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Fantasy football: 2020 RB Rankings (21-40) with Projections

By Ben Grivas

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 29: David Montgomery #32 of the Chicago Bears celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 29: David Montgomery #32 of the Chicago Bears celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) /
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Y’all ready for some more fantasy football running back rankings?

I’m back with the second edition of my 2020 fantasy football running back rankings!

For the top-20 running backs click here: 1-20.

If you want wide receiver rankings, click here: 1-25, 26-50.

For draft strategy about quarterbacks click here, and for draft strategy about tight ends click here.

Alright, now for running backs 21-40. I’m ranking them in a PPR format, but I’m including my half-PPR and standard rankings along with the projections. Today, we’re kicking it off half way through Tier 4, which also included backs David Johnson and Melvin Gordon.

Tier 4 (cont.)

This tier consists of players who are technically in RB2 territory, but I’d much rather not have as my second running back. They are ranked as RB2s due to the lack of depth at the position this year. This positional scarcity should make running backs more valuable and these players will be reached on in drafts. Try targeting two players from the top three tiers, grab receivers in the middle rounds, and avoid reaching on Tier 4 backs.

Scouting Report. New York Jets. Le'Veon Bell. 21. player. 30. Pick Analysis. RB

15 games

Rushing: 231 carries, 809 rushing yds, 5 rushing TDs

Receiving: 75 targets, 60 receptions, 450 receiving yds, 1 receiving TD

Scoring: 219.9 PPR points, Half-PPR rank 23, standard rank 26

Here’s three facts about Le’Veon Bell:

  1. He scored 4 touchdowns last year despite receiving 311 touches, making a 1.3% TD rate, the second worst rate in the league for running backs with at least 200 touches.
  2. His coach, Adam Gase, locked up talents such as DeVante Parker, Kenyan Drake and Ryan Tannehill for years, destroying their fantasy value.
  3. The last time Bell played all 16 games was in 2014, six years ago.

Do you expect much to change this season? Bell is a talented back in a weak offense. That touchdown rate should positively regress some, but this is a case where you should predict a low amount of touchdowns, even with that volume, because the offense is so bad. Bell will plenty of touches, but Gase and the Jets are fantasy poison.

Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Indianapolis Colts. 46. RB. Jonathan Taylor. 22. player

Rushing: 235 carries, 1152 rushing yds, 9 rushing TDs

Receiving: 30 targets, 23 receptions, 161 receiving yds, 1 receiving TDs

Scoring: 212.3 PPR points, Half-PPR rank 21, standard rank 16

I’m concerned about Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni’s statement about his running backs, calling Jonathan Taylor and Marlon Mack a 1-1 punch. While this is likely just P.R. to make sure Mack stays fit for the season, it indicates that Taylor won’t see a workhorse load out of the gate. I’m sure he’ll prove to be the better back as the season goes on, but he’s no slam dunk draft pick. Nyheim Hines will take the majority of the running back targets and Mack won’t just disappear. Expect efficiency from the top RB in college football for the past two seasons, especially with the Colts impressive O-line, but don’t expect crazy volume for him.

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