Outlook: Robinson finished as the RB21 in 2023, slightly ahead of his new teammate Austin Ekeler (RB24). His usage as a runner decreased to 12 carries per game from 17 carries per game in 2022. However, he saw a significant increase in his targets, jumping from just 12 in his rookie season to 43 in his second season. With former backfield mate Antonio Gibson now in New England, there was hope that Robinson might ascend to the bell cow status many had anticipated.

However, this offseason brought significant changes in Washington, including a complete overhaul of the coaching staff and front office, leading to the signing of Ekeler. Although Ekeler had a disappointing 2023 season marked by injuries in Los Angeles, he remains a big name that the new staff actively pursued.

Robinson and Ekeler are being drafted at nearly identical average draft positions, indicating that the market is undecided about how this backfield will shake out. The most likely scenario is a split backfield, with Ekeler being more utilized on passing downs and probably in the red zone, given his 25 rushing touchdowns between the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

That scenario leaves Robinson as a player whose skill set is best utilized between the 20s, on early downs, and late in games when the Commanders are ahead and looking to run out the clock. However, with just four wins in 2023, the 2024 Commanders don't figure to be a team that is ahead late in too many games.

Robinson has the potential to be an every-down back in the NFL, but barring injuries, this doesn't look like the season where that will happen. As a result, he is a low-upside option who fantasy managers will probably have on their benches for most of the season.

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Outlook: Swift had always shown flashes of elite talent while in Detroit, but a lack of toughness and reliability caused the Lions to ship him off to Philly. By most accounts it was a great move for Swift as he set career highs in games played (16), carries (229), and rushing yards (1,049). The lack of scoring (6 total touchdowns) and career low 39 receptions really capped his upside. A scuffling mid-season stretch kept him as a low end RB2, but Swift parlayed his 2023 season into a lucrative multi-year deal with a loaded Chicago offense. Swift gives the Bears a dynamic threat on the ground and in the air, and with the sheer number of weapons in the passing game, he should rarely see stacked boxes. His 8-million a year (14-million guaranteed) contract means the Bears see him as an RB1, and with talented, but flawed incumbents Khalil Herbert, and Roschon Johnson behind him, look for new coordinator Shane Waldon to use Swift much like he did with Kenneth Walker in Seattle. Walker's 13 carries inside the 5 were tied for the 8th most in the NFL, and with Swift not having to contend with Jalen Hurts or Justin Fields stealing scores, should have a chance to approach double digit touchdowns if he holds down his role at the goal line. Even with baked-in injury risk, I think Swift could be a sneaky RB2 value.

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Outlook: Turn back the clock to 2022, and the tandem of Williams and Melvin Gordon was viewed as a quality pairing. By year's end, Williams was rehabbing a torn ACL suffered in Week 4, and Gordon had been released due to ongoing problems with ball security. Now, questions abound in Denver's backfield, including the status of the former Tarheel that is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

To his credit, Williams was ready to go in Week 1 last season, less than 12 months after tearing his ACL. He never looked quite right, however, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry and failing to register a single 100-yard performance. He stayed mostly healthy -- a hip injury sidelined him for a week early on -- but never rounded into pre-injury form. In fact, he seemed to tire late, posting just 128 yards on 47 carries (2.7 YPC) over his final four games.

Despite the back's struggles, Payton never turned to anyone else in that primary role, and the expectation is that Williams will once again be the lead back in 2024. While there appears to be more depth at the position, there's more uncertainty at quarterback, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Denver rely more heavily on the ground game this season. View Williams as a mid-range RB3.

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Outlook: After six seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, all but two of which coming with Roman as OC, Edwards inked a two-year deal with the Chargers during the offseason. The veteran was the very definition of consistency during his time with the Ravens, finishing each of his four full seasons -- he missed all of 2021 and played in just nine games the following year -- with 710-810 yards rushing.

