Fantasy Football: 5 Rookie RBs with the Best Chance For Success in 2024 tchieu

Which incoming ball carriers could make an impact for your fantasy team this season?

In fantasy football, there is generally no position more stable than running back... outside of last season. Still, those who get carries and their fair share of the work load will likely produce points and can be huge assets to your team's weekly scoring output.

Whether you're in money leagues with experts or casual friendly competition leagues with your buddies, one thing rings true: finding value late is the best way to build a great team.

One of the most common themes in terms of late-round value picks is rookies. They have yet to prove themselves in the NFL, so they are commonly underrated when entering any fantasy draft. Pinpointing which rookies will shine, however, can be difficult. There probably weren't many telling you to draft UDFA James Robinson in 2020 or wideout Puka Nacua this past year before his record-setting season.

However, there are trends and playing styles that translate well to the league, and for redraft formats, there are players who can be valuable additions to your roster before the 2024 season kicks off. Here are five to keep on your draft radar.

 

The Panthers added a new weapon to their offense, grabbing Jonathon Brooks in the second round. Here's how he'll fit on their offense.

 

Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers

The Texas back was first off the board for a reason

Last offseason, the Carolina Panthers felt they needed help at running back and went out to sign Miles Sanders on the open market to a four-year, $25.2 million contract with the assumption he would be the team's lead back in 2023. Unfortunately for Carolina, that plan failed, and the 26-year-old turned in a career-low 3.3 yards per carry and was eventually usurped by Chuba Hubbard.

Despite the 24-year-old showing some nice flashes as a bright spot in a rough offense, it appears the team was still looking to find some additional talent for their backfield. So when the Indianapolis Colts were officially on the clock with the 46th pick, Carolina traded up to secure Texas' Jonathon Brooks in the hopes that the 21-year-old could help elevate the team's rushing attack.

Brooks is an extremely instinctive runner, demonstrating excellent decision-making that he pairs with his outside rushing ability and elusiveness in the open field to produce at a high rate with the football in his hands.

Whether it's as a receiver or when handling carries, there is a promising level of patience and anticipation that allows him to find creases and get into the second level routinely.

Why Jonathon Brooks will have a big rookie season

Head coach Dave Canales spoke about Brooks and what he brings to the Panthers offense, and he discussed what the former Longhorn was capable of bringing on the outside. Finding ways to get him the football in space and letting him use his blend of athleticism and IQ to find creases and create big plays for the offense will likely be a pivotal part of the Panther's identity in 2024.

Back in Tampa, Canales used to call plays for Rachaad White, who was RB8 last season. He should have the right system in mind for how to go about getting Brooks the best looks. The rookie's only red flag is that he tore his ACL in November 2023. Even if he is good to go by the regular season, missing time to get acclimated in the offseason can have a negative impact on early season usage and involvement in the team's backfield share.

For those willing to take the risk and possibly be patient, there is plenty of upside that should offer plenty of return. However, with the way Hubbard carried the rock last season, there is still likely going to be a split backfield. Expect Brooks' ADP to be around the sixth to seventh round in most fantasy formats, and if his ADP starts to rise, you'll have to trust your gut about how high you're willing to go to secure his fantasy services.

Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams

Corum led the FBS with 27 rushing TDs in 2023

Taken as the third running back off the board with the 83rd overall pick, Blake Corum is heading to the Los Angeles Rams to help provide depth to one of the league's most productive rushing attacks last season.

In four games that Kyren Williams missed with injury, the team went 1-3 and the offense looked completely out of rhythm. Even in the two games in which QB Matthew Stafford played, the team put up just 17 points in each outing.

Having balance between the run and passing attack allowed for the offense to be nearly unstoppable, and adding Corum should help the team keep their rhythm through a 17-game season.

The Michigan Wolverines star is a stout 5'8", 205-pound back that has excellent vision and physicality as a runner that makes his notably efficient in short-yardage situations. Coming off of a torn meniscus, he did look a touch less explosive in 2023, but should be able to regain some of that juice to create more splash plays in space.

Why Blake Corum will have a big rookie season

The Rams front office is well aware they have a star in Williams, but they still spent a third round pick on Corum. While some may view this as a luxury choice, it's likely indicative that Sean McVay was inspired by the Detroit Lions' two-headed monster rushing attack, and wanted to build one of his own.

With the inability to stack boxes against a Stafford-led passing attack that features Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, establishing dominance up front to abuse defenses in the trenches could go a long way in wearing out the opposition and keeping the football in their possession.

Williams was one of the league's top backs last season, but his 5'9", 194-pound frame and 12 missed games in his two-year career likely mean it's in the team's best interest to add someone to spell him. Insert Corum, who will bring over his short-yardage specialization and well-rounded skill set to allow the team to split the carries as much as needed.

Projection-wise, Williams will likely get the bulk of the carries on first and second downs, but the Michigan product can expect to see the field for red zone, goal line, and third-down work. Players like David Montgomery and Jamaal Williams have handled these roles and remained valuable in all fantasy formats. With an offensive wizard like McVay drawing it up, expect something similar for Corum.

