Here’s the thing. While a good quarterback is the most important player on the field during a football game, finding the best running back for fantasy football is the key in DFS contests.
Our top picks for the best Running Backs in 2021
Christian McCaffrey – Carolina Panthers
Christian McCaffrey is an absolute workhorse for the Carolina Panthers. Even after an injury-plagued 2020 season that caused him to miss 13 games, he is still the top projected running back of the year. In his last complete season (2019) McCaffrey rattled off 4.8 yards per run, 15 touchdowns, 142 passing targets, and an 81.7% completion rate.
These are absurd numbers, and even still, in his limited 2020 season, he was on pace to break them. In only 3 games he had 5 touchdowns and 19 pass targets. McCaffrey is a defense’s worst nightmare as a 3rd and short, goal line, and passing threat. When healthy it is hard to argue against Christian McCaffrey being the top running back for fantasy football right now.
Dalvin Cook – Minnesota Vikings
2020 proved to be one heck of a season for Cook in more ways than one. The Vikings starter had 16 touchdowns, he averaged 5 yards per carry, 111.2 yards per game, and 54 passing targets. Remember, running backs receive a 2 point bonus if they have over 100 yards and Cook is one of the few who averaged over that target number.
In the 2019 offseason the Vikings star wide receiver Stefon Diggs left and Dalvin Cook stepped up for the additional workload picking up an additional 72 touches on the year. It is true, Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson are still great options but Cook has shown he is hungry for more and ready to take it. We can expect more stellar numbers from Cook this year.
Derrick Henry – Tennessee Titans
This might be the scariest offensive player in the entire NFL. Henry is listed at 6’3 and 247lbs AS A RUNNING BACK. The answer to, “How to stop that?” is simple, you don’t. You can only hope to contain it. Henry averaged 5.4 yards per carry in a 2020 season that included 2,027 yards, 17 touchdowns, and an average of 126.7 yards per game.
The Titans star running back has put up video game numbers in the last 2 years and with the addition of one of the best wide receivers in all of football during the 2020 off-season, you can expect the field to be spread a little more thin, giving him plenty of opportunities to break away for another 98-yard touchdown like he did last year.
Alvin Kamara – New Orleans Saints
Kamara makes big splashes every off-season with his unique workouts going viral, but if there’s one thing to say about the man, it works. Kamara has never had over a 1,000 yard season, his best coming in 2020 with 932, and still makes the top ranks. How? His touchdowns of course.
Last year he averaged 5.1 yards per carry and racked up 16 touchdowns. This may be confusing how it provides value but because a player receives 6 points per touchdown on top of their yardage numbers, 16 touchdowns becomes very influential in this argument.
The Saints enter this year for the first time since ‘05 without future H.O.F. quarterback Drew Brees and this may not be the worst thing for Kamara. Yes, he will still be splitting touches with Latavius Murray, but let’s face it. Jameis Winston isn’t Drew Brees. With a notoriously high interception rate, it will be interesting to see how that influences the Saint’s passing game.
What we do know for sure is that Alvin Kamara is the best, most consistent offensive threat that the New Orleans Saints have rostered, and barring injury, he will continue to put up big touchdown numbers and consequently fantasy points.
Ezekiel Elliot – Dallas Cowboys
2020 was Zeke’s worst year to date. He had 979 total yards, 6 touchdowns, and only averaged 4 yards per carry. We know these are terrible numbers for such an accomplished player but the blame cannot fall entirely on him.
The Cowboys scrambled through the 2020 season with 2nd or 3rd string quarterbacks going 6-10 on the year. A tough season, but moves were made in the offseason. On top of star quarterback Dak Prescott returning to the lineup, they have brought in a new defensive coordinator and a whole slew of roster moves to bolster both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. We’re expecting Zeke to return to his natural form with over a 1,000-yard season and double-digit touchdown numbers.
Our Verdict
Because SuperDraft has multiple game formats, your running back selection strategy can be variable.
And now it’s time to play some daily fantasy football. You’ve got the running back, quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, and flex-player breakdowns, and you’re ready to start winning. A little goes a long way on SuperDraft!
