The acrobatic catches, stiff arms, and tight-window throws are just a few aspects of football that make the game so enjoyable to watch. But everyone's least favorite part of the game is injuries. Players are constantly at risk of getting hurt, even in practice.
But no positional group is getting banged up at a higher rate than running backs. They are consistently involved in violent collisions while getting tangled up in swarms of enormous bodies. NFL teams, NFL fans, and fantasy managers alike would prefer for running backs to stay healthy. But the reality of the situation is that starting running backs across the league will have to pay visits to the training room this season.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2024 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
Fantasy managers should be prepared for the inevitable. Building out a running back room with depth is key when preparing to deal with injuries. This doesn't just mean drafting multiple No. 1 guys; teams should also draft a few backups in preparation for unavoidable injuries.
Outside of Draft Day, having an understanding of running back depth charts is crucial for success in-season. When a running back goes down with an injury, knowing who to pick up off waivers can give you an edge over league mates who don't have knowledge of depth charts. The most savvy fantasy managers also monitor practice reports and pick up the backups of running backs who are not practicing and are in danger of missing games.
2024 PPR RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
The next step in getting a leg-up on your league is understanding how offenses deploy their running backs. There are very few backs who are true bell cows in 2024. Last season, just four running backs played 70-plus percent of snaps: Christian McCaffrey, Rachaad White, Travis Etienne, and Tony Pollard. Kyren Williams had an enormous role as well, but he missed four games with an injury.
The vast majority of teams utilize multiple backs to split touches. The Tennessee Titans have gone as far as to list Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears as co-starters on their depth chart. This is all to say that not every "starting" role is created equally. For example, Blake Corum replacing an injured Kyren Williams would lead to a far more valuable role than Justice Hill filling in for Derrick Henry.
2024 POSITION TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY
No matter how you choose to leverage this information, keeping an eye on how teams perceive their running backs is absolutely necessary for fantasy football. Depth charts are constantly fluctuating, so staying on top of new information is key.
This list will be constantly updated as the season progresses, so check back in regularly!
2024 FANTASY SLEEPERS
QB | RB | WR | TE | Each Team
Fantasy RB Depth Chart 2024: Handcuffs and backup running backs to roster in fantasy football
| Team | Starter | Backup/Handcuff | Two-Deep |
| Arizona Cardinals | James Conner | Trey Benson | Emari Demercado |
| Atlanta Falcons | Bijan Robinson | Tyler Allgeier | Avery Williams |
| Baltimore Ravens | Derrick Henry | Justice Hill | Keaton Mitchell/Rasheen Ali |
| Buffalo Bills | James Cook | Ray Davis | Ty Johnson |
| Carolina Panthers | Chuba Hubbard | Jonathon Brooks | Miles Sanders |
| Chicago Bears | D'Andre Swift | Khalil Herbert | Roschon Johnson |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Zack Moss | Chase Brown | Trayveon Williams |
| Cleveland Browns | Nick Chubb (PUP) | Jerome Ford | D'Onta Foreman/Pierre Strong Jr. |
| Dallas Cowboys | Ezekiel Elliott | Rico Dowdle | Deuce Vaughn |
| Denver Broncos | Javonte Williams | Jaleel McLaughlin | Audric Estime |
| Detroit Lions | D. Montgomery/J. Gibbs | Craig Reynolds | Sione Vaki |
| Green Bay Packers | Josh Jacobs | MarShawn Lloyd | Emanuel Wilson |
| Houston Texans | Joe Mixon | Dameon Pierce | Cam Akers/Dare Ogunbowale |
| Indianapolis Colts | Jonathan Taylor | Trey Sermon | Tyler Goodson |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Travis Etienne Jr. | Tank Bigsby | D'Ernest Johnson |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Isiah Pacheco | Samaje Perine | Clyde Edwards-Helaire |
| Las Vegas Raiders | Zamir White | Alexander Mattison | Ameer Abdullah/Dylan Laube |
| Los Angeles Chargers | Gus Edwards | JK Dobbins | Jaret Patterson/Kimani Vidal |
| Los Angeles Rams | Kyren Williams | Blake Corum | Ronnie Rivers |
| Miami Dolphins | R. Mostert/D. Achane | Jaylen Wright | Jeff Wilson Jr. |
| Minnesota Vikings | Aaron Jones | Ty Chandler | CJ Ham |
| New England Patriots | Rhamondre Stevenson | Antonio Gibson | JaMycal Hasty |
| New Orleans Saints | Alvin Kamara | Jamaal Williams | Kendre Miller (IR) |
| New York Giants | Devin Singletary | Tyrone Tracy Jr. | Eric Gray |
| New York Jets | Breece Hall | Braelon Allen | Isaiah Davis/Israel Abanikanda |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Saquon Barkley | Kenneth Gainwell | Will Shipley |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | N. Harris/J. Warren | Cordarrelle Patterson | N/A |
| San Francisco 49ers | Christian McCaffrey | Jordan Mason | Isaac Guerendo |
| Seattle Seahawks | Kenneth Walker III | Zach Charbonnet | Kenny McIntosh |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Rachaad White | Bucky Irving | Sean Tucker |
| Tennessee Titans | T. Pollard/T. Spears | Julius Chestnut | N/A |
| Washington Commanders | B. Robinson Jr./A. Ekeler | Jeremy McNichols | N/A |