Putting together tiers is one of the most important exercises to go through when building your fantasy football draft board. It allows you to see exactly how each player at a position stacks up against each other and gives you a more dynamic list than traditional static rankings.
We’ve already covered the quarterback tiers, so now let’s check out the 2016 running back tiers. Please note that these tiers are for standard leagues. Players with a value upgrade in PPR formats are indicated.
▲ = PPR Upgrade
Tier 1 – Round 1
David Johnson, Cardinals
Todd Gurley, Rams
Adrian Peterson, Vikings
Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys
The popular rebuttal to any set of running back rankings this year is: “Player A has a lot of question marks.” Simply, put there are no sure things at the position this year. However, these four backs do stand out at the top.
Johnson was a force down the stretch last season and has a true three-down skill set in a potent offense. His ability as a receiver places him just a tick above Gurley and Peterson. Both will be in the mix for the league lead in carries, but neither figures to be huge factors in the passing game. Many scoff at the notion of ranking a rookie this high, but Elliott is as pro-ready as they come and landed in arguably the best possible spot behind that Dallas offensive line. He’s a likely candidate for 300-plus touches.
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