Fantasy Football: Most Valuable Reserve RBs in 2024

The traditional backup running back seems to be an endangered species in today’s NFL. As teams increasingly place less value on the value of running backs, we’re seeing more commissions and timeshares than ever before. This means it’s all the more important for fantasy football managers to identify the few true backup RBs left, as they often carry the most potential upside compared to their draft spot — with just one injury, your 13th-round pick could flip into a weekly top-20 option to close out the season.

That said, there are quite a few running backs who go in the later rounds. According to Yahoo ADP, 17 different running backs have an ADP between 120 and 140, indicating that people are basically just blindly taking shots in that range.

In this article I will attempt to clear up some of that mess, avoiding guys like Jaleel McLaughlin and Khalil Herbert, who would simply step into committees if their team’s starting player got injured. I will focus on guys who would clearly be their team’s next player.

Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings

From Matt Asiata to Alexander Mattison to Chandler, Minnesota has been the backup RB capital of America for more than a decade. Chandler enters the season as the Vikings’ No. 2 back behind Aaron Jones, with little competition for touches outside of that — the only other running backs on the Vikings’ depth chart are return specialist Kene Nwangwu and Myles Gaskin. Chandler was effective in the same pinch-hitter role for the Vikings last year, averaging 12.2 fantasy points per game after becoming the starter in Week 15.

Jones is entering his 30th season this year and missed six games last year due to injury. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Vikings are careful with Jones and don’t overwork him. This means that Chandler could potentially be relevant even with Jones healthy and that he would at least become an RB2 if Jones gets injured.

Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers

Hubbard may not be the most exciting player in the NFL, but that doesn’t make him any less valuable in fantasy. Hubbard had perhaps the quietest productive season ever last year, with over 1,100 scrimmage yards and finishing as the 26th RB.

The Panthers added rookie Jonathan Brooks in the second round of this year’s draft, and he’s expected to become the starter at some point this season. However, Brooks is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last November, and it’s reportedly unlikely he’ll return until Weeks 3 or 4.

The Panthers appear to have no interest in playing Miles Sanders, who currently sits third on the Panthers depth chart. Sanders has been a trade rumor all offseason after being benched for Hubbard last year. This means that by taking Hubbard in the 11th round at his ADP, you could potentially get a starter for at least the first few weeks who could also be a valuable handcuff after Brooks returns. Hubbard doesn’t have the same upside as some of these other guys, as the Panthers offense as a whole isn’t going to be very productive, but he’s still a great insurance policy to have on your bench.

Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans

Pierce is coming off a disappointing sophomore season. He struggled to adapt to the Shanahan run scheme that offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik implemented last year, and was replaced by Devin Singletary as a result.

There’s no doubt that Pierce is a talented runner — he ranked in the top 10 of PFF’s rushing grade his rookie year and was in the top five in missed tackles forced as the lone bright spot on a terrible Texans team. I’m optimistic that with a full offseason to get healthier and more acclimated to the offense, Pierce will be the guy the Texans turn to if newly acquired starter Joe Mixon gets injured.

The Texans could have easily traded Pierce to a team in need of a running back if they didn’t believe in him. I think it’s telling that they not only kept Pierce, but they didn’t even consider the position in the draft.

Mixon has never been a particularly efficient running back (he’s had just one season of over 4.1 yards per carry) and has a lot of miles under his belt now, entering his eighth season. I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that Pierce is a better pure running back than Mixon right now, and in the later rounds I’d be willing to bet that Pierce adapts to the Texans’ scheme and potentially becomes the starter of a formidable offense.

Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons

Finally, we have Allgeier, who is perhaps the gold standard of backup running backs. He is in the unique position of likely being involved in the Falcons offense as a backup, but he would also become the team’s three-down workhorse if starter Bijan Robinson were to miss time. This makes him an ideal target, as you could have Allgeier start in a pinch, even if he splits time with Robinson.

I think the fantasy community has a little too much faith in Robinson being the linchpin of the Falcons’ offense, as Allgeier has been quite effective in each of his two seasons in the league.

Allgeier is notably one of the best pass-blocking running backs in the league, and I think he’ll be on the field a little more than we expect, especially with new quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​coming off an Achilles injury. I’m drafting Allgeier aggressively based on his ADP this year, as he has a combination of floor and ceiling that’s tough to find in the double-digit rounds.