Fantasy Football 2019: 5 Backup Running Backs You Need to Draft

Whether you’re handcuffing your top back or looking for a breakout star, here are five backup running backs you should draft for your fantasy football team.

With less than two months until the first set of preseason games, fantasy football owners need to start preparing. While it’s a bit too early to do mock drafts, now is a good time to at least make a list of targets for each round. My first list of targets will be backup running backs.

More teams are using a committee approach in the backfield, like baseball managers do with closers. It reduces the workload for the top running back to keep them healthier for longer but it also reduces their playing time, which affects their fantasy football value.

On the flip side, those backup running backs will be getting more playing time and increase their value. This increases the player pool a bit but more for the middle of the pack instead of the top-tier names.

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Whether you are looking for a handcuff or a late-round sleeper, these five backup running backs need to be drafted this season.

Ito Smith, ATL

Smith had a couple of good games last year but was a part of a three-headed monster in the Atlanta backfield. Now, with Tevin Coleman in San Francisco, Smith has a chance to increase his value with more carries.

Devonta Freeman has played in 16 games just once in his career. He played in two games last year. While we can’t predict health, the odds are against Freeman in staying healthy for the full season. Smith had 315 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 90 carries.

Matt Ryan may throw the ball another 500-plus times, Smith will get some targets as well as relieve Freeman in the backfield.

Justice Hill, BAL

The Ravens rushing game will be led by quarterback Lamar Jackson. The front office brought in veteran Mark Ingram to help the running game. Though, at 29 years old, his days as a leading rusher are coming to an end.

Even with Gus Edwards and Kenneth Dixon in the mix, I think Hill will be the breakout star in the backfield. In 10 games, he racked up 930 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 1,467 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2017.

The Ravens could likely lead the league in rushing and the combination of Jackson and Hill will be at the forefront.

Frank Gore, BUF

In life, there are three guarantees: death, taxes and Gore still playing football. Gore enters his 15th season as the backup to LeSean McCoy. He is coming off a 722-yard season in Miami. Gore has nine 1,000-yard seasons and missed out on a 10th in 2017 by 39 yards.

McCoy hasn’t been a beacon of health in his 10-year career but isn’t as bad as some other running backs. He has played in 147 games out of a possible 160. His performance last year was abysmal, rushing for 514 yards and three touchdowns.

McCoy will start the season as the Bills go-to option but don’t be surprised if Gore sees some goal line and short-yardage work. And if McCoy goes down with injury, Gore will get the carries. I don’t think T.J Yeldon is going to factor much.

D’Onta Foreman, HOU

Freeman had just seven carries in 2018 after returning from an Achilles injury. He recorded -1 yards with those carries. Now, more than a season removed from the injury, Foreman is ready to break out.

He will back up Lamar Miller, who turned 28 in April. Miller had 973 yards and five touchdowns last season. Miller is on the last year of his four-year contract. This could give the Texans more incentive to use Foreman more as an audition to be their lead back in 2020 and beyond.

Darrell Henderson, STL

Henderson may be the biggest handcuff in fantasy football. While the other four are solid, backing up a top-three back like Todd Gurley is of the utmost importance when drafting.

Gurley had 1,251 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns, third and first in the league. But, the breakout of C.J. Anderson in the final two weeks opened the eyes of everyone as he replaced Gurley as the starter.

Now, at the beginning of the 2019 season, Gurley is dealing with arthritis in his knee. The Rams spent a third-round pick on Henderson. If they weren’t going to use Henderson in the offense, why draft a running back that early?

The team also signed veteran Malcolm Brown. Gurley is ranked as the fifth running back in ESPN leagues. I think that’s too high. Henderson will chip into his carries throughout the season. If you draft Gurley, Henderson is a must-draft.

It feels good to be talking about fantasy football again. This is only the beginning to a lot of content coming out of Fantasy CPR. Handcuffing your top running back is important because of the changing use at the position. Plus, you never know who is going to have a breakout season.