Below are my dynasty rookie running back rankings following the 2023 NFL Draft. After the rankings, I have a detailed breakdown of the biggest risers and fallers through the draft. I have a deeper breakdown of the running back class in my pre-draft dynasty rankings.
My dynasty rookie position ranks will be posted throughout the week with analysis on the biggest movers as a result of the draft.
Top 60 Rookie Rankings — Quarterback — Wide Receiver (Thursday) — Tight End (Friday)
Dynasty Running Back Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | NFL Draft Pick |
| 1 | Bijan Robinson | ATL | 8 |
| 2 | Jahmyr Gibbs | DET | 12 |
| 3 | Zach Charbonnet | SEA | 52 |
| 4 | Kendre Miller | NO | 71 |
| 5 | Devon Achane | MIA | 84 |
| 6 | Roschon Johnson | CHI | 115 |
| 7 | Tyjae Spears | TEN | 81 |
| 8 | Chase Brown | CIN | 163 |
| 9 | Israel Abanikanda | NYJ | 143 |
| 10 | Tank Bigsby | JAX | 88 |
| 11 | Zach Evans | LAR | 215 |
| 12 | DeWayne McBride | MIN | 222 |
| 13 | Eric Gray | NYG | 172 |
| 14 | Deuce Vaughn | DAL | 212 |
| 15 | Evan Hull | IND | 176 |
| 16 | Chris Rodriguez | WAS | 193 |
| 17 | Sean Tucker | TB | UDFA |
| 18 | Lew Nichols | GB | 235 |
| 19 | Keaton Mitchell | BAL | UDFA |
| 20 | Xazavian Valladay | HOU | UDFA |
No surprises at the top of the ranks. Bijan Robinson remains elite. Jahmyr Gibbs put a much larger gap between himself and Zach Charbonnet when the Lions took him 12th overall. But Charbonnet’s profile and considerable draft capital were enough to hold onto the No. 3 spot.
Kendre Miller got a notable boost based on his landing spot. With Alvin Kamara careening toward a suspension after a down year, Miller could take over as the workhorse back in New Orleans early in his career. He swapped spots with Roschon Johnson, who landed in a Chicago backfield with modest completion for touches. However, the Bears have a quarterback who will steal goal line carries and won’t funnel targets to his running backs.
Heading into the draft, Tyjae Spears looked to me to be a pass-catching specialist with some rushing upside. His landing spot, Tennessee, will allow him to flourish as a receiver out of the backfield quickly. Over the past four years, the Titans’ RB2 has averaged 162 routes per season. After spending a Day Two pick on him, it’s also safe to assume Tennessee sees Spears as much more than just a pass-catcher. Should Derrick Henry get injured or find himself on a new team next year, Spears would be in a position to post elite fantasy numbers.
Chase Brown was my RB12 heading into the draft, but landing behind Joe Mixon, who is in a precarious legal and cap situation, gives him plenty of upside. Brown also caught 27 passes in his final season at Illinois, so he could step into three-down duties if needed.
One of the biggest risers through the draft was Auburn’s Tank Bigsby. A physical runner, Bigsby can beat defenders with brute force or through impressive footwork. He could be in line to handle some dirty work and goal line carries for Jacksonville. Aside from the occasional touchdown, Bigsby may not be the most interesting fantasy option as a rookie. However, third-round draft capital suggests he could evolve into a larger role while also serving as the obvious handcuff to Travis Etienne.
The two new names on my top-20 are Lew Nichols and Xazavian Valladay. Nichols broke out with a 341-1,848-16 rushing line in 2021, but his numbers took a massive hit last year partly due to injuries. Green Bay’s running backs see an absurd amount of touches, giving Nichols some contingent upside should one of Aaron Jones or AJ Dillon get hurt. Valladay was a three-year starter at Wyoming before transferring to Arizona State. In his final season, he hit 1,192 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground while also catching 37 passes. Valladay was serviceable but not elite in yards after contact and yards per route run in college. His jack-of-all-trades profile could make him an interesting backup to Dameon Pierce.