Fantasy Football 2020: Running Backs to Avoid in Drafts

Running back is arguably the most important position in fantasy football.

Nabbing productive backs can be a separator, and selecting multidimensional guys who can carry the ball and also be reliable pass-catchers is absolutely vital.

Running back depth is also imperative because of injury concerns, which explains why the very best backs in the NFL are stockpiled at the top of draft boards.

But while guys like Christian McCaffrey and Ezekiel Elliott are no-brainers because of their skill sets and volume, other backs might not be up to capitalizing on their current value.

With just under a month until Week 1, here are a few running backs to avoid in fantasy drafts.

Running Backs to Avoid in Drafts

Todd Gurley, Atlanta Falcons

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Gurley is just one year removed from being one of the top backs in football.

The former Georgia star was named a first-team All-Pro with the Los Angeles Rams in both 2017 and 2018. He led the NFL in yards from scrimmage in 2017 and led the league in total touchdowns both years. But Gurley's knee concerns leading up to Super Bowl 53 almost seemed like an omen.

Gurley barely topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage last season, the lowest mark of his career. He managed to play 15 games, but almost always seemed to be week-to-week with knee soreness.

Moreover, Gurley managed just 3.8 yards per carry and 6.7 yards per reception. Granted, L.A. had the second-worst offensive line in football last year, per Pro Football Focus. Still, Gurley's massive drop in production is a concern.

The 26-year-old is hoping to bounce back with the Falcons. But is Atlanta the best situation for Gurley as a fantasy back? Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has ranked third in pass attempts in each of the last two years, and running backs are often secondary weapons in Atlanta's offense.

Gurley is currently RB15 with an average draft position of 27, per Fantasy Pros. But owners can surely find better value elsewhere.

Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks

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There are certainly reasons to be high on Carson. He has rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons, and he ranked third in success rate in 2019, per Football Outsiders.

However, health is a major question mark with Carson.

The 25-year-old suffered a fractured hip toward the end of the 2019 campaign. While the injury did not require offseason surgery, it remains to be seen whether Carson will have the same explosiveness.

In addition to the health concerns, Carson fumbled seven times last year. The fumbles led to Carson ceding some time to Rashaad Penny in the last quarter of the season, and Penny excelled prior to suffering a torn ACL in Week 14 against the Rams.

Penny's status might give Carson the opportunity to see a lot of volume at the start of the year. But owners should be wary of his health and possible competition in the backfield later in the season.

Plus, Carson does not add a ton of value in the passing game, and he could become a bit of a liability if the fumbling issues persist.

Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars

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Fournette is sandwiched between Gurley and Carson at RB16, per Fantasy Pros. However, it seems unlikely Fournette will live up to that value in 2020.

The former LSU star gained nearly 1,700 yards from scrimmage last season and asserted himself as a bigger part of the passing game. Simultaneously, Fournette ranked toward the bottom of the NFL in terms of success rate, per Football Outsiders. He also scored just three touchdowns.

Then, of course, there is uncertainty regarding his status in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars had discussions with other teams regarding Fournette in April, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. They subsequently declined his fifth-year player option in May, making Fournette a free agent at the end of the year.

Fournette remains a "bell cow" type for now. But Jacksonville is in rebuilding mode and also signed Chris Thompson in the offseason. It might not be a surprise to hear Fournette's name resurface in the rumor mill.

There are just so many question marks when it comes to Fournette, making it hard to justify his value in mock drafts.

Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos

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Gordon is currently RB19, per Fantasy Pros, and he is ranked over 50 spots ahead of backfield mate Phillip Lindsay. But this seems like a massive reach.

For starters, Gordon averaged just 3.8 yards per carry with the Los Angeles Chargers last year after holding out the first few weeks. He also fumbled four times in 12 games and was so unconvincing the Chargers elected to re-sign Austin Ekeler instead.

Plus, Lindsay is coming off his second straight 1,000-yard season. The 26-year-old also appears to be extremely motivated by Denver's decision to sign Gordon this offseason.

There are no guarantees Gordon will even get the majority of the touches in Denver's backfield. Perhaps the Broncos hope he can infuse some playmaking in the passing game.

Even still, Gordon is averaging 4.0 yards per carry for his career and will almost certainly have to fight for volume. He should not even be sniffing the top 20 in terms of fantasy running backs.

David Johnson, Houston Texans

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Johnson burst onto the scene in his rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals in 2015. One year later, in his first year as a starter, Johnson was named first-team All-Pro after totaling 20 touchdowns and more than 2,100 yards from scrimmage.

The Northern Iowa product was suddenly a fantasy star. But a wrist injury at the start of the 2017 campaign halted all of Johnson's momentum. He did not play a single game after suffering the injury in Week 1. Johnson would return in 2018, but he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry on the ground and also had eight drops.

This past year was a major indictment against Johnson's fantasy value. He totaled just 715 yards from scrimmage and lost the starting job after Arizona acquired Kenyan Drake. The Cardinals then shipped Johnson to the Texans in the deal that landed them DeAndre Hopkins.

Johnson is trending down, yet he is still just outside the top 20 in RB rankings, per Fantasy Pros.

The 28-year-old might be the projected starter in Houston, but Duke Johnson is sure to eat into David's touches. Some fantasy owners might believe David will have more to offer in Houston's passing game.

However, Duke ranks higher in the passing game in terms of defense-adjusted yards above replacement, per Football Outisders, and also averaged 4.9 yards per carry last year.

David is a fantasy star of the past. It is not worth reaching on him in hopes of a bounce-back season even in points-per-reception leagues, especially not ahead of guys like Devin Singletary or even James White.

All stats obtained via Pro Football Reference, unless otherwise noted. All fantasy information obtained via Fantasy Pros.