Fantasy Football 2023: Sleeper RBs to Target in Updated Flex Rankings
The NFL may be trending toward the devaluing of running backs but fantasy football managers understand and recognize their importance, not just on the field but also in the stat lines.
From their ability to break off a big run to the big-play potential of a pass out of the backfield that goes for 60 or 70 yards and a score, they are arguably the dynamic playmakers on the field in any given game.
That running backs can influence scoring in fantasy in two different ways enhances their significance to any team manager hoping to win their league and the bragging rights that go along with it.
Until the sport changes and the role of the running back is either null and void or completely reimagined, it will continue to be the most coveted position in any fantasy draft. After all, the deeper a manager's running back roster, with quality beyond the big-name starters, the more successful a squad is likely to be.
With that in mind, here are a few sleeper candidates for the position to help secure your league championship, as well as an updated look at the 25 best FLEX players.
Updated Flex Rankings
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Here are updated, top 25 FLEX rankings to consider for your fantasy football squad:
- Christian McCaffrey (RB, San Francisco at Pittsburgh)
- Austin Ekeler (RB, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins)
- Derrick Henry (RB, Tennessee Titans at New Orleans)
- Nick Chubb (RB, Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals)
- Saquon Barkley (RB, New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys)
- Josh Jacobs (RB, Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos)
- Justin Jefferson (WR, Minnesota Vikings vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
- Ja'Marr Chase (WR, Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns)
- Travis Etienne Jr (RB, Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts)
- Bijan Robinson (RB, Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers)
- Travis Kelce (TE, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Detroit Lions)
- Tyreek Hill (WR, Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers)
- Joe Mixon (RB, Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns)
- AJ Brown (WR, Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots)
- Aaron Jones (RB, Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears)
- CeeDee Lamb (WR, Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants)
- Najee Harris (RB, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Francisco 49ers)
- Cam Akers (RB, Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks)
- Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR, Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs)
- Garrett Wilson (WR, New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills)
- Breece Hall (RB, New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills)
- Davante Adams (WR, Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos)
- Jaylen Waddle (WR, Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers)
- Isiah Pacheco (RB, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Detroit Lions)
- Rhamondre Stevenson (RB, New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles)
Uncertainty surrounding Jonathan Taylor's status with the Colts and beyond kept him out of the top 25.
Sleeper: Jaylen Warren
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Najee Harris has never missed a down of football due to injury in his NFL career and for that reason alone, you may be asking why Jaylen Warren would be considered a potential sleeper fantasy candidate.
While spelling Harris in 2023, Warren averaged 4.9 yards per carry for 379 yards and a touchdown. He added 28 receptions and 214 yards as a safety net out of the backfield.
Add to that the fact that he is a more explosive back than Harris and you have reason to want to grab him, even if he is a nice option off your bench.
Then, there is the rumor reported by ESPN's Dan Graziano that suggests Warren could realistically supplant Harris as the starter for the Steelers, stating "Performance in practice and games has demanded a larger role for him than what Pittsburgh had planned a year ago."
He continued, "Unless Harris looks more like the 2021 version of himself than the 2022 version, Warren's opportunity could increase dramatically as the year goes on."
The potential starting running back for a team whose offense was dynamic in the preseason but still has a second-year quarterback under center and may need to lean on him if things get tough.
Sounds like a potential starter that you can (and should) grab fairly easily as he is currently rostered in just 45 percent of Yahoo and 42 percent of ESPN leagues, per Fantasy Pros.
Sleeper: Deon Jackson
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Jonathan Taylor's current contractual situation, coupled with a broken arm suffered by Zack Moss, means Deon Jackson will likely get the call as starting running back for the Indianapolis Colts in their Week One game against Jacksonville.
That presents an opportunity for fantasy managers to get some starting value out of Jackson, if only for a few weeks.
His production on the ground has been so-so, having averaged just 3.5 yards per carry on 68 attempts in 2022. He will not wow anyone with what he accomplishes on that front, but he is a solid pass catcher out of the backfield and could prove to be a safety net for a rookie quarterback in Anthony Richardson who could find himself pressured early and often by the Jags' pass rush that ranked fourth in win rate a season ago.
Against Jacksonville a season ago, Jackson caught 10 balls for 79 yards. Similar output in the season opener is not out of the question, nor is a score if the third-year back can find some open space.
With Moss expected to return, and similarly skilled pass catcher Evan Hull behind him on the depth chart, Jackson does not figure to be the team's signature back for the long haul, but he definitely has value early in your season if you can nab him in the late rounds of your draft.
Sleeper: Tyler Allgeier
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Tyler Allgeier's fantasy prospects fell off the proverbial cliff last May when the Atlanta Falcons selected Bijan Robinson out of the University of Texas with the eighth overall pick in the NFL Draft.
It is a shame, really, given how unexpectedly great Allgeier was for the team a season ago.
As a rookie, he proved more valuable in fantasy than the more celebrated Breece Hall of the New York Jets and Kenneth Walker III from Seattle as he rushed 210 times for 1035 yards, an average of 4.9 yards a carry, and 3 TDs.
He was particularly great for a bad Falcons team after the Week 14 bye, never scoring less than 11.7 fantasy points per game in the proceeding four. During that span, he was the seventh-ranked back in the league, averaging 15.6 points a game.
Having had that experience, there was reason to believe that he would be even better for Atlanta in 2023.
The arrival of Robinson essentially relegates Allgeier to the bench, both in fantasy and reality, but there are two very good reasons why he is a worthwhile addition to your roster.
One, there is no telling how quickly Robinson will adjust to the speed and intricacies of the pro game. Not everyone adapts quite as quickly as Allgeier, Hall, and Walker did a season ago. If the rookie struggles early, it could mean more opportunities for the second-year back.
Then there are the questions about quarterback Desmond Ridder, who showed flashes of being a dynamic quarterback in his rookie year but who is still the subject of some uncertainty.
Depending on how quickly Ridder finds his groove, it is not out of the question that he could see more playing time in a two-back backfield.
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