“Running backs are the lifeblood of fantasy football.”
That quote used to be true during the earlier days of our great game, and it’s still true to some degree even now. But with a decrease in true featured backs and the emergence of backfield committees, the position is more difficult to navigate beyond the superstars.
As a result, it’s important to have a clear understanding of every backfield situation as we get deeper into training camps and the preseason. Luckily, I have you covered!
Here’s a look at all 32 teams, their projected backfield starters, the team’s likely next man up if injuries occur (handcuff) and a sleeper or breakout for you to target in drafts.
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
Projected starter: Devin Singletary
Projected handcuff: Zack Moss
Sleeper: James Cook
Singletary should lead this backfield in carries (he led the team with a 26% touch share a season ago), but his opportunities as a receiver will be impacted with Cook on the roster. If Singletary goes down, Moss is likely to move up while Cook stays in his role.
Miami Dolphins
Projected starter: Chase Edmonds
Projected handcuff: Raheem Mostert
I wouldn’t be surprised if Mostert emerges as the Week 1 starter, as he knows the offense of coach Mike McDaniel well from their time in San Francisco. That depends on the health of his knee. Regardless, this duo and Sony Michel will see some burn.
New England Patriots
Projected starter: Damien Harris
Projected handcuff: Rhamondre Stevenson
Sleeper: Stevenson
Harris is the team’s “lead” back, which was obvious last season with his near 26% touch share. However, don’t be surprised if that share shrinks and the Patriots mix in more of Stevenson. James White, who opened camp on PUP, and Pierre Strong will mix in, too.
New York Jets
Projected starter: Breece Hall
Projected handcuff: Michael Carter
Breakout: Hall
Hall is a potential three-down running back at the next level who figures to lead the Jets in backfield touches as a rookie, but he won’t see a true featured role with Carter in the mix. Still, Hall brings RB2 upside in an offense that could show improvement.
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AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
Projected starter: J.K. Dobbins
Projected handcuff: Gus Edwards
Breakout: Dobbins
Dobbins should lead the Ravens backfield in touchdowns, but questions loom about his return from a serious knee ailment. He opened camp on the PUP list. When he is back at 100%, Dobbins has RB2 value. Edwards (PUP) and Mike Davis are also in the mix.
Cincinnati Bengals
Projected starter: Joe Mixon
Projected handcuff: Samaje Perine
Sleeper: Chris Evans
Mixon saw a massive 40.7% touch share in 2021, which resulted in a career-high 287.9 fantasy points. His role should remain similar this season, making him a first-round lock. Reports indicate Evans could usurp Perine as the team’s third-down back.
Cleveland Browns
Projected starter: Nick Chubb
Projected handcuff: Kareem Hunt
Sleeper: D’Ernest Johnson
Chubb and Hunt will continue to be the team’s 1-2 punch for coach Kevin Stefanski, but how the offense runs will depend greatly on the status of quarterback Deshaun Watson. Chubb will be a borderline No. 1 running back, while Hunt remains more of a flex.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Projected starter: Najee Harris
Projected handcuff: Benny Snell Jr.
Harris saw a bananas 45.6% touch share in the Steelers backfield as a rookie, and that total won’t decrease a ton this year. He’s the lone draftable fantasy back in Pittsburgh. Snell looks like the No. 2 back, but the Steelers also added Jeremy McNichols in camp.
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AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
Projected starter: Marlon Mack
Projected handcuff: Dameon Pierce
Sleeper: Pierce
Mack and Pierce will battle it out in camp for the top spot on the depth chart. While I would not be surprised if the former wins the role initially, I would be shocked if Pierce didn’t usurp him in-season. Regardless, Rex Burkhead will be the third-down back.
