Fantasy Football Off-Season Movement: Running Back Landscape, Part One

Each offseason, I track team needs and the players most likely to fill those needs in a chart like this. In the coming weeks and months, NFL teams will have multiple opportunities to fill those holes, namely the March free agency period and April’s NFL Draft.

In this series, I’ll go position-by-position, looking at teams in need, along with the veterans and rookies who could eventually fill the blanks on the chart below.

Unlike the other fantasy-relevant positions, the free-agent running back crop is loaded. That could change pending teams’ Franchise Tag decisions, but so many big-name backs hitting the open market also leaves many teams searching for a new starter. This all makes for a fun off-season.

TEAM NEEDS

Miami Dolphins

As soon as he was hired, Mike McDaniel made major changes to the Miami backfield a year ago, bringing in Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert, and Jeff Wilson. Edmonds was traded mid-season, and the two veterans are free agents. With such a priority on the running game in this 49ers-wannabe offense, expect the Dolphins to focus on finding a new and reliable starter, either through free agency or the NFL Draft.

Philadelphia Eagles

With long-time starter Miles Sanders entering free agency, the Eagles look ready to recycle the position and find a new back. Picking late in the NFL Draft, this team has routinely been projected to use their first-round pick on a rookie, possibly Bijan Robinson. Regardless of who lands in Philly, dynasty managers should aggressively pursue that player.