While the 2022 season has just begun with the NFL playoffs, we are already planning for next year. This is a reminder to ensure you are ready for Fantasy Football 2023.
With this in mind, we present an early view of our top Fantasy running backs in 2023 PPR. It is subject to change. Between now and training camp, we know that a lot will happen — including coaching changes, free agency, the NFL Draft etc. We will update our rankings as a result.
Here’s a look at our top twelve running backs in 2023. Get started on your preparations now and you could win the championship.
Adam Aizer
1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Austin Ekeler
3. Jonathan Taylor
4. Saquon Barkley
5. Joe Mixon
6. Derrick Henry
7. Travis Etienne
8. Kenneth Walker III
9. Josh Jacobs
10. D’Andre Swift
11. Breece Hall
12. Javonte Williams
Heath Cummings
1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Saquon Barkley
3. Jonathan Taylor
4. Austin Ekeler
5. Joe Mixon
6. Kenneth Walker III
7. Travis Etienne
8. Josh Jacobs
9. Derrick Henry
10. Breece Hall
11. Nick Chubb
12. Dalvin Cook
Jamey Eisenberg
1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Austin Ekeler
3. Jonathan Taylor
4. Saquon Barkley
5. Kenneth Walker III
6. Travis Etienne
7. Joe Mixon
8. Josh Jacobs
9. Derrick Henry
10. Breece Hall
11. Tony Pollard
12. Rhamondre Stevenson
Dave Richard
1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Austin Ekeler
3. Jonathan Taylor
4. Saquon Barkley
5. Kenneth Walker
6. Derrick Henry
7. Josh Jacobs
8. Najee Harris
9. Breece Hall
10. Joe Mixon
11. Nick Chubb
12. Travis Etienne
Chris Towers
1. Austin Ekeler
2. Christian McCaffrey
3. Jonathan Taylor
4. Saquon Barkley
5. Josh Jacobs
6. Derrick Henry
7. Breece Hall
8. Joe Mixon
9. Nick Chubb
10. Tony Pollard
11. Dalvin Cook
12. Rhamondre Stevenson
Welcome back, Christian McCaffrey. We’ve been watching for McCaffrey to be healthy over the last two seasons. He showed us what he could do in 2022 with two teams. McCaffrey’s season average of 21.1 points per game was second only to Ekeler (21.9). McCaffrey’s performance with the 49ers was remarkable, and we can expect another successful campaign in 2023.
In his last 10 San Francisco games, he averaged 22.2 points per game. He also had five games with more than 25 points. He had also 50 catch during that time. McCaffrey will likely share some touches next season with Elijah Mitchell, but McCaffrey needs to be drafted as the No. McCaffrey should be the No. 1 running back in every league and the possible No. 1 overall selection
Chris now has Ekeler at No. He’s the No. 1 running back Adam, Dave, and I and No. Heath should be 4 — Ekeler and Adam ought to again be amazing. He’s now averaging at least 21.5 points per game for the second consecutive year. We hope that it continues into 2023. His age, which was 28 in May, is the only thing that could cause concern. A possible decline may be on the horizon. He wasn’t featured in running until 2021 so hopefully that doesn’t mean he has much wear on his body.
Taylor is our consensus number one. 3. Running back for us all, with the hope that he can bounce back in 2023 following a bad year in 2022. He is the No. Taylor was the No. 1 running back in 2021 with 21.9 PPR point per game. He battled injuries this season, and only 13.3 PPR per game. We expect him to be 24 years old, and the Colts will upgrade their quarterback, coach and offensive line in the offseason. That’s why Taylor is our number one pick.
Barkley, who is No. 4, is an all-time top four running back. Heath was 2nd, and it was wonderful to see Barkley rebound after his two bad seasons. His best season since 2019 was 17.8 points per game. Barkley will be entering free agency in the offseason so Fantasy value for Barkley could drop dramatically. If he does stay, which would be ideal, Barkley will have a fantastic coach, Brian Daboll, and an exciting offensive line. Also, he’ll be 26 years old so another year of outstanding production is possible.
We reach No. When we reach No. 5, things change. Heath and Adam have Mixon, Dave and I have Walker, and Chris has Jacobs.