Pushed into an expanded role a year ago, Edwards wasn't as effective, turning a career-high 198 carries into just 4.1 yards per rush -- it was easily a career low as he'd never averaged less than 5.0 YPC previously. The 238-pound back showed a newfound effectiveness near the goal line, however, racking up 13 touchdowns to match what he did in his four other seasons combined.

A nonfactor as a receiver with limited big-play ability, Edwards is still a steady hand and by far the safest choice from LA's backfield over the oft-injured J.K. Dobbins. You can tab the 29-year-old as a decent No. 3 fantasy back and feel good about it.

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Outlook: Warren took a major leap in year two, teaming with Najee Harris to give the Steelers two top-30 fantasy backs that only the Lions and Dolphins were able to match. Though Pitt never wavered from keeping Harris as the workhorse, Warren did become the preferred passing down back, as his 74 targets put him 6th in the NFL at his position. He continued to be ultra efficient with his carries with a 5.3 per-carry average. That mark made him 2nd among backs behind only Christian McCaffrey. Warren's athletic profile, and advanced metrics make him one of the best values in fantasy football, and if Najee Harris were to miss time, Warren would be an upside RB2 even with the addition of Cordarrelle Patterson. Either way, with improvements along the line, a run-first scheme, and check-down champ at quarterback, Warren not only possesses strong standalone value, but also season altering upside.

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Outlook: After being one of the league's most exciting, dynamic backs in 2022, Tony Pollard was a staple of the 1-2 turn in drafts last season. Like many of the early-round selections last year, Pollard was rather disappointing. He seemingly lost his burst and took a step back in nearly every relevant efficiency metric.

Pollard's struggles may have been largely due to tightrope surgery that he underwent after the 2022 season. If this was the culprit, Pollard is a prime bounce-back candidate in 2024.

Like Spears, Pollard's fantasy value will be driven by the degree to which this backfield is split. But if he can return to his 2022 form (RB10), he has demonstrated a skill set that would allow him to produce with limited opportunities.

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Outlook: The 2020 3rd rounder out of Utah was just plain ordinary during his first three NFL seasons. Maxing out as backup with the Bills and Colts, Moss got a shot to be the guy early last season when Jonathan Taylor missed the first four games. From Weeks 2-5 Moss casually ripped off 445 yards and four total touchdowns, numbers that practically surpassed his previous season highs! When Taylor returned Moss tossed aside his superman cape and returned to civilian status the rest of the year. This flash of greatness was enough to entice the Bengals to give him a shot to be a starter, but with limited history of pro production, an ordinary skillset and unimpressive physical measurables, Moss at best is simply a warm body in one of the cheapest backfields in the NFL. A decent target for zero RB drafters because of the perceived volume, Moss is probably best considered a low-end RB3.

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Outlook: The Giants lost the focal point of their offense this offseason when running back Saquon Barkley signed with their division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles. While the team addressed the position by bringing in another back who has had some success in the league, there's no question that the talent discrepancy between Barkley and new Giants starting running back Devin Singletary is significant.

Even Barkley struggled to get things going behind the Giants' terrible offensive line in 2023, breaking the 100-yard rushing mark in just one contest and getting into the end zone just six times. Meanwhile, Singletary spent the year as the lead back in what became a high-powered Houston Texans offense, but he also struggled, finishing with fewer than 900 rushing yards despite playing in every game. To make matters worse, while Barkley has proven to be a valuable asset in the passing game, Singletary has not shown the same ability, either in Houston or during his time in Buffalo. In five NFL seasons, Singletary has never exceeded 40 receptions and has a career-high of just seven rushing touchdowns.

The "somebody has to run the ball" narrative will keep Singletary on draft boards, and he may be seen as a fallback option for zero-RB builds, but he's probably not a back to be very excited about. He hasn't proven to be a particularly valuable fantasy contributor in excellent offenses, and the Giants are expected to be below average.

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Outlook: Tyjae Spears played a complementary role to Derrick Henry during his rookie season. He proved to be a quality pass-catching back in this secondary role. He garnered a 13.8 percent target share which led to 68 total targets. Levis seemed more than willing to use Spears as a receiver, giving him 6-plus targets in four of nine starts.