Indianapolis Colts
Projected starter: Jonathan Taylor
Projected handcuff: Phillip Lindsay
Sleeper: Nyheim Hines
Taylor is the top back in fantasy land, and I’d be shocked to see his 45.1% touch share drop much (if at all) in 2022. Hines will remain the pass catching option in the backfield, though I see Lindsay moving up if Taylor should be forced to miss time.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Projected starter: Travis Etienne
Projected handcuff: James Robinson
Sleeper: Snoop Conner
Etienne is a fantasy darling and should lead the Jaguars backfield in touches, but recent reports suggest Robinson (Achilles) will be ready to roll for Week 1. In fact, he avoided the PUP list in camp. A committee could emerge, so Etienne’s stock could start to slide.
Tennessee Titans
Projected starter: Derrick Henry
Projected handcuff: Hassan Haskins
Sleeper: Haskins
Henry should see no short of a huge workload once again this season, making him a top-10 pick in drafts. If injuries occur, however, Haskins could end up being a sleeper. Dontrell Hilliard projects as the pass catching option, but his draft value is minimal.
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AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
Projected starter: Javonte Williams
Projected handcuff: Melvin Gordon
Breakout: Williams
Williams and Gordon split touches almost evenly a season ago. In fact, both of them finished with exactly 203 carries. While I do expect a bigger gap in the Williams’s favor in 2022, this backfield still projects as a committee situation if both backs are healthy.
Kansas City Chiefs
Projected starter: Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Projected handcuff: Ronald Jones
Sleeper: Isiah Pachero
CEH has failed to meet expectations after two seasons, so RoJo could push him for the early-down work. He started training camp on the PUP list but has since been removed. A committee seems imminent, and Jerick McKinnon could also be used in the rotation.
Las Vegas Raiders
Projected starter: Josh Jacobs
Projected handcuff: Kenyan Drake
Sleeper: Zamir White
Jacobs saw a team-high 32.1% touch share a season ago, but reports suggest that new head coach Josh McDaniels could go with a full-blown committee. Drake (ankle) was cleared for camp, and White could see some burn, too. Jacobs is looking like a flex.
Los Angeles Chargers
Projected starter: Austin Ekeler
Projected handcuff: Isaiah Spiller
Sleeper: Spiller
Ekeler is almost certain to see a decline in the 31.9% touch share he saw last season, and Spiller figures to benefit. Still, No. 30 is a virtual lock to be a top-10 runner. He’ll be a first-round pick, while Spiller is worth a late-round flier as a fantasy handcuff option.
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NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
Projected starter: Ezekiel Elliott
Projected handcuff: Tony Pollard
Breakout: Pollard
Elliott led the Cowboys with a 31% touch share last season, but many believe Pollard will dent that total in 2022. Still, Zeke’s third-round ADP makes him a potential value. Pollard could breakout if Zeke’s decline continues, but I still favor the latter in 2022.
New York Giants
Projected starter: Saquon Barkley
Projected handcuff: Matt Breida
Barkley should see the majority of the touches in this backfield during what could be a make-or-break season from a fantasy perspective. He’s a risk-reward pick in rounds 2 or 3. If Barkley misses time, Breida looks like the favorite to take over the backfield lead.
Philadelphia Eagles
Projected starter: Miles Sanders
Projected handcuff: Kenneth Gainwell
Sleeper: Gainwell
Sanders figures to start, but will he see an uptick in his 19% touch share from a year ago? I tend to doubt it. He’s a flex at best, and Gainwell could be the better value late. Boston Scott re-signed with the team and is also in the mix, but he’s the third option.
Washington Commanders
Projected starter: Antonio Gibson
Projected handcuff: Brian Robinson
Sleeper: Robinson
Gibson sported a 36% touch share in 2021, but Washington re-signed J.D. McKissic and drafted Robinson to what could now be a committee. Gibson is a RB2/RB3 now, with McKissic having flex/RB4 value in PPR formats. Robinson is worth a late flier.
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NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
Projected starter: David Montgomery
Projected handcuff: Khalil Herbert
Sleeper: Herbert
Montgomery figures to lead the Bears in backfield touches, but I’d look out for Herbert. He showed some flashes of potential as a rookie and could push for more work in 2022. In what will be a run-heavy offense, Montgomery is an RB2 with Herbert as a flier.
