Running back draft strategy: how many, and how early
Running back is usually where drafting early pays off most, because the gap between a workhorse back and the one you could add from waivers is the largest at any position. That steep drop-off is the whole reason the old advice to load up on running backs early still holds in most formats. It breaks down in two places: full-PPR leagues, where high-target receivers close the gap, and leagues shallow enough that startable running backs sit on waivers all season. Decide by the advantage each pick gives you over the replacement player at its own position, not by the raw projection.
Why running backs reward an early pick
A three-down running back who handles carries and catches passes is scarce, and the player behind him on the waiver wire is usually a committee back with a fraction of the workload. That steep drop-off means the advantage an early running back gives you over his replacement is larger than what an early receiver or quarterback gives you over theirs, and that advantage is what wins leagues.
This is why boards ranked on value over replacement — the ordering used across this site — tend to put several running backs near the very top even in formats that reward receptions. The point total alone would not tell you that; the size of the gap to replacement is what does.
Where the early-running-back plan breaks down
Two situations weaken it. In full PPR, every reception is a point, so high-volume receivers and pass-catching backs earn a steady return that narrows the running back's edge. And in a shallow league — ten teams or fewer with modest starting requirements — startable running backs are still available on waivers in-season, which lowers the replacement level and shrinks the advantage of drafting the position early.
The 'zero RB' plan, where you deliberately wait on running backs and load up on receivers, is a real strategy rather than a gimmick, and it works best in exactly those full-PPR, receiver-friendly formats. It is a bet that you can rebuild the position from waivers and trades while your receiver core carries you. In standard and half-PPR leagues with two running back slots and a flex, the steeper drop-off usually makes the more traditional early-running-back approach the safer read.
Whichever way your format points, the decision at each pick is the same: take the player with the largest edge over the replacement player at his own position under your scoring and roster settings. The boards here publish that gap next to every rank so the close calls and the real separations are both visible.
Common questions
Should I draft running backs early in fantasy football?
- In most standard and half-PPR leagues, yes. The drop-off from a workhorse running back to a waiver-level one is the steepest at any position, so an early running back gives you a larger edge over his replacement than an early pick at another position gives you over theirs.
Does zero RB work?
- It can, mainly in full-PPR leagues where high-target receivers close the gap on running backs and startable backs turn up on waivers during the season. It is a bet that you can rebuild the position in-season while a strong receiver core carries you, and it is riskier in standard scoring where the running back drop-off is steeper.
How many running backs should I draft?
- Enough to cover your starting slots and the bye weeks and injuries that will hit them — usually five or six in a standard build with two running back slots and a flex. Draft on the advantage over replacement at each pick rather than a fixed quota, and lean heavier if your league starts more of them.