Jonathan Taylor is 'hottest back in the NFL,' feels good despite leading league in touches . Colts RB Jonathan Taylor can be a dynasty building block. Najee Harris. Please check your email for a confirmation. Can't. Coming off of last weeks loss to the Bengals, the Steelers team seems defeated. And his good luck continued in the second round, as Najee Harris tumbled to the 17th overall pick - nearly a round later than his 6.84 ADP in NFC drafts, though over the past week, Harris'. Hell be a top-five pick. 2022 CONSISTENCY RATINGS:Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end. Hes easily one of the best receiving backs in football, as evidenced by his 70 receptions for 647 yards and eight TDs through the air. Taylor, who finished second in the NFL behind only Pittsburgh's Najee Harris is forced missed tackles per touch with 76 last season, somehow finished outside of the top 10 at No. That December, when the weather got colder and defenses started wearing down, he bumped up to 5.9 yards per carry. Compare Najee Harris and Jonathan Taylor careers through the years of your choosing. All five of these running backs could finish the season in Tier 2, but for now theyre all being selected as mid-RB1s in most drafts. Should the Steelers undergo an offensive surge in Kenny Pickett's second season, Harris could easily get back into the top-tier fantasy RB tier. Among rushers w/ 125 or ^ rushing attempts (per @FTNData), 76.5% of his rushing yds have come after contact pic.twitter.com/uxFU4uiSPy, Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) January 13, 2022, Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio. He also totaled at least 100 yards from scrimmage in. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2022 fantasy cheat sheet. There are a number of ways to value players when deciding who to draft for fantasy football, but utilizing tiers has become a more common approach in the last 10 years. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. VIEW ADVICE | Edit Players Summary. 1 WR in this particular draft. Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry favorites for 2022 rushing title Kevin Hickey May 18, 2022 9:16 am ET During the second half of the 2021 regular season, Indianapolis Colts running back. Jonathan Taylor underperformed as the RB30 in 11 games averaging 12.6 fantasy points as the RB18 when healthy. The Dawg-turned-Dawg has been a dynamo since landing in Cleveland by way of Georgia, being the steady hand for a roller coaster of a ride with former first overall pick Baker Mayfield and, in the absences of Mayfield due to injury, whomever else took the QB reins in the moment. After tallying zero games with 20 carries through the first 8 weeks, Harris totaled 5 games with 20-plus carries during the second half of 2022. This game is going to come down to which team can run the football. Harris carried the ball 23 times for 84 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 28-14 win over the Browns. Taylor played all 17 regular-season games in 21 and looked fine despite the massive usage. However, his usage metrics were still very strong across the board. At 22, Taylor rushed for 552 yards more than the No. RB, Steelers. tool, which they've made available to SN Fantasy readers forfree. He's locked into massive volume behind one of the best run-blocking offensive lines in the league. You could absolutely argue Christian McCaffrey or Dalvin Cook should be in the top tier both backs have demonstrated their elite skills profiles through the years but both backs also have injury histories. He's rushed for 33 touchdowns with the longest carry being for 62 yds. To see the full results of our draft, you can find it at this link. The case for Jonathan Taylor over Nick Chubb. Running Backs: Derrick Henry, Austin Ekeler, Alvin Kamara, Ezekiel Elliott, Jonathan Taylor, Najee Harris, Cordarrelle Patterson, D'Andre Swift, Nick Chubb, James Robinson, Kareem Hunt, Darrell . Taylor has accumulated 861 yds carrying the ball in 11 games played this year. Cook has been an elite fantasy back and he could see more chances as a pass catcher under new coach Kevin OConnell. at In his rookie season, Harris led the NFL with 381 touches, and his 1,667 scrimmage yards trailed only Taylor among RBs. Many Fantasy players prefer to not double-up on the QB/TE combo in the early rounds, and you can see the sacrifices you have to make in doing so by just looking at Jamey and I's teams next to each other. No surprises here, as Jonathan Taylor was the No. 3. Regardless of format, you should be pretty pleased if you land Henry in the middle of the first round. 