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Now that the 2022 NFL Draft is over, we take a look at the fantasy football rookie running back rankings coming out of the event.
Below are the top 20 rookie RB rankings. I have been ranking these players based on my tape evaluation of their collegiate games. Then I incorporated the production and athletic metrics in order to have my Pre-Draft RB ranks. Now that we have the draft capital here are my Fantasy Football: Rookie Running Back Rankings Post-NFL Draft.
| Player | Rank | NFL Draft | NFL Team |
| Breece Hall | 1 | 2nd Round (36th) | NYJ |
| Kenneth Walker | 2 | 2nd Round (42nd) | SEA |
| Rachaad White | 3 | 3nd Round (91st) | TB |
| James Cook | 4 | 2nd Round (63rd) | BUF |
| Brian Robinson | 5 | 3nd Round (98th) | WAS |
| Tyler Allgeier | 6 | 5nd Round (151st) | ATL |
| Zamir White | 7 | 4th Round (122nd) | LV |
| Isaiah Spiller | 8 | 4th Round (123rd) | LAC |
| Keaontay Ingram | 9 | 6th Round (201st) | ARZ |
| Dameon Pierce | 10 | 4th Round (107th) | HOU |
| Pierre Strong | 11 | 4th Round (127th) | NE |
| Tyler Badie | 12 | 6th Round (196th) | BAL |
| Kyren Williams | 13 | 5th Round (164th) | LAR |
| Jerome Ford | 14 | 5th Round (156th) | CLE |
| Hassan Haskins | 15 | 4th Round (131st) | TEN |
| Ty Chandler | 16 | 5th Round (169th) | MIN |
| Tyron Davis-Pierce | 17 | 3rd Round (93rd) | SF |
| Snoop Conner | 18 | 5nd Round (154th) | JAX |
| Kevin Harris | 19 | 6th Round (183rd) | NE |
| Trestan Ebner | 20 | 6th Round (203rd) | CHI |
The Top Trio
Before and after the 2022 NFL Draft, I have an identical top three for rookie running backs. Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker, and Rachaad White all remain in their pre-draft RB 1 through RB 3 slots. It is especially evident for Hall and Walker who were the first and second running backs selected respectively. Even if the immediate path to workhorse status is not entirely clear for these rookies, I still expect both Hall and Walker to lead their teams' backfield.
Now for White, this situation gets a little tricky since he fell to the 91st overall selection in the NFL Draft. He was still the fourth RB taken, showcasing that the position is being devalued in the eyes of league executives, at least this year. His pass-catching ability gives White just as much upside as the RB taken ahead of him (more on that player in a bit). But I will respect the draft capital enough to say, that White falls into the second tier for rookie running backs. At the very top are only two players, Hall and Walker. And they may very well be the top two selections in most dynasty rookie drafts.
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The Biggest Riser
In my Pre-Draft Rankings, James Cook was ranked as the RB 23. Big miss on my part and I am correcting based on what the NFL has told us. Cook was the third running back selected during the draft and he goes to an offense that is likely to produce points. Therefore, Cook has risen in my rankings all the way up to RB 4.
However, in my rankings, Cook does not surpass Rachaad White. This is in spite of the fact that Cook was taken twenty-eight spots ahead of White during the NFL Draft. Both backs are at their best catching the ball in space, so they possess the passing-game floor. But both also landed on teams with established runners who sap the TD upside away from the rookies. With only the draft capital separating these running backs, I decided to respect the massive difference in my pre-draft rankings and leave White ahead of Cook.
The Rest of the RB 1s
Rounding out the top five rookie running backs is Brian Robinson. He was the sixth RB drafted and was ranked at RB 7 for me. So moving up to RB 5 post-draft is not nearly as extreme, even if the landing spot is less than desirable. The Commanders have a crowded depth chart and are not likely to be among the highest-scoring offenses in the NFL. Still, the process is putting Robinson in the top five. However, I will say that there is a large tier gap beginning before him. So while he is top five in rank, I would wait until the 3nd round of dynasty rookie draft to select Robinson.
That 3rd round is where I plan to target this entire tier of running backs. Starting at RB 5 all the way down to RB 12, there are several backs with interesting profiles who landed in some ideal spots. I have Tyler Allgeier at RB 6 going to arguably the best RB depth chart to enter. The Falcons could use a bruising tough back to handle the goal-line duties. Allgeier fits the bill and could get immediate touches right out of the gate. Perhaps he could even lead rookie running back in carries week 1 while other are still trying to establish their workloads.
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Thank you for reading Fantasy Football: Rookie Running Back Rankings Post-NFL Draft. Be sure to check out all of the great NFL Draft content available on Full Press Coverage.
– Kyle Senra is the managing editor for the Full Press Fantasy Sports. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on and Facebook.
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