Ashton Jeanty is our top overall RB after a phenomenal sophomore year. Last year, Jeanty shared the backfield with former teammate George Holani, yet managed to accumulate 220 touches (37 receptions), 1,650 yards, and 18 TDs for 30.6 FPG in 10 games. In 6 games without Holani last year, Jeanty averaged 27.8 touches, 185.1 YPG, and 15 TDs for 35.2 FPG. The Boise State 2024 schedule, except for Oregon, is set up nicely as the Broncos play Georgia Southern and Portland State in non-conference games and avoid Air Force in conference play. Jeanty is our top overall player for CFF in 2024.
Ollie Gordon was unbelievable in 2023, winning the Doak Walker Award for the nation’s top RB. His regular season stats were insane, finishing with 278 touches for 1,851 yards and 21 TDs for 28.4 FPG. Gordon ended the year on fire, producing 40 or more fantasy points in five of his final seven games. In 2024, Ollie Gordon has a relatively easy schedule, facing eight defenses ranked 80th or below against the run, including Texas Tech and Colorado during the CFF playoffs. Gordon was an easy pick for RB2 this year.
Omarion Hampton was among the top breakout players in 2023, rushing for 1,442 yards on 234 carries for 23.8 FPG. At 220 pounds, Hampton is a true workhorse runner who appears to get stronger with more carries. Over his last seven games in 2023, he averaged 20.9 carries and 140.1 YPG for 26.0 FPG. With Drake Maye and Tez Walker leaving for the NFL, the North Carolina Tar Heels will be forced to rely on Hampton to win games in 2024. As our RB3, we expect Hampton to rise to the challenge and produce big numbers in the fall.
DJ Giddens was a late-round pick in College Fantasy Football in 2023, but produced over 1,000 yards on the ground for 19 FPG while sharing the backfield with fellow RB Treshaun Ward. During the offseason, Ward chose to transfer to Boston College, vacating 142 touches and 780 yards worth with little proven production behind him, leaving Giddens with a huge opportunity. The 2024 schedule sets up nicely for Gidden, too. After the first four weeks, he only faces one defense ranked higher than 92nd versus opposing RBs for the rest of the season. Giddens is a perfect mix of high floor and ceiling, making him one of the safest picks in CFF for 2024.
Phil Mafah comes into the 2024 season as one of the top CFF RBs, after splitting carries with Will Shipley last year. He was still incredibly productive, rushing for 894 yards and 9 TDs for 14.2 FPG in 2023. However, Mafah’s workload and production while Shipley was injured have us excited about his potential in 2024. Shipley was injured in the first half versus NC State and didn’t play the following game versus Notre Dame. Mafah averaged 26 carries and 135 yards in those two games for 26.9 FPG. Between shaky QB play and little RB depth, Mafah will be heavily leaned upon this year for Clemson to reach its goals. If you have a late first-round pick in your CFF drafts, Mafah is a must-get.
Devin Neal was among the most efficient and productive College Fantasy Football RBs in 2023, averaging 21.9 FPG on only 17.3 touches per game. He produced over 20 FP in 75 percent of his games. The 2024 schedule sets up nicely for Neal, as Kansas should be favored in at least nine games. Neal has one of the most favorable CFF Playoff Schedules of any RB — facing BYU, Colorado, and Baylor. If you leave the first two rounds of your CFF draft with Phil Mafah and Devin Neal, you will be tough to beat in 2024.
Jaydn Ott has two things that we crave in College Fantasy Football: volume and pass-catching work. In 2023, Ott received 250 touches, including 21 receptions, for 1,402 yards and 13 TDs, producing 21.6 FPG. While Cal heads to the ACC after the disintegration of the PAC-12 Conference, we don’t expect there to be much of an adjustment period, considering the level of competition is similar. Ott is not a player who stands out from an advanced stats perspective. Therefore, we depend on him to maintain his volume this season to match his 2023 production in CFF.
