Top 10 Running Backs + Late Round Steals - Fantasy Football Podcast for 8/8

What's up, Foot Clan? We got a great show for you today. I want to remind you about the ultimate draft kit. We've been working on it all off season. It's updated every day and it gets you ready for your draft. It is essentially tilt insurance. You get into your draft. We all know what that's like. The pressure is on. You start to see that ADP list. You feel the pressure to take the wrong player. We want to get you prepped, get you right. Get that foundation for your team built out so you can have a dominant fantasy football season. Check it out, all the tools, resources, all of our picks, all of our projections at Ultimate DraftKit.com. The Fantasy Footballers Podcast with your host, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright. Oh, welcome in. Tuesday, August 8th, Jason Moore, Mike Wright, Andy Holloway, the Fantasy Footballers podcast. Happy to be with you. This show wouldn't exist without the deusers. They're here.

Al Borland, Judge Diomati in the building. Kyle somewhere on the microphone, sprinting back to the microphone, bathroom, kitchen, napping. We don't really know anymore. Yeah. Where in the world is Kyle Borgenoni? We used to keep a close eye on him here in the studio. And now he's remote on the show. And it's just a mystery. He could be doing anything. He could be pre-recorded. I mean, there could be stuff programmed in to say. And he might not even be there. I'm going to. See if anyone on Fiverr does Carmen San Diego riffs and I can get where in the world is Kyle Borgannoni. That would be something you would do. I'm going to make a note. What was the name of that band? Rockapella. Thank you. Thank you very much.

That was really their peak. And he had the... Oh, yeah. The Racapella guy had the little... Oh, it's incredible. We have... Like double ponytails back behind the mullet? Yeah, they are. A mullet ponytail combo. I do not remember this at all. Oh, dude, you got to look them up. It's incredible. And the story, apparently there was like a... There was like a brand new member right before that happened. So, you know, a guy was committed to the art of acapella. with his group Rockapella. And he just couldn't take it anymore. So he bailed out. And then they land Carmen San Diego. Oh, man. Whoops. That was, uh, glad you're listening, everyone out there. Um, we got a busy show today. Top 10 running back rankings. Continuing the countdown. Going to share some deeper running back picks as well at the top of the show.

And then it'll be all rockapela from here on now. That'll be it. No problem with me. Ultimate draftgit.com. We're on X, formerly Twitter, at the FFF Ballers, the community. Jointhefoot.com and the website's the fantasy footballers.com. The quick question, like I said, you know, we're doing these top 20 countdowns at each position. Today we're at the top 10 running backs. I'm sure we'll have some good debates, but I wanted to know a running back well outside the top 20. rankings that you're kind of excited about this season. And, you know, one of the players that I brought up recently is James Cook, who's running with the ones in Buffalo, and I've been excited about him. It's not the name I'm going to mention here. I'm starting to cool off on James Cook. Oh, that's too bad. I was telling Jason this morning, like I was talking to a couple of the people that cover.

and I was asking them about what these training camp practices are looking like. In particular, you know, the area that I think is going to be a huge weakness for James Cook is going to be, you know, opportunities to score touchdowns. Their full goal line reps are half Damien Harris and half Latavius Murray. Oh, that's not good news. And so if you combine those guys, which they're going to be more capable than James Cook in that area, Murray has just been. really good on the goal line for teams, even when he's perceived over the hill. But then Josh Allen's a goal line back. So I'm worried about James Cook being a pretty high finisher in fantasy, but a really rough ride. And so I'm cooling a little bit on his fantasy opportunities. But the name I'd bring up right now is Brian Robinson. Ooh. Yeah, that's exactly why. Thank you, Mike. You played right into my hands. No.

You're the voice of public opinion or the booze of public opinion. We are the voice of accuracy. No, I mean, Brian Robinson will 100% be a steal in your draft. Brian Robinson is the starting running back for the Washington commanders. You want to talk about Antonio Gibson because he's like sexy and he's, look, he comes out and says, I'm going to be the third down guy. I'm going to be the J.D. McKissick, which is great. I mean, I think that has a valuable fantasy role. Brian Robinson is going to have a ton of work. Over the final five weeks last year, he was 4.5 a carry. He was on pace for 329 carries and 1,500 rushing yards. He was recovering from a gunshot wound. Camp reports are great, and there is no debate on that fact that he's the starter. So I want to bring it up because he's the least sexy pick you could ever have. He's a ninth round draft pick. I saw Brooks nodding in the background. Are you in on Brian Robinson? Hey, and that laid in the draft, sure. I mean, this is the RV 36 off the board.

