2023 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings: PPR Projections & ADP
Looking for fantasy football running back rankings? Check out our PPR projections and analysis below to help you prepare for your upcoming drafts.
Due to the decline of true bell cow running backs over the last several seasons, the running back position becomes trickier to navigate during fantasy drafts. This is especially true for PPR leagues, in which running backs who catch passes are generally more valuable. Our fantasy football running back rankings are here to guide you in your drafts this year.
In case you were wondering, “PPR” stands for “point per reception.” In leagues of this format, players receive a full point for each catch. In this article, we’ll review three potential options at running back that are good fits for PPR leagues. One more thing: If you’re new to Sleeper Fantasy and looking to create a new account, make sure to use the Sleeper Fantasy promo code GRINDERS to secure a deposit match of up to $100.
Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings 2023
| Player | Team | Rank | ADPrk | ADP | FPTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian McCaffrey |  SFO | 1 | 1 | 3.00 | 308.66 |
| Austin Ekeler |  LAC | 2 | 2 | 5.00 | 290.25 |
| Saquon Barkley |  NYG | 3 | 5 | 14.00 | 271.13 |
| Jonathan Taylor |  IND | 4 | 4 | 13.00 | 269.05 |
| Bijan Robinson |  ATL | 5 | 3 | 9.00 | 268.85 |
| Tony Pollard |  DAL | 6 | 9 | 26.00 | 263.53 |
| Alexander Mattison |  MIN | 7 | 27 | 81.00 | 257.21 |
| Derrick Henry |  TEN | 8 | 7 | 22.00 | 254.93 |
| Nick Chubb |  CLE | 9 | 6 | 20.00 | 254.84 |
| Josh Jacobs |  LVR | 10 | 8 | 23.00 | 254.27 |
| Travis Etienne |  JAC | 11 | 13 | 34.00 | 253.85 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson |  NEP | 12 | 11 | 31.00 | 252.89 |
| Breece Hall |  NYJ | 13 | 12 | 33.00 | 228.08 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs |  DET | 14 | 15 | 42.00 | 226.98 |
| Najee Harris |  PIT | 15 | 10 | 30.00 | 225.54 |
| Joe Mixon |  CIN | 16 | 17 | 52.00 | 225.16 |
| Kenneth Walker |  SEA | 17 | 14 | 38.00 | 223.52 |
| Aaron Jones |  GBP | 18 | 16 | 47.00 | 222.32 |
| Rachaad White |  TBB | 19 | 23 | 71.00 | 205.72 |
| Isiah Pacheco |  KCC | 20 | 26 | 75.00 | 200.42 |
| James Conner |  ARI | 21 | 25 | 74.00 | 198.36 |
| Cam Akers |  LAR | 22 | 20 | 62.00 | 196.74 |
| David Montgomery | DET | 23 | 28 | 82.00 | 189.50 |
| James Cook |  BUF | 24 | 29 | 84.00 | 183.42 |
| Dameon Pierce |  HOU | 25 | 21 | 63.00 | 175.90 |
| Miles Sanders |  CAR | 26 | 22 | 65.00 | 172.83 |
| AJ Dillon | GBP | 27 | 31 | 93.00 | 166.36 |
| Javonte Williams |  DEN | 28 | 24 | 73.00 | 164.39 |
| D’Andre Swift |  PHI | 29 | 19 | 60.00 | 161.16 |
| Samaje Perine | DEN | 30 | 36 | 110.00 | 161.13 |
| Brian Robinson |  WAS | 31 | 32 | 100.00 | 144.80 |
| Khalil Herbert |  CHI | 32 | 34 | 103.00 | 142.43 |
| J.K. Dobbins |  BAL | 33 | 18 | 56.00 | 141.89 |
| Alvin Kamara |  NOS | 34 | 30 | 92.00 | 137.24 |
| Antonio Gibson | WAS | 35 | 33 | 102.00 | 130.06 |
| Devon Achane |  MIA | 36 | #N/A | 129.53 | |
| Rashaad Penny | PHI | 37 | 37 | 118.00 | 126.56 |
| Jamaal Williams | NOS | 38 | 35 | 104.00 | 121.34 |
| Jaylen Warren | PIT | 39 | 39 | 167.00 | 119.88 |
| Raheem Mostert | MIA | 40 | 38 | 155.00 | 116.67 |
Three PPR Running Backs to Consider In Your Drafts
Austin Ekeler (Los Angeles Chargers)
Only one running back in the NFL had triple-digit receptions in 2022: Austin Ekeler. Ekeler hauled in 107 receptions on 127 targets, going for 722 receiving yards. That same year, he tied for second with Derrick Henry for most rushing touchdowns (13).
To put a finer point on it, if you crossed out quarterbacks, Austin Ekeler tallied the most PPR fantasy points in 2022, even outscoring Justin Jefferson, the Offensive Player of the Year.
Considering that Ekeler commanded almost a fifth of the team’s target share, the Chargers running back may well be the best first pick on the board regardless of position.
Alexander Mattison (Minnesota Vikings)
Whenever Dalvin Cook was sidelined in previous seasons, it’s safe to say that Alexander Mattison made the most of his starts. In those situations, Mattison averaged 79.5 rushing yards, 36 receiving yards, and found the end zone five times. However, Cook staying healthy in all of 2022 limited Mattison’s opportunities.
Now with Cook out of the picture, this looks like Mattison’s job to lose. Mattison’s role as a pass-catching back adds appeal to picking him up in PPR leagues. This could be the breakout year for the former RB2 emerging from Cook’s shadow.
Joe Mixon (Cincinnati Bengals)
If you are willing to embrace some volatility with your running back selection, you might consider Joe Mixon. While Mixon lacks a high rushing ceiling (hitting triple-digit rushing yards in only one game in 2022), he has the target volume that is desirable in PPR formats. He had 441 receiving yards on 60 receptions last year.
In addition, there are questions surrounding quarterback Joe Burrow’s health to begin the season. This may lead to the Bengals leaning a little more on Mixon to start the season. Furthermore, the absence of Samaje Perine could bode well for Mixon this year.
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