Fantasy RB Rankings for 2022
Though the running back position has been devalued a bit in the NFL over the last few years, it's still the most important position in fantasy football. Did you know that only one RB (Jonathan Taylor) scored more than 300 fantasy points in 2021? In all fairness, Derrick Henry would have also accomplished that feat if not for a devastating foot injury.
Finding the right RB for your team can be a daunting task. That's why we've put together the following list to help you target the best running backs for your 2022 fantasy draft. Here are our fantasy RB Rankings for 2022 as well as the updated bye weeks for this season's schedule.
| Rank | RB | Team | Bye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonathan Taylor | Colts | 14 |
| 2 | Derrick Henry | Titans | 6 |
| 3 | Alvin Kamara | Saints | 14 |
| 4 | Dalvin Cook | Vikings | 7 |
| 5 | Joe Mixon | Bengals | 10 |
| 6 | Nick Chubb | Browns | 9 |
| 7 | Ezekiel Elliott | Cowboys | 9 |
| 8 | Najee Harris | Steelers | 9 |
| 9 | Christian McCaffrey | Panthers | 13 |
| 10 | Austin Ekeler | Chargers | 8 |
| 11 | Aaron Jones | Packers | 14 |
| 12 | Javonte Williams | Broncos | 9 |
| 13 | Antonio Gibson | Washington | 14 |
| 14 | Saquon Barkley | Giants | 9 |
| 15 | D'Andre Swift | Lions | 6 |
| 16 | Elijah Mitchell | 49ers | 9 |
| 17 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | Chiefs | 8 |
| 18 | Miles Sanders | Eagles | 7 |
| 19 | Chris Carson | Seahawks | 11 |
| 20 | James Conner | Cardinals | 13 |
| 21 | Myles Gaskin | Dolphins | 11 |
| 22 | David Montgomery | Bears | 14 |
| 23 | Travis Etienne | Jaguars | 11 |
| 24 | J.K. Dobbins | Ravens | 10 |
| 25 | Cordarrelle Patterson | Falcons | 14 |
| 26 | Tony Pollard | Cowboys | 9 |
| 27 | A.J. Dillon | Packers | 14 |
| 28 | James Robinson | Jaguars | 11 |
| 29 | Cam Akers | Rams | 7 |
| 30 | Leonard Fournette | Bucs | 11 |
| 31 | Michael Carter | Jets | 10 |
| 32 | Damien Harris | Patriots | 10 |
| 33 | Marlon Mack | Texans | 6 |
| 34 | Melvin Gordon III | Broncos | 9 |
| 35 | Ronald Jones | Chiefs | 8 |
| 36 | Kareem Hunt | Browns | 9 |
| 37 | Josh Jacobs | Raiders | 6 |
| 38 | Devin Singletary | Bills | 7 |
| 39 | Kenneth Walker | Seahawks | 11 |
| 40 | Breece Hall | Jets | 10 |
When Should I Select a RB in My 2022 Fantasy Draft?
Our recommendation would be to take a running back with the first pick in your draft, especially if you have one of the top eight picks. The position itself just isn't that deep and more and more teams are moving to more of a RB by committee approach. In 2021, only six running backs scored over 200 fantasy points.
A lot of fantasy players shy away from taking a RB with their first pick because of fear of injury. After what happened to Derrick Henry (missed 9 games), Christian McCaffrey (missed 10 games), and Alvin Kamara (missed 4 games) last year we definitely understand this fear. Nevertheless, it is nearly impossible to have a successful fantasy season if you don't have at least one solid RB on your roster.
We expect Jonathan Taylor to have another monster season in 2022 but he'll probably be the first or second player off the board in your draft. If Taylor isn't available, we'd lean towards a guy like Alvin Kamara or Najee Harris. Both Harris and Kamara have excellent pass-catching skills, which is icing on the cake at the RB position (especially in PPR leagues).
