Top 10 Fantasy RB Seasons of 2022
Austin Ekeler of the Los Angeles Chargers delivered the number one fantasy running back season of 2022, scoring 373 fantasy points across 17 games. Christian McCaffrey, who played for both the Carolina Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers that season, finished second with 356 points, and Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders took third with 328. The 2022 leaderboard rewards backs who stayed on the field all season, and Ekeler stands at the top of it.
What Were the Top 10 Fantasy RB Seasons of 2022?
The 2022 season was a strong year for workhorse running backs. Every player in the top ten finished with at least 240 fantasy points, and nine of the ten played 17 games. The single best week of the year at the position belonged to Joe Mixon of the Cincinnati Bengals, who posted 55 fantasy points in one game, yet his 16 games played left him tenth in total points.
| Rank | Player | Team | Games | Points | Points Per Game | Best Week | | 1 | Austin Ekeler | Los Angeles Chargers | 17 | 373 | 22 | 37 | | 2 | Christian McCaffrey | Carolina Panthers / San Francisco 49ers | 17 | 356 | 21 | 40 | | 3 | Josh Jacobs | Las Vegas Raiders | 17 | 328 | 19 | 48 | | 4 | Derrick Henry | Tennessee Titans | 17 | 303 | 18 | 36 | | 5 | Saquon Barkley | New York Giants | 17 | 282 | 17 | 31 | | 6 | Nick Chubb | Cleveland Browns | 17 | 279 | 16 | 32 | | 7 | Rhamondre Stevenson | New England Patriots | 17 | 249 | 15 | 25 | | 8 | Tony Pollard | Dallas Cowboys | 17 | 249 | 15 | 37 | | 9 | Aaron Jones | Green Bay Packers | 17 | 247 | 15 | 32 | | 10 | Joe Mixon | Cincinnati Bengals | 16 | 240 | 15 | 55 |
Who Was the Best Fantasy Running Back of 2022?
Austin Ekeler was the best fantasy running back of 2022. His 373 fantasy points led the position, his 22 points per game also led the list, and his best single week of 37 points matched or beat the best weeks of several backs ranked below him. He gave managers both the highest weekly level and the highest season-long total, which is the strongest possible combination in a fantasy season.
Christian McCaffrey finished second with 356 points, and his best week of 40 points was the second-highest single week on the list. He played his 17 games split between the Carolina Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers, making him the only player in the top ten associated with two teams that season.
How Close Was the 2022 RB Race?
The numbers show a leaderboard that spreads out steadily from the top. Austin Ekeler's 373 points sit ahead of Christian McCaffrey's 356, which sit ahead of Josh Jacobs at 328, Derrick Henry at 303, and Saquon Barkley at 282. Nick Chubb follows at 279 points, nearly level with Barkley.
The bottom of the list is tightly packed. Rhamondre Stevenson and Tony Pollard each finished with 249 points, Aaron Jones posted 247, and Joe Mixon recorded 240 in 16 games. Points per game tells a similar story at the bottom: Stevenson, Pollard, Jones, and Mixon all averaged 15 points per game, so their finishing order came down to total accumulation rather than a difference in weekly scoring level.
Which 2022 Running Backs Had the Best Single Weeks?
Joe Mixon's 55-point week was the highest single-game fantasy score among 2022 running backs, well clear of Josh Jacobs at 48 and Christian McCaffrey at 40. Austin Ekeler and Tony Pollard each posted a best week of 37 points, and Derrick Henry recorded a 36-point best week. Those spike weeks mattered in fantasy leagues, because a single afternoon from any of these backs could swing a matchup.
At the other end of the range, Rhamondre Stevenson's best week of 25 points was the lowest peak among the top ten. His seventh-place finish among running backs was built on steadiness across 17 games rather than one dominant afternoon, and his 249 total points reflect that consistency.
What Can the 2022 RB Rankings Teach Draft Managers?
The clearest lesson from the 2022 board is that availability drove the rankings. Nine of the ten backs played 17 games, and the one who played 16, Joe Mixon, still posted the biggest single week of the season but finished last in total points among the group. In fantasy football, a running back who plays every game keeps collecting points even when his best weeks are modest.
The second lesson is that total points and weekly level do not always agree. Derrick Henry's 303 points ranked fourth, but his 18 points per game also ranked fourth, while Tony Pollard's 249 points ranked eighth with the same 15 points per game as the three backs around him. When two backs score at the same weekly level, the one who plays more games finishes higher, which is exactly what the 2022 table shows.
Common questions
Who scored the most fantasy points among running backs in 2022?
- Austin Ekeler of the Los Angeles Chargers scored the most fantasy points among running backs in 2022, finishing with 373 points over 17 games, an average of 22 points per game.
How many fantasy points did Christian McCaffrey score in 2022?
- Christian McCaffrey scored 356 fantasy points in 2022, playing 17 games split between the Carolina Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers. His 356 points ranked second among running backs that season.
Which running back had the best single fantasy week in 2022?
- Joe Mixon of the Cincinnati Bengals had the best single fantasy week among 2022 running backs with 55 points in one game. Josh Jacobs had the next-best week at 48 points.
Did Derrick Henry finish as a top fantasy running back in 2022?
- Yes. Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans finished fourth among running backs in 2022 with 303 fantasy points, 18 points per game, and a best week of 36 points across 17 games.
How many running backs scored at least 240 fantasy points in 2022?
- All ten of the top-ranked running backs scored at least 240 fantasy points in 2022, from Austin Ekeler's 373 down to Joe Mixon's 240, and nine of them played the full 17-game schedule.
Was Saquon Barkley a top fantasy running back in 2022?
- Yes. Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants finished fifth among running backs in 2022 with 282 fantasy points in 17 games, averaging 17 points per game with a best week of 31 points.