- Christian McCaffrey is projected 331.97 fantasy points this season.
- Ezekiel Elliot is projected 297.89 fantasy points.
- Alvin Kamara is projected 290.33 fantasy points.
NEW YORK – As the NFL season quickly approaches, fantasy football general managers are scrambling to get their homework done in order to draft the best possible team.
There are three main types of players at every position to look out for when drafting a fantasy football team. The first is favorites which are players that are projected high and everyone jumps at the chance to get them.
Sleepers, who are players that went under the radar in the draft process that end up paying off. Lastly, there are busts, these players are drafted high and don’t end up paying off.
Today’s league could be seen as a running back heavy league. Where that makes things complicated in the draft process is that it could be tricky to separate the which running backs belong in which category.
Running Back Favorites
There are only a handful of premier running backs in today’s NFL who are must-have players that should be rostered in every league.
Running Back Favorites Projections
- Christian McCaffrey 331.97
- Ezekiel Elliot 297.89
- Alvin Kamara 290.33
- Dalvin Cook 287.17
- Saquon Barkley 286.61
Christian McCaffrey is the highest projected running back as he led the 2019 season with 471.2 points. He can very well outdo his projections as he did last year being one of the only sources of offense on a depleted Carolina Panthers team.
With there still being very little help on the offensive end, fantasy football GM’s can certainly expect something similar this season.
Alvin Kamara is going into the 2020 season with something to prove after having a shortened season due to injury.
Kamara was able to put up 248.52 points in 2019 and is projected to demolish that total with 290.33 in 2020. He is returning to a New Orleans Saints team that doesn’t have a secondary back which leaves Kamara as their go-to run option.
Online betting sites have Saquon Barkley also crushing his 2019 total. He had a shortened season as well due to injury but Barkley was able to put up 244.1 points in just 13 games and is projected to 286.61 this season.
Barkley is a key factor to a New York Giants team that is still trying to find their identity which makes Barkley a must-have being that he is an elite-level talent.
Running Back Sleepers
When drafting a fantasy football team, there are plenty of sleepers that could offer huge potential for any team.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire should be at the top of the sleepers list as the rookie running back is stepping in as the Kansas City Chiefs RB1 with Damien Williams holding out due to coronavirus concerns.
Sleeper Running Back Projections
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire 242.72
- Miles Sanders 241.24
- Austin Ekeler 238.44
- Todd Gurley 220.55
- Melvin Gordon 200.89
Being that he is a rookie on the defending championship team and is coming off of a National Championship himself, it is only right that he is going to take advantage of this opportunity.
Sanders saw some struggles in the 2019 season but finally caught fire towards the end of the campaign. He is projected to jump from 218.7 to 241.24 as the Philadelphia Eagles are expected to give him a more lead back role in the upcoming season.
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Austin Ekeler showed huge upside potential in the 2019 season as he served as the lead back while Melvin Gordon was holing out.
He was ranked in the top five running backs until Gordon came back. Now with Gordon leaving the team, he is expected to take over the RB1 spot once more and go back to his elite level of play.
If there is any player that is poised to be a major sleeper this year, it is Todd Gurley. Gurley has moved on to the Atlanta Falcons after being cut by the LA Rams.
Many would argue that the Rams just did not utilize his talents correctly and others would say that injury caused his downfall in 2019 after being a top back in 2018. Now that he is on a new team only time will tell if they are able to use him correctly as he is going to be seen as the feature back for the Falcons.
Melvin Gordon is going into the 2020 season with something to prove as he held out part of the 2019 season due to contract concerns.
Now that Gordon has moved on to the Denver Broncos from the LA Chargers, he can put his money where his mouth is as he will likely be the RB1 over a close battle with Philip Lindsay.
Running Back Busts
These are the players that fantasy football GM’s should watch out for and not make the mistake of drafting them too early.
Busts Running Back Projections
- Derrick Henry 248.98
- Aaron Jones 239.82
- Leonard Fournette 220.91
- Mark Ingram 159.91
Before running to take Derrick Henry with a top pick, fantasy owners should keep one major factor in mind about Henry.
There is no doubt that Henry had a great season as he led the league in attempts, yards, and touchdowns. But, serving as the workhorse on the team could take a toll on Henry’s 2020 season as he might not be as fresh as he was last year.
When drafting Henry, fantasy owners should keep in mind the saying “what goes up, must come down.”
Aaron Jones is another example of “coming down” as he also served as a workhorse for the Green Bay Packers. Tied for leading the league in touchdowns as well, Jones does not have the skill level or strength and size that Henry possesses.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are easily the bottom feeders of the league as the only major bright spot on this team is Leonard Fournette.
With that being said, Fournette will have absolutely no help on the offensive end which makes him an easy target for opposing defenses. He is not worth a first or second-round pick at all.
Unfortunately, the fun is over for Mark Ingram as well as his projections took a huge hit after he put up 242.5 fantasy points in the 2019 season.
The Baltimore Ravens have made it clear by drafting J.K. Dobbins that Ingram’s role with the team was going to take a hit. With that being said, Ingram could be seen as a back up running back to a potential flex option.
Samuel decided to get into writing 6 years ago when he first started his college career at Florida State University. After declaring a major in Editing, Writing and Media, Samuel had found his passion for writing. During his free time, he could be found writing about, watching or playing sports.
