•RB Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers: Los Angeles Chargers run back Kimani Vidal is a dark horse prospect to lead the first-year 2024 running back draft class in fantasy points per game. Vidal's 92.4 PFF offensive grade ranks fourth among 33 FBS running backs with at least 500 offensive snaps.
•RB Jonathan Brooks, carolina panthers: Brooks is the best player to handle three downs. carolina panthers A notable role for head coach Dave Canales. His 91.5 PFF offensive grade ranks second among 42 Power Five running backs who have logged at least 400 offensive snaps.
•RB Jalen Wright, miami dolphins: Former tennessee run back Jalen Wright He is the perfect No. 3 running back. miami dolphins'Depth chart. His 91.0 PFF offensive grade ranks fifth among 80 Power Five running backs with at least 300 offensive snaps.
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The NFL's 2024 running back class features three high-upside players whose draft day landing spots solidify their status as draft must-haves in redraft fantasy football formats. The range of outcomes for each player is still wide, but the three-down profile offers high scoring potential that can't be ignored.
R.B. Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers
of Los Angeles Chargers brought back to troy run back Kimani Vidal He will be competing for the No. 1 running back role against a once-strong in-house veteran. Los Angeles' backfield isBest running back landing spots in the 2024 NFL Draft. Vidal's sixth-round draft capital will be a disadvantage, but Vidal has ideal size (5-foot-8, 213 pounds (body mass index (BMI) 32.4), high-end 3-down profile. Head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman are pushing Vidal to make sure he gets every touch, which could slow his breakthrough in his rookie season, but Vidal has a lot to offer in the fantasy football world. He has a path to finish 2024 as the most productive rookie running back per game.
For more information”Best rusher in the 2024 NFL DraftAmong the 47 FBS running backs with at least 175 rushing attempts, Vidal ranks second in missed tackles (94), first in explosive run plays (47), and missed tackles per attempt. He ranks 8th in runs per game (0.32) and 17th in explosive runs. Play Rate (15.9%)…He forced 10 missed tackles on 18 receptions in his senior season, and his pass blocking grade of 83.5 PFF ranks among 14 FBS running backs with at least 100 pass protection snaps. is ranked 2nd in. ”
Vidal received at least 22 targets in all four of his collegiate seasons and maintained a catch rate of 80.7% or higher. As mentioned in the Landing Spot article, there were no capable passing-down backs in Los Angeles' backfield prior to the draft, so Vidal had a two-minute practice and a shot at snaps at both 3, 4, and long in Week 1. It became a favorite. .
Current running back Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins They once formed a terrifying duo and charged under Roman's wing. baltimore ravens but debilitate Lower-body injuries have diminished Edwards' ability and left Dobbins a fringe talent in the NFL. Edwards had four career-lows last year, including a 75.4 PFF rushing grade. Dobbins' 49.6 PFF rushing grade from 2023 before his Achilles tear is not inspiring.
Los Angeles general manager Joe Hortis has strengthened his offensive line with former players in the draft. notre dame cathedral tackle Joe Alto They acquired the No. 5 overall pick and subsequently signed five undrafted free agent offensive linemen. Alto's 86.5 PFF run-blocking grade ranks him second among his 88 Power Five tackles who have logged at least 690 offensive snaps.
With Harbaugh and Roman's dedication to the run, Los Angeles has a good chance of leading the NFL in rushing attempts. Vidal could be the most productive rookie running back in the 2024 NFL Draft class on a per-game basis.
R.B. Jonathan Brooks, carolina panthers
of carolina panthers former employed tampa bay buccaneers Offensive coordinator Dave Canales fills vacant head coaching position, bringing fantasy-friendly featured running back role to help second-year running back in 2023 Ratchard White He had the sixth-highest regular season goal total (70) at the position.Former player drafted by Carolina texas Running back and elite dual threat Jonathan Brooks He was selected 46th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft after tearing his ACL in mid-November. Brooks had his ligament reconstruction surgery (ACLR) postponed until the second week of December, which delayed his return. medically backed The return to play date is the second week of September. Brooks is a 2024 re-draft must-have and holds a decent average draft position (ADP), bordering on RB2/3. He should be able to finish in the top 15 starting in November.
White's 67.5 PFF offensive grade ranks 31st among 33 NFL running backs who have played at least 475 offensive snaps.
Brooks' post-ACLR build-up period is critical to his success in his rookie season, which requires an incumbent starter tuba hubbard This is because they shoulder a sudden initial load throughout the first month or two of the season. Hubbard's takeover of the backfield in 2023 showed enough rapid success for Canales to trust him in a complementary role while Brooks develops. Hubbard had a generally middling performance, but his numbers were 18th in stuff percentage at 17.6% and 9th in first down and/or touchdown conversion rate at 24.8% in the NFL with at least 175 rushing attempts. He ranks among the top 34 running backs, which is an accurate reflection of what he is reliable, if not exciting. Professionalism.
