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Fantasy Football RB Tiers for 2023: Will McCaffrey be dethroned?

The fantasy world is about to kick it into high gear with the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame game just days away. Reports coming out of training camp have already begun to stir up drama, and industry speculation will continue to run wild as we approach preseason action. It is important to continue tuning out the noise in order to develop the best draft strategy that you can, which is why it’s a great time to assess positional tiers for one of fantasy’s most frustrating positions from a year ago — running backs.

Our 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide is packed with industry expert analysis, positional tiers, mock drafts, player profiles, rankings for multiple scoring formats, and so much more. The array of tools at your disposal will surely help you dominate your fantasy drafts this year, and our experts will continue to provide insight on crucial topics ahead of the season. If you’re looking for that additional edge on draft day, you’ve come to the right place.

Don’t miss any of our 2023 Draft Guide previews! Follow along throughout the summer and see all of them here.

We’re continuing our march towards fantasy football draft season by highlighting positional tiers for running backs. There is no shortage of fantasy stardom in this group, with Christian McCaffrey once again asserting his dominance at the top. Beyond those at the top are backs that could emerge as late-season darlings with the opportunity to contribute at a higher level as the season progresses.

With our positional tiers, you can gain a better understanding at the positional landscape with projections and keynotes of those that land in each.

We’re highlighting running backs included in the first two tiers. Check it out!

Tier One - Elite Runners and Dual Threats

  1. Christian McCaffrey - SF
  2. Bijan Robinson - ATL
  3. Austin Ekeler - LAC
  4. Saquon Barkley - NYG
  5. Jonathan Taylor - IND
  6. Tony Pollard - DAL

McCaffrey could also be in his own tier as the unanimous RB1 among our rankers, but the rest of this group will do their best to dethrone him. Taylor and Ekeler also join him as Tier 1 repeats from 2022. Barkley previously ranked among the highest echelon of running backs and his phenomenal rebound last year put him back at the top. Robinson, taken by the Falcons with the eighth overall pick, is widely considered the best running back prospect since Barkley. On a run-heavy Atlanta offense, he should post video game numbers.

Tier Two - Workhorse Potential

  1. Derrick Henry - TEN
  2. Rhamondre Stevenson - NE
  3. Josh Jacobs - LV
  4. Nick Chubb - CLE
  5. Travis Etienne - JAC
  6. Jahmyr Gibbs - DET
  7. Breece Hall - NYJ

It’s no surprise to see Henry and Chubb here. Even without any pass-catching value, they are so prolific on the ground that they can single-handedly win fantasy players their matchups. The others in this tier are on the radar for three-down roles. Jacobs and Stevenson both showed off their dual-threat abilities last year and just need to see that volume for another season. Etienne was a strong pass-catcher in college and he was an electric runner in 2022. Gibbs, the second rookie in the rankings, was consistently compared to Alvin Kamara during the draft process.

If you want to see the rest of the rankings, click here and use code BERRY20 for 20% off.