Fantasy football 2019: Running back tier rankings
By Bill Pivetz
Fantasy Football 2019 Running Back Tier Rankings
This tier has some low-end RB2s but their range of outcomes are wide.
The Patriots were turning into a running team before the return of Josh Gordon. Though that may still be the case, they have a lot of running backs. Along with White, they have Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead, James Devlin and Brandon Bolden. While the latter two don’t get much playing time, the other three all see playing time.
White rushed for 425 yards and five touchdowns on 94 attempts with 87 receptions, 751 yards and seven touchdowns. White finished seventh among running backs based on NFL.com scoring. Michel finished 35th. In PPR leagues, White will have a lot of value, even with the return of Gordon.
The Dolphins front office upset a lot of fantasy owners with their usage of Frank Gore. Now that he’s in Buffalo, Drake could be the three-down back in Miami. However, Kalen Ballage is in the mix. Whoever wins the starting quarterback job will also affect Drake’s value. Drake can be either a flex play or bye-week fill in. This is a situation to monitor all season.
Miller only has two 1,000-yard seasons in his seven-year career. Yet, he is an effective runner with a career 4.3 yards per carry. The Texans offense, as long as everyone stays healthy, could be one of the best in the league.
He’s not a sexy pick, but Miller is consistent. Since entering the league in 2012, he’s missed just seven games. The scoring may not be there but he gets over 200 carries a season. Though, the addition of Duke Johnson could eat into his receiving stats.
In three seasons with Iowa State, Montgomery rushed 624 times for 2,925 yards and 26 touchdowns. It’s hard to covert those numbers for the NFL because the playbooks are different and the game is a bit slower. However, rushing 4.7 yards per carry shows that he can be effective in Chicago.
The Bears are looking to compete this season. I expect to see Montgomery on the field early and often this season.
Coleman gets his shot to be a starting running back. The 49ers will be effective running the ball but Breida could eat into some of Coleman’s carries. With Devonta Freeman as the lead rusher, Coleman earned his keep as a pass-catching back. He recorded 90 receptions for 996 yards and 11 touchdowns over the last three seasons.
Because of the uncertainty at the position, Coleman comes with more risk than some of the other options in the top 30.
Without trying to repeat myself, Lindsay is a more effective pass catcher which is why he’s the starter in Denver. Though, Freeman will still be in the mix. Lindsay fell down the draft boards because of this reason. He’s a top-20 option in PPR leagues but closer to 30 in standard leagues.