Jim Brown Jim Brown spent a little less than a decade playing for the Cleveland Browns between 1957 and 1965, but that was enough time to prove he's likely the greatest running back to ever play the game and one of the greatest NFL players of all time. J.D. "Footballguys is the best premiumfantasy football Drew Brees is arguably the best screen game quarterback in NFL history. If Robinson claims goal line work, there is an upward battle for returning a value in his ADP. He also is a touchdown liability -- he's scored 5, 6, and 4 touchdowns in three of his four seasons (11 the other season), which had led to finishing outside the Top 25 each of those years. His current draft price is almost his upside. Malcolm Brown should play plenty, and this offense isn't likely to be explosive enough to support two running backs in any meaningful way. Sigmund Bloom: One year after the signing of Gordon indicated a lack of faith in Phillip Lindsay -- that bore out with Lindsay being allowed to leave in free agency this offseason -- the Broncos moved up in the second round to take Javonte Williams, indicating a lack of faith in Gordon. Ryan Hester: If Aaron Rodgers leaves Green Bay, no Green Bay players will see their output exceed their price tag. Mike Davis, Atlanta | Consensus Rankings RB24 | Consensus Projections RB23. Austin Ekeler, LA Chargers | Consensus Rankings RB9 | Consensus Projections RB9. It's possible that Las Vegas will lean on Jacobs, knowing he won't be back next year, but that goes against McDaniels' past style of play. Expect a more even split in touches than many are forecasting and potentially for Brown to earn the lead role. Its almost always the other way around for top tier RBs. The 49ers traded up to draft Trey Sermon, they brought in Wayne Gallman as a free agent, and Jeff Wilson is still around. Matt Waldman: Many of my peers at Footballguys are worshippers of draft capital as a predictor of talent. At present, I'm avoiding Gaskin because I do not trust the role, especially ahead of projected starters like Mike Davis and other players with higher upside like Travis Etienne. While Hunt has moderate standalone value playing alongside Chubb, he'll need to either break a long run, vulture a touchdown at the goal-line, or catch a score to help you win a weekly matchup -- all things that are difficult to bank on. Durability is atop the list after missing six games last year. Jordan McNamara: The news on Saquon Barkley does not reassure me. Crimson Tide skill players have been pretty good coming into the NFL recently, and Robinson's early start to camp has been generating buzz. That role may not disappear completely, but the addition of Gio Bernard is a bad sign for Tampa Bay's intentions with Fournette. As everyone knows by now, Montgomery faced some of the worst run defenses in the league to put up those huge numbers over that finishing stretch. Sigmund Bloom: Johnson was still in line to start after he took a pay cut to stay with the Texans, but then the team added Phillip Lindsay after he and the Broncos parted ways, which embroils Johnson in a frustrating committee backfield in an offense that is likely to be among the league's worst. What follows are some of the most notable BackCAST projections for the running back prospects available in the 2022 NFL draft, along with two overrated back based on this model: ESPN + To point out these players, we asked our staff to look through the Top 150 and identify players that should underperform their draft position. As a rookie, Montgomery was a disappointment, averaging just 10.7 fantasy points per game. Arizona Cardinals: All-time underrated, overrated players 54 touchdowns. In June 2008, Sports Illustrated polled nearly 500 players on the most overrated athlete in baseball, and Jeter was numero uno. Nick Chubb, Cleveland | Consensus Rankings RB10 | Consensus Projections RB11. Detroit signed Jamaal Williams to take the heavy work and kicked the tires on Todd Gurley before declining his addition. Then as soon as they go south, we pile on like kids in a mosh pit? He's playing for his fifth team in seven seasons and has never been an instinctive runner. Edmonds is a great player who offers a ton of talent on the field to help win games, but he will never be the high volume type of player that we are all desperately looking for each year. There is no upside with drafting Gaskin this high. Thurman Thomas 14. So should drafters trust the first 25 games of his career where he was a compiler with minimal ceiling or the final six games against bad defenses in 2020? This three-headed committee with a healthy Jones