Dobbins is back healthy, but the Ravens love to use a committee approach, and we could see him sharing touches all season, especially when Gus Edwards returns. The debate is largely over whether he can stay healthy and remain efficient at this stage in his career. After scoring a combined 33 TDs through his 1st two seasons, Taylor scored just four rushing TDs in 2022. At just 23, he was the focal point of the Steelers otherwise-dreadful offense, garnering 307 rushing attempts (second) and 94 targets (tied for first among all RBs). However, Elliott is still expected to take the majority of carries, limiting Pollards upside. 2 RB Austin Ekeler LAC 8 $35 . But it is unclear who,. He added one catch for 10 . Lets examine our updated consensus tiers as managers enter their 2022 fantasy drafts. And, it turned out to help Jamey more than anyone else, at least in my view. Jonathan Taylor underperformed as the RB30 in 11 games averaging 12.6 fantasy points as the RB18 when healthy. Taylor missed six games this year and finished under 5.0 yards per rush (4.5) for the first time in his 3-year career. The biggest difference between Taylor and Henry, besides health and age lies in the passing game. Chubb should remain the pounder in the Browns offense, but hell lose touches to Kareem Hunt in a shared backfield. The Lions could re-sign the veteran running back in the offseason, especially if they don't trust Swift to stay healthy for an entire season. Lets dive deeper into the debate of whether you should draft Taylor or Henry at No. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers. There are a number of ways to value players when deciding who to draft for fantasy football, but utilizing tiers has become a more common approach in the last 10 years. RBs perform a little better than their average vs HOU, This is a 4 star matchup. This is a 4 star matchup. Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry favorites for 2022 rushing title Kevin Hickey May 18, 2022 9:16 am ET During the second half of the 2021 regular season, Indianapolis Colts running back. Sloan Piva is a content producer at The Sporting News. The FLEX League draft I took part in Saturday with CBS Sports' Jamey Eisenberg and 10 other analysts from around the industry was one draft that featured some pretty surprising early results. 1 in standard leagues before getting into whether any other RB -- maybe Austin Ekeler or Najee Harris -- should go over Taylor in PPR formats. And he does all of his damage in the most buttoned-up manner possible, reminiscent of how Barry Sanders used to operate. Taylors 2,171 yards from scrimmage in 21 bested Henrys total yardage from 20 by 30 yards thanks to JT netting 246 more receiving yards. Jonathan Taylor or Najee Harris | Who Should I Draft? Resigned to the fact that this team just doesnt have it. window.PLAYERCARDS_CONFIG={affiliateCode:"fpros_cards"}; Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com The Steelers were 28th in attempts (373), 32nd in yards (1,351), 30th in RB fantasy points per game via the run (12.94), and 30th in fantasy points per rush (0.56). The others on this list are all talented, but workload questions are prevalent. Don't let the fact he battled through injury in 2021 throw you off of what is the glaringly obvious: Henry remains atop the mountain of best running backs in the NFL. His streak of consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons ended at two, but 1,190 total yards with 10 touchdowns in 15 starts is nothing to shake a stick at. J.K. DobbinsCordarrelle PattersonElijah MitchellChase EdmondsMiles SandersTony PollardDevin SingletaryKareem HuntAntonio Gibson. 9:54 am ET. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers. The Dawg-turned-Dawg has been a dynamo since landing in Cleveland by way of Georgia, being the steady hand for a roller coaster of a ride with former first overall pick Baker Mayfield and, in the absences of Mayfield due to injury, whomever else took the QB reins in the moment. Taylor had the most elite skills, the gaudiest stats, the best health, and the highest usage last season. Mixon was a very good receiver out of the backfield in college, and in 2021, he will finally get more opportunities to display his pass-catching abilities. In his rookie season, Harris led the NFL with 381 touches, and his 1,667 scrimmage yards trailed only Taylor among RBs. Tier 11 High HandcuffsRaheem Mostert, DolphinsAlexander Mattison, VikingsJamaal Williams, LionsKenneth Gainwell, EaglesIsaih Pacheco, Chiefs Khalil Herbert, BearsRex Burkhead, TexansRachaad White, Buccaneers. If you draft either of these players, you should almost certainly draft their handcuffs (Chuba Hubbard/D'Onta Foreman for McCaffrey and Alexander Mattison). No, I'm a California resident looking for the California Consumer Privacy Act form. He also took Kupp in the fourth round of that one, and he very well could end up with a similarly productive duo this time around. 