Finding sleepers or breakout running backs can help you win a championship. But even if you don’t, you can still win with steady, reliable starters.
What is equally important is avoiding the busts, or at least the overrated, overvalued ones.
The following are three running backs who, while they might be good players and bring you some success, you should probably avoid at cost because they won’t bring as good a return on investment.
Kyren Williams, RB/Los Angeles Rams
Williams came out of nowhere last season finishing as a mid-RB1 despite missing four games in the middle of the season. Sean McVay loved his pass-blocking abilities in addition to the way he ran the football to the point that Williams hardly left the field, a rarity in recent years in L.A. The Rams added third-round pick Blake Corum to the mix this offseason, and while I don’t expect him to ever be the lead back at this level, he’s talented enough to nip away at any kind of full workload for Williams. Williams is currently getting drafted at his ceiling and that’s just not something I want a part of as I think his best season as a pro might have just happened.
Rachaad White, RB/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
White remarkably was a Top 5 running back last season and I’d be shocked if he ever sees that mountaintop again. If you had him in dynasty, I hope you traded him while his stock was at an all-time high. If not, it’s still not too late. I won’t have much White stock in redraft this year because he’s just going too early for me. His efficiency as a pass catcher was unreal last year and I expect some regression there. Don’t get me wrong — he’ll still be an effective pass catcher and I expect him to earn his living there. But White is a dependable RB2 in my eyes and should be drafted as such. If someone else wants to draft him as an RB1, let them.
De’Von Achane, RB/Miami Dolphins
When Achane actually played last year, you could see the explosiveness in his body of work. But therein lies the problem. He only played in 11 games, four of which he scored 9 points or less. And in two others he scored a combined 25 points. That makes Achane a much better best ball play than a reliable starting running back to me. The Dolphins still have Raheem Mostert, even though he’s headed for some major regression, and also drafted Jaylen Wright in April. Oh, and Achane is still 5-foot-9 and just shy of 190 pounds. He didn’t exactly sprout up over the offseason. So, with all of this working against him, he’s being drafted as a fringe RB1 because…? I would feel nervous enough drafting him as a low-end RB2, and he’s certainly not falling to that range for me to take him. I’ll pass and let someone else overdraft him.