Darius Taylor is the top RB and clear focal point of the Minnesota offense — one of the most coveted CFF assets to have on your roster. Mohamed Ibrahim garnered 61 percent of the carries in his last two healthy seasons as the lead RB in the Minnesota backfield. As a true freshman last year, Taylor averaged 25.5 carries and 147 rushing yards for 25.0 FPG after Week 1. In the bowl game, Taylor received 35 carries for 208 yards. It is not inconceivable to think Taylor could eclipse 300 carries in 2024. With that type of potential volume, Taylor must be considered in the first two rounds of any CFF Draft.
Jordan James is replacing the NFL-bound Bucky Irving as the top RB for Oregon. Irving produced 21.9 FPG despite hitting 20 carries in only one game in 2023. Irving made up for the lack of carries with 47 receptions, which was the 2nd most of any RB in FBS. And James had 13 receptions himself despite running 200 fewer routes than Irving. James proved to be one of the better RBs in the country, accumulating 661 yards and 10 TDs on 93 carries. His 7.1 YPA was one of the highest marks in the country. In the Oregon Spring Game, James had 12 carries for 124 yards and 5 receptions for an additional 73. James is the riskiest RB we have mentioned to this point, but he also has an upside that few can match in the Oregon offense.
In theory, Tahj Brooks has two assets that make him desirable in College Fantasy Football: volume and consistency. In 2023, Brooks finished second in carries (270) among all FBS running backs. Despite averaging only 5.4 YPC, Brooks hit double-digit FPs in every game last year based on sheer volume. He quietly caught 29 balls as well. However, these numbers feel hardly sustainable in 2024. Before last year, the most carries that an RB in Texas Tech OC Zach Kittley’s system had received was 148 — Brooks the previous year. Before that, as far back as 2018, Kittley never had an RB eclipse 105 carries. There is a chance that Brooks hit his ceiling in 2023, which is why he is not ranked higher despite his potential volume and consistency in 2024.
Damien Martinez has simultaneously been one of our favorite and most frustrating RBs over the last two years. In his true freshman and sophomore seasons, Martinez averaged 6.1 YPC while running for over 2,000 yards. Despite weighing over 230 pounds, he received 20-plus carries in only five games. On top of that, Oregon State often took him out once they got into the red zone, limiting him to 16 TDs in the last two years. Looking for a boost in exposure and NIL money, Martinez transferred to Miami this offseason. By the end of the spring, Miami was using an incoming freshman TE as their primary ball carrier due to injuries in the backfield, so Martinez has an opportunity to secure a massive role as the bell-cow RB in this offense. In HC Mario Cristobal’s five seasons at Oregon, minus 2020, his RB1 averaged 1,246 YPG and 13 TDs for 19.4 FPG. Since transferring to Miami, Martinez has moved up to Round 2 ADP in CFF Drafts.
Malik Sherrod was one of the best RBs in all of CFF over the last half of 2023. In his last six games, he averaged 21.6 touches and 119.2 YPG for 24.1 FPG. Those numbers would have put him as RB4 if we extrapolated them for the entire season. What is most eye-catching in those numbers? The 25 receptions he accumulated over that stretch. A concern for Sherrod is that he is undersized at 173 pounds, so asking him to handle 250 touches over the course of a season is a bit much. However, we currently have him ranked as our RB12 while our ADP shows him being selected as the RB18, so he is a good value in CFF drafts.
Ismail Mahdi was among the most surprising breakout players in 2023 College Fantasy Football. He was dynamic with the ball in his hands, turning 217 touches into 1,485 yards and 11 TDs for 19.1 FPG. This offseason, the Texas State Bobcats hired a new Running Backs Coach from UTEP, Barrick Nealy, who chose to bring two RBs from his old school, Deion Hankins and Torrance Burgess. Hankins was a two-time All-Conference USA 2nd Team RB, so he is talented in his own right. Considering Mahdi is only 180 pounds, there is concern that the Bobcats will look to scale back his touches in 2024, leaving his outlook in College Fantasy Football murky heading into the falll.
