccaneers









Nick Brossette, Patriots









Jeremy Cox, Chargers









Damarea Crockett, Texans









Jordan Ellis, Bengals









Nico Evans, Eagles









Myles Gaskin, Dolphins









Karan Higdon, Texans









Elijah Holyfield, Panthers









Travon McMillian, Steelers









Jalin Moore, Jets









Tony Pollard, Cowboys









Jordan Scarlett, Panthers









LJ Scott, Browns









Kerrith Whyte, Bears









Marquis Young, Colts









Here are my post-draft rankings of 40 rookie RBs, accounting for talent profile as well as draft capital, landing spot, and immediate opportunity, considered in the context of dynasty leagues. The rankings are tiered, with the players listed in order within the tiers. Links to available pre-draft Prospect Profile breakdowns are included:Ollison is a sub-athlete without quality receiving chops or anything more than JAG-level college production. Devonta Freeman may be on the back nine of his career, but while Ito Smith doesn't have the size to be his replacement as Atlanta's primary back, Ollison isn't the answer either. He's ranked this high only based on draft capital and potential short-term opportunity.