is bad news for Fournette and means he is way overvalued at current ADP. Swift has already broken the injury seal with a groin issue in camp, and Jamaal Williams has already been spoken of highly as a potential 1A to Swift's No. Sigmund Bloom: Not that the Texans offense was anything you wanted to go near in fantasy drafts in the first place, but Johnson's ADP needs to adjust by multiple rounds to the news that he will be sharing the backfield with Phillip Lindsay and Mark Ingram II and no longer in the lead back role. Jalen Hurts will inevitably take away carries and goal-line rushes from the backfield, capping any true remaining upside Sanders may have been clinging to. And was brought back by a new staff that keeps saying he will be a significant part of the offense. Frank: Most overrated and underrated Eagles: RBs | RSN We use cookies to personalize content, ads and analyze site traffic. Quarterback Lamar Jackson will always cap Dobbins' upside in total carries and goal-line looks. The only other way for one of them to achieve high-end RB1 value would be an injury that allows the other to see an increased workload. There isnt much to like here. By the season's end, Mike Davis will be a case of "I knew it," but the guy who pushes him down or out is pure guesswork at this stage. In Week 16 of the 2011 season, Adrian Peterson tore his ACL and returned as the #1 overall running back in 2012. By the end of the year, that may change, but Etienne will be a change-of-pace and gadget player who might earn flex value this year until then. He doesnt have that much of a skill set difference with Malcolm Brown and Salvon Ahmed either. Investing in Sanders as your RB2 is likely to leave you feeling disappointed. Ryan Hester: This isnt a knock on Harris, whose athletic profile and projected workload are things fantasy players dream of. This should be a fair competition, considering that Miami is changing its scheme this year. Baltimore Ravens: Most underrated, overrated players of all time That makes me want to be high on Josh Jacobs, but unfortunately, all reports point to a backfield by committee. Top 10 Most Overrated Athletes of All Time It's not that they aren't great players, they just aren't everything we've been led to believe. Phil Alexander: Hunt finished last season as the RB10 in PPR scoring, but his cumulative stats were buoyed by a four-game stint as Cleveland's starter when Nick Chubb was out with an MCL sprain. You wrote in to criticize me immediately following a 4-0 win against Forest where, for the first time all season, Moyes bowed to enormous pressure and played a back 4, told Declan to actually be . Victoria Geary: Dobbins is an elite talent on the best rushing offense in the NFL. For example, take Imagine Dragons and Maroon 5, both very accomplished. David Johnson 's fantasy fortunes have been a roller coaster ride over the past three seasons. Also, Jalen Hurts is poised to siphon a few short-range scores from the running back position. Take Carter later as a committee back with some possible upside, but he's being overvalued by drafters right now. Andy Hicks: Austin Ekeler isnt going to rush anyone to a fantasy title. Chad Parsons: As much as Taylor is an overt talent and a potentially elite RB1 in a best-case scenario. He has lapses in vision and decision-making. Yep. Color me skeptical Sanders has a new ceiling for receiving production with Scott and Gainwell passing game-centric options, and Howard could be a goal-line option. Subscription, Early-March Top 10 Defensive Back IDP Rankings, 5 RBs to Buy In Dynasty Before NFL Free Agency. I think this is pretty unfair to call him the most overrated. Walter Payton 5. The Steelers were 23rd in red zone attempts per game in 2020 and were ranked as having the fourth-worst offensive line ahead of the 2021 season by Pro Football Focus. Even if he isn't named the Saints' starting quarterback, Hill's continued presence in the red zone and at the goal-line infringes on Kamara's touchdown opportunity. Mostert is now 29 years old and has the highest draft position of anyone in this stable of capable running backs. Adrian . Phil Alexander: Hunt finished last season as the RB10 in PPR scoring, but his cumulative stats were buoyed by a four-game stint as Cleveland's starter when Nick Chubb was out with an MCL sprain. There's zero appeal here. Tarik Cohen, Chicago | Consensus Rankings RB49 | Consensus Projections RB47. His ADP has not shot up the draft boards as quickly as he propelled into fantasy relevance last year due to the almost non-existent target share he received in the passing game. These players will not put up stats commensurate to their draft spot, and avoiding them is another of the important keys to a successful fantasy team. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans | Consensus Rankings RB3 | Consensus Projections RB2. Barry Sanders - 15, averaged one 50-plus-yard TD every 204 carries. Pittsburghs front five looks nothing like last years group. He's not a player to build your team around if you pick in the top half of the first round. Marcus Allen 15. Some running backs, such as Chris Johnson this year, are a full 2.0 YPC over their offensive lines ADY. They traded up in the draft to select Javonte Williams and, without the large contract, may have already released the former Charger. The Ravens view Gus Edwards and Dobbins as co-starters who are both vital cogs, and the front office rewarded Edwards with a new contract supporting his role. Nick Chubb, Cleveland | Consensus Rankings RB10 | Consensus Projections RB12. Hes the favorite for running back targets, but the offense doesnt really throw to the running backs. Best Football Running Backs of All Time - TheTopTens The additions of Mike Boone and Javonte Williams haven't done anything to dispel this idea. The Brazilian won the Ballon d'Or in 2005 and has been inducted into the Milan hall of fame for his impact between 2008 and 2011 before heading back to his homeland. His career marks are high because he played long (13 yrs) and was consistent. Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against Kamara repeating as the best player in fantasy football. most overrated running backs of all time. Jason Wood: We all want Dobbins to be an every-down workhorse. 5. The final reason why Jerome Bettis is the most overrated RB of all time is because of the offensive line he ran behind. Jeff Haseley: We know what Saquon Barkley is capable of, but we haven't seen him perform much in Jason Garrett's offense under Joe Judge's rule. Links to similar discussions on other positions: The flip side of succeeding with value players is failing with overvalued players. 2022/07/02 . The Ravens view Gus Edwards and Dobbins as co-starters who are both vital cogs, and the front office rewarded Edwards with a new contract supporting his role. Yeah, us, too. Robinsons workload will dramatically decrease this season, and drafters arent taking that into account as much as they should. 25 Overrated Running Backs - Footballguys Before his 2020 campaign, McKissic had never rushed for more than 205 yards in a season. During the next few weeks, we here at NFL.com will unveil our Most Underrated and Overrated Players of All Time for all 32 teams and allow users to determine their choices as well.. 2 fantasy back this year is a dubious decision. But you do have to attribute some of his success to his top 10 run blocking. However, Melvin Gordon III returning is the lynchpin for tepid upside expectations outside of a Gordon injury. He rewarded those believers with an RB18 PPG season. Combine a true committee situation with a quarterback who racks up 1,000 yards and a handful of scores, and you have a ceiling on Dobbins that won't be unlocked without a rash of injuries. Tevin Coleman was specifically brought in because he knows the run-blocking schemes the Jets will employ this year, and Ty Johnson hasn't gone anywhere either. Ben Cummins: Henrys past two monster years were with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the head coach in Atlanta. Kudos to James Robinson. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans | Consensus Rankings RB3 | Consensus Projections RB2. At others, he made mistakes and was underused. The investment in veteran wideout Sammy Watkins and rookies Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace almost cements Dobbinss capped upside in the passing game. 3) Micah Richards. Lets take a look at the average Jerome Bettis season: 277 carries, 1051 yards, 3.9 YPC, 7 TDs. Marshall Faulk 7. Ty Johnson has strong athleticism and played over Carter in the first week of the preseason, and La'Mical Perine has a similar profile to Carter. Preseason may help a little. Whenever a new coaching group comes in, especially an inexperienced one, there is always the risk that players with a high fantasy price underachieve. Lynn will also rely on the hot hand approach - and Swift is more likely to run hot than Williams - but how often will this offense and team play well enough to give Swift a favorable game script. He was a liability during pass plays because of his inability to catch passes. Top 10 Most Overrated Athletes of All Time - TheTopTens 15 receptions, 111 yards, less than