1 pick in standards and PPRs for many years running before he ran into myriad injuries the past couple seasons. Robinson and Gordon are projecting as the second options in their respective backfields. Dobbins is back healthy, but the Ravens love to use a committee approach, and we could see him sharing touches all season, especially when Gus Edwards returns. Jonathan Taylor vs. Derrick Henry: Which top-tier fantasy RB should go No. Aug 31, 2022. . If tiers are not your thing, then we also have our 2022 RB rankings available in list form, Additionally, if you want more information on the players listed below, then be sure to check out PFNs fantasy analysts Tommy Garrett and Jason Katz discussing all things fantasy football on the PFN Premier Fantasy Football Podcast. Williams ceiling got lowered with the return of Melvin Gordon. Andrew Erickson, I have seen Najee Harris slander on the timeline in recent weeks. However, health concerns combined with talented players around him limits his ceiling. After showing out last year as a rookie, the former Memphis Tiger will look to take another step forward in what should be an improved Washington Football Team offense. Elevating Ekeler to the starting role has paid off like gangbusters in tandem with the drafting of Justin Herbert, and his dual-threat ability that also allows him to be an effective receiver out of the backfield truly does take defensive pressure off of wide receiver Mike Williams. He's now amassed more than 3,700 yards from scrimmage and 24 touchdowns in his three years with the team, and he's done it in spite of abysmal quarterback play that led to the Bears using a first-round pick on Justin Fields. Matt Brandon Oct 6th 5:45 PM EDT. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts. 1 or No. And despite all of his total raw touches, Harris only saw 37 touches (22nd) in the red zone and scored six red-zone touchdowns. Harris finished with 1,200 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Saquon BarkleyAaron JonesJavonte WilliamsNick ChubbEzekiel ElliottJames Conner. Pairing Taylors elite red-zone usage with his ascending role as a receiver 11th in routes run and sixth in route participation in 2021 makes him worthy of the 1.01 pick across all fantasy formats. Harris had a strong finish to the season and will bounce back in 2023 at full health and pay off for where he's drafted. Harris should dominate. Hes being drafted as a low RB2 or flex in most leagues. No running back was more dominant than Henry in the 2.5 seasons between 2019 and Week 8 of '21. His average yards per carry sits at 5.1 and he has toted the ball 756 times. He had higher grades on Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor and LSU's Clyde Edwards-Helaire last year than the 2021 class. Mattison, Williams and Gainwell are among the top options, and the latter two could have standalone flex value at times regardless. Yet, we have limited knowledge of what this offense will look like or how Kamara will be utilized following Sean Paytons retirement. The short answer, of course, is that you cant really go wrong either way. He enters his . Hes younger, healthier, and has a better offensive line. The remaining names in this tier all rank inside the top 15 overall in our consensus 2022 PPR fantasy rankings. And, it turned out to help Jamey more than anyone else, at least in my view. If you draft either No. 2022 Running Backs Busts: Jonathan Taylor, Alvin Kamara, Najee Harris. Meanwhile, McCaffrey is the most prolific fantasy RB since LaDainian Tomlinson. 8 pick. Bijan Robinson is the number 1 rated RB - no surprise there. But he should be the offensive focal point tonight. For the Steelers this game marks his seventh career start as he continues to develop as Pittsburghs future franchise signal caller. Hero RB Strategy & Targets: Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey, Najee Harris (2022 Fantasy Football) | FantasyPros Draft Wizard My Playbook Premium Log In NFL Home Tools In-Season My. 2022 FANTASY DRAFT STRATEGY:Snake drafts | Auctions | Dynasty | Best ball | IDP. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts 12. The Chargers let Melvin Gordon walk because of their belief in Ekeler, and it was well-founded. Swifts upside is hampered by the continued presence of Jamaal Williams. No quarterback targeted running backs more than new Colts quarterback Matt Ryan did in 2021 8.6 targets per game. Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com The others on this list are all talented, but workload questions are prevalent. Alternatively, if you want to chat with our analysts, be sure to join our completely free Discord server. For all of the hubbub about Tony Pollard, a justifiable nod to the potential of the Cowboys backup, it's still Elliott's throne in Dallas and for good reason. Najee Harris' fantasy outlook for 2021. Dillon led the Packers in carries and rushing yards and figures to see a bigger role in 2022, but Jones will limit him to mid to low RB2 value. Jonathan Taylor is the better back but Najee Harris has shown steady improvement the last two weeks. Hes young, healthy, super-skilled, and has very little competition for touches both on the ground and through the air. Use this breakdown of the top fantasy running backs to make smart draft decisions. Singletary and Gibson are both in intriguing situations. That said, there are enough obvious risks here to preclude Ekeler from going ahead of Taylor. For Barkley and McCaffrey, however, it's time to become what they once were, or be pushed aside entirely. He was well on his way last year, catching 18-of-20 targets, but a broken bone in his foot changed everything. He has good hands, catching nearly 85 percent of his 90 targets through his first two seasons. McKissic, James Cook, Darrell Henderson, Alexander Mattison, Nyheim Hines, Tier 8:Jamaal Williams, Kenneth Gainwell, Isaiah Spiller, Mark Ingram, Darrel Williams, Rachaad White, Khalil Herbert, Brian Robinson, Gus Edwards, Tyler Allgeier, Marlon Mack, Tier 9:DOnta Foreman, Zamir White, Raheem Mostert, Isiah Pacheco, Dontrell Hilliard, Boston Scott, Samaje Perine, Kenyan Drake, Sony Michel, Hassan Haskins, Rex Burkhead, Matt Breida, Ronald Jones, Tyrion Davis-Price, Jerick McKinnon, Chuba Hubbard, Jeff Wilson, Tier 10: Chris Evans, Pierre Strong Jr., Giovani Bernard, Damien Williams, KeShawn Vaughn, DErnest Johnson, Myles Gaskin, Mike Davis, Tevin Coleman, Trey Sermon, Duke Johnson, Demetric Felton Jr., Eno Benjamin, Dynasty Rookie Sleepers 2023: Fantasy Targets Include Israel Abanikanda, Puka Nacua, and Nathaniel Dell, 2023 Dynasty Rookie RB Rankings: Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Devon Achane, and Others, 2023 Dynasty Rookie WR Rankings: Quentin Johnston, Jordan Addison, Rashee Rice, and More, Dynasty Fantasy Football Startup Draft Strategies, What is Dynasty Fantasy Football? Compare Saquon Barkley and Jonathan Taylor careers through the years of your choosing. In his absence, Zack. Jonathan Taylor is the better back but Najee Harris has shown steady improvement the last two weeks. Furthermore, the former BYU star had 13 career rushing touchdowns entering the year. This week the 3-7 Pittsburgh Steelers go on the road to take on the 4-6-1 Indianapolis Colts. As you can see, Jamey waited on tight end and quarterback, ending up with intriguing breakout candidates in Kmet and Lance, plus a steady, borderline top-12 QB in Cousins in case Lance busts. Will we see him back to his old self in 2022? Jamey stopped Kupp's slide with the eighth overall pick, and even with concerns about Matthew Stafford's elbow making headlines in training camp recently, I still think Kupp is the top WR on the board and should be a top-three pick in PPR leagues. Already a premium subscriber? Ranking NFL's top 10 RBs for 2022: Christian McCaffrey plummets with injury issues, Jonathan Taylor explodes. Its also imperative to pay attention to injury risks and the age factor. However, it still makes sense because you must be rigid with only selecting the running backs who can anchor the RB1 spot while maintaining flexibility within the first two rounds to avoid missing elite receivers. Hate that Matt Canada is back. Elliott had a tough year in 2021, but hes still a talented back. Meanwhile, McCaffrey is the most prolific fantasy RB since LaDainian Tomlinson. window.PLAYERCARDS_CONFIG={affiliateCode:"fpros_cards"}; Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com You can see stats, bowl records, National Championship appearances, awards and more. Najee Harris and Jonathan Taylor are both underperforming this season but both backs are capable of taking over a game. Taylor is not just the No. He also took Kupp in the fourth round of that one, and he very well could end up with a similarly productive duo this time around. The FLEX League draft I took part in Saturday with CBS Sports' Jamey Eisenberg and 10 other analysts from around the industry was one draft that featured some pretty surprising early results. Akers is already dealing with preseason injuries, and he struggled for explosiveness after returning from an Achilles injury. Fantasy managers looking for some late-round running backs should consider the likes of Ingram, White, Allgeier, Hilliard, Williams and Ingram, who could all see bigger roles if injuries occur to the starting running backs ahead of them. Austin Ekeler, D'Andre Swift, and Dalvin Cook all went ahead of Kupp, but then so did Justin Jefferson, making him, not Kupp, the No. No matter what team build approach you choose, you're going to be making some kind of sacrifices. 