- Omarion Hampton‘s backfield could get crowded fast: Hampton has the talent, but Kimani Vidal and new addition Keaton Mitchell threaten his touch share in a Los Angeles Chargers offense with plenty of injury and workload questions.
- Jeremiyah Love landed in a tough spot: Love is a gifted rookie, but a crowded Arizona Cardinals backfield and a bottom-tier run-blocking line cap his early-season ceiling at his second-round price.
- Breece Hall‘s potential is hindered in the Jets’ offense: Hall should stay a high-volume back, but a new play-caller, fading receiving role and likely loss of goal-line work to Braelon Allen limit his New York Jets upside.
Early-round running back picks carry the most weight of any position, since a hit anchors your roster and a miss is hard to overcome. But the top of the position has real depth this year, and several backs going in the first few rounds carry enough risk that you can find similar value a round or two later.
The three running backs below aren't players we expect to be bad. Each has a clear path to a strong season, but each also possesses enough concern that it is hard to justify the price, especially when someone drafted a bit later has a similar chance to match the production. That combination, genuine risk plus a deep pool of alternatives, is what lands them here.
The average draft position listed is a consensus from ESPN, Sleeper and Yahoo! for where the player is picked on average in a 12-team, redraft league.
Last updated: Friday, July 17
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