Quinton Cooley was one of the best pure runners in 2023, turning 202 carries into 1,251 yards and 13 TDs for 17.3 FPG. He was extremely consistent, producing 12 or more FP in eight of his last nine games to finish the season. One factor in his success was injuries to fellow RBs. Typically, Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell loves to spread the ball among a few RBs to keep his players fresh and the defense on its toes. With players like Vaughn Blue returning from injury, there is a slight concern that Cooley will receive the same workload on the ground in 2024. However, the schedule is so easy for Liberty this year that Cooley is hard to pass up after Round 3 in your College Fantasy Football drafts.
CJ Baxter is the ultimate "what if?" story of 2023 College Fantasy Football. He was named the RB1 for Texas coming out of fall camp as a true freshman. However, he suffered an injury versus Alabama in Week 2, the slight opening Jonathon Brooks needed to take over as the top RB in the Texas backfield. However, two things are evident with Baxter: he is very talented, and Texas HC Steve Sarkisian is fond of him. The RB1 for Sarkisian is one of the most coveted CFF assets every year as he loves to feed his top RB, as evidenced by five straight seasons of 1,000-yard rushers. So why isn’t Baxter higher in our rankings? When Brooks went down with a season-ending ACL injury last year, Baxter split the workload with Jaydon Blue. While Baxter did receive more touches, Blue was more efficient and scored more FPs. Ergo, Baxter is the ultimate boom-or-bust player in 2024 CFF Drafts.
Mario Anderson moved up from Division II to the SEC in 2023, leading the South Carolina Gamecocks in rushing yards and finishing second in all-purpose yards with 860. After the 2023 season, Anderson transferred to Memphis, where he is slated to take over the coveted Memphis RB1 role. Last year, Blake Watson turned 227 touches into 1,508 yards and 17 TDs for 25.2 FPG. The most eye-popping number for Watson was his 50 receptions, which led all FBS RBs in 2023. Anderson looked impressive in the Spring Game, breaking off a long run, and is poised to be the next great Memphis RB. While there is a potential bust factor here, the reward far outweighs the risk with Anderson at his current ADP in Rounds 4-5.
Abu Sama burst onto the scene out of nowhere in 2023. His skill as a runner was evident from the beginning of the season, but he needed time to grow in critical aspects like pass protection. Of all RBs with at least 60 rushing attempts, Sama was the top RB in YPC at 8.4. It was the last game of the regular season in a crazy snowstorm that Sama would officially break out, running the ball 16 times for 276 yards and 3 TDs for 46.7 FPG. However, he did not perform well in the bowl game versus Memphis, leaving many to speculate that the crazy snow game was an anomaly for Sama — we don’t think that. We believe Sama will be exceptional in 2024 and is worthy of a selection in the first five rounds of any CFF Draft.
LeQuint Allen was quietly one of the most versatile running backs in 2023, handling huge volume. Allen accumulated 260 touches, including 36 catches, for 1,258 yards and 10 TDs. He was also extremely consistent, eclipsing double-digit FPs in all but one game. Syracuse has one of the softer schedules this year in the ACC, so Allen could put up numbers similar to those in 2023. He is currently being selected as the RB20 in CFF Drafts according to our ADP, which aligns with where we have him in our rankings.
RJ Harvey was phenomenal in 2023. He turned 228 touches into 1,527 yards and 18 TDs for 23.0 FPG. When the 2024 CFF Draft season began, Harvey was routinely chosen in the first two rounds. However, during the spring transfer period, UCF decided to take another RB in the portal — Peny Boone, who was more productive than Harvey in 2023. While Boone’s production came at Toledo in the MAC, there is still uncertainty about how this transfer will impact the distribution of carries and production in this offense. Recently, Harvey has fallen from ADP RB6 to RB12. This change in ADP still has Harvey being drafted in the top three rounds. We think Round 4 is a more comfortable range for acquiring Harvey shares, considering the murkiness of the situation.
