The new coaching staff is inexperienced (second-youngest in the NFL), the system is unproven, the quarterback will gobble up a ton of rushing yards and touchdowns, and the front office has added running back depth aggressively in the offseason. Mckissic, and there was talk of rookie Brian Robinson Jr taking on the short yardage work. Then as soon as they go south, we pile on like kids in a mosh pit? From Weeks 13 through 17, Dobbins received a measly two total targets from quarterback Lamar Jackson. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia | Consensus Rankings RB21 | Consensus Projections RB21. Pat Fitzmaurice: The Buccaneers' playoff run was the best four-game stretch for Fournette since the early part of the 2019 season. Preseason may help a little. He also spent his first 5 years on the saints, where he got 20 carries exactly 2 times there. Victoria Geary: We should not steer clear of Harris completely for the 2021 season, but we should lower our expectations for a locked-and-loaded RB1 finish. Jamal Lewis rushed for nearly 3,400 yards in the first two seasons back from his ACL tear. Though volume is important in fantasy football, Harris could struggle behind his offensive line and not garner an elite share of red zone touches. Gordon is a massive red flag at his ADP. Gaskin was a revelation versus his cost a year ago but is a buyer beware in 2021. Therefore, we asked our staff to look through the Top 150 and identify players that should underperform their draft position. In 2019, his last full season, Cohen averaged 5.8 yards per catch and 4.4 yards per target -- terrible numbers for a third-down back. most overrated running backs of all time David Montgomery, Chicago | Consensus Rankings RB19 | Consensus Projections RB20. Most overrated Running back in NFL history : r/nfl - reddit There's too much risk to draft him as an ever-week starter. Arizona Cardinals: All-time underrated, overrated players Leave him there for the next guy to take him. Top 11 running backs of all time from Barry Sanders to O.J. Simpson Overall: 98 and 96. McKissic. Jalen Hurts will inevitably take away carries and goal-line rushes from the backfield, capping any true remaining upside Sanders may have been clinging to. Gaskin may be the top option for now, but that could change with a strong outing from veteran Malcolm Brown or Salvon Ahmed. "Matthew Berry, ESPN. This slideshow lists the most underrated and overrated quarterbacks, running backs and receivers in the NFL, and the choices might shock you. The role we envisioned for Johnson is already in question. 5. His ADP says drafters are aware of the easy schedule down the stretch, but he's still being overvalued at his current price. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh | Consensus Rankings RB17 | Consensus Projections RB15. Andrew Davenport: I've had ample opportunities to draft Gaskin and just haven't been able to do it. There is no upside with drafting Gaskin this high. His primary use has been as an excellent pass-catching back. David Johnson 's fantasy fortunes have been a roller coaster ride over the past three seasons. I am a heretic in that regard. Clyde Edwards-Helaire was used as a space player last year, and his lack of a red-zone presence placed a ceiling on his fantasy value. Is the 40 Yard Dash the Most Overrated Test for Running | STACK Most Overrated RB Of All-Time - Bleacher Report History has shown us that Harris's ADP will likely move into Round 2 or 3 as the next few months pass. This year, his new head coach -- Josh McDaniels -- is an offensive mind who made his career in schemes that utilized multiple backs as specialists for each situation. Deion Sanders tops the list of overrated cornerbacks. But the Broncos re-signed Melvin Gordon III, which cannot be interpreted as anything short of a re-commitment to a 50/50 committee. Expect a more even split in touches than many are forecasting and potentially for Brown to earn the lead role. The current regime did not select Robinson. The Commanders made it a priority of theirs to bring back J.D. In 2019, the Lions tried to steal him away with a restricted free agent offer. Yeah, us, too. Andy Hicks: It is hard for an undrafted rookie running back to succeed in the NFL. In no way am I saying Bettis should not be a hall of famer. I understand the upside, but I don't want to take a huge miss if I'm drafting in Week 1. Earl Campbell 9. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh | Consensus Rankings RB15 | Consensus Projections RB13. Jadeveon Clowney pegged as Cleveland Browns most overrated player Investing in Sanders as your RB2 is likely to leave you feeling disappointed. Barry Sanders is easily the best ever. We use cookies to personalize content, ads and analyze site traffic. The 2021 season will either change from the norm of what we have seen from Edmonds in the past or a new role where he flourishes with an increase in volume. Ben Cummins: Henrys past two monster years were with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the head coach in Atlanta. Edgerrin James 17. Jamaal Williams is a fine receiver, route runner, and red-zone back who will limit Swift's upside to a low-end fantasy RB2, at best. Andy Hicks: D'Andre Swift had a patchy rookie season. most overrated running backs of all time - flicks4fun.com Scoring at least once in 9 games (16 gms total) yields a 56% chance of a score in each game. Henry is one of my favorite players in the league, but there are preferable first-round picks for me in 2021. Chad Parsons: It's a crowded Jets depth chart, and assuming Carter rises to the top of a collection of similar profiles is overstated with his draft valuation. 1 status. He feasted on unsustainable opportunities and a soft schedule. Kareem Hunt, Cleveland | Consensus Rankings RB21 | Consensus Projections RB22. There are plenty of clarified RB1 types later in the draft to avoid taking the variable shot on Williams. His fantasy value was bolstered late in the year due to an insane usage rate in the passing game, seeing a whopping 8.6 targets per game when Alex Smith started. Is he more talented than Melvin Gordon III at this point in their respective careers? Pat Fitzmaurice: The appeal is that he's an inexpensive lead back. If Gordon's injury is extended, Williams could be appropriately priced, but until there is more information, he is an avoid at cost. Photo: Isaiah J. With an almost entirely new coaching staff, quarterback and receivers, it is difficult to trust that Swift will be worth his asking price. That number of targets limited his ceiling, and he was barely a low-end RB2. On top of these issues, the Texans added Rex Burkhead, Mark Ingram II, and Philip Lindsay to compete for touches. Jameis Winston is a downfield passer, and Hill would rather run than check down. Jonathan Morris: I can't endorse a high pick on Javonte Williams when he will yield a lot of work to Melvin Gordon III. Its almost always the other way around for top tier RBs. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas | Consensus Rankings RB19 | Consensus Projections RB19. The Top Ten. Gibson has also been struggling with fumbles in training camp, which have drawn the ire of the Commanders coaching staff. That's right, Fournette was cut by the Jaguars, and I think the same could happen with Gordon entering this season. He's as gifted a receiver as he is a runner, which allows him to have huge games regardless of game script. For both Cleveland backs to be values, the team would have to produce vintage New Orleans-level production for its backs. At 5-foot-6 and 191 pounds, Cohen is too small and one-dimensional to be used as a lead back even if David Montgomery gets hurt. Jalen Hurts will inevitably take away carries and goal-line rushes from the backfield, capping any true remaining upside Sanders may have been clinging to. Phil Alexander: Hunt finished last season as the RB10 in PPR scoring, but his cumulative stats were buoyed by a four-game stint as Cleveland's starter when Nick Chubb was out with an MCL sprain. Jason Wood: Preseason depth charts aren't perfectly predictive, but the new Texans coaching staff clearly sent a message listing Johnson as the No. First, Johnson turns 30 in December, and considering all the injuries he's dealt with in his NFL career, it's hard to see him aging well. He had the second-worst catch rate in the league last year among running backs, catching only 56% of his targets and dropping eight passes along the way (tied for most with Ezekiel Elliot). This is a major factor in any expectation that Robinson would be fantasy lineup-relevant without an injury to one of the other options, especially beyond the early weeks of the season. Manchester City's most overrated players in the Premier League Adrian . But regardless of quarterback, Kamara is unlikely to return to his 80 reception ways. His average DVOA of 0.085% would rank him 31st in the NFL in 2009, right behind Rashard Mendenhall. These are players that will not put up stats commensurate to their draft spot, and avoiding them is another of the important keys to a successful fantasy team. But I do not believe The Bus should be in the list of the top 40 RBs of all time. Combine a true committee situation with a quarterback who racks up 1,000 yards and a handful of scores, and you have a ceiling on Dobbins that won't be unlocked without a rash of injuries. There have been personnel changes and a change in offensive coordinator to Matt Canada. Chase Edmonds, Arizona | Consensus Rankings RB25 | Consensus Projections RB23. Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay | Consensus Rankings RB33 | Consensus Projections RB31. I definitely do not want the most expensive option here (Carter), but Coleman and Johnson are arbitrage plays. 1. It probably comes off as harsh to call Montgomery one of the most overrated running backs of the past decade, but he is. Its a knock on his offensive line. Miami will use a committee as none of the backs on the roster can handle the lead-back role. Projecting a fourth-round pick to take over the backfield would be fine if there was evidence that this was happening. Jason Wood: Sanders is talented, and when healthy, was productive under former head coach Doug Pederson. He was used more as a receiver than anything. We don't yet know how much of Kamara's past success as a pass-catcher to attribute to Brees. Best Football Running Backs of All Time - TheTopTens Daniel Jones was one of the most uninspiring quarterbacks in the league last year. And even if he played all three downs, the target competition is strong (Davante Adams, Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow). Jason Wood: Williams has the talent to be a top-10 fantasy back for years. Gibson was even in the game after Robinson was out. The Eagles consistently added to the depth chart this offseason with Kerryon Johnson, Jordan Howard, Kenneth Gainwell added to Boston Scott. Chad Parsons: Travis Etienne and Carlos Hyde were both chosen additions by the new Jaguars regime with either Round 1 pedigree (Etienne) or a productive NFL profile (Hyde). Gordon has always been a runner that needs a large workload to produce fantasy stats. Lets take a look at the average Jerome Bettis season: 277 carries, 1051 yards, 3.9 YPC, 7 TDs. But the Ravens are a Super Bowl contender and won't veer from the system that's gotten them to the peak. Hes the favorite for running back targets, but the offense doesnt really throw to the running backs. Daniel Jones was one of the most uninspiring quarterbacks in the league last year. That role may not disappear completely, but the addition of Gio Bernard is a bad sign for Tampa Bay's intentions with Fournette. Swift also picked up bad footwork habits working alongside a different style of back in Adrian Peterson last year, opting for inefficient jump cuts that hurt his game. His best year came in 2011 when he ran for 10 touchdowns and 1,047 yards, but other than that he didn't do much else. Henderson was arguably the best blocking fullback during the late 90s, paving the way for nine 1,000 yard rushers in his 12 years in Green Bay. While Jacobs is capable of a bell-cow role, McDaniels has a long history of maddening running back usage as the Patriots OC. His value is trending in the wrong direction. Although the rookie saw an uptick in usage throughout his first season, he managed to eclipse 66% of his teams snaps just once. The only reason Johnson had fantasy value last year was a superhuman effort from Deshaun Watson to move the offense and produce points. Cohen is not even a projected injury-away auto-start fantasy option heading into training camp. Etienne's selection early in the late first signals he should have an immediate opportunity, especially with a new coaching staff in place. Eric Dickerson 8. It all depends on who works best in the new scheme and if the scheme works. So should drafters trust the first 25 games of his career where he was a compiler with minimal ceiling or the final six games against bad defenses in 2020? There are some people who will say he was the most overrated running back in history because he was 1-5 in the playoffs, and he never won a Super . Phil Alexander: Beware of drafting running backs based solely on their perceived opportunity. Cam Akers, LA Rams | Consensus Rankings RB12 | Consensus Projections RB13. At cost, D'Andre Swift and others are better combinations of floor and ceiling. