Who was the number one fantasy running back in 2021?

Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts, with 373 fantasy points over 17 games. He also posted the best single week of any running back in the top ten, a 53 point game.

How many fantasy points did Austin Ekeler score in 2021?

Austin Ekeler scored 340 fantasy points for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021, second among running backs, with 20 points per game and a best week of 42.

Which running back had the best single fantasy week in 2021?

Among the top ten running back seasons of 2021, Jonathan Taylor had the best single week at 53 points. Leonard Fournette was next at 44, with Austin Ekeler and Aaron Jones each reaching 42.

Did Leonard Fournette outscore Joe Mixon per game in 2021?

They matched at 17 points per game, but Fournette reached that mark in 15 games while Mixon played 17. Mixon finished ahead in total points, 288 to 256.

How many running backs scored more than 288 fantasy points in 2021?

Three: Jonathan Taylor at 373, Austin Ekeler at 340, and Najee Harris at 301. Fourth place, Joe Mixon, came in at 288 points.

Top 10 Fantasy RB Seasons of 2021

Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts delivered the number one fantasy running back season of 2021, scoring 373 fantasy points across 17 games for 22 points per game. Austin Ekeler of the Los Angeles Chargers finished second at 340, and Najee Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers took third at 301. Taylor's season stands apart as the strongest running back campaign of the year by a wide and unambiguous margin.

The Complete 2021 Running Back Scoring Table

The table below lists the top ten fantasy running back seasons of 2021 in order of total fantasy points. Every figure comes straight from the season records for that year, with no rounding and no adjustments.

| Rank | Player | Team | Games | Points | Points Per Game | Best Week | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis Colts | 17 | 373 | 22 | 53 | | 2 | Austin Ekeler | Los Angeles Chargers | 17 | 340 | 20 | | 3 | Najee Harris | Pittsburgh Steelers | 17 | 301 | 18 | 30 | | 4 | Joe Mixon | Cincinnati Bengals | 17 | 288 | 17 | 32 | | 5 | James Conner | Arizona Cardinals | 17 | 258 | 15 | 40 | | 6 | Leonard Fournette | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 15 | 256 | 17 | 44 | | 7 | Ezekiel Elliott | Dallas Cowboys | 17 | 246 | 14 | 27 | | 8 | Alvin Kamara | New Orleans Saints | 17 | 235 | 14 | 34 | | 9 | Cordarrelle Patterson | Atlanta Falcons | 17 | 235 | 14 | 35 | | 10 | Aaron Jones | Green Bay Packers | 17 | 229 | 13 | 42 |

Where Taylor Separated From the 2021 Field

Jonathan Taylor's 373 points put him comfortably clear of Austin Ekeler's 340, and the per-game column tells the same story: 22 for Taylor against 20 for Ekeler. That agreement between total and per-game scoring is what makes Taylor's claim on the top spot airtight. He also owned the single best week of the entire top ten, a 53 point eruption no other 2021 running back in this group matched.

Below the top two, the drop is steep. Najee Harris landed at 301 points, and from fourth place down the totals fall off quickly: Joe Mixon at 288, then James Conner at 258. The distance between first and fifth in this table is one of the defining features of the 2021 running back season.

How the Per-Game Column Reordered the 2021 Backfield

Sorting the same ten seasons by points per game reshuffles the middle of the board. Leonard Fournette played 15 games rather than 17, yet his 17 points per game match Joe Mixon's and beat James Conner's 15, despite Conner ranking two spots higher in total points. Fournette's 256 total came in less playing time than anyone else on the list.

The bottom of the table tightens into a near tie: Alvin Kamara and Cordarrelle Patterson both finished at 235 points and 14 per game, with Kamara's 34 best week sitting just under Patterson's 35. Aaron Jones closes the list at 229 points and 13 per game, with a 42 point best week.

The Standout Single Weeks of the 2021 RB Season

Best week data adds texture the totals hide. Best weeks of 40 or more in this table belong to Taylor with 53, Fournette with 44, Ekeler with 42, and Jones with 42. Conner's 40 rounds out that group. At the other end, Ezekiel Elliott's 27 was the smallest best week on the board, which shows how much of his 246 point total came from week to week consistency rather than one breakout scoring day.

Common questions

Who was the number one fantasy running back in 2021?: Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts, with 373 fantasy points over 17 games. He also posted the best single week of any running back in the top ten, a 53 point game.
How many fantasy points did Austin Ekeler score in 2021?: Austin Ekeler scored 340 fantasy points for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021, second among running backs, with 20 points per game and a best week of 42.
Which running back had the best single fantasy week in 2021?: Among the top ten running back seasons of 2021, Jonathan Taylor had the best single week at 53 points. Leonard Fournette was next at 44, with Austin Ekeler and Aaron Jones each reaching 42.
Did Leonard Fournette outscore Joe Mixon per game in 2021?: They matched at 17 points per game, but Fournette reached that mark in 15 games while Mixon played 17. Mixon finished ahead in total points, 288 to 256.
How many running backs scored more than 288 fantasy points in 2021?: Three: Jonathan Taylor at 373, Austin Ekeler at 340, and Najee Harris at 301. Fourth place, Joe Mixon, came in at 288 points.