Outlook: That's right, a third Falcons running back has the potential to be on fantasy football rosters this season. Eyebrows were definitely raised when Atlanta selected Robinson because Allgeier and Patterson were a solid one-two punch in 2022. Patterson was excellent in 2021, but the receiving back saw a tremendous drop in production due to Allgeier's presence: 695 rushing yards and 122 receiving yards in 13 games.

If Robinson or Allgeier gets injured, the 32-year-old has proven he's capable of replacing them with his dual threat capability. However, his age signals his production could take a dip. Early reports suggest we could Patterson used more as a wide receiver this season which makes sense given the two backs ahead of him. That pushes Patterson into the very late rounds in redraft leagues or a high priority waiver wire add once the season begins.

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Outlook: Should the Bengals part ways with Mixon before the start of camp, would they entertain inserting Brown as the starter? He's certainly proven he can handle the workload. As a senior at Illinois last season Brown amassed 1,883 scrimmage yards and scored 13 touchdowns. His 1,643 rushing yards were 4th most in FBS, and he was named 2nd team All-American. He's an effective one-cut runner with speed, and since he'll never see a stacked box, should have room to maneuver. He's a sneaky great fit for this offense as really runs hard behind his frame, and has three-down versatility. With a passing game like the Bengals have, Brown would only need some consistent opportunity to be a fantasy factor. If Mixon is jettisoned from this roster, and they don't replace him with a big name, Brown offers insane value, especially in early drafts and dynasty leagues.

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Outlook: Kansas City used a first-round pick on Edwards-Helaire in 2020. In three years with the club, the LSU product has averaged 541 yards rushing, 193 yards receiving, and 5.7 combined TDs. He's also missed 17 of 50 games, including back-to-back years of appearing in just 10. Given his struggles to stay healthy and declining production, it should come as no surprise that the Chiefs elected not to pick up his fifth-year option, setting up CEH for free agency after the season.

The days of drafting Edwards-Helaire outside the deepest of leagues are over. While there's always some degree of upside for a player of CEH's talent, his uncertain role and durability concerns make him no more than a watch-list candidate.

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Outlook: White was a popular sleeper in drafts leading up to the start of last season, but he ended up hitting the snooze button throughout his rookie year, posting just 17 carries in 14 games while never even being targeted as a receiver out of the backfield. He logged only 40 snaps, well below veterans Ameer Abdullah (175) and Brandon Bolden (82), but White was a fourth-round pick of the current regime, and if they look to scale back Jacobs' touches, he offers the most potential to do something positive with them. If he can secure the No. 2 job, White could be a late-round handcuff target and perhaps more if Jacobs holds out.

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Outlook: The Miami Dolphins signed running back Chase Edmonds last offseason, but traded him to the Denver Broncos on Nov. 1. Three weeks later, he'd be sent to the IR for the rest of the season and was then cut by the Broncos on March 10. He finished last season with 68 carries for 245 yards and two touchdowns.

The Buccaneers picked him up just six days after his release to add depth to their running back room. It's still uncertain if Edmonds will win the RB2 job as he battles with Ke'Shawn Vaughn in camp. However, Edmonds has a couple more years of experience which should give him the edge. With that being said, Edmonds is not a target in most drafts and will likely be a waiver wire pickup should something happen to Rachaad White.

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Outlook: As with many of LA's skill players, Williams' season was undermined by injuries. First, he broke his foot during the offseason. Then, he sustained a high-ankle sprain in Week 1 that landed him on IR. He got his first NFL carry on Nov. 13 and saw a combined 44 touches over the final eight weeks, so he enters his sophomore campaign very much an unknown at the NFL level.

He'll face camp challenges from veteran Sony Michel, who led the Rams in rushing in 2021 and was recently re-signed, and sixth-round pick Zach Evans. Whoever emerges from that as the backup would be a watch-list addition or maybe even a late-round stash in deeper leagues given Akers' spotty history and pending free-agent status that could lead to LA entertaining trade offers once again. For now, it appears Williams has an early advantage.

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Outlook: Many fantasy managers had high hopes for 2021 rookie Michael Carter, but those who were paying closer attention should have known that he was always a trap. Breece Hall is simply the much more talented back and he was always going to take over that team's starting job while leaving scraps for the other players in the backfield. What we didn't expect was that not only would Hall take over the job by Week 4, but Carter himself would end up losing his top spot on the Jets' RB depth yet again even after Hall suffered a season-ending injury. In fact, despite playing in every game for the Jets in 2022, Carter failed to reach double-digit carries in any game after Week 9, and didn't see more than five carries in any of the Jets' final five games.

Now heading into his third season, some fantasy managers are beginning to do it to themselves yet again. Breece Hall's ACL injury means that he might not be ready to play in Week 1, so the tendency to look down the depth chart at the RB2 position simply becomes too enticing for some. Carter is being viewed by way too many managers as the "handcuff" for Hall, but there's really no reason to believe that will be true. His two years of experience in the Jets' offense and his pass-catching ability likely give him the edge over other players in this backfield, but we've already seen him lose his job to the likes of Zonovan Knight, who is also still on the roster. The Jets also drafted Israel Abanikanda in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, making this one of the most crowded backfields in the entire league.

Carter is currently a late-round pick in most drafts, but there's some real potential for that ADP to skyrocket if we find out that Hall is unlikely to play in Week 1. The talent is there for Carter to produce as an RB2 for fantasy if he's given the role-there's just no reason to believe that'll happen. For that reason, Carter could end up being a huge trap for fantasy managers late in draft season. He's fine to select now given his late-round ADP, but Abanikanda or Knight might end up being the best value of these backs in the unfortunate scenario where Hall ends up missing significant time.

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Outlook: As a 5th round pick stuck behind Cook and Mattison, Chandler didn't see the field until Week 18 with just six touches for 20 yards, but he likely has the upper hand as the backup, as only raw 7th rounder DeWyane McBride and kick returner Kene Nwangwu stands in his way. The Vikings seem intent to bolster the notion that runner backs have become replaceable parts in the modern NFL, as they have some of the fewest draft and financial capital invested in the position. While none of the backups are currently fantasy relevant, pay close attention to how this depth chart shakes out in camp. If McBride can develop 3rd down skills, his college production, and athleticism give him some serious upside on an offense as wide open as this one will be.

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