Fantasy Football 2023: RBs Who Should Be on Your Late-Flier Draft List
This offseason, running backs had to accept the short end of the stick because of a devalued market—but not here in the fantasy football world.
Most managers in your league will select a running back or two within the first few rounds of the draft. For the brave people who will explore the zero-running back strategy and sift through who's leftover in the middle rounds, these late-flier options may appeal to you as well.
Now that we have everyone's attention, let's get to the running backs who could be late-round steals for standard and point-per-reception leagues.
Our selections below have one common thread, and that's upside.
Remember, in the late rounds of the draft, you're looking for great value. In standard leagues, that's a ball-carrier who could take over goal-line carries. Managers in PPR leagues should look for running backs who will contribute in the passing game with a chance to spell the starter on early downs.
Based on FantasyPros' draft rankings, we've identified late-round fliers as any running back with an overall draft position of 136 or later, which is the last quarter of selections in a standard 12-team league with 15 rounds. They're listed by overall running back draft status.
De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
1 of 7
ADP: RB43
De'Von Achane may have a slow start to the season but don't give up on him after a few weeks if he's the late-round flier of your choice. Managers must take into account that Achane is "week-to-week" with a shoulder injury, per Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.
The Dolphins selected Achane in the third round of this year's draft, so they likely have an immediate plan for him to contribute in the upcoming campaign. McDaniel could slowly ease the rookie ball-carrier into a decent role.
Before Achane went down with a shoulder injury, he looked ready for a sizeable workload, catching four passes for 41 yards in the first exhibition game and recording six carries for 27 yards in the following outing.
Raheem Mostert missed 24 games between the 2020 and 2021 campaigns, and he turned 31 years old in April. Don't expect him to handle the majority workload for the entirety of the upcoming season. As for fellow veteran running back Jeff Wilson Jr., he's going to miss at least the first four games while on injured reserve.
Don't worry about the Jonathan Taylor trade rumors. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Indianapolis Colts wanted wideout Jaylen Waddle in a potential deal, which seems unlikely to happen now or any time in the near future.
By October, Achane could be the lead tailback in the Dolphins backfield.
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
2 of 7
ADP: RB44
Jaylen Warren stirred up some buzz during the preseason, rushing for 89 yards on just six carries. He's a big-play running back who can change the pace of the ground attack as a complement to Najee Harris, who's averaged 3.9 yards per carry in two seasons.
The Pittsburgh Steelers don't have a running back controversy for the lion's share of the touches, but Warren has made a case to get more opportunities in 2023.
Last year, Warren made the Steelers roster as an undrafted free agent, and he sparked the offense after missing a late November game because of a hamstring injury.
With Harris active, Warren recorded double-digit carries twice within the final four contests of the previous season. In half of his games, he caught multiple passes. Coming off a strong showing in the preseason, Warren could see an expanded workload on the ground and in the short passing game.
Though quarterback Kenny Pickett has a plethora of pass-catching options, the Steelers backfield may feature two draft-worthy running backs with Warren providing moderate upside in PPR leagues.
Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars
3 of 7
ADP: RB48
Though head coach Doug Pederson believes Travis Etienne could run for 1,600-,1,700 yards in the upcoming season, he may have to pull back on those expectations after Tank Bigsby's preseason performances.
In three exhibition contests, Bigsby ran for 159 yards on 28 carries, though he did lose a fumble on the Miami Dolphins' 6-yard line in his final preseason outing. With that said, the Jacksonville Jaguars could continue to feed him in the red zone because of his 6'0", 213-pound stature.
If Bigsby holds onto the ball in a limited role, he could see more opportunities in the red zone at the expense of managers who have bought stock in Etienne as the bell-cow running back in the Jaguars backfield.
For the first time last year, Pederson's offense featured a running back with 900-plus rushing yards. With the addition of Bigsby, he may dilute Etienne's role on early downs and short-yardage situations.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Deuce Vaughn, Dallas Cowboys
4 of 7
ADP: RB52
If you don't think the Dallas Cowboys have a viable No. 2 running back, watch Deuce Vaughn with the ball in the exhibition games. He logged 13 carries for 64 yards and two touchdowns in two outings.
