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

Tier 6

Tier 6 is the last tier where you can find a running back with major upside that can feasibly occur without an injury to someone else on their team. These players are worth targeting because of their reasonable, late price tags. Ideally, you should have three wide receivers before targeting a Tier 6 running back, but play the draft as it comes.

Rushing: 192 carries, 845 rushing yds, 7 rushing TDs

Receiving: 50 targets, 38 receptions, 286 receiving yds, 1 receiving TD

Scoring: 195.1 PPR points, Half-PPR rank 26, standard rank 28

Todd Gurley leaves behind large boots to fill in 2020, in what looks like an RBBC in Los Angeles. Cam Akers is the obvious front runner for the lead role, being the exciting rookie. Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown combined for 108 rushing attempts and 12 targets last year, so while they should see an uptick in use, I don’t think it will be by much, especially in the receiving game, as Akers is a better pass-catcher. Brown should eat into Akers’ goal line carries, but Akers scored 18 total TDs for FSU last year, so scoring isn’t an issue.

Rushing: 188 carries, 846 rushing yds, 7 rushing TDs

Receiving: 45 targets, 34 receptions, 279 receiving yds, 1 receiving TD

Scoring: 192.5 PPR points, Half-PPR rank 27, standard rank 27

The former Georgia stud is the whole package, with the ability to be a three-down back in the NFL. Unfortunately, D’Andre Swift found himself in an unfortunate landing spot in Detroit, where he should split carries with Kerryon Johnson. This situation caps his ceiling, but he brings a solid floor, as the Lions drafted him 35th overall for a reason. Expect him to be the starter at some point, but Kerryon isn’t going away.

Rushing: 169 carries, 777 rushing yds, 4 rushing TDs

Receiving: 55 targets, 42 receptions, 357 receiving yds, 2 receiving TDs

Scoring: 189.4 PPR points, Half-PPR rank 30, standard rank 31

Ke’Shawn Vaughn is more talented than Peyton Barber, who somehow got 154 carries on a real NFL team last year. He’s also more talented than Dare Ogunbowale, who somehow got 46 targets on a real NFL team last year. The Bucs should move toward Vaughn as their lead back at some point this year. Ronald Jones could still win the majority of the touches, but Vaughn has very intriguing upside if he takes control of this backfield.

Rushing: 195 carries, 936 rushing yds, 9 rushing TDs

Receiving: 29 targets, 20 receptions, 195 receiving yds, 1 receiving TD

Scoring: 185.1 PPR points, Half-PPR rank 28, standard rank 25

Raheem Mostert ended last season with 7 TDs in 5 games. Despite this, he only finished as the RB8 in standard and RB10 in PPR. This might look like great value for the RB30, but here’s why he’s ranked appropriately: he’s about as likely to repeat that TD rate as the 49ers are to trade for Pat Mahomes. He scored so often because of the amount of positive game scripts the 49ers created and because Kyle Shanahan feeds the hot hand. One bad game for Mostert and Shanahan could call up Tevin Coleman, Jerrick McKinnon, or some guy off the practice squad to replace Mostert. Mostert’s lack of receiving work caps his ceiling, and his lack of job security hurts his reliability.

14 games

Rushing: 165 carries, 800 rushing yds, 6 rushing TDs

Receiving: 42 targets, 32 receptions, 293 receiving yds, 1 receiving TD

Scoring: 183.1 PPR points, Half-PPR rank 31, standard rank 30

I know what you’re thinking. He’s always injured, he hasn’t really proven himself on an NFL field, and he’s in a very crowded backfield. This is all true, but the man is so talented and should be healthy going into 2020. At LSU, he looked like Leonard Fournette’s equal, even going into the NFL draft. He still has the talent, take a look.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1196168005551443968

Give me more of that please. He’s obviously a risk, but you shoot for the moon in these later rounds, and Guice can be a legitimate RB2 down the stretch if everything clicks, which isn’t something you can say about many being drafted around him.

Rushing: 72 carries, 295 rushing yds, 2 rushing TDs

Receiving: 85 targets, 61 receptions, 537 receiving yds, 4 receiving TDs

Scoring: 180.2 PPR points, Half-PPR rank 34, standard rank 36

The signing of Cam Newton should help James White, as Newton knows how to properly use a good receiving back (he also knows how to properly run an offense). The Patriots should be a team that relies on their running game, defense, and short passing game. White can be counted on to continue his high-floor, low-ceiling play style into 2020 with lots of dump off passes and the occasional hand off. He’s almost guaranteed to outperform his draft position, with an RB7 finish in 2018 and RB18 finish in 2019.