While Hubbard wasn't reliably explosive as a rusher, his 8.8% explosive run play rate was 1-1 better than White, Canales' Tampa Bay bellcow, who ranks 24th at 8.7%. He finished in a higher position. White's 272 regular-season rushing attempts were tied for second at his position, demonstrating Canales' willingness to accept mediocre rushers he can rely on.
Canales' running back-friendly passing attack yielded huge RB6 results for White in 2023 (254.6 PPR points). White's play-by-play stats are spotty, but he's good, especially when given extra beats to read the field in the screen game. Expect Canales to live up to White's strengths. Among 21 NFL running backs with at least 15 screen pass targets, White's screen pass receiving grade of 91.3 PFF is tied for seventh, with yards per reception (10.3) and yards after the catch per reception (15.6). ), he was the best in his position in catching. Rate (100.0%).
White's usage is perfectly aligned with Brooks' strengths. For more information”2024 NFL Draft Best Post Reception Producer,””[a]With at least 25 targets among 40 Power Five running backs, Brooks…ranked second in missed tackles per reception with 0.52 and led the qualifying pool by 0.8 yards with 13.3 yards after the catch per reception. .
Brooks (11 targets) is one of 31 Power Five running backs with at least 10 screen pass targets, and his 93.0 PFF receiving grade on screens ranks No. 1. ”
Brooks is a must-have rookie in the 2024 draft, but he needs a borderline RB2/3 ADP and a patient fantasy manager.
R.B. Jalen Wright, miami dolphins
On April 1st, miami dolphins 32-year-old running back signed Raheem Mostert A team-friendly extension is planned through the 2025 NFL season. About four weeks later, the front office selected the former player who appears to be his successor in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. tennessee run back Jalen Wright. Fantasy managers should draft the winning right on the week as a mid-to-late round bench stash thanks to his impressive scheme fit and Miami's potentially volatile depth chart. .
Wright's 91.0 PFF offensive grade ranks fifth among 80 Power Five running backs who have played at least 300 offensive snaps. Mostert's PFF offensive grade of 85.2 ranks him fourth among his 33 NFL running backs who have played at least 475 offensive snaps.
Miami's 257 zone rushing plays in the 2023 regular season ranked 4th among regular season NFL teams, with a run play percentage of 41.3% ranking 8th and ranking 18th in rushing plays. Thanks to 5.9 offensive plays per game, head coach Mike McDaniel has room for 130 gap rushes. Appearance (26th). He ranks 15th in regular season appearances with 455.
Originally considered a mid-season acquisition target in a redraft format in4 Best Role Players in the 2024 NFL Draft” Wright rose to draft-mandatory status after joining Miami’s ultra-fantasy-friendly zone rushing scheme. Wright is a natural fit in gap rushing schemes, averaging over 7.0 yards per rushing attempt during his 18- and 19-year-old college seasons. However, his erratic zone rushing data has stabilized in the 20-year-old's 2023 season, with Wright's “zone scheme'' recording 8.0 yards per rushing attempt and ranking in the Power Five with at least 50 such attempts. He led all running backs by 0.9 yards. His 4.9 yards after contact per zone rushing attempt and 22.0% explosive run play rate both rank in the top four, while his 0.26 missed tackles per zone rushing attempt and 14.0% stuff rate are tied for 33rd and 22nd, respectively. His first down success rate was 32.0%. and/or touchdown conversion rate ranks 18th.
Wright (5-foot-10.5, 210 pounds, BMI 29.7, 4.38-second 40-yard dash) has the same size and speed as Mostert (5-foot-10, 205 pounds, 29.4 BMI, 4.38-second 40-yard dash). comparable toyard dash) and No. 2 running back Devon Ashen(5-foot-8.5, 188 pounds, 28.2 BMI, 40-yard dash 4.32 seconds).
Wright's gap scheme efficiency (85.0 PFF rushing grade on gap scheme attempts) slots him between the elite Acherne and the zone-dependent Mostert, giving Wright a path to at least a minimal Week 1 touch .
Both Mostert and Acherne enter 2024 at heightened injury risk, which benefits Wright both in the event of an injury and in his rotation ability. Even if one of his players goes down, Wright has access to a workload of more than 10 touches per week. But the team will likely try to keep Mostert and Akan healthy, making Wright the rare No. 3 running back with weekly fantasy football relevance.
Wright's only recorded injury history is a torn ligament in his thumb in November 2023. Mostert's list of famous injuries includes multiple MCL sprains, patellar tendon damage and knee cartilage damage. The diminutive Akan suffered a sprained AC joint and a reserve Grade 2 MCL sprain before the season, which worsened upon his return in Week 11.
Wright could be a big impact contributor in year one.