Spears is not your prototypical early-down rusher but he was effective on the ground as a rookie. He posted 4.5 yards per carry while averaging 2.9 yards after contact per attempt.

Derrick Henry departed for Baltimore but the Titans rightfully felt that Spears is not a bell-cow back. They added Tony Pollard in free agency to split touches with Spears.

Spears is exactly the type of player to invest in, an explosive second-year back with receiving chops. The presence of Pollard caps his ceiling but taking chances on intriguing talent is how league winners are found.

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Outlook: Ezekiel Elliott returns to the Dallas Cowboys after a one-season stint with the New England Patriots. Many expect him to immediately reclaim the lead-back role in what continues to be a high-powered Cowboys offense. In 2023, Elliott defied expectations by out-producing teammate Rhamondre Stevenson, who many predicted would have a breakout season due to the lack of depth behind him. Elliott's edge over Stevenson was primarily due to his ability to stay healthy while Stevenson missed several games. Notably, the backfield split between Elliott and Stevenson was much more balanced than anticipated, and Elliott caught 51 passes -- a significant improvement from the 17 receptions he managed in Dallas in 2022.

Now back with the Cowboys, Elliott is part of a substantially better offense, which should enhance his fantasy value even though he may no longer be the dynamic player he once was. Elliott's situation in Dallas offers serious touchdown potential. Last season, Tony Pollard was among the league leaders in red zone touches but was surprisingly unproductive with his opportunities. Pollard even had nine carries within close range of the end zone, an area where Elliott has thrived throughout his eight-year NFL career.

The reality of the Cowboys' backfield situation is that it lacks depth and talent. While Elliott is not at his peak, he is primarily competing with the unproven Rico Dowdle. This context makes Elliott an intriguing late-round pick who could serve as a valuable complement for those drafting rookie running backs who may not have high touch shares early in the season. Elliott's touches might reduce as the season progresses, which could be an ideal time to pivot to a young rookie running back on another team, such as Trey Benson or Jonathon Brooks, who might be hitting their stride at that time.

While Ezekiel Elliott may appear to be a shell of his former self, his role in a high-powered Cowboys offense and his proven red zone efficiency make him a viable late-round option in fantasy football drafts. His potential for early-season production and touchdown opportunities could provide a solid return on investment, especially for those looking to complement their roster with a veteran presence while waiting for younger backs to develop.

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Outlook: Part of Carolina's revamped arsenal is rookie running back Jonathon Brooks. A former Texas Longhorn, Brooks was selected in Round 2 of this year's draft. Brooks is an intriguing prospect and would have likely been a first-round talent if it were not for an ACL tear that he suffered last season. At this point, Brooks is expected to make a full recovery and should participate in the majority of training camp.

Brooks is by far the most intriguing talent in this backfield. He is a dynamic, athletic player and assuming he can return to form, he provides this Carolina offense with a skillset that no other running back can. It would be shocking if Brooks is not the RB1 by season's end.

Earning the RB1 role in a Dave Canales offense is incredibly lucrative for fantasy football. This was put on display in Tampa Bay last season (Canales was the Buccaneers' OC), where Rachaad White was a true bell-cow and saw 336 touches.

If there is anyone who will take on the full workload in this backfield, it's Brooks. With the talent he displayed at Texas, he can deliver some big-time fantasy performances with a solid workload. At a price of RB22, I am interested in betting on Brooks' talent and chances to see big volume down the stretch.

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Outlook: With Mixon playing the 6th most snaps among running backs in 2023, there is a ton of work to go around, and Brown, the 2nd year, 5th-round pick should get plenty of opportunity. The young backs on this team, Chase included, couldn't be trusted last season, which was a big reason why Mixon never came off the field. Brown has a history of college production, elite athleticism, and with only a replacement level talent Zack Moss in his way, he could return some quality value as a late-round dart throw that is surely to have plenty of inconsistency due to unreliable volume.

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