And so I just think he's going to be one of those guys that has a, you know, he doesn't have a super high ceiling because he's not going to catch a ton of passes, although training camp reports have talked about him being more versatile, working a lot on the passing down work. We just talked yesterday. Not a lot of third downs necessarily, 20% of plays. There's going to be passing opportunities on first and second down. However, it's just total volume. Like if we're talking about volume and you have to spend, what's Najee Harris? What's that pick? Probably second, third rounder. So your second third rounder for Najee Harris on a bad offense that we say is going to have a bunch of opportunities, he'll catch more passes than Brian Robinson.

But the touchdown opportunities will be there for Brian Robinson. And then you draft him in the ninth round. So I think he's just discounted nausea. I am happy that you're bringing his name up because we haven't spoken well of Brian Robinson. He is seen more so as just a guy, an average NFL athlete that, you know, he's got a good pedigree. He comes from Bama, but he was kind of buried behind people and wasn't a prolific prospect. That being said, he is. the starter, he will touch the ball more than Antonio Gibson, a player that we have talked up. So it's good to get the name out there because unless he gets shot again. Yeah, I'll throw that out for all of the players. Thank you. Yeah, I think it's one of those things where I'm going to try to avoid if someone before the season or before I draft does get shot, I'll probably avoid them in my draft. Okay. The player I want to bring up.

is a guy I really liked as a prospect. I think he was my number four rookie running back before the NFL drafted. That's Tank Bigsby. We have brought his name up as a problem for Travis E.T.N. That is what Tank Biggsby is. It's the only context he's really been brought up in. Right. He's a thorn in the heel of, you know, of a great player. But I think Biggsby actually has a chance to be. Relevant. This is a player that is, I mean, you want to talk about what round you're getting them in. You could probably get him when your draft is over or in your last round. You know, I think on average right now, he's like 13th round. He's one of those guys that will go drafted in some leagues and not drafted in others. But he's been dominating camp. And not that he's been playing better than ETN. ETN's been great too in camp. ETN has been doing goal line work, scoring touchdowns.

But Tank Bigsby's been awesome. I believe their last 11 on 11. He had a 70-yard breakaway touchdown where he broke two tackles, ran away from seven defenders. He is a solid player. He's been great in their red zone work as well, pushing piles. There was one play that was reported where he just got stacked up in this crazy pile and somehow broke out the other side for 10 yards. This is a guy that's going to get opportunities. He's named appropriately. Yeah, yeah. His parents knew. Tank Bigsby. Yeah. What a cool name. It's because it's not just like Tank Dell. You know, it's like, no, Bigsby's his last name. He's just, I'm big and strong. I believe there is an opportunity for him to be a relevant, you know, RB3 flex option this season.

while E.T.N. is healthy. I don't think he's just an insurance play. However, should E.T.N, who has missed time already, you know, missed the season with an injury and is coming back. Should something happen health-wise, I think Tank will be one of the better backup running backs to roster. So when I'm at the end of my draft, I like taking Tank Bigsby. If you have Travis E.T.N. is an early pick. I mean, wouldn't it be an automatic ad with the last pick in your draft? I don't mind that one at all. You know, we talked about whether or not you would do that with the Seattle backfield. But Charbonnet is being drafted as a relevant asset. It costs a lot. Thank Bigsby when you can get him basically for free. Yeah, sure. Throw him on the back of your bench as maybe someone that you could start side by side, but as the insurance play as well. And Bigsby also for his college production profile as a pass catcher, like it's there.

And so that's another threat to Travis E.N. We haven't talked about it on this pod. I brought it up in the Dynasty podcast. Yet that E.T.N had a whole bunch of receptions in college and everything. But there was like these weird quotes from Travis E.T.N. This is back then. Maybe things have changed since now. But back then he talked about how he was like. He's nervous as a pass catcher. He's something about he's scared to catch the ball, afraid of making a mistake. And so maybe he's just not actually comfortable doing that. He said he wasn't. And we have Tank Bigsby here who profiles as a player who could be used in that role as well. So that's another kind of just a red flag there for Travis ETN. I'm going to bring up just a couple names real quick. It's Rashad Penny for me going in the ninth round.

