When should you use the Hero RB strategy?
It works best when you pick in the middle or late first round, where an elite running back is still on the board but the top wide receivers are mostly gone.
Hero RB
Hero RB is a draft strategy where you take one running back with an early pick and then wait many rounds before drafting another one.
The Hero RB strategy means grabbing one elite running back with a first- or second-round pick, then waiting until the middle or late rounds to fill the rest of your running back spots. Instead of spending multiple early picks on the position, you load up on wide receivers, a top tight end, or an elite quarterback while the running back well runs dry.
The idea is simple: one workhorse running back gives you a dependable starter every week, and the drop-off at wide receiver after the early rounds is much steeper than the drop-off at running back in the middle rounds. You can often find usable running backs later through committees, handcuffs, and players who get chances because of injuries.
The risk is that if your hero gets hurt, you have no strong backup plan. Managers using this strategy usually target a durable, three-down back with their early pick, then stack up several late-round lottery tickets at the position to hedge against bad luck.
Common questions
How is Hero RB different from Zero RB?
Zero RB skips running backs entirely in the early rounds, while Hero RB takes exactly one early and waits on the rest.
Related terms
Fanademy ranks every player by value over replacement under your league's scoring. The free top five at each position is public; the full board is $5 a month or $40 a year.
See plans and sign up