AFC RB Rooms

 

We're getting closer to the 2024 NFL Season, so I'll be taking stock of how I rate groups in the NFL. Today, it's AFC running back rooms. This means taking stock of the whole room. Below is my take on the AFC rooms from No. 1 to No. 16.

No. 1: New York Jets
About: This is about Breece Hall. He's arguably the best running back in the AFC, and finished as RB2 in 2023 despite being part of a weak offense. Behind him, I liked the acquisition of Braelon Allen, while Israel Abanikanda and Isaiah Davis give them options. So, with Hall at the lead, this was my top group.

No. 2: Miami Dolphins
About: If the Jets earned the top spot by star talent, it was depth that had me vault the Dolphins to No. 2. The Dolphins have a great group, led by Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane, who formed a great tandem in 2023. The team added a solid rookie in Jaylen Wright, and still has depth veterans like Jeff Wilson and Salvon Ahmed. The only problem with this group is that they might not all make the final roster.

No. 3: Indianapolis Colts
About: The battle between No. 3 and No. 4 for me is also about star power and depth, and here again I went with the bigger star power. The Colts are led by Jonathan Taylor, who has the potential to be the overall RB1. I mean, we've seen him do it before. Behind him, there's not a ton of depth. We have Trey Sermon and Evan Hull as the likely backups. So, there's some question there, but I do love Taylor.

No. 4: Cleveland Browns
About: The Browns could be too low, but there's still some questions for me about Nick Chubb. He's returning from another devastating knee injury, which is no small issue. He's got enormous talent, and if he's good to go this group will thrive. The Browns hedged their bets by adding veteran D'Onta Foreman to Jerome Ford, giving them a solid pair of backs in reserve, too.

No. 5: Pittsburgh Steelers
About: The Steelers have a solid duo atop the depth chart in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. The backs will be contributing likely in tandem. The team also added Cordarrelle Patterson, who has good experience with the team's new Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith. I like the pair at the top, and Patterson is just a bonus.

No. 6: Houston Texans
About: The Texans made a major move to improve their backfield, adding Joe Mixon this off-season. Mixon is a three-down workhorse who has been a Top 12 back in fantasy for a number of years for the Bengals. That alone was enough to vault them up for me, though I do also like Daemon Pierce in year two in a supporting role. It's a good backfield.

No. 7: Jacksonville Jaguars
About: I like Travis Etienne, in fact he could end up being a better option than Mixon. It was close for me, but I gave Mixon a slight edge. Behind Etienne, the team has a veteran in D'Ernest Johnson and a second-year player in Tank Bigsby who didn't do much as a rookie. Both have potential, though, which helped the Jaguars get a slight edge to move to No. 7.

No. 8: Tennessee Titans
About: The Titans moved on from Derrick Henry, which is huge. So, why are they still in the Top 8? That's because the team grabbed veteran Tony Pollard to pair with second-year man Tyjae Spears. That gives the Titans a pair of solid backs to help split the load. It's not as impressive as the pair of backs for the Steelers, but still good enough to be top half of the conference.

No. 9: Buffalo Bills
About: This is mostly about James Cook. The second half of the year, when the Bills adjusted their offense, I loved what I saw from Cook. Can he keep it up in 2024? I think so. Behind him, the team has a veteran grinder in Ty Johnson and an intriguing rookie in Ray Davis. This group is so good, I almost bumped them Top 8.

No. 10: Denver Broncos
About: The Broncos have some good depth. The team has Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine, in addition to second-year man Jaleel McLaughlin and rookies Audric Estime and Blake Watson. I doubt all of them make the final roster, but it gives them options and flexibility. I like this group and its potential ceiling quite a bit.

No. 11: Baltimore Ravens
About: This is the landing spot for Henry. Though an older back with plenty of mileage, I think he still has something left in the tank and is a good fit for a run-heavy offense. Where I'm dinging them is in depth. Justice Hill has struggled with injuries and Keaton Mitchell, though promising in 2023, is coming off a major injury. So, behind Henry there are questions.

No. 12: Kansas City Chiefs
About: Here's another team with a good lead back, in this case Isiah Pacheco, and little depth. The Chiefs brought back veteran Clyde Edwards-Helaire, which helps, but then mostly has prospects and projects. If something happened to Pacheco, it could be a rough ride. So, the Chiefs aren't in the bottom group but the lack of depth is a potential issue.

No. 13: New England Patriots
About: I like Rhamondre Stevenson, who was quite good in 2022. He struggled with injuries last season, and now enters a contract year in a new system coming off an injury. That creates some questions. The Patriots added Antonio Gibson, which helps, but I just couldn't give them too much of a boost.

No. 14: Los Angeles Chargers
About: This is a group that's being made over. The Chargers grabbed two veterans in Gus Edwards, a solid and durable guy, and J.K. Dobbins, a player with a high ceiling that has struggled to stay on the field. In addition, the team has young prospects in Isaiah Spiller and rookie Kimani Vidal. The potential is there, and the upside could be there, but it's a new group with a lot of questions.

No. 15: Las Vegas Raiders
About: This comes down to how well Zamir White does as the guy. Josh Jacobs is gone, and while the team added a veteran in Alexander Mattison, this figures to be White's show. He was good in a small sample size in 2023, but can he do it over the course of the season? I'm not sure, so the Raiders are here.

No. 16: Cincinnati Bengals
About: Take what I said about White and the Raiders and apply it to Zack Moss and the Bengals. We've seen Moss do it in flashes, most recently for the Colts in 2023. But now he's the guy here for the Bengals. With him is Chase Brown, who also flashed in 2023. Together they provide potential, but there's hardly a sure thing here. So, given the lack of experience and questions, I have them at the bottom of the list for now.