The 2023 NFL draft is almost upon us, which excites both the real and fantasy fan bases across the globe. Things have changed over the years though, especially at the running back position. In times past, NFL teams would focus on drafting backfield superstars in the first round. Nowadays, however, backs are less of an asset. In fact, just 10 have been picked in Round 1 of the last seven drafts.
The question for our purposes is this: How have the shrinking number of prominently drafted running backs fared in terms of fantasy production on an historical basis?
Well, I jumped in the fantasy DeLorean, got that sucker up to 88 miles per hour and looked at exactly that. Why? Because by looking at the past, we can find trends that can help us in the future. Since this focuses on just first-year players and their stats alone, you won’t see Travis Etienne, who missed his rookie campaign.