1 standard RB, hes also the No. RBs perform a little better than their average vs CLE, The Good Old Boys Fantasy Football Podcast, No, I'm a California resident looking for the California Consumer Privacy Act form, Finally looked healthy down 2022 stretch, could be huge rebound candidate. Fournette is set to be a three-down back for the Buccaneers in 2022, but there are growing concerns around the strength of Tampa Bays offensive line. If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. Four of the Panthers 5 wins last season came when CMC was active and playing. 1 or No. Taylor is the consensus No. Will we see him back to his old self in 2022? Taylor also scored 59.3 more fantasy points on the season than the second-best fantasy RB, Austin Ekeler. Elliott is ranked at his lowest point since he entered the NFL, but that could make him a bargain in drafts. This is an intriguing mixed group of volume-based floor and huge talent upside. The Panthers recently traded for Baker Mayfield, so the Carolina offense could be in for some major positive regression this season. Pro Football Network, LLC. The problem is hes never finished a season with 20. Jonathan Taylor started to take the lion's share of the Colts' backfield touches in Week 5 and from that point forward he averaged 26.1 PPR points per game. Now both teams are just trying to be competitive every week. Biography. At No. Following him are many viable heroes to anchor your roster as an RB1. He led the NFL in rushing yards (1,811), rushing touchdowns (18), yards from scrimmage (2,171), and total TDs (20). 1 seems to be pretty concrete across the board, regardless of format, but PPR leagues have yielded vastly different results at No. The hope is that new head coach Brian Daboll will be able to resurrect the Barkley we knew when he was a rookie. 15 overall,. Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons 15. A case can be made for either Taylor at Henry as first off the board but passing on either of them for a wild card with health risks could have dire consequences. Matt RYa should only improve the stud RBs chances to duplicate his dominant run from a season ago. You don't currently have any notifications, See if your team wins or loses with this trade View Trade Analyzer. In one fewer game Henry had 46 more carries and averaged almost 20 more rushing yards per game (126.7). Its hard to go wrong with this group. Plus the presence of James Cook as a pass-catching back has a major effect. If you think he isnt elusive or breaking tackles youre crazy. So, who should go 1-2-3 out of the top tier of RBs in PPR drafts? section: | slug: ranking-nfls-top-10-rbs-for-2022-christian-mccaffrey-plummets-with-injury-concerns-jonathan-taylor-soars | sport: football | route: article_single.us | He will be healthier in 2023. 1 pick in standards and PPRs for many years running before he ran into myriad injuries the past couple seasons. And, even though the Cowboys should have shut him down for a few games to rest what was later revealed as a torn PCL in his knee, he was still able to play through the ailment en route to another 1,000-yard season (1,289 yards from scrimmage) with 12 total touchdowns. Many Fantasy players prefer to not double-up on the QB/TE combo in the early rounds, and you can see the sacrifices you have to make in doing so by just looking at Jamey and I's teams next to each other. All Rights Reserved. Harris should dominate. Considering the extent of CMCs injuries have not resulted in major surgeries or completely torn ligaments, I like him bouncing back to form in 2022. 