Marshawn Lloyd (Green Bay Packers)

The USC product's 7.1 YPA was tied for sixth most among qualified FBS rushers

With very few needs around their roster, the Green Bay Packers went into the draft with plenty of flexibility, and utilized it by selecting USC's Marshawn Lloyd with the 88th overall pick in the third round.

The team already has one new running back on the roster from this offseason with former Las Vegas Raiders' star Josh Jacobs, but now Jacobs dons the green and gold and should play a key role in the team's attempts to contend in the NFC.

Now joining him in that backfield is Lloyd, who was an extremely impressive back at the college level with a 5'9", 220-pound frame but a nice blend of wiggle and power. In addition to that, the 23-year-old also flashed plenty of receiving upside at both South Carolina and USC that should translate to the NFL.

Why Marshawn Lloyd will have a big rookie season

The Packers have found their offensive identity moving forward, and it will rely heavily on Jordan Love. But it's worth noting the team will still look to run the ball plenty after signing Jacobs to a four-year, $48 million deal that means the 26-year-old is expected to take the bulk of the carries.

While the back has shown some excellent rushing ability, especially in his 2022 All-Pro campaign, he struggled in 2023, and that could follow him over to Green Bay.

Some of the dip in production could be attributed to the team's lack of a passing attack and a pedestrian offensive line that struggled to generate opportunities for the runner, but he no doubt took a step back from 2022.

With a third round investment spent on Lloyd, it appears like Green Bay is hoping to have someone behind him to contribute, whether it's just in small doses or as an established part of the workload.

Still, in fantasy football, where late-round gems can be the difference between an average team and a late-season playoff run, the former USC Trojan is absolutely worth a late-round flier or stash to see how Jacobs looks in the new offense. Because if he doesn't find his stride again, Lloyd could take the job. Not to mention that with a 7.1 yards per carry average last year, Lloyd could be the lightning to Jacobs' thunder.

Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers

Led Troy in rushing all four years of his college career

It was a near certainty that the Los Angeles Chargers would draft a running back sometime in the 2024 NFL Draft, but the question was when. It ended up being with the 181st overall pick, when the team selected Troy's Kimani Vidal to join the running back room and step into a Greg Roman offense that loves to utilize the ground attack as much as possible.

Vidal is a smaller back at 5'8", 213 pounds, but has a nice blend of contact balance and speed that made him extremely effective for the Trojans' offense during his collegiate career.

The Troy product was actually one of the more effective backs in the FBS, rushing for more 10+ yard carries than anyone else in the country. Adding him to a Chargers' offense where the new staff has preached a heavy running approach should give him an opportunity to earn a notable role in the game plan.

Why Kimani Vidal will have a big rookie season

Volume is the name of the game, and there may be no rookie running back with a clearer path to fantasy relevance than Vidal. Edwards is a very dependable runner but isn't a player the team likely wants to take the bulk of the workload long-term.

Additionally, Dobbins has been injured time and time again to where even if he makes a full recovery, it would be wise to limit his carries to keep him healthy for a full season.

Vidal working himself into the lead back role is likely something that takes time unless forced upon the organization via injuries, but of all drafted rookies, there is no one who landed next to a more attainable RB1 job than the Troy product.

In your drafts, Vidal is likely a deep flier, so league he probably won't be drafted. But for larger or deeper leagues, keep an eye out for Vidal as a potential dart throw to see what he can do while in his rookie campaign with the Chargers. He could be a classic case of an undrafted fantasy rookie that picks up steam late in the year to key a deep playoff run.

Trey Benson (Arizona Cardinals)

With just 316 carries in his college career, there is plenty of tread on his tires

There was lots of speculation on where Florida State's Trey Benson could land in the draft, with many hoping he would end up in a position to take on the lead workload with a team like the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, or New York Giants.

Instead, he was selected with the 66th overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals, and now many wonder what type of role he'll have sharing a backfield with James Conner.

Benson was one of the better traits-based backs in this class. His impressive blend of size (6'0", 216 pounds) and speed (4.39 40-yard dash) makes him extremely capable of turning in splash plays while also taking on work between the tackles.

Unfortunately, the 21-year-old is still a bit upright in his running form, so he still has work to do in order to properly utilize his frame and generate more force behind his pads. With Conner taking part in the backfield, though, the two skill sets complement each other well.

Why Trey Benson will have a big rookie season

While there will be many who are scared off by Conner, his talent level should encourage fantasy owners to look into bringing Benson onto their roster. The benefits rookie QBs have seen with a quality mentor have been discussed ad nauseam, but that can be the case for all positions.

There are few backs who do better utilizing their frame than the 29-year-old Conner, and if he can help Benson add that element to his game, he would easily be a high-caliber back.

In addition, the Cardinals offense is much better when Conner is out on the field. As he gets older, that will mean having to lighten his workload in order to keep him ready for games throughout the season. While there are backs on the roster who could push for playing time, Benson is the clear second-fiddle for this offense to keep things rolling through the season.

Many fantasy owners go into the draft process hoping that rookie backs are set to land in situations where they can get a full workload, but that often isn't the case. Still, Benson has the talent and skill set to force himself into an important position for this Arizona offense.

In dynasty formats, the former Seminole's value is higher, but there is still plenty of appeal as a late round add in redraft leagues with the potential of earning an RB1 role if Conner regresses or misses significant time.