Fantasy Football: RB preview for 2024 drafts

Let’s be frank about it — running back is still the most important position in fantasy football. It offers tons of volatility, sure; tons of injury risk. But if you find the right answers at running back — from the draft, the wire, or the trade market — you probably rule the kingdom.

This does not mean our drafts have to start with a heavy running back push like previous generations of drafters did. Bell cows are a dying breed in the NFL, with most teams steering into timeshares and platoons. But I actually find the striation of running-back production to be oddly comforting; it means we can accept fewer points from viable RB2 and RB3 candidates, and there seem to be more potential players to fill those roles.

Although every draft plan needs to be sketched in pencil, so managers can remain open-minded and ready to pivot as live opportunities present themselves, you probably want to lean into a running back shape before your draft starts. Again, you are not forever beholden to this plan; maybe you’ll call a nifty audible as your live draft meanders along. But there are three major running-back builds to pick from, and most fantasy managers seem to favor one of them.

— The old school plan is known as Robust RB, where you pick multiple backs with early draft capital.

— The trendy pivot from Robust RB has become Zero RB, where you ignore the position with early picks and look to stock up with upside picks later. The volatility of the position becomes your friend.

— The compromise between Robust RB and Zero RB is the Hero RB (or Anchor RB) approach, the concept of getting one sturdy back to solidify your room, then shelving the hunt for several rounds.

Note that in all three of these strategies, smart fantasy managers are likely to select multiple high-ceiling lottery tickets in the second half of the draft. It’s always bothered me when some posit that this is a concept that belongs to Zero RB alone. Good managers understand and embrace this key idea, no matter…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy-football-rb-preview-2024-164239063.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-08-13 16:42:39

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