Draft day anxiety is real, and it can be particularly tough when you don’t have a sound draft strategy.Â
We’ve all been there: watching running backs fly off the board, fearing a season-crippling injury, or struggling to recover from early-round busts.
If you’re looking for an approach that offers stability and control, the Robust RB Draft Strategy might be your answer.Â
This isn’t about ignoring other positions, but about building a powerful foundation with multiple high-quality running backs early in your draft. It’s about minimizing risk at a volatile position and creating a consistent scoring base.
Let’s explore how this strategy can bring you peace of mind and a competitive advantage this season.
What is the Robust RB Draft Strategy?
The Robust RB Draft Strategy for fantasy football is when you use early draft picks — as well as multiple later picks — to secure high quality running backs, and you have a backup plan should your starters suffer an injury.
If you’ve played fantasy football for any length of time, you understand how thin the running back position is, and the need for having good depth.
And if you understand value based drafting, you’re also aware of the statistical advantage you will have each week when your starters at a weak position are reliable and productive.
NFL offenses have been trending toward the passing attack for many years now. And for those offenses that like to establish the run, utilizing two or more backs in a committee has become the norm.
Therefore, finding workhorse backs has been like fortune hunting. And if you’re able to land two or more good ones, plus depth, you’ll be at a distinct advantage over your league mates.
Understanding the Robust RB Draft Strategy
Core Principles of the Robust RB Draft Strategy
One of the core principles of the Robust RB Draft Strategy is to prioritize selecting running backs in the first 2-4 rounds.
You want to focus on taking workhorse, or high-volume running backs who you know you can rely upon to give you a high floor each week to anchor your team’s scoring.
Due to injury risk and volatility at the running back position, you want to select multiple players in case you need to cycle them in and out.
Drafting sleeper running backs later in the draft to help supplement the position is also a wise idea.
The key to this draft strategy is to build a solid foundation of consistent points from the running back position.
Advantages of the Robust RB Draft Strategy
One of the main advantages of this strategy is that it addresses the positional scarcity at running back.
There are so few workhorse backs anymore these days because NFL teams understand the high injury rate. So most teams split up their backfield work.
If you go get those scarce workhorses early, you gain the leg up on the competition.
A second advantage of this strategy is that it helps address volatility at the wide receiver position.
All too often, unless you have the cream of the crop at wide receiver, you’re going to get erratic play from the receiver position. But having dependable running backs can stabilize your weekly scoring.
A third advantage to this strategy is that it prevents you from having a sinking ship if (when) your backs go down.
Inevitably, running backs get hurt. And if you don’t have a deep stable of capable backups, you’re left scrambling and searching the Waiver Wire for a desperation play.
But having a deep backfield helps alleviate that panic mode.
Disadvantages of the Robust RB Draft Strategy
One of the obvious pitfalls of using this draft strategy is that you miss out on some of the top-tier wide receivers. That early-round wide receiver talent has the potential to break some games wide open for you, even at the risk of volatile production.
Another drawback to this strategy is that you will need to have strong waiver wire management skills to find and maintain usable assets at both receiver and tight end throughout the season.
Finally, if you use this draft strategy, you must make sure your scouting skills are top notch, otherwise the potential of an early-round bust at running back could sink your team early in the season.
Implementing the Robust RB Draft Strategy
Ideal Draft Positions
You can truly implement the Robust RB Draft Strategy from any draft slot, although I find I like to be picking near the Top of Round 1 simply because I’d like the best possible running back at the top of my depth chart.
If you’re picking near the front of Round 1, you can usually snag a premium workhorse running back and when the draft swings back to you, you’ll have the option of selecting another solid running back and a strong wide receiver in Rounds 2 and 3.
When it gets back to you in Rounds 4 and 5, I’d look to do the same thing you did at the previous turn, taking another running back and receiver. Only this time, don’t get stuck with a dead zone, old fart running back with little value or return on investment. Look to take an upside swing on perhaps a rookie running back.
Important note: if there’s no good upside play at running back at the 4-5 turn, then go ahead and pick two wide receivers there and you can take your upside swings at the next turn.
Now, if you’re drafting at the end of Round 1, your Robust RB Draft Strategy is going to look slightly different. Instead of a premium RB1 and a lower RB2, you’re going to have both running backs in lower-end RB1 territory.
When you do this, you’re going to have to snag a pair of high-upside receivers at the 3-4 turn because it’ll be a long time before it gets back to you in Rounds 5 and 6. When your Round 5 pick does get back to you, I’d add another receiver there followed by a young, upside running back in Round 6.
Balancing Your Roster
When you choose to execute this strategy, you’ll have to supplement your roster with later round talent at other positions.
It goes without saying that whatever positions you don’t address in the early rounds will naturally be weaker.
That is, unless you hit on sleepers and other good value picks.
If you go running back heavy in the early rounds, you’ll want to take swings on high-upside players at other positions to try to find that balance. Rookie receivers, second- or third-year tight ends ready to break out, dual-threat quarterbacks. These are just some of the high-upside players you’ll want to target in the mid-to-late rounds.
Addressing Potential Concerns with the Robust RB Draft Strategy
The “Weak WR” Argument
Obviously, the first argument against the Robust RB Draft Strategy is that it leaves your wide receiving corps weak.
And that just couldn’t be further from the truth.
In 2024, I went with the Robust RB Draft Strategy and picked Jonathan Taylor and Kyren Williams with my first two picks — two Top 10 running backs that year. I had Mike Evans, Drake London, Terry McLaurin and Brian Thomas Jr. as my receivers.
Clearly, that was not a weakness. And I won the league.
Injury Risks
Another argument against the Robust RB Draft Strategy is the complaint that running backs get hurt a lot so you’re setting yourself up for a sinking ship early.
I’ve never understood that argument against the strategy. It’s actually an argument for the strategy.
If running backs get hurt so much, you need to secure multiple good ones to avoid the setbacks. And don’t just sit back and resort to handcuffing your backs or grabbing some other team’s handcuffs. Handcuffs by definition are not as good as the starters. Instead, load up on multiple starting running backs.
Conclusion
The Robust RB Draft Strategy is my personal favorite among them all.
In the unpredictable landscape of fantasy football, the Robust RB Draft Strategy stands as a beacon of stability, offering a path to consistent scoring and reduced reliance on the often-volatile wide receiver position.
By prioritizing premium running backs early, you establish a powerful foundation, mitigating the risk of early-season injuries decimating your roster and addressing the inherent scarcity at the position.
This approach isn’t about neglecting other positions; it’s about strategically allocating your early picks to secure proven producers. While it may require adept waiver wire management and a keen eye for value at wide receiver and tight end later in the draft, the payoff lies in the reliability of your running back core. In a league where running back consistency is often the difference between a playoff berth and an early exit, the Robust RB Draft Strategy provides a distinct advantage.
Moreover, in an era where NFL offenses are evolving and running back roles are becoming increasingly diverse, owning multiple high-volume backs ensures you’re capturing a significant share of the offensive production.
Whether it’s through rushing yards, receptions, or red-zone opportunities, these players are consistently involved, delivering points week after week. While no strategy guarantees victory, the Robust RB approach offers a strategic framework that emphasizes stability, consistency, and a proactive approach to positional scarcity.
Go give it a try this year and see how you do. I bet you’re in, or close to, your league’s championship game.