He seems to be the Miles Sanders version or the Miles Sanders for the Eagles this year. And Rashad Penny, talent has never been questioned for him. It's always health. And I know it's the same argument over and over. I'm not going to draft Rashad Penny. He's going to get hurt. I'm just laughing at the fact that Penny and Robinson are back-to-back ninth round picks. And they could both be starters. And if you did go zero RB, which is, you know, like those could be your two starting running backs. and you'd probably have to take one in the eighth and one in the ninth, and you have seven picks ahead of it. It's just interesting that there are potential volume plays that late in the draft. Yeah, and Rashad Penny is an excellent player. If he gives you anything close to Miles Sanders production, but you've drafted him in the ninth round, that's a massive win. Like, people were...

disappointed with Miles Sanders being a little bit hot and cold. He's still finished extremely well on the year. And if you get that type of production in the night, that's absolutely outrageous. And then just a shout out to this is, you know, we're also watching this in preseason. The Miami Dolphins running backs. Who is the main guy? We don't know. Everyone's kind of got to make their guess here. Devon A. Chain the rookie, who's very small but incredibly fast. He's dealing with his own injury. And then you have Rahim Moster and Jeff Wilson. I know Jeff Wilson got banged up the other day, but I think he is, I think he came back already to practice. A chain as well is back in practice. Okay, but it's just these guys are going. All three of them are in the double digit rounds. There may honestly not be a clear winner for the entirety of the season, but there's.

There will be weeks here. And it could turn out that one of them actually is just the primary guy who's going to see 12 to 15 opportunities a week. I love taking shots on those players. Specifically for me, I've talked about A-Chane. I really like him. I think he fits the system perfect. And I love taking a gamble on him. But I also love Jeff Wilson in the 13th round. I think he's of value because. And what's funny is Moester is the starter. He's the starting running out. Maybe. Maybe. It is. Go read the camp report. They're going to share time, but I mean, like, you might get one or two weeks out of Moster to start the year and be fine and then see different players come out and emerge. But, like, literally, I mean, that's what the Daniels is set. Sure. I guess I'm just going back to last season when they were both playing after Wilson was there and they were both healthy. It seemed like Wilson was the more valuable asset.

the majority of those games. But yeah, I mean, this is going to be a valuable running back room and it doesn't cost much. And if one guy goes out, a most hurt injury history, Wilson injury history. Yeah, A chain, bitty baby. Itty baby will be hurt soon. Future injury history due to size. Future injury history. I like that. But I mean, like it all of a sudden becomes more simple if one guy is or they might use A chain. in a different way and you have two guys on the field and then you have two guys valuable. Like if it's mustard and Wilson behind center a lot and A chain in passing game work in the slot and end arounds like could be like the Montgomery and Jemir Gibbs situation where you're expecting both guys to be on the field. So that one is they're all free because nobody knows what to do. And historically that those those proved to be good shots to take in the draft. Just don't take all the shots. Don't draft three of them. Right.

Call your shot in the guy you like. I like A chain. Yeah. Or just if you're in multiple drafts, take Wilson and one, take Mostern in one, take A chain in one. Sure. I mean, just like you got to try. Yeah. All right. Let's get into the news because we just got some breaking news. News and notes from around the league. Presented by USAA Insurance. Well, the New Orleans Saints are expected to sign Kareem Hunt to the roster, assuming he passes his physical. So it will be a Alvin Camara, Jamal Williams, Kendrae Miller, Kareem Hunt backfield in New Orleans, which is, I thought about bringing Alvin Kamara's name up in the previous segment with quick question. And I thought about bringing up Kendra Miller. I'm glad we didn't since while we were talking about them, they signed Kareem Hunt. They really want a committee.

Well, and they've dealt with, they've got a suspension. They've got injuries historically. Like last year, the guy's taking snaps. Mike brought it up, David Johnson, you know, Benjamin. They didn't want to have those players running the football last year. And the biggest problem is cream hunts a great pass catcher. So like you have another versatile option there where you look, all the camp reports with Alvin Kamara have been just fire. Like the way they're running this offense, the way they're utilizing him, the fact that he is back in form. He was banged up last year. I do think that there's an opportunity there for him to be an oversight in drafts, not in the fourth round, which I don't think that ADP is right. I think if you went and you drafted today with a three-game suspension, he's not going in the fourth round. So I still am paying attention, but now Kareem Hunt's part of this backfield. And it concerns me for Kendrae Miller in year one. Kareem Hunt, really?