Though Tony Pollard will likely touch the ball 20-plus times per game, Vaughn can still carve out a complementary role with 10-12 touches in a contest.
Don't worry about Vaughn's lackluster receiving numbers in the preseason (four receptions for five yards), he hauled in 116 passes for 1,280 yards and nine touchdowns through three collegiate terms at Kansas State.
With Ronald Jones set to serve a two-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy, Vaughn has a clear pathway to get the second-most touches among Cowboys running backs. He has great value as RB52 in PPR leagues.
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
5 of 7
ADP: RB60
At some point, someone has to help running back Derrick Henry carry the load on the ground. He's led the league in carries for three of the previous four seasons, and he missed nine games during the 2021 campaign because of a foot injury that required surgery.
In three of the last four drafts, the Tennessee Titans have selected a running back between the third and fourth rounds.
This year, the Titans selected Tyjae Spears with the No. 81 overall pick—the highest selection they've used on a running back since Henry (No. 45 overall in 2016). The rookie tailback turned heads, recording four receptions for 20 yards in addition to 22 carries for 117 yards and a touchdown in the preseason.
Though Tennessee has invested multiple middle-round draft picks in the running back position over the past few years, Spears is the only one on the active roster to complement Henry.
Last offseason, the Titans waived Darrynton Evans, who's currently on the New England Patriots practice squad. Before the league's deadline for final roster cuts, the club placed Hassan Haskins on injured reserve, which means he can't return for the 2023 season. Tennessee also placed him on the commissioner's exempt list as he faces domestic violence charges that stem from an incident with his girlfriend.
Spears showed enough in the preseason to excite fantasy managers, and the Titans need another running back to step into a bigger role before years of wear and tear takes its toll on Henry's body.
Deon Jackson, Indianapolis Colts
6 of 7
ADP: RB63
Most managers will probably avoid the Indianapolis Colts running back situation because of the uncertainty around Jonathan Taylor, but remember, he'll miss at least the first four weeks on the physically unable to perform list. Someone has to start in his place in the short term.
At running back, Deon Jackson made the last two starts in the preseason, but he had a string of average performances in the exhibition contests, registering 13 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown with three catches for 21 yards.
Rookie fifth-rounder Evan Hull had some bright moments in the preseason, but Jackson played well in fill-in duty while Taylor missed time last season. In Weeks 6 and 18, Jackson racked up 110-plus scrimmage yards. In those two outings alone, he caught 16 passes for 154 yards.
Though Zack Moss will likely work his way into the rotation once he recovers from forearm surgery, Jackson has proven he can perform well in spot duty.
If the Colts season goes off the rails before the trade deadline, they may be more willing to part ways with Taylor, who's in the final year of his rookie contract.
For now, if managers want to throw a dart at an unpredictable Colts backfield, Jackson has the best chance to be an immediate flex option on fantasy rosters.
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
7 of 7
ADP: RB80
Kyren Williams will open the 2023 campaign behind Cam Akers on the Los Angeles Rams depth chart, but he can take over the primary pass-catching role out of the backfield.
Though Williams didn't take any snaps in the preseason, he's made strides in the short passing game, per The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue.
"To start, they'll probably feature both Akers and Williams, and the rep share will be situational depending on the defense they're facing. But where Williams could have a bigger impact is in the passing game, where he truly excelled throughout training camp. Quarterback Matthew Stafford especially seemed to get comfortable when targeting Williams as a receiver."
In last year's season opener, Williams suffered a high ankle sprain and then underwent surgery, which sidelined him for about two months. He had some average showings upon his return, but Rodrigue's offseason report about the Rams' plan to feature two running backs should catch your attention.
In 2022, Akers lost two fumbles, and he had ball-security issues (nine fumbles) in three collegiate terms at Florida State.
If Akers struggles to hold on to the ball early in the upcoming campaign, Williams would likely see a significant boost in rush attempts. In the meantime, look for the latter to get a handful of carries and contribute in the short passing game.
NFL preseason statistics are provided by CBS Sports.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