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans | Consensus Rankings RB3 | Consensus Projections RB2. Pittsburghs front five looks nothing like last years group. Taylor can be a rock-solid option and still be pecked away with Hines and Mack enough to be more in the RB10-15 range. His current draft price is almost his upside. Jones was the better, more efficient runner during the 2020 regular season, and Bernard seems destined to be Tampa's primary passing-down back. Brown never stopped earning playing time for the Rams despite the team investing early draft capital at the position. Baltimore Ravens: Most underrated, overrated players of all time However, his footwork and explosiveness in tight spaces allowed him to slip would-be tacklers with consistency. Frank: Most overrated and underrated Eagles: RBs | RSN This should be a fair competition, considering that Miami is changing its scheme this year. Whenever a new coaching group comes in, especially an inexperienced one, there is always the risk that players with a high fantasy price underachieve. Drafters are still grabbing David Johnson due to projected volume, yet in their first preseason game, Houston utilized Phillip Lindsay on first and second downs with the starters while David Johnson was restricted to a third-down role. Michael Carter, NY Jets | Consensus Rankings RB37 | Consensus Projections RB36. There have been 49 running backs taken among the first 10 picks since 1960, and Byars has the lowest rushing average of the bunch. Zamir White is looking like a capable back and could eat into Jacobs' carries. While the opportunity is undeniable, it's risky betting on Davis as the answer. Take a chance on a committee back in the same range who might emerge into a starter or become one due to injury. Instead, McKissic is a receiving-centric option where targets will be at a premium considering the competition in Washington, which was not present in the 2020 version with notable wide receiver additions Curtis Samuel, Adam Humphries, and Dyami Brown. Bursting onto the scene in our list is Micah Richards. Most Overrated NFL Players of All Time by Team By Paul Ladewski, updated on September 10, 2021 Matt York / AP Photo Don't you just love it that sports media are so quick to hype athletes as the biggest and the best. Over the past decade, the NFL has really evolved into a passing league. But after he sat a game due to injury, the Bears' lead runner came out hot after their bye, and he finished at a torrid pace of 25.7 points per game as the overall RB1 from Weeks 12 to 17. Compared to Jim Brown (5.2 YPC), Larry Csonka (4.3 YPC), and Earl Campbell (4.3 YPC). The new coaching staff is inexperienced (second-youngest in the NFL), the system is unproven, the quarterback is going to gobble up a ton of rushing yards and touchdowns, and the front office has added running back depth aggressively in the offseason. The Top Ten 1 David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham is (born 2 May 1975) is an English former professional footballer, the current president & co-owner of Inter Miami CF and co-owner of Salford City.. Andrew Davenport: Fournette's production in the playoffs was artificially inflated by the injury to Ronald Jones II, and part of Fournette's regular-season fantasy production last year was due to his pass-catching role. If Robinson claims goal line work, there is an upward battle for returning a value in his ADP. Unfortunately, Dobbins is on a team with an elite rushing quarterback in Lamar Jackson, who will always cap Dobbins' upside in total carries and goal-line looks. Malcolm Brown has also been an underrated commodity for some time now and gets a shot to compete with Gaskin for significant playing time. It's possible that Las Vegas will lean on Jacobs, knowing he won't be back next year, but that goes against McDaniels' past style of play. I have seen Bettis crack the top 20 and even top 10 of some lists, and this is inexplicable. Ryan Hester: He might not keep his job, his offense probably wont be great, hes not explosive, and hes on the wrong side of the running back career arc. Andy Hicks: Austin Ekeler isnt going to rush anyone to a fantasy title. Perhaps the political and social issues depicted in 'The Grapes of Wrath" were too controversial. Detroit signed Jamaal Williams to take the heavy work and kicked the tires on Todd Gurley before declining his addition. Most Overrated NFL Players of All Time by Team | Stadium Talk Washingtons offense ranked 21st in overall DVOA last season and doesnt project to improve much in 2022 despite the addition of Carson Wentz. His current draft price is almost his upside. Gordon was adequate last year, but that was almost purely on volume. Pat Fitzmaurice: This is the type of player I won't draft at any cost. NFL career: 1988-91, all with Cincinnati Bengals (4 seasons) Statistics/16 games: 659.5 rush yards/4.6 yards per . Jeff Haseley: The Dolphins have a three-headed approach to the running back position this year. Single As a