Yeah, it does because you're making a choice to add a veteran, and veterans seem to get a greater deal of respect and opportunity in a backfield than adding a no name. I mean, like, Cream Hunt has been selective this off season. Either you decide he's given up and just taking this job, which maybe that's the case, or they've made commitments and promises to him that say, hey, we're going to use you. I can't imagine he doesn't want to play. Yeah, he somehow Kareem Hunt led all running backs in the NFL in third down snaps last year. He's, I don't think he's washed. Yeah, I mean, it does muddy the water. I mean, if Kreme Hunt and went and joined New England in the context of Ramandre, we'd make adjustments. If he went and joined, you know, another backfield like Minnesota, we would be making adjustments to our view of medicine. So I think it has to at least.

be talked about. I don't know if he fades into the mist because he's washed, but it doesn't concern you at all with Kendry Miller or Jamal Williams or any of those guys? Not long. I mean, Kendry Miller is a long term situation. Like you're drafting him hoping that some opportunities start coming like in the second month or so of the season. Like Kendry Miller is not a week one starting fantasy football running back. But I'm just the. I thought that all y'all were out on Kareem Hunt last year. Like I was really hoping he got traded and it was. I mean, I'm out on Zeke. But if he goes somewhere, it matters to me. Right. You know, like the other concern is like, yeah, Kenry Miller might develop. But what are you going to do as a fantasy player? You're going to put him on your roster on draft day and wait two months? You know, it's funny. I mean, is that the plan? You talk about Kendrae Miller as a long-term play.

Because of the situation with Alva Camara, Kendra Miller was one of my favorite later round picks because he might have the opportunity to week one, week two, week three to really establish himself there. And now he will definitely have to seed some work here to Kareem Hunt. If he goes wild in the first three weeks, that's your Kendra Miller opportunity. Because you've had that happen with like really talented running backs like Kareem Hunt. first game in the NFL, a couple big touchdowns, the pass from Alex Smith, I believe, and all of a sudden he's like, oh, he's legit. Like, who cares about the combine scores? This was good news for the Chiefs. Cadarius Tony and Isaiah Pacheco both expected for week one. Okay. The Tony news is positive because I don't think, I think we were like not believing that could be the case, which maybe you don't believe still. Could miss a couple weeks. The Pacheco.

I mean, this is rough here, though. If you're expected to be ready for week one and you're missing training camp, other players are getting their chance to try and make an impact here on the running back room. Like Pacheco, you know, post Super Bowl, it would have been, oh, Isaiah Pacheco is clearly the starting two-down runner for the Kansas City Chiefs. Is he? I have no worries about him at all. Okay. The way they talk about him in training camp, the way that they've expected this surgery and this, like Tony, I'm worried about. Because Tony's missed time, always hurt, Sky Moore, other wide receivers are making progress. But, I mean, the running back room in Kansas City is not an intimidating one in any regard. You worry about Prince?

Clyde? I still think Clyde can't do anything to change his status in that room. I still think Clyde will absolutely be. I think him and Pacheco will be splitting carries. I don't really want a lot of this backfield personally. I think that's fair. I just don't think Pacheco's standing has changed. Jake Ferguson, the clear number one tied in for the Cowboys. The schoon man back in camp. Yeah, he was. We actually saw the schoon man out there running some routes, but we did talk about Jake Ferguson just a couple days ago. Now, he was listed in the first unofficial depth chart because it's unofficial depth chart season. He was listed as a co-starter with Peyton Hendershot, but everything that I've been reading and looking into for the Cowboys, it was Jake Ferguson's going to be the guy this year.

And I mean, for the schoon man to catch up. Fergillicious. Yeah. Oh, it's Fergalicious and the Schoon Man. It's sensational for the fantasy footballers podcast. Yeah, we need them to do something, but we could have drops emerging. We absolutely could. But it's like Schoon Man as a rookie tight end who has basically missed all this time. I don't think you can catch Ferguson at this point. Maybe halfway through the season or something like that. But right now, Ferguson is very interesting. for a, if you punt the tight end position. Yeah, could be one of those surprise week one guys that you're like, oh, two touchdowns for Jake Ferguson. You didn't see that coming. Drumford, left practice, hamstring injury, not good. Yeah, when you get a new hamstring injury, this would be running back for the Browns. Yeah, backup running back for the Cleveland Browns, who has been, there's been debate, like who's going to be the pass catching.

