Four Running Backs to Buy, Sell, or Hold in Dynasty Leagues
Welcome to the ‘Buy, Sell, or Hold’ series where each week I’ll be focusing on one position to analyze four players and what we should be doing with them. We’re back to running backs and for this edition, I’ll be looking at four who were affected by the NFL Draft.
James Conner, RB ARI – Hold
Heading into the NFL Draft it made sense that the Cardinals would try and draft a running back. Behind Conner the depth chart was pretty bleak. I’m not sure how many people thought the Cardinals would take the second running back off the board though with Trey Benson. Benson was in conversations as the top running back prospect in the draft as he has the necessary size, great tackle-breaking ability, and home run speed. Can we still have faith in Conner?
The Move – Earlier in the off-season I talked about Conner in a previous article saying I thought he was a buy but that you should wait to do it. Now things have changed. Benson is a good prospect and presents an actual threat to Conner’s opportunities. I still believe there’s a chance that Conner could produce like he has but it’s a much riskier bet than before. Benson could be just good enough to steal opportunities or if Conner misses time Benson could run away with the job. I’m just holding now.
Chuba Hubbard, RB CAR – Hold
Hubbard was a pleasant surprise in 2023, helping fantasy managers who held onto him going into the year. But this off-season his job was always on shaky ground. It’s easy to say the Panthers shouldn’t worry about dedicating capital to running back but Hubbard just isn’t a difference maker. Even so, it was a bit of a shock the Panthers traded up to make Jonathon Brooks the first running back taken in the NFL Draft. Normally selecting the first running back is a luxury pick for that NFL franchise, something the Panthers should have been avoiding.
The Move – Hubbard was a pretty easy sell earlier in the off-season but it’s going to be hard to do so now. It’s hard to think you’re going to find someone in your league who thinks Hubbard is worth buying for enough for him to be worth selling. He may have lost his starting job but he’s still a solid handcuff. Additionally, if Brooks isn’t healthy to start the season Hubbard could provide a couple weeks of production. Just hold for now, you’ll likely have a better selling opportunity if Hubbard actually starts any games.
Kyren Williams, RB LAR – League Dependent
Almost no other player outperformed expectations like Williams in 2023. Still, it was expected the Rams would draft a running back due to them having no depth behind Williams and the fact that they’ve done so in each of the past six drafts. Adding Blake Corum, seen as one of the top prospects at the position, in the third round was an interesting move. Sean McVay himself has said he views Corum and Williams as similar players which makes this backfield a bit harder to figure out.
The Move – More than most players, what to do with Williams will depend on how your league feels. He is going to be a widely varied asset from league to league due to his outlier nature. If you don’t have Williams on your team and the manager who does no longer values him as a top-ten running back, I’m interested in buying. Conversely, if you have Williams and another manager is willing to pay you top six running back prices, I’m willing to sell. In all other situations, I’m holding.
James Cook, RB BUF – Sell
In 2023 Cook made good on his playmaking potential and actually earned a significant workload, something many feared he’d never be able to do in the NFL due to his small frame. Unfortunately for Cook, despite earning 291 opportunities for the season, he was only able to turn in 13.9 PPR PPG due to his lack of touchdowns. The Bills just continue to minimize Cook’s role in the red zone. In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bills took Ray Davis in the fourth round who is a bigger back than Cook and may help to keep Cook on the sideline when near to the end zone.
The Move – For better or worse, I’ve always been lower on Cook than consensus. I’ve always had concerns about what his yearly workload can be. I also find myself higher on Ray Davis than consensus. He’s an older late breakout player but he’s got NFL size and is competent everywhere. I don’t think Davis takes Cook’s job but I expect him to be a thorn in Cook’s side. I’d like to use Cook to tier down to other running backs who could score similarly or better this year like Javonte Williams, Joe Mixon, or Tony Pollard while getting a bonus on top.
Despite the 2024 running back class being seen as weak we still got several interesting landing spots. Deciphering those spots is vital to navigating the off-season.
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