Detroit Lions
Projected starter: D’Andre Swift
Projected handcuff: Jamaal Williams
Sleeper: Williams
Swift is a dual-threat fantasy star who could easily be a top-8 player at his position if he avoids injuries. He’s a borderline first-round selection. Williams will remain a valuable handcuff in the middle to late rounds for those fantasy fans who land Swift in drafts.
Green Bay Packers
Projected starter: Aaron Jones
Projected handcuff: A.J. Dillon
Breakout: Dillon
Jones and Dillon worked as a tandem last season, and that figures to be the case once again. Jones should be the better of the duo in PPR formats, but “Quadzilla” could be a great bargain as a No. 3 runner in an offense that no longer has Davante Adams.
Minnesota Vikings
Projected starter: Dalvin Cook
Projected handcuff: Alexander Mattison
Sleeper: Mattison
New coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense will throw the ball a ton, which could mean more targets out of the backfield for Cook. If he can avoid nagging injuries, the veteran should be a top-10 back. Mattison will remain maybe the No. 1 handcuff in fantasy.
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NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
Projected starter: Cordarrelle Patterson
Projected handcuff: Damien Williams
Sleeper: Tyler Allgeier
Patterson figures to lead the Falcons backs in touches again, but will the former wideout break down late like he did in 2022? I like him as a RB3/flex, but regression is coming. Williams is also in the mix, but I like Allgeier more as a late-round sleeper.
Carolina Panthers
Projected starter: Christian McCaffrey
Projected handcuff: D’Onta Foreman
Sleeper: Foreman
McCaffrey will remain the team’s obvious bell cow as long as he’s able, so the training battle to watch is Foreman against Chuba Hubbard. I like the former to step it up if CMC gets hurt once again, but both players are worth a late-round selection in drafts.
New Orleans Saints
Projected starter: Alvin Kamara
Projected handcuff: Mark Ingram
Sleeper: Ingram
Kamara is coming off a “down” season in 2021 and could be facing a league-imposed suspension, but for now he’s being picked as a No. 2 fantasy back. At this point, Ingram looks like the best bet for work behind him, with Malcolm Brown also in the mix.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Projected starter: Leonard Fournette
Projected handcuff: Rachaad White
Sleeper: White
Fournette should eat in the offense as the lead running back for the Buccaneers, and I like him as a borderline RB1/RB2. (Note: his weight “issues” have been overblown). If you’re looking for a late flier, take a chance on White. He could be the main handcuff.
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NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals
Projected starter: James Conner
Projected handcuff: Darrel Williams
Sleeper: Williams
Conner saw a 26.2% touch share and 42 red-zone looks last season, which resulted in 18 touchdowns. He’ll see regression, but he’ll be a high-end No. 1 back in 2022. With Edmonds in Miami, Williams could emerge into a potential late-round value in drafts.
Los Angeles Rams
Projected starter: Cam Akers
Projected handcuff: Darrell Henderson
Breakout: Akers
Akers is very likely to lead the Rams in touches, but Henderson looms in what could be a backfield committee of sorts. Still, the FSU product has the biggest upside in L.A. and is worth a top-40 pick. Rookie Kyren Williams (foot) started training camp on the PUP.
Seattle Seahawks
Projected starter: Rashaad Penny
Projected handcuff: Kenneth Walker
Sleeper: Walker
Penny figures to open the season as the starter, but can the injury-prone back finish? If not, Walker could be a big-time fantasy asset now that Chris Carson (neck) has retired. If you’re playing the long game, the rookie might be the more attractive fantasy option.
San Francisco 49ers
Projected starter: Elijah Mitchell
Projected handcuff: Jeff Wilson Jr.
Sleeper: Tyrion Davis-Price
Mitchell looks like the favorite to start, but head coach Kyle Shanahan could go with a committee. Mitchell is a RB2/RB3, while Wilson Jr. looks like the handcuff (for now). Davis-Price is worth a late flier, but he’ll need to make an impression during camp.
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Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business!