a TD per year. World's top 10 most overrated football players in history The coaching staff did not ignore this, as they selected the best pass-catching running back in the fifth round of the NFL Draft in Kenneth Gainwell. I am a heretic in that regard. More of the stats of an average RB, which Laurence Maroney and Rashard Mendenhall are. Brown has more power and better acceleration and change-of-direction quickness than Gaskin, who is the better receiver. Green Bay Packers: Most underrated, overrated players of all time - NFL.com Jerome Bettis 16. San Francisco 49ers: All-time underrated, overrated players - NFL.com Ryan Hester: Short of Taysom Hill (if he wins the job), this whole offense is an avoid for fantasy football right now. It also must be remembered his journey through the NFL before that. Williams is extremely talented, but as of now, it looks like this will be a split backfield. Ben Cummins: Im a big fan of Antonio Gibsons talent, but he will have to overcome a lot of hurdles to pay off his current ADP. There have been 49 running backs taken among the first 10 picks since 1960, and Byars has the lowest rushing average of the bunch. As a model for other running backs, one of the greatest running backs of all time is a horrible example. When I was comparing Bettis stats to the the 3 RBs I mentioned above, I saw that Bettis was highly overrated. Gaskin has missed long periods through injury in his first two seasons in the league. 20 20. While he can certainly put up some strong fantasy weeks, the savvier move would be to wait for the younger backs later in the draft. Footballguys staff members discuss running backs who are overvalued. No one can take away his heroics stepping in for Christian McCaffrey, and he was rewarded in the offseason when Atlanta presumably signed him to be new coach Arthur Smith's feature back. In addition, teammate Gus Edwards just signed a two-year, $10M contract extension in June, so he isnt going anywhere any time soon. Johnson was once a big name at the running back position and is still getting drafted based on that name and past production. So as we can see, Bettis had about the 9th best run blocking offensive line in the NFL during his career. Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay | Consensus Rankings RB30 | Consensus Projections RB27. Terrell Davis, Edgerrin James, Reggie Bush, Rashard Mendenhall, Jamaal Charles, and recently, Dalvin Cook all took over a season of play to return to form if they did at all. Phil Alexander: Beware of drafting running backs based solely on their perceived opportunity. This was largely in line with his previous year's number of 10.7 per game, allowing him to plod his way to an uninspiring RB24 finish. The Ravens have had the #1 rushing offense in the league for the last two years straight but have finished 31st overall in total running back targets in that same time span. 31 Unsung Running Backs in NFL History By Paul Ladewski on August 3, 2021 Chris O'Meara / AP Photo Before franchise quarterbacks took pro football hostage, there was something known as franchise running backs. McKissic. The fact is, he never . Gaskin is a nice player, but the signings by this staff the last two offseasons say they don't have confidence that Gaskin is their guy. We've seen J.D. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia | Consensus Rankings RB20 | Consensus Projections RB20. A new offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh also adds uncertainty to the situation. Ryan Hester: Even before he played double-digit snaps in the most meaningless of all meaningless preseason games, Jacobs was a solid fade. I can't see Mostert getting enough work to justify his current ADP. The only reason Johnson had fantasy value last year was a superhuman effort from Deshaun Watson to move the offense and produce points. Gibson was even in the game after Robinson was out. Take a chance on a committee back in the same range who might emerge into a starter or become one due to injury. He also has a new coaching staff, a new play-caller, and a new system to learn. There is no other way to explain a mid-range RB3 price when he is in one of the worst possible situations in Houston. Worst of all, he is now playing on the Houston Texans, who have no identity on offense heading into the season. He's a strong talent with some flaws with a better all-around back ahead of him. It all depends on who works best in the new scheme and if the scheme works. But then he missed a game, the Bears had a bye, and he finished at a torrid pace of 25.7 points per game as the overall RB1 from Weeks 12 to 17.