Outlook: While James Cook is currently projected to be the starter in Buffalo, the Bills did bring in two other between-the-tackles grinders to help shoulder the workload, one being Damien Harris and the other being Latavius Murray. After spending the past couple of seasons as the "1B" in New England, Harris is currently being projected to be the second option in this backfield and he could find himself getting some goal-line work this season in one of the league's best offenses.

What's interesting is that, while Harris is seven years younger than Murray, there's a real case to be made that Murray was actually the better back between the two this past season, as he actually looked decent in Denver. In fact, he had two games with over 100 rushing yards in the final four weeks of the regular season.

This isn't a backfield that fantasy managers will want to invest in, but there's a chance that only one of Harris or Murray makes the roster, in which case that player probably has some value as a handcuff to Cook if nothing else. The Bills are one of the league's most pass-heavy offenses, but even a mediocre talent like Devin Singletary was able to see double-digit carries in nine games during the 2022 regular season, so there's some potential here for fantasy value. Truthfully, though, if both Harris and Murray make the 53-man roster and are active on Sundays then there's a decent likelihood that neither of them ends up being worth much, as they'll both likely see too little work to be worthwhile for fantasy.

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Outlook: While the Eagles' new acquisitions at running back are great for the offense as a whole, the player who was likely the biggest loser for the Eagles this offseason is running back Kenneth Gainwell. It looked for a moment as if Gainwell might potentially get an opportunity to start this season when they moved on from Miles Sanders, but that thought was quickly put to bed when the team brought in both Rashaad Penny and D'Andre Swift.

Gainwell played a minimal role in the Eagles' offense in 2022, carrying the ball just 53 times despite playing in every game. He did lead all Eagles running backs with 29 carries and 23 receptions but is unlikely to maintain a strong grasp on the pass-catching role now that Swift has arrived.

Gainwell projects as more of an insurance policy rather than a locked-in contributor, but he's playing behind two backs who both have a long history of injuries, so there's a decent chance that Gainwell ends up carving out a role at some point during the season. He's someone who should probably go undrafted in most leagues, but keep an eye on him throughout the season as he could end up being a very valuable waiver wire addition.

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Outlook: Henry's contract ends after the upcoming season and it's uncertain if he'll stay in Tennessee. The Titans likely selected Tulane running back Tyjae Spears in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft as a safety net if Henry walks.

Spears led the American Athletic Conference in all rushing stat categories in 2022, recording 229 attempts for 1,581 yards and 19 touchdowns. Tulane shocked the college football world this season by finishing with a 12-2 record and beating USC in an historic comeback in the Cotton Bowl as Spears rushed for 205 yards and four touchdowns on just 17 attempts.

Just because Derrick Henry... is well... Derrick Henry, Spears probably won't see the gridiron on Sundays much this season. However, if Henry walks, Spears has the potential to be considered the most underrated running back heading into 2024. With that being said, Spears isn't likely to be drafted in most fantasy leagues this season, but could be a late-round flier and handcuff option should Henry get hurt.

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Outlook: Currently going undrafted in many leagues, it's weird to look back to the second half of the 2022 season and realize that Jeff Wilson actually led the Dolphins in carries after Week 8. This is despite the fact that he "started" just one game over that stretch. The numbers between he and Raheem Mostert were extremely close, with Mostert averaging 10 carries per game after Week 8 and Wilson averaging 10.4 carries per game over that same stretch. However, the discrepancy would've been even higher if Wilson had not been removed early in multiple games due to various injuries.

Mostert technically "started" all but two games he played in during the 2022 season, but that seemed more ceremonial than anything as it didn't result in him being a much better fantasy player than Wilson. Still, the 31-year-old Mostert is being projected by most experts to be the better fantasy asset in this committee to start the season, compared to the 27-year-old Wilson.

What's most likely to happen is probably another ugly committee with both players seeing between eight to 13 touches per week, as long as they're healthy, and neither one really claiming a strong enough role to be reliable for fantasy purposes. Add in the fact that the team brought in another speedy young back in rookie Devon Achane and there is just a lot to be worried about.

Still, considering that he's currently the lowest-drafted back in this offense, Wilson might actually provide the best pure value if things go similarly to 2022. He's a Mostert injury away from potentially seeing 15 or more touches per week in one of the league's most high-powered offenses and that's intriguing for a player you can select late in fantasy drafts.

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Outlook: With Kareem Hunt's 123 carries and 35 receptions up for grabs, Ford, a 2022 5th round pick has a very real opportunity to be a fantasy factor in 2023 as Chubb's backup. After returning 30 kicks last season, and touching the ball only eight times on offense, Ford currently sits as No.2 on the depth chart for Cleveland. Ford brings average NFL measurables and decent college production to the table but would be in line for a huge workload if Chubb were to go down. As long as the Browns don't add a veteran back in camp, Ford is a solid handcuff.

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Outlook: A pair of former fourth-round picks in Kelley (2020) and Isaiah Spiller (2022) should compete to be the No. 2 back in Los Angeles. Spiller got more of the buzz as a possible handcuff for Ekeler a year ago, but it was Kelley that wound up filling the role, finishing second on the team in carries (69) and yards (287) while Spiller managed an 18-41-0 line while frequently being a healthy inactive. As it stands, neither back offers any standalone value, though whoever locks down the RB2 spot could be a late-round target for Ekeler owners looking to secure their investment.

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Outlook: Stuck behind all-world talent Bijon Robinson at Texas, Johnson now finds himself in a logjam behind two veterans in the Bears backfield. Unfortunately, the 4th rounder will need things to fall his way to see many meaningful carries. The 6'2, 220-pound bruiser actually came to the Longhorns as a quarterback before switching positions as a freshman. Productive when given the opportunity, he's got 47 games of big-time college experience, and showed enough on tape as backup to be a middle round pick. While not draftable outside giant, or dynasty leagues, Johnson should be a waiver add if something happens to Herbert or Foreman.

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