The Running Back (RB) is arguably THE most important position in Fantasy Football. Everyone knows there’s a select few elite ones, and the good ones are picked quickly. Knowing which RBs to take can win your Fantasy Football league. These are my Top 12 Half PPR Rankings for Running Backs.
Tier 1 – The Elite
1. Jonathan Taylor
Taylor just came off of an amazing season where he finished as the number one Running Back in Fantasy Football. He will likely be taken as the number one overall pick this year, as other options have much larger injury concerns. His talent is immense, and his situation is the same as last year. He should be your number one pick.
2. Christian McCaffrey
Christian McCaffrey, or CMC as the Fantasy Football community calls him, is electric. He has incredible talent, and the ability to win a week with or without scoring touchdowns. He is the ultimate pass-catching Running Back, granting you a high floor of points every week that he’s on the field. The issue with CMC, is how little he’s on the field. Christian has played just ten games in 2 years. He has been incredible when playing and a liability for Fantasy Football players the last two years due to injury. He is however, a risk worth taking.
3. Austin Ekeler
Ekeler was phenomenal in 2021. He had twenty total touchdowns on a high powered Chargers offense. Austin is utilized in both the running and passing game for the LA Chargers, giving him consistent fantasy points and value. He is the Chargers’ clear best Running Back, and should continue to be their go-to when it counts. Ekeler is similar to McCaffrey in usage on a better offense. He is a great pick wherever you take him.
4. Dalvin Cook
Cook has an immense talent on a good team. He should bounce back this year after only having played 13 games in 2021. If Dalvin can stay healthy, he is one of the best Running Backs in the NFL. There’s been rumors of him becoming more involved in the passing game, and with a new head coach, we could see a better scoring offense. He should have his touchdowns increase back to double-digits this year, and should be an amazing fantasy RB.
5. Derrick Henry
Henry is incredible. He looks like an unstoppable force when running. Sadly, Henry got hurt early last year and that kept him out for the rest of the fantasy year. However, he was still number one in fantasy points per game last season. Derrick is not known for pass-catching ability, so he provides little upside in that area. However, he makes up for it with high rushing volume and excellent rushing ability on an offense centered around him. Henry is 28 years old, and coming off an injury. Those two factors are causing him to slip in average draft position (ADP) allowing you to get him at RB5. You should be taking advantage of that, and getting an elite RB at the discount.
Tier 2 – The Potential (to be Top 5)
6. Joe Mixon
Mixon was the RB3 last year in Half PPR. This was on a Bengals team that was just learning how to run its offense. In 2021 Joe ran behind a bad offensive line that has vastly improved for this season. Mixon is on a high scoring offense that is primed to make another deep playoff run. There are too many threats on Cincinnati to cover everyone, and with Mixon’s ability to catch passes, he will be a great RB for fantasy. I go more in depth on Joe Mixon in this article.
7. Najee Harris
Najee is a very good running back on a Steelers team that loves to run the ball with one running back. He was last years RB4 in Half PPR. Harris got the second most rushing attempts, and had the most receptions of any RB in 2021. However, Pittsburgh just lost their QB who would constantly target Najee any time pressure came. On top of that, he will be running behind the 30th best offensive line in 2022 according to PFF. He is purely a volume play, but that volume gets you a relatively safe RB that you can consistently rely on.
8. D’Andre Swift
Swift is only 23 years old and showed promise in 2021. He looked great running the ball, and had 62 receptions while only playing 13 games. His issue is availability. Like other pass-catching running backs on this list, he has great talent, but can’t seem to stay healthy. Swift is an upside pick on an improving offense that trusts him, with an immobile QB and the projected third best offensive line. He is a great second round pick, and a scary first-rounder. However, if Swift can stay healthy, he should dominate in fantasy, having top five RB upside.
Tier 3 – The Consistent
9. Alvin Kamara
Kamara is great, and has been great for years. In 2020, the New Orleans Saints had their QB Drew Brees retire. This resulted in a QB carousel for 2021, where many different starters had very little success once Jameis Winston got injured. The Saints have a new head coach in Dennis Allen, resulting in some questions about potential changes to the offense. However, Kamara is still an elusive runner and an excellent pass catcher. He is one of the best players on the Saints and should get work regardless of the coaching changes. He may not be the reception king he used to be, but he saw an increase in rushing attempts last season. With QB Jameis Winston returning and the Saints roster looking strong, Kamara should be a great fantasy pick again in 2022.
10. Aaron Jones
Jones is a hot topic right now. With the departure of Davante Adams from the Packers, and no obvious replacement, there’s consistent talk about vacated targets. Aaron has the trust of his QB and has shown the ability to catch passes for years. Jones finished as RB12 last year in fantasy. I expect him to be around there again this year. The Green Bay offense should still be strong in 2022. The risk comes from his age (27) and from AJ Dillon taking rushing attempts and whole drives from Jones. Aaron is expected to receive a good amount of those extra targets, and if he’s able to play all 17 games this year, he should be a top 12 Running Back for Fantasy in 2022.
11. Leonard Fournette
Fournette was the RB7 for Fantasy Football in 2021. With only 14 games played he averaged 4.5 yards per carry (ypc) on 180 rushing attempts. He has the trust of his QB, and will be the leading RB on a top scoring offense in the NFL. In 2021, he had 69 receptions. That was third in the NFL, behind only Najee Harris and Austin Ekeler, who both played more games than him. The risk comes with his age (27), and offensive line. The 2022 Buccaneers offensive line was projected to be top five, but with injuries to Center Ryan Jensen and backup Center Robert Hainsey, it could rank worse. I still love Fournette this year, and with a second round draft pick, you should too.
12. Nick Chubb
Chubb was RB12 last year for Fantasy Football. I have him ranked at 12 again. He is easily one of the best Running Backs in the NFL, but he is in a time share with RB Kareem Hunt. He is similar to Derrick Henry in talent and lack of pass catching, but differs in usage. Chubb is not the full time “workhorse” RB that Fantasy managers want him to be. Still, Chubb will consistently get you points behind the projected second best offensive line. In the second to third round, he will be a consistent part to your Fantasy team.
Let me know what you think of my Top 12 Half PPR Rankings for Running Backs. Leave a comment below if you agree or disagree!
You can now see my Top 12 Half PPR Rankings for Running Backs and Quarterbacks. Keep an eye out for the Wide Receivers coming next!