rookie, Montgomery was a disappointment, averaging just 10.7 fantasy points per game. Ryan Hester: Even before he played double-digit snaps in the most meaningless of all meaningless preseason games, Jacobs was a solid fade. I just see way too much downside to take a risk on lightning striking twice. Barkley could hit on pure talent and above-average recuperative ability, but everything else is going against him to return value on his lofty ADP. Henry is all but guaranteed to regress after rushing for over 2,000 yards last season, and he doesnt catch enough passes. Anthony Amico: The new regime for the Raiders is not particularly reassuring of Jacobs' role with the team. Here is the player who received the most votes: And here are all of the payers mentioned and the reasons why. No thanks. Ben Cummins: Im a big fan of Antonio Gibsons talent, but he will have to overcome a lot of hurdles to pay off his current ADP. Robinsons workload will dramatically decrease this season, and drafters arent taking that into account as much as they should. McDaniels is someone who deploys multiple backs throughout the course of the game. Top 10 Most Overrated Athletes of All Time It's not that they aren't great players, they just aren't everything we've been led to believe. These players will not put up stats commensurate to their draft spot, and avoiding them is another important key to a successful fantasy team. 2022/07/02 . That, plus the uncertainty of Edmond's role, leaves me more concerned than excited. Gordon has always been a runner that needs a large workload to produce fantasy stats. But drafting him as a high-upside No. The Eagles also resigned Jordan Howard and added Kerryon Johnson to the backfield, exhibiting their lack of trust in Sanders to be an every-down back. Worst of all, he is now playing on the Houston Texans, who have no identity on offense heading into the season. Saquon Barkley, NY Giants | Consensus Rankings RB8 | Consensus Projections RB10. Anthony Amico: The story with Gibson is somewhat similar to that of Jacobs but with a proof of concept already complete. When we go into advanced stats, we can tell even more about Bettis: * Note: The stats are Bettis averages per season, not total career. Jason Garrett was one of the most uninspiring play-callers in the league last year. He's never carried the ball more than 132 times in a season. The Raiders declined to exercise Jacobs fifth-year option this offseason, drafted Zamir White in the fourth round, signed Ameer Abdullah and Brandon Bolden, and Kenyan Drake returns from injury. Even if he receives most of the early-down and passing game work, it still wont be very valuable on a putrid offense. As a model for other running backs, one of the greatest running backs of all time is a horrible example. I'll pass on Barkley at cost. Austin Ekeler, LA Chargers | Consensus Rankings RB9 | Consensus Projections RB9. He was a reliable pass-protector, and had sure hands. Nick Chubb, Cleveland | Consensus Rankings RB10 | Consensus Projections RB11. 19 Overrated Running Backs - Footballguys Search my work, about me, and maybe -if I ever get around to it - my blog. They did not pick up his fifth-year option and took Zamir White in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Even when Barkley was a big fantasy hit, it took big plays that can be very mercurial from year to year to make it happen. Now, these guys are treated with all the respect of disposable diapers. However, the floor is lower than the surrounding running backs in cost. The Lessons of Barry Sanders - Grantland Sigmund Bloom: There are too many forces that Barkley has to swim upstream again to justify taking Barkley at his lofty ADP. In Week 16 of the 2011 season, Adrian Peterson tore his ACL and returned as the #1 overall running back in 2012. 54 touchdowns. Sigmund Bloom: Brian Robinson Jr had an excellent preseason debut, while Antonio Gibson fumbled *again*, so this is trending in the wrong direction for Gibson's 2022 redraft value. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis | Consensus Rankings RB8 | Consensus Projections RB7. Jim Brown 2. At times he looked like the future back Detroit has been looking for this century. But drafting him as a high-upside No. His career YPC was 3.9. Running back Chris Wells of the Arizona Cardinals was a first-round draft pick, 31st overall, in 2009 who always seemed to be on the injured list year after year. Got the exact same number of carries as Williams. Unlike Lindsay, Williams can supplant Gordon at the goal line, and there's some possibility that Williams takes over the backfield right away. Durability is atop the list after missing six games last year. Myles Gaskin, Miami | Consensus Rankings RB24 | Consensus Projections RB22. Jeff Haseley: Chase Edmonds scored in five different games in 2020, exceeding eight carries in a game only twice in 15 qualifying games. In five games without Mark Ingram II in 2020, Dobbins only out-carried Gus Edwards 13 to 11.6. Here are the NFL running backs with the most career touchdown runs over 50 yards (based on stats through 2016). Andrew Davenport: Fantasy managers are drafting Carter as though he is the unquestioned starter. For example, take Imagine Dragons and Maroon 5, both very accomplished. In June 2008, Sports Illustrated polled nearly 500 players on the most overrated athlete in baseball, and Jeter was numero uno. Without the volume, it is going to be difficult to get decent fantasy numbers. Andy Hicks: Austin Ekeler isnt going to rush anyone to a fantasy title. Jason Wood: We all want Dobbins to be an every-down workhorse. Bettis was also a nonfactor in the passing game. Ryan Hester: Short of Taysom Hill (if he wins the job), this whole offense is an avoid for fantasy football right now. Unless his ADP falls a bit, he's a pass where he's being drafted right now. While he can certainly put up some strong fantasy weeks, the savvier move would be to wait for the younger backs later in the draft. At others, he made mistakes and was underused. Projections, Get The Most Out Of Your The current regime did not select Robinson. You are better off investing in a more consistent player for your RB2 when you get to the late second or early third round of drafts. Sigmund Bloom: One year after the signing of Gordon indicated a lack of faith in Phillip Lindsay -- that bore out with Lindsay being allowed to leave in free agency this offseason -- the Broncos moved up in the second round to take Javonte Williams, indicating a lack of faith in Gordon. Without the volume, he is hard to use. Pat Fitzmaurice: First, a hat tip: For a guy who was a nonfactor in Purdue's offense for four years and was mostly a special-teamer in his first four NFL seasons, Mostert turned out to be a pretty good running back. Gibson plays on a bad offense, has rushing competition from Robinson, and receiving competition from McKissic. By the season's end, Mike Davis will be a case of "I knew it," but the guy who pushes him down or out is pure guesswork at this stage. And while Johnson sits atop the Houston depth chart, Phillip Lindsay, Mark Ingram II, and perhaps Rex Burkhead will factor in as well. Whenever a new coaching group comes in, especially an inexperienced one, there is always the risk that players with a high fantasy price underachieve. Melvin Gordon III, Denver | Consensus Rankings RB29 | Consensus Projections RB28. 5. Brady is known for being the only quarterback in history to win 7 Super Bowls, and is often considered one of the best quarterbacks of all time. The team likes fourth-round pick Zamir White and passing down back Ameer Abdullah, and Kenyan Drake is still on the roster, so Jacobs is going to have trouble being consistent enough to merit an every-week RB2 start. His ADP has been climbing recently, and while his price says drafters are aware of the easy schedule down the stretch, he's still being overvalued at his current price. While Hunt has moderate standalone value playing alongside Chubb, he'll need to either break a long run, vulture a touchdown at the goal-line, or catch a score to help you win a weekly matchup -- all things that are difficult to bank on. Top 50 Running Backs of All Time List - Sports Articles NFL's Most Overrated/Underrated QBs, RBs and WRs Yep. Before McKissic was injured with a concussion in Week 12, which forced him to miss the remainder of the season, Gibson was only getting targeted 2.6 times per game. Gordon's arrow is pointing down for 2021, and he could be marginalized as the season goes on because the team also likes free agent signing Mike Boone. The team didn't improve a problem defensive line. James Brimacombe: Johnson has been a fantasy hero for us in the past, but now entering Year 7, his best days are behind him. Austin Ekeler, LA Chargers | Consensus Rankings RB7 | Consensus Projections RB7. Swift has already broken the injury seal with a groin issue in camp, and Jamaal Williams has already been spoken of highly as a potential 1A to Swift's No. Gordon caught only 32 passes last year, and outside of three games where he scored two touchdowns, he was a mediocre fantasy back. Ryan Hester: If Aaron Rodgers leaves Green Bay, no Green Bay players will see their output exceed their price tag.