1 standard RB, hes also the No. 2022 RANKINGS TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY:QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs. JT's usage was that of a top-8 running back - 8th in expected points per game, 4th in touches per game (20) - but a lack of touchdowns decimated his fantasy stock in the Colts' anemic offense. How To Get Started, Tips, and More. 11 RB Joe Mixon CIN 10 $27 . While the ceilings not as high anymore, he should have the volume to be a borderline top-12 RB this year. Sometimes running backs have to do more with less, and no one knows this better than Mixon. Biography. How do PFN's fantasy football RB tiers for 2022 shape up as fantasy managers head into their drafts over the coming weeks? So, that worked out nicely for Jamey from the No. The first surprise came with the No. Given Henrys importance to the Titans offense and Tennessees shot at contending it would be somewhat surprising to see him garner another touch count in the 330-370 range. Head Coach Mike Tomlin. 47. . Despite being drafted in the first round of fantasy football, Jonathan Taylor, Alvin Kamara, Najee Harris, and Dalvin Cook have all struggled substantially. Hes rushed for 33 touchdowns with the longest carry being for 62 yds. Kamara led all backs with a 20.2% target share last year. Taylor also led the NFL in red-zone touches (92), which was not that surprising considering he ranked fifth in that category as a rookie. As such, he's cascaded from near the top of this mountain to the valley below, and needs to prove himself in a major way in 2022. Hes running for 65.8 yds per contest and has crossed the goal line 14 times while carrying the ball. While Taylor proved his ability as a pass catcher out of the backfield last season, it remains to be seen if Henry will ever truly materialize as a stud receiving back. 1 seems to be pretty concrete across the board, regardless of format, but PPR leagues have yielded vastly different results at No. Lets dive right into the top five candidates. He scored 10 touchdowns last season and averaged 4.4 yards per touch last season. McKissic, CommandersNyheim Hines, ColtsMichael Carter, Jets. Hes so utterly dominant on the ground that he could finish No. He also separated himself from the field in total carries (332) and average yards per game (106.5). Fantasy football draft season is upon us, and the predominant top-two picks in most standard drafts have been Jonathan Taylor and Derrick Henry. Four of the Panthers 5 wins last season came when CMC was active and playing. You don't currently have any notifications, Get custom advice with our Draft Assistant. Some might even suggest hes the third-best or fourth-best option in PPRs despite a limited pass-catching history. If youre like me, you look to handcuff your top runners in drafts. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK, Austin Ekeler, ChargersNajee Harris, SteelersDerrick Henry, Titans. And his good luck continued in the second round, as Najee Harris tumbled to the 17th overall pick nearly a round later than his 6.84 ADP in NFC drafts, though over the past week, Harris' price has fallen to 8.41, so it might not be as outlandish as it seems. Najee Harris or Jonathan Taylor Who Should I Start? Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts 2. Taylor and McCaffrey are a slight step ahead in this tier compared to Ekeler, but all are extremely close, especially in PPR. In September of 20, he averaged a mere 3.9 yards per carry. 02 Mar 2023 21:32:29 Dillon saw an increase in usage down the stretch last season, especially in the red zone. There are expectations he will take a bigger role in the passing game, but could losing goal-line work to AJ Dillon offset that? I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. Tier 12 Low HandcuffsDamien Williams, FalconsMark Ingram, SaintsZamir White, RaidersD'Onta Foreman, PanthersBrian Robinson, Jr., CommandersTyler Allgeier, FalconsDontrell Hilliard, TitansJoshua Kelley, Chargers. Conner should get the first shot at major work, but Darrel Williams is looming to hamper his ceiling potentially. Since the age of running backs really isnt a factor in redraft, more of them are viable to be your Hero RB. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? Jacobs was the RB12 a season ago, but the selection of rookie Zamir White and a potential committee has caused his stock to decline a bit. Tier 8 High RB3s/FlexTony Pollard, CowboysRhamondre Stevenson, PatriotsClyde Edwards-Helaire, ChiefsAntonio Gibson, CommandersCordarrelle Patterson, FalconsJ.K. ADP. Both teams are looking to establish the run, keep the game simple and let their defenses do their jobs. First running back in franchise history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons in the NFL. A myriad of variables determine how successful a running back will be at the NFL level, and the bottom line is not all of them are created equal, with some being forced to produce with much less of a supporting cast for much of their career to this point, e.g., Joe Mixon. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. Kamara is one of the halfbacks on this list who recently landed his bag, but it hasn't altered his approach to the game. Expectations are this will not be a direct split, but Gordon should still take enough of the pie to hurt Williams fantasy output. When it comes to Taylor, we are just scratching the surface on what he is capable of in . 10 RB Najee Harris PIT 9 $29. If Henry is healthy, his volume pushes him to the top of this tier, but hes now 28 with a heavy volume history. Of course, the elephant in the room is going to be health. Mixon was a very good receiver out of the backfield in college, and in 2021, he will finally get more opportunities to display his pass-catching abilities. It's easy to look at the success of the Bengals in 2021 and forget what it took for them to get there, which is to say what Mixon had to fight through to keep the team relevant and to ultimately still be around in Cincinnati for it. Penny, who popped at the end of last season, is the favorite to start in Seattle, but can he avoid injuries? Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Swift has big upside due to his receiving chops, but he needs to avoid nagging injuries to meet expectations. Last season, he was 27th in snaps at just 49% amongst RBs a number that will undoubtedly increase in 2021. Najee Harris definitely has upside in this offense, but other players being drafted around the same time as Harris, such as Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley, definitely bring more. Hes averaged just 21.5 targets per season under Stefanskis play-calling. No team will mortgage their short-term playoff success or long-term outlook by overusing a stud back coming off a major injury sustained less than one year ago. 1 in standard leagues before getting into whether any other RB -- maybe Austin Ekeler or Najee Harris -- should go over Taylor in PPR formats. NFL combine QB measurements: Bryce Young's size, more, NFL free agency: Ranking top 25 defensive free agents, 2023 season lookahead: Storylines, odds, teams to watch, NFL free agency 2023: Top 25 players available, NFL free agency 2023: Team-by-team offseason primer, 2023 NFL offseason and free agency: Top FAs, team needs, Ranking NFL's top 10 running backs for 2022, Mock Draft: Panthers, Colts trade up for QBs, Rodgers' trade value, logistics, best fit, Pascal robbed at gunpoint, assaulted; WR 'doing fine', Bryce Young measures similar to former No. David MontgomeryBreece HallTravis EtienneCam AkersAJ DillonJosh Jacobs. And he does all of his damage in the most buttoned-up manner possible, reminiscent of how Barry Sanders used to operate. Tier 4 Low RB1sAaron Jones, PackersSaquon Barkley, GiantsJavonte Williams, Broncos. That 126.7 per-game average trails just 10 players total throughout the history of the NFL. He will be healthier in 2023. 1 RB in PPR and standard leagues. Combined with 40-reception upside, Taylor is a locked-in first-round RB in fantasy football drafts. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers 13. and NFL rushing leader -- Jonathan Taylor at 42.9 snaps per . Taylor was so potent in his destruction of opposing defenses that he remained in the MVP conversation throughout and landed Offensive Player of the Year honors, having racked up 1,811 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns while adding 360 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns to his stat line. This is a 4 star matchup. McCaffrey lands in the honorable mention category only for the sheer magnitude of his talent, one that is arguably unmatched when healthy, but he's only played in 10 games since signing his mega deal in 2020. Jones has a huge variation in his ranking among our analysts. Tier 2 - High RB1s. (Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) Round 1 1. 10, while FantasyPros grades Indys schedule as a three out of five. His individual potential is massive, but his actual fantasy ceiling at least for now seems capped at No.