Union

Bradley Ylitalo’s Scouting Notebook: Updated Running Back Rankings

Bradley Ylitalo Posted On February 20, 2018
Save To Favorites

As has been the case in recent draft classes, we have ourselves a bevy of elite talent at the tailback position. A running back resurgence has taken off in full swing, and the 2018 class will almost certainly add a slew of names to a growing list of young, star backs. Heading off with the number one prospect on my board, and following up with some names that will certainly be called on day one or two, this class undoubtedly has somebody that fits your league type and team needs. With all ranked players having officially declared for the draft, it’s now high time to buckle down and really learn about these young men.

Let’s get into some updated running back rankings!

1) Saquon Barkley, Penn State

What is left to be said about Saquon Barkley? The kid is an otherworldly athlete with elite vision, more than enough power, and three-down skills to drool over. A nice NFL frame with a low center of gravity, he’s set up to have a lengthy and illustrious career. An instant every week starter in real-life and fantasy purposes, he’s as much of a lock at 1.01 as you’ll see. No matter the league type or team needs, don’t let Barkley slip past you. He’s just too talented.

[am4show have=’g1;’ guest_error=’sub_message’ user_error=’sub_message’ ]

2) Derrius Guice, LSU

Ever since last summer, Guice and Barkley have been the top two backs in this class, and for the first time, people are beginning to wonder if that’s really the case. As you may have guessed, it’s not the Nittany Lion that’s in trouble, it’s the Tiger. It’s not necessarily a knock on Guice – we’ve just seen a marked improvement from Sony Michel that has some draft experts moving the Georgia product into that number two spot. While Michel’s game deserves a lot of love, I’m still tremendously excited about Guice’s immediate and long-term potential and feel pretty comfortable ranking him ahead of Michel. A bruising runner with a marvelous mix of patience and athleticism, he’s got a chance to be a bonafide star. A better rusher than receiver, be cautious of drafting Fournette’s successor too early in PPR formats.

3) Sony Michel, Georgia

He was hardly even on the radar when the 2017 season kicked off, but Michel became unignorable as he blazed through his Senior campaign in Athens. Averaging an incredible 7.9 yards per carry and amassing 16 rushing touchdowns, he was bound to catch the eyes of fans and analysts alike. A pure athlete with terrific three-down ability and NFL ready size, Michel is ready to play a heavy role in an NFL offense from day one. In PPR formats, he’s not very far behind the LSU star in terms of value.

4) Ronald Jones, USC

RoJo, as he is called, is one of my favorite backs. With all the potential in the world with his blinding speed and stunning short area quickness, I firmly believe he’s a top-five athlete in 2018. Not the most patient back in this class, Jones is just going to have to learn how to balance being a running back first, and a “highlight waiting to happen” second. He has adequate third-down abilities and technique as a runner, and if he can figure it out we have ourselves a superstar in the making.

5) Nick Chubb, Georgia

I was wrong about Nick Chubb. Watching him against Kentucky has convinced me that he is, in fact, an NFL-level athlete. I’m not saying he’s Saquon Barkley or Ronald Jones, but he’s adequate, which is easily enough for me with his skill set. A powerful back with great size, patience, and technique, Chubb has the skills to be a lead back in an NFL offense. His third down skills are still pretty poor in my eyes, but he definitely has a real shot to be a long-term starter.

6) Kerryon Johnson, Auburn

As a pure runner, he deserves a much higher rating than RB7. But the NFL is about athleticism, and it’s fair to be concerned about Johnson’s straight-line speed. His vision, power, and acceleration are all reasons to be excited about his future, but that long range pace could really hold him back in today’s NFL. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve seen players like Le’Veon Bell make it work without definite breakaway speed, but it takes a rare talent to get it done. Thankfully, Kerryon is about as talented as they come.

7) John Kelly, Tennessee

A bit of a late riser, John Kelly has shown absolutely everything you want in a fantasy back. A natural receiver with superb athleticism and elusiveness that rivals anyone in this class, the Volunteer is more than intriguing, he’s fascinating. At 5’9, his pass catching ability and quickness are expected, but it’s his strength for his size that has me not worried about him making it at the next level. He plays with an edge and creates his fair share of highlight reel plays, so expect to hear a lot more about John Kelly over the next few months.

8) Rashaad Penny, SDSU

Rushing for over 2,200 yards on his way to being named a consensus All-American, we could be looking at an immediate impact player with Penny. Built perfectly for his play style, the Aztec has you thinking of a certain Pittsburgh Steeler when watching his film. An extremely patient runner with satisfactory acceleration and agility, Penny has a solid identity and toolset to build upon. He’s not very accomplished in third-down capabilities, so is another one to be leery of in PPR leagues.

9) Mark Walton, Miami (FL)

I’m telling you – this kid is really, really special. Especially so in PPR leagues, I’m targeting the Hurricane each and every chance I get. His 5’9 frame and injury concerns are very real, but so is his talent. A receiver who will be used in a multitude of ways, with amazing athleticism and vision as a runner, Walton has pretty much everything you look for in a modern running back. Walton’s right ankle injury, unfortunately, cut his Junior season short, otherwise, I can guarantee you we would have heard a lot more from him.

10) Royce Freeman, Oregon

Collecting over 6,000 total rushing and receiving yards and in his time in Eugene, Freeman is coming in with a pretty darn good resume. Take his proven track record, and the fact that there are no glaring holes in the Ducks game, I think you can feel pretty safe going with number twenty-one. Take Freeman if you’re in need of an instant upgrade in terms of running back depth as I’m more enamored with his floor than ceiling.

Name to know: Nyheim Hines, NC State

An absolute blazer with great open field vision and ability as a receiver, Hines is somebody who may begin to shoot up boards.

Well, that wraps up this edition of “Bradley Ylitalo’s Scouting Notebook”. Please leave a comment or question about a specific prospect, or fit for your team, below. Feel free to shoot me a question on Twitter (@NFL_Drafthub), I’m always happy to interact with football fans. See you next time!

[/am4show]

bradley ylitalo
Latest posts by Bradley Ylitalo (see all)
Related Items:

Latest Articles

See All Articles

Dynasty Rankings

2024 Rookie Rankings

IDP Rankings

Devy Rankings

Podcasts

Videos

Devy Resources

Player Value Tools

Prospect Tools

Featured Tools

News & Research

Group-3386-min

Part of the Betsperts Media and Technology Group

Betsperts
FLA
Betsperts Golf
Bleachernation
4for4

Copyright 2024 Betsperts. All rights are reserved.

Find us here