third down back. They just lost Cream Hunt who had all the third down snaps. And the last thing I saw from the running backs coach was it was going to be either Chubb or Ford. Yeah, could be Chubb. Well, I mean, if that's the case and Ford is out with a hamstring issue, this is a really neat opportunity that Chubb is going to get for the first time in his career where he could catch the ball. He could add pass catching to his unbelievable running style and just be a dominant force for fantasy. Yeah, I think I think Cleveland is is prying to give us some fantasy value. Nick Chubb behind him is Jerome Ford. Felton. Who could, I mean, he'll get snaps in in place of Ford. Wait, John Kelly? John Kelly still hanging out. Is that the John Kelly? That's the one. Twitter draft fame. Still hanging out at the fourth, fourth spot on this depth chart.

But we'll talk about Chub today. So that was today's news and notes brought to you by USAA Insurance. You can learn more at USAA.com slash insurance back in a minute. Good old John Kelly. There are players that their entire claim to fame is the pre-first season discussion time. And then they're never discussed again. Spiller. Isaiah Spiller. It's the first name that pots into my head too. It's like farewell. Yeah. They were supposed to be great. but they were not great. And I don't know any that become great after that first year, really. I mean, it's like, it's pretty unlikely. If you're that low in the draft and don't have a good year one, you just are like, you're like going to be a number three running back the rest of your career. Yeah. Unless somebody gets hurt. Can we think of any example where a guy who was hyped up and did nothing? I'm sure the listeners will and we'll share that with us. I don't think they will.

I challenge you. I don't think there are it. I don't know if it exists. So four, fifth, six round running back. Hites up in the off season. In the draft season. Didn't do anything year one. But then hit. But then hit. You got anybody, Brooks? Anybody coming to mind? Kyle. Kyle, run back to the microphone and see if you can remember. Feel free. I'm looking in the spreadsheets right now. Okay. I mean, clearly Herbert about to do it. I want to believe that Kyle has, has like. printed spreadsheets. These are not on. Oh, for sure. He is shuffling paper. He's a tactile man. Yeah. I need to feel the papers. He's in a room with so many filing cabinets right now. I mean, he's, foo, foo, foo, foo, foo, foo, there it is. Oh, there it is. Oh, there it is. Well done. Yeah, you said, hello Herbert's about to do it, which, hey, if you want, the unofficial, or I mean, the official depth charts just came out. Read into them as you will, but right now.

It's Khalil Herbert. And then it is Foreman, Deonta Foreman. And then Rochon 3rd. Well, I will say this. Sometimes I don't care at all about these depth charts and sometimes I do. But when this debt chart came out, I forget which beat reporter I was looking at, but they were basically saying that this should not be any surprise. This is exactly what they've seen in camp, that that is the order of those three. That was very confirming to me that. Like, I'm just going to trust that if that's what has been the process over the last couple months and then the team puts out the official statement saying, yep, that's the order. Then that should be the order of how we view this backfield for fantasy purposes. Totally agree. A lot of the running backs that changed teams this off season were pieces that they almost shuffled.

depth around, right? Like Singletary shifted to another team and then Rashad Penny moved over and like you didn't have super high profile players changing teams. You had a lot of these guys. The Deonta Foreman and the incumbent always has an advantage there because the teams are looking at these guys as, you know, we let go of David Montgomery because why? It wasn't because we could add Deontah Foreman in the offseason. It was because we believed in Khalil Herbert. So, all right, let's get into it. Running bags. I mean, nobody loves Kolo Herbert quite like Brooks, though. That's true. It's his 2023 Josh Jacobs. Is it? Is that what he is? I guess so. He's good. He is. You can get him a lot later than Josh Jacobs, too. Yeah, I can see he's so much lower down the list than like a Madison in the rankings. Yes. But both of them are like kind of, they have great opportunities. So.

Where's Herbert going? Is he like? Clear Herbert's in like the ninth round. So he's with our group. Oh, yeah. He's with our boys. Brian Robinson and Rashad Penny and add three of them. Maybe two of them will work out. Nine 12 for Herbert. So he's behind those other two guys. He's a massive value. Okay. Running back rankings, countdown going through the top 10. Let me give you some information here over the last five years. A top 10 running back in half point leagues has averaged 20.6 opportunities per game. If you want to be top 10, get over that 20 opportunity mark. 17.8 fantasy points per game. 13 total touchdowns.