1 pick, Commanders rip 'blatantly false' team sale report, Richardson logs colossal measurements at combine, Top QB in draft has one team he doesn't want to play for. Sometimes running backs have to do more with less, and no one knows this better than Mixon. Najee Harris, PIT ADP 8.08. . Tier 12 Low HandcuffsDamien Williams, FalconsMark Ingram, SaintsZamir White, RaidersD'Onta Foreman, PanthersBrian Robinson, Jr., CommandersTyler Allgeier, FalconsDontrell Hilliard, TitansJoshua Kelley, Chargers. How does Taylor do it? Steelers' Najee Harris: Overcomes early fumble Rotowire Jan 8, 2023 Harris carried the ball 23 times for 84 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 28-14 win over the Browns. Mixon averaged 18 ppg last year, but there is talk of a further reduction in his third-down role, which limits his ceiling. The Colts gutted out their coaching staff at midseason and many Steelers fans think Pittsburgh should have done the same. Weve already seen Sanders saying he doesnt get enough usage this offseason. Dobbins, RavensKareem Hunt, BrownsRashaad Penny, Seahawks. DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2022 fantasy cheat sheet. He's locked into massive volume behind one of the best run-blocking offensive lines in the league. 1 RB in standard leagues. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. McCaffrey has missed all but 10 games the last two year due to injuries, but he averaged around 30 fantasy points per game in 2018 and was over that total in four games last season. David MontgomeryBreece HallTravis EtienneCam AkersAJ DillonJosh Jacobs. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? This has been a common theme over the course of his career and certainly during his 2,000-yard rushing season. King Henry could easily be the rushing champ again before his reign ends, but dont waste a top PPR pick on a volume-dependent back with little receiving pedigree less than nine months removed from a foot injury. Taking a top-tier running back is still as important as ever, as they are simply harder to come by than solid wide receivers in PPR formats. at For when it comes to assessing the best in the NFL at the position, you're hard-pressed to keep that argument going, knowing full well not everyone can do what they do, when/if given the chance. He was a top-5 runner last season before suffering a knee injury that had him running in quicksand in the second half. How Pittsburgh's offense responded after Najee Harris' exit. NFL combine QB measurements: Bryce Young's size, more, NFL free agency: Ranking top 25 defensive free agents, 2023 season lookahead: Storylines, odds, teams to watch, NFL free agency 2023: Top 25 players available, NFL free agency 2023: Team-by-team offseason primer, 2023 NFL offseason and free agency: Top FAs, team needs, Ranking NFL's top 10 running backs for 2022, Mock Draft: Panthers, Colts trade up for QBs, Rodgers' trade value, logistics, best fit, Pascal robbed at gunpoint, assaulted; WR 'doing fine', Bryce Young measures similar to former No. Tier 5 High RB2sNick Chubb, BrownsJames Conner, CardinalsEzekiel Elliott, Cowboys. . And now, as Fields and Co. become acclimated to a new coaching staff, Montgomery will have to serve as the security blanket for the Bears' offense -- a role he's not entirely unfamiliar with -- providing impact as both a runner and a receiver. If you draft either No. Fantasy football draft season is upon us, and the predominant top-two picks in most standard drafts have been Jonathan Taylor and Derrick Henry. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? Austin Ekeler, D'Andre Swift, and Dalvin Cook all went ahead of Kupp, but then so did Justin Jefferson, making him, not Kupp, the No. Injuries are an inevitable part of fantasy football, especially at running back. As you can see, Jamey waited on tight end and quarterback, ending up with intriguing breakout candidates in Kmet and Lance, plus a steady, borderline top-12 QB in Cousins in case Lance busts. Andrew Erickson, After weekly for no fluke injuries: pic.twitter.com/DLw3CZlFW6. Should the Steelers undergo an offensive surge in Kenny Pickett's second season, Harris could easily get back into the top-tier fantasy RB tier. That makes it more important than ever to put your players into positional tiers. Unlike my regular player rankings, which you can also find on Sports Illustrated, tiers group players of similar value together. It feels like Montgomery doesn't get the praise he should on a national level, and that's very odd. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, Top Quarterbacks: Comparing Player Props With ADP and Rankings, Pete Carroll Is Still Going Strong and Setting the Seahawks Culture. He rarely coughs up the rock, posting just five total fumbles over his first 640 touches. Najee Harris, on the other hand, enters the NFL at 23 years-old and is already an established pass-protector. Jonathan Taylor or Najee Harris | Who Should I Draft in Dynasty? McKissic, CommandersNyheim Hines, ColtsMichael Carter, Jets. During his 17 games this season, Najee Harris is averaging 61.1 yards per contest and has crossed the goal line 7 different times on the ground. Pittsburgh has clear issues at QB (moving from retired Big Ben Roethlisberger to either Mitchell Trubisky or Kenny Pickett) and offensive line (ranked the third-worst line by PFF). And he's primed for positive TD regression entering the final year of his rookie deal. Workload might be an issue for the freight train in shoulder pads, but hes still a high-end runner in all fantasy leagues. Health was an issue in 2022. Jones has a huge variation in his ranking among our analysts. . Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Penny, who popped at the end of last season, is the favorite to start in Seattle, but can he avoid injuries? It's a powerful aesthetic that translates very well on the field, and it feels like Ekeler is just getting started. Singletarys ceiling is capped by the fact the Bills simply love to use Josh Allen in goal-line rushing situations. And his good luck continued in the second round, as Najee Harris tumbled to the 17th overall pick nearly a round later than his 6.84 ADP in NFC drafts, though over the past week, Harris' price has fallen to 8.41, so it might not be as outlandish as it seems. Fournette averaged a career-high 18.3 fantasy points per game a season ago, and hell remain the top back in a Buccaneers offense that will score lots of points. The tiers below are formed from a consensus ranking between PFNs Fantasy Football Director Ben Rolfe, Senior Fantasy Analyst Tommy Garrett, and Fantasy Analyst Jason Katz. The Pittsburgh Steelers running back took a slight step backward in his second season, falling to RB14 in points per game after a top-5 fantasy season as a rookie. 3:21 pm ET, a pick I've been advocating for the entire offseason, still think Kupp is the top WR on the board, I'm a firm believer in taking an early QB this season, evidence suggests early-round QBs are worth the investment, Quentin Johnston: Rookie scouting profile. Still, I think Jamey made out quite nicely with those two players falling coming off a championship in this league where he had Jonathan Taylor fall to the second round because of injuries to his quarterback and starting center around the time of the draft. He is among the most talented backs in the league, but he needs to rebound from a fantasy season that saw him tally 861 rushing yards, 143 yards receiving, and 4 TDs. Harris has also proven he's very good as a runner after initial contact and has. It is virtually impossible to take Chubb down on first contact, or second, and if he gets into the open field -- it's good night, Nancy. Still, Ekelers injury history could make drafters squeamish. But he should be the offensive focal point tonight. All five of these running backs could finish the season in Tier 2, but for now theyre all being selected as mid-RB1s in most drafts. Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com At the age of 23 (this season), Taylor should remain a fantasy star. Harris still operated as a pseudo-workhorse ranking 6th in opportunity share (70%) and 8th in total touches through the first 17 weeks of the season. Jonathan Taylor vs Najee Harris Stats Taylor is running for 89.3 yds on the ground per game so far in his career. Tier 8 High RB3s/FlexTony Pollard, CowboysRhamondre Stevenson, PatriotsClyde Edwards-Helaire, ChiefsAntonio Gibson, CommandersCordarrelle Patterson, FalconsJ.K. Edmonds' stock is on the rise after the Dolphins released Sony Michel. That 126.7 per-game average trails just 10 players total throughout the history of the NFL. Im projecting Foreman as the top handcuff for CMC, but Chuba Hubbard is also in the mix for the Panthers. This tier spans just over 10 spots in our overall PPR rankings. Captain: RB Jonathan Taylor, Colts ($17,400) He's earning heavy volume, finding the end zone, and securing targets. Hero RB is receiver-centric. That requires careful analysis and tireless preparation, two things deeply woven into Sporting News Fantasys DNA. The remaining names in this tier all rank inside the top 15 overall