Quinshon Judkins is one of the toughest players to gauge his proper value in College Fantasy Football after transferring to Ohio State and joining TreVeyon Henderson in one of the best 1-2 punches in recent memory. Both RBs will be drafted in the first 2-3 rounds of the NFL Draft in 2025. Judkins is coming off two straight seasons of rushing for more than 1,000 yards and 15 TDs at Ole Miss. While he was less efficient in 2023, he still produced 19.7 FPG. Judkins will also be paired with one of the top play callers in college football after Chip Kelly stepped down as the UCLA head coach to become the Ohio State offensive coordinator. We assume Judkins and Henderson will split carries, but Judkins is better suited for the goal line work at 219 pounds versus 208 for Henderson. Considering Henderson’s injury history, Judkins has massive upside if he misses time.
Donovan Edwards has been one of the most mystifying RBs in college football over the last three years. He shows flashes of rare burst, speed, and pass-catching ability, but then disappears for weeks. Of course, It did not help that he played behind one of the top Michigan RBs of all time, Blake Corum. If Edwards plays to his potential, he has top 5 CFF RB upside. On the flip side, he could be the biggest bust of any player drafted in the first five rounds this offseason in CFF. In the Michigan spring game, Edwards looked noticeably bigger and displayed a more patient running style. If he can carry over those gains to the regular season in 2024, then Edwards will have a big season this year.
TreVeyon Henderson is the most talented running back in college football, which is why it’s shocking that he returned for his senior year at Ohio State. Last year, Henderson was absurdly productive when he was healthy, averaging 21.5 FPG on 156 touches and 1,083 yards in nine games. With the addition of Quinshon Judkins, Henderson should be able to limit touches to keep him healthy and fresh. The best thing about Henderson is that you can grab him in Rounds 7-8 as the RB33, which is great value considering we have him as the RB22 in our rankings.
Sawchuk ended the 2023 season on a tear, averaging 18 carries and 121 yards for 21.4 FPG over the last four games of the regular season. While Sawchuk proved to be an above-average runner, he provided very little in the passing game, with only 11 receptions. As the clear-cut Oklahoma RB1 in 2024, Sawchuk is a favorite of many CFF drafters with a Top 4-round ADP. While we think Sawchuk is a good RB, we ranked him as RB23 due to his limited upside.
Hughes had a breakout season in 2023, with 232 carries for 1,246 yards and 7 TDs for 15.2 FPG. Unfortunately, Tulane did not use him much in the passing game, which limited his fantasy upside last year. In 2024, Tulane is bringing in former Troy HC Jon Sumrall. In the previous two years, the Troy RB1 and new Charger Kimani Vidal averaged 264 carries, 1,397 yards, and 12 TDs for 18.1 FPG. Hughes has the potential for a massive workload this year if Sumrall decides to give him a similar workload to Vidal. While we like Hughes and his potential, we believe he is being drafted too high as the RB17, according to our ADP.
Singleton was one of the most disappointing running backs in 2023 after rushing for over 1,000 yards as a true freshman. Most of his woes seem connected to former OC Mike Yurcich, as Singleton found more success at the end of the year after Yurcich was relieved of his duties. Penn State brought in highly creative playcaller Andy Kotelnicki, who has seen his RB1 rush over 1,000 yards in five of the last six seasons. In the last two years at Kansas, Devin Neal rushed for over 1,000 yards and had over 20 receptions under Kotelnicki’s tutelage. Singleton is oozing with talent and potential. We believe Kotelnicki is the right person to unlock that potential. While we have Singleton ranked as our RB25, we see a pathway for him to end the season much higher in the rankings.
