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Fantasy: Backup running back rankings for 2023 (Updated)

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Given the rate at which injuries strike the running back position, knowing who's next in line for carries is critical for fantasy owners.

Not all backup rushers are created equal. And though the league-winning potential of players like AJ Dillon and Samaje Perine appears obvious, many second-string ball carriers don't get the respect they deserve in fantasy drafts.

Here's how we rank the top reserve tailbacks, broken down into tiers and based on their fantasy value:

Co-starter/Overqualified backup

Rk Backup Team
1 David Montgomery DET
2 Dalvin Cook NYJ
  • Top-10 fantasy upside if the starter is sidelined
  • Shares backfield with a more talented back
  • Will offer RB2 value/flex value while splitting touches

Elite backup options

Rk Backup Team
3 Antonio Gibson WAS
4 AJ Dillon GB
5 Samaje Perine DEN
6 Jaylen Warren PIT
  • Top-15 fantasy upside if the starter is sidelined
  • Stuck behind a more talented back
  • Will offer RB2/flex value some weeks, even as a backup

Chance to carve out significant role

Rk Backup Team
8 Zach Charbonnet SEA
  • Top-20 fantasy upside if the starter is sidelined
  • Should offer flex value in complementary role
  • Outside chance they could emerge as starter in 2023

Proven short-term starters when needed

Rk Backup Team
9 Kenneth Gainwell PHI
10 Jerick McKinnon KC
11 Jamaal Williams NO
12 Elijah Mitchell SF
13 Ezekiel Elliott NE
  • Top-25 fantasy upside if the starter is sidelined
  • Stuck behind a more talented back
  • Unlikely to offer enough production unless lead back gets injured

Unproven but enticing

Rk Backup Team
14 Tyjae Spears TEN
15 Roschon Johnson CHI
16 De'Von Achane MIA
17 Tank Bigsby JAX
18 Kendre Miller NO
  • 2023 role yet to be determined
  • Top-25 fantasy upside if the path to volume clears
  • Workload questions due to crowded backfields

Volume-dependent veterans

Rk Backup Team
19 Damien Harris BUF
20 Tyler Allgeier ATL
21 Devin Singletary HOU
22 Rashaad Penny PHI
  • Veteran backup
  • Value limited by the possibility of a committee replacement scenario
  • Would need the majority of touches to be a fantasy starter

Underrated second options

Rk Backup Team
23 Chuba Hubbard CAR
24 Ty Chandler MIN
25 Joshua Kelley LAC
26 Jerome Ford CLE
27 Keaontay Ingram ARI
28 Gus Edwards BAL
29 Zamir White LV
30 Rico Dowdle DAL
31 Kyren Williams LAR
  • Top-30 fantasy upside if the starter is sidelined
  • Behind a RB who the team is more invested in
  • Can provide flex value some weeks, even as a backup

Unclear situations

Rk Backup Team
32 Evan Hull/Zack Moss/Deon Jackson IND
33 Sean Tucker/Chase Edmonds/Ke'Shawn Vaughn TB
34 Chris Evans/Trayveon Williams/Chase Brown CIN
35 Matt Breida/Eric Gray/Gary Brightwell NYG
  • Upside if a clear backup emerges and the starter is injured
  • Value limited by the possibility of a committee replacement scenario
  • Players to draft as bench stashes in final rounds

Deep-league stashes

Backup Team
Jeff Wilson Jr. MIA
D'Onta Foreman CHI
Clyde Edwards-Helaire KC
Cordarrelle Patterson ATL
Jordan Mason SF
Justice Hill BAL
Isaiah Spiller LAC
Latavius Murray BUF
Chris Rodriguez Jr. WAS
Pierre Strong Jr. CLE
Israel Abanikanda NYJ
Julius Chestnut TEN
Emanuel Wilson GB
Emari Demercado ARI
  • Long shots with intriguing upside if injuries hit their backfield
  • Have the skills to produce over short stretches
  • Watchlist candidates who could turn into key waiver-wire pickups

Free agents who could still be a factor

Backup
Leonard Fournette
Kareem Hunt
Kenyan Drake
Darrell Henderson

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