in our consensus 2022 PPR fantasy rankings. Tier 3 Mid RB1sDalvin Cook, VikingsJoe Mixon, BengalsAlvin Kamara, SaintsD'Andre Swift, LionsLeonard Fournette, Buccaneers. Christian McCaffrey, Najee Harris, . There are expectations he will take a bigger role in the passing game, but could losing goal-line work to AJ Dillon offset that? Prior to the drafting of Joe Burrow and then Ja'Marr Chase, it was Mixon literally carrying the load for the Bengals' offense, and he was still able to be a key reason for their special 2021 season despite it morphing into the Burrow-Chase show. There's no guarantee any of those players would've come back to me if I passed in the fourth and fifth Jalen Hurts and Kyler Murray were also drafted before my next pick in the sixth but one thing I've been trying to remind myself of during my mock drafts this year is that, while I think the evidence suggests early-round QBs are worth the investment, most of the people who talk about Fantasy Football for a living still view waiting at QB to be the optimal approach. But I'd expect a bounce-back effort from Taylor in 2023. Jonathan Taylor vs. Derrick Henry: Which top-tier fantasy RB should go No. Thats the $100,000 question in Denvers backfield. An immobile Ben Roethlisberger was a check-down target machine to Harris in 2021 which may not be the case in 2022. If Henry is healthy, his volume pushes him to the top of this tier, but hes now 28 with a heavy volume history. Swift has big upside due to his receiving chops, but he needs to avoid nagging injuries to meet expectations. Regardless of format, you should be pretty pleased if you land Henry in the middle of the first round. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK, Austin Ekeler, ChargersNajee Harris, SteelersDerrick Henry, Titans. You don't currently have any notifications, Get custom advice with our Draft Assistant. Najee Harris' fantasy outlook for 2021. Harris had a strong finish to the season and will bounce back in 2023 at full health and pay off for where he's drafted. Accept Draft Wizard My Playbook Premium Log. It makes sense JT was the best RB last year, and King Henry dominated the previous two seasons before breaking a bone in his right foot last Halloween. Use discount code "SPORTING" to become a RotoBaller subscriber and get access to all their award-winning, game-changing tools, stats, and analysis. Najee Harris was focused on preparing to handle the type of workload he experienced last season, when he led all rookies in touches. Alternatively, if you want to chat with our analysts, be sure to join our completely free Discord server. Most Fantasy Football drafts tend to follow a relatively similar pattern, especially early on. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? All Rights Reserved. Ekeler finished second with 343.8 PPR points in 2021. Of course, nobody will call you a donkey for opting instead for King Henry. $42 Najee Harris ($39) $39 Derrick Henry ($37) I understand the McCaffrey supporters who would take him first overall. All Rights Reserved. The volume he is going to see in 2022 will ensure he is one of the safest running backs available in fantasy football. Tier 7 Low RB2sChase Edmonds, DolphinsJosh Jacobs, RaidersDameon Pierce, TexansElijah Mitchell, 49ers. Dillon, Packers. After tallying zero games with 20 carries through the first 8 weeks, Harris totaled 5 games with 20-plus carries during the second half of 2022. Additionally, we could see a drop off in his 18.4% target share following a number of pass-catching additions this offseason. 2. Cuff options: Jonathan Taylor, Jordan Wilkins, Marlon Mack Review: The Colts' line is among the best when healthy, and early injuries worries have been somewhat abated. Dillon saw an increase in usage down the stretch last season, especially in the red zone. His longest run this season is 36 yds. Fantasy football running back tiers: Ranking the best RBs from Jonathan Taylor to Saquon Barkley and more. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts. Finally looked healthy down 2022 stretch (was RB5 over last 10), could be huge rebound candidate. Steelers 20, Buccaneers 18: Najee Harris wasn't overly impressive (with 49 total yards on 16 touches and a receiving TD), but consider the matchup. 98 RB Damien Harris NE 10 $12. Even before he got hurt last season, Henry was averaging fewer yards per carry (4.3 to JTs 5.5) and yards per catch (8.6 to 9.0).