Mixon averaged 17.1 points per game during the season, but he only exceeded 17 points twice. He also had a 52-point week in Week 9. Mixon’s positives include his career-highs in targets (75), receiving yards (441), and catches (60). He also had career highs of 60 catches (60) in just 14 games. Mixon’s total touchdowns dropped from 16 to nine in 2021 and his yards per play fell to 3.9 in 2022. Mixon should see his touchdowns rebound in 2023, as he is part of an explosive offense. If Mixon keeps these receiving numbers high then Mixon could be worth your draft. Mixon is a running back.
Walker is my pick over Mixon. I also love Walker’s rookie season. While he only averaged 13.5 points per contest for the season, his last 11 games were averaging 17.2 points per contest. Walker is sure to get lots of attention under Pete Carroll, as the Seahawks draft plenty of capital to enhance their offensive line. It’s surprising Chris hasn’t included him among the top 12.
Chris will be joining Jacobs at No. He was 5 and just finished second in the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards. His 19.3 average PPR points per match was also exceptional. This offseason, he’s an unrestricted free agent. His Fantasy outlook may change drastically with a different team. Jacobs will be closely monitored over the coming months as we see who the Raiders’ quarterback is.
Adam, Dave, and Chris all have Henry as No. He was 6 and had another outstanding season in 2022, scoring 19.0 points per game. This is now his fourth consecutive season at 19.0 points per game (or better) and we will see if it can happen again in 2023. Henry is 29 so it’s difficult to place a bet on him. But, Father Time is approaching. Henry also has an awful offensive line and a questionable quarterback situation. The Titans have fired Todd Downing, their offensive coordinator. Henry is No. 9 on the Heath-Itis list. 9, for us both.
Betting on Etienne’s upside is better than Henry. Etienne may be the star of 2023, with the Jaguars rising. Although he only had 12.1 points per game in his last 10 games, he scored at least 18 points during those four games. Jacksonville will be adding Etienne to their roster next season. But Etienne is a rising star on an explosive team that makes him a desirable choice in Round 2.
Hall is the last consensus back for us all. I’ll move him up for Week 1 if necessary. Even though he suffered an ACL tear in Week 7, he had been a shining star prior to that injury, scoring 16.4 points per game. He also scored 13 PPR points at Denver, where he had only four carries of 72 yards and one touchdown. We are hopeful that his rehabilitation goes smoothly and there will be positive news throughout the offseason.
Adam ranks Swift and Williams in his top 12. I am hopeful that Williams will be ready to go for Week 1, after he suffered a torn ACL last week. He had only one previous game that was more than 9 PPR points. However, his potential is huge if he’s able to return to 100% strength before the injury. Swift would be an instant star if he was the Lions’ featured running back. In 2022, he had three games with double-digit carries. He also scored at least 20 points per carry in each of those games. Swift could finally see success in 2023 with Jamaal Williams, who is an unrestricted agent.
Heath and Chris include Cook and Chubb in their top 12 while Dave includes Chubb as No. 11. Chubb was a standout player in 2022, scoring 16.6 points per game. He might see a rise in value should Kareem Hunter leave as a free agent. Chubb ranks just below the top 12. Cook will turn 28 in 2022 and has just experienced a disappointing season at 14.0 points per game. This is his worst season since 2018. It’s difficult to believe that he will rebound to an even higher level in 2023.
Chris and I both rank Stevenson and Pollard in the top 12 for us. Based on some contingencies, I’ve ranked them that high. Pollard just posted a career high 15.6 PPR points per match. I hope he signs with Dallas again as a free agent, and that Ezekiel Elliott is traded to the Cowboys. Pollard is a top-five prospect in every league if that happens. Stevenson may also be able to benefit from Damien Harris’s departure as an unrestricted free agent. Stevenson was a star in 2022, scoring 14.7 points per contest. The Patriots could make him even more valuable if they improve their offense.
Dave Harris, No. 8. Harris was an ineffective player for the season. He averaged 17.7 points per game between 2021 and 13.2. However, he ended the year with four games with at least 14 points. Harris’s biggest change from the rookie season was in his passing game. He went from 74 targets and 94 targets to just 41 targets, but that didn’t stop him from making a huge difference. His receptions won’t rebound by 2023. That’s why I don’t think he will be in the top 12.