Three Veteran Dynasty Running Backs to Buy this Off-Season
We all know in dynasty fantasy football that you should never buy a running back in the off-season. I know, that’s in conflict with the title of this article. The fantasy production of a back is so tied into opportunity, and this can drop off immediately once free agency and the draft take place. That’s especially the case with a fantastic rookie class about to enter the league, meaning a fair amount of veterans could see their roles taken from them in a matter of weeks.
However, this doesn’t mean that all veterans are about to turn into dust. Some older running backs are pretty much guaranteed to hold their value, and the current context means that they can be acquired much cheaper than they would be available for in-season. So maybe we need to start thinking outside the box and zig while others zag, targeting this deflated position when others think it’s to be avoided at all cost.
Derrick Henry, RB BAL
Henry had an absolutely incredible first year in Baltimore, finishing as the PPR RB4. In 17 games, he had 1,921 rushing yards, his second highest total ever. He also finished with 16 rushing touchdowns, and an absolutely insane 5.91 yards per carry – the highest in his career to date, even beating out the 2,000-yard 2020 season.
Despite the fact he just turned 31, a few years beyond the age cliff where we start to see running backs fade, the King has shown no signs of slowing just yet. At some point, that fall-off is going to come, and it’s going to happen quickly for a back who has seen 300+ touches in five out of the last six seasons. The argument would be to sell him before the fall off, but it’s already baked into his value as an older back.
Henry is currently the consensus RB18 per DLF rankings. This puts him behind backs like Isaiah Pacheco and David Montgomery. Yes, longevity is a huge part of that ranking, but he’s almost guaranteed to be an RB1 until the day he hits that cliff. His contract runs until next season, which means he’s guaranteed to be the starter for one of the best rushing offenses in the league in 2025, sharing the backfield with Lamar Jackson to open up more rushing lanes than Henry ever saw in Tennessee. Buying Henry might mean that he retires on your roster, but if you’re really looking to win a title, he’s a fantastic asset to lead your team in 2025.
James Conner, RB ARI
Conner’s 2024 NFL season is going completely under the radar. He ultimately finished as the PPR RB11, but struggled with injuries down the stretch. Yes, he killed your team in the fantasy championship with 2.8 points in week 17 if you started him, but he was a huge part of the reason you got there, finishing as the RB7, 1 and 6 in the three weeks beforehand. In fact, Conner finished inside the top 10 RBs six times in the first 16 weeks of the season, only finishing outside the top 25 once. He saw an unbelievable share of the rushing work in Arizona, which was surprising after the Cardinals drafted Trey Benson, but his performance ultimately ended up in him signing a three-year extension until the end of the 2026 season.
Conner has struggled with injuries throughout his NFL career and has missed multiple games in all four of his seasons in Arizona. However, he’s been incredibly productive whenever he’s been available and is one of the most underrated running backs in the NFL. The fact that the Cardinals drafted Benson last year tells me they’re unlikely to target another back in the first three rounds of the draft. That means the workhorse role will once again be Conner’s to lose.
Conner is currently the consensus RB32 per DLF rankings. If he’s healthy, there’s a 0% chance that he finishes outside the top 24 running backs – when he’s played 13 or more games, he’s only done so once in the past seven years. Conner could be available for as little as a late second from managers who are panicking about the age cliff. Even in this deep class, that level of pick is very much a lottery ticket. The guaranteed production of Conner is likely to outweigh the rookie you’ll get at the 2.12, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if you can find a manager who’s willing to do that deal – especially once we reach post-draft rookie hype season.
Najee Harris, RB PIT
Harris is a very limited running back. He was the PPR RB20 this season, and has only eclipsed four yards per carry in one of his four seasons in the NFL. However, he has reached the 1,000-yard mark in all four years, with at least 29 receptions too.
Harris is a good power back with a nose for the end zone. He’s not the elite three-down back that we were hoping for in the 2021 rookie draft when he was going at the 1.02 behind Ja’Marr Chase, but he still can be fantasy-relevant for the next few seasons. He’s the best back in this free agent class, notably meaning that he’ll find a spot before the draft. With a lot of teams needy at the RB position, Harris has a chance to find a landing spot that means he can stay relevant.
He’s currently the consensus RB29 per DLF rankings. However, I think you can trade for him incredibly cheaply for managers who just want out. The upside is limited, but the floor is definitely there depending on the landing spot.
Thanks for reading! If you want to talk about any of the players discussed above, you can find me on X here.
You can hear more from Lewis on his YouTube channel 'Fantasy Pancake' https://youtube.com/@fantasypancake?si=U7BLlUCqY38dTsEv
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