Fantasy Football Expert Justin Edwards looks at the initial Fantasy Football RB rankings and projections for 2023.
“We have a few surprises that sit atop the list. Though the rankings will shift throughout the Summer months, it’s important to keep an eye on fluctuating average draft positions (ADPs) to keep a leg-up on your league mates!”
2023 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings
*As always, the projections and rankings are courtesy of 4for4’s half-point RB PPR rankings!
| # | Player | Team |
| 1 | Christian McCaffrey | San Francisco 49ers |
| 2 | Austin Ekeler | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 3 | Nick Chubb | Cleveland Browns |
| 4 | Derrick Henry | Tennessee Titans |
| 5 | Bijan Robinson | Atlanta Falcons |
| 6 | Josh Jacobs | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 7 | Tony Pollard | Dallas Cowboys |
| 8 | Breece Hall | New York Jets |
| 9 | Saquon Barkley | New York Giants |
| 10 | Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis Colts |
*Get the Full 2023 RB Draft Rankings
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What Stands Out:
After ending the 2022 season on the IR, Jonathan Taylor is back in the top 10 running backs.
Analysis:
After a down year across the board in Indianapolis, Jonathan Taylor has a chance to have a bounce-back season on a team that is hoping to ascend out of the dumps.
A Familiar Situation with a New Quarterback
With the fourth-overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts bit the bullet and made a pick outside their comfort zone. They ended the veteran QB Russian roulette they’ve been playing since the retirement of Andrew Luck and selected athletic freak Anthony Richardson.
This will be nothing new for Jonathan Taylor, who has now played with seven different quarterbacks in his short three-year career. The hope is that Richardson’s dynamic play style will add a much-needed wrinkle to the Colts and will hopefully lead to some better opportunities for Taylor. Even if they can become a league-average offense during the 2023 season, we’ve seen Taylor squeeze incredible fantasy success out of that in the past.
According to 4for4’s Fantasy Points Browser, through the first two seasons of his career, he was RB6 and RB1 in fantasy, with the Colts ranking as the ninth-highest scoring offense in each year. Taylor accounted for 32 of the team’s touchdowns, as they leaned heavily on him in the immediate post-Luck era. If he is fully recovered from the ankle injury that sidelined him last December, we can expect the team to revert back to making him the centerpiece of the offense. Music to fantasy managers everywhere.
Who is Jonathan Taylor?
Jonathan Taylor is the running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. He played college football at Wisconsin, finishing his college career ranked sixth in the NCAA in all-time leading rushing. Taylor was drafted by the Colts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He parlayed his success as the Wisconsin Badger all-time leading rusher into immediate production at the next level. By 2021, he led the league with over 1,800 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns.
Are there any other running backs to look out for in the 2023 fantasy drafts?
It’s difficult to predict with certainty who will emerge as top running backs in the 2023 fantasy drafts. However, several up-and-coming players to keep an eye on include Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons, Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions, and Dameon Pierce of the Houston Texans. With their potential and youthfulness, they could make valuable additions to fantasy teams in the future.
How often are fantasy football rankings updated?
Fantasy football rankings are updated frequently during the offseason and leading up to the start of the regular season. It’s important to check for the latest updates to make informed decisions.
