12 Bold Takes at Running Back

Photo: USA Today Sports

The 2024 season is almost upon us, so it's time for bold takes.

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We asked the Footballguys staff to give their ride-or-die takes for this season. Here's what they said.

A Bold Take from Hutchinson Brown

A Javonte Williams top-12 season is here!

Year four is not normally a breakout year for running backs, but Williams’ situation is very peculiar. He had a very flashy rookie season, during which he was one of the best running backs in football in terms of creating yards. He displayed the potential to take a sizeable workload both as a runner and a passer.

Year two was cut very short by his knee injury, which included multiple torn ligaments. Then, in year three, he came back but was not the same due to that injury. Even so, in the second half of the season, Williams was on an RB2-level tear when looking at his fantasy points per game. 

Rookie quarterback Bo Nix attempted 69% of his passes within ten yards of the time of scrimmage in his final college season, giving plenty of targets to his running backs. Nix, in a Sean Peyton system that tends to involve running backs in the passing game, will lead to an immense amount of targets for the running back position.

By all reports in camp, Williams should have the lead rushing share, but he should also receive a solid workload in the passing game, which he has proven he can handle. With his incredible ability to break tackles and get extra yards when healthy, he could very well lead him to a top-12 season.

A Bold Take from Phil Alexander

D'Andre Swift is an every-week RB1.

All offseason, I've been asking how defenses are going to stop Swift from generating big plays out of the backfield with their attention focused on DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, and even Caleb Williams (who has more mobility than many people realize). When I hear my first good answer, I'll let you know. If Williams is half as Mahomes-ian as his preseason highlights suggested, then Swift is peak Kansas City Jerick McKinnon, except with a consistent 60-65% backfield opportunity-share McKinnon never approached. The drumbeat out of Bears' camp has been steady throughout the offseason - Swift looks like one of their best offensive players and a revelation as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. We saw it with our own eyes during Chicago's second preseason game when Swift took a shovel pass from Williams for a 42-yard gain. Swift will top his career-high 62 receptions, score double-digit touchdowns, and lead fantasy gamers to the promised land.

A Bold Take from Jason Wood

Ken Walker III will be a top-10 fantasy back with ease.

Walker has nearly 2,000 yards rushing over the last two seasons despite never being the focal point of Shane Waldron's offense. New coordinator Ryan Grubb understands the value of a workhorse tailback and will incorporate Walker into the playbook, making it impossible for him to finish outside of the ten best at the position. 

A Bold Take from Gary Davenport

Devin Singletary will have more total yards and PPR fantasy points in 2024 than Saquon Barkley last year.

What? You said bold. Last season, Barkley tallied 1,242 yards, caught 42 passes, and finished 13th in PPR points among running backs. The thing is, those yardage and reception totals aren’t unattainable goals for Singletary, who should be every bit the featured back that Barkley was a year ago. What kept Barkley inside high-end RB2 territory last year was 10 touchdowns in 14 games—and that won’t be easy. But there isn’t a back in fantasy with a real chance of finishing as a fantasy RB1 being drafted later than Singletary. He’s a better player than many think, and he’s going to get the rock. Go big, or don't go.