With the NFL regular season getting closer and closer, we are getting more and more of an idea of who the top players in Fantasy Football will be in 2019, and generally, running back is one of the easiest positions to predict.
We know about the workhorses and the guys who will get the most touches in general, but what about the running backs who will gain the most touches from a year ago?
Here are five halfbacks who will see their touches increase in 2019.
Disclaimer: Keep in mind this is on a per-game basis, so a guy like Leonard Fournette who only had 133 carries in 2018 wouldn't count, because he did that over an eight-game span.
5. Mike Davis
Mike Davis spent the 2018 campaign with the Seattle Seahawks, playing in a backfield that also included Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny. As a result, Davis totaled just 112 carries while catching 34 passes.
Now, Davis is a member of the Chicago Bears, and he will be competing for carries with Tarik Cohen (who is almost like an NFC version of James White) and rookie back David Montgomery.
This isn't to say that Davis' touches will explode, because the Bears use Cohen a lot as a receiver and really seem to like Montgomery, but given the lack of a proven rusher, Davis should see more action on the ground and be a viable Fantasy Football option.
4. Nick Chubb
It's not that the Cleveland Browns didn't use Nick Chubb in 2018. After all, he accumulated 192 carries and 20 receptions. It's just that they will use him a lot more in 2019, particularly in the first half of the season with Kareem Hunt suspended.
The key thing here is the probability that the Browns use Chubb more as a receiver out of the backfield after trading Duke Johnson. There is a chance that Chubb ends up with 40 receptions this season, which is double the output he had a year ago.
Plus, given that Chubb proved he has an incredibly efficient rusher during his rookie campaign, Cleveland may simply ride him more to set the tone on offense and help open up what should be a lethal aerial attack..
3. Kerryon Johnson
Yes, the Lions added C.J. Anderson this offseason, but that doesn't change the fact that Kerryon Johnson was severely underused last season and will almost certainly see an uptick in touches in 2019 for Fantasy Football players.
And yes, I also understand that Johnson played in just 10 games in 2018, which put a cap on his usage, but he also carried the ball just 11.8 times per game, a ridiculously low number for a guy who was one of the most efficient backs in the NFL (5.4 yards per attempt).
Johnson also caught 32 passes this past year, a number that seems inevitable to increase this season.
Not only will Johnson see more action in 2019, but he is one of the biggest sleepers at the running back position, period. Remember: he was just a rookie in 2018.
2. Dalvin Cook
This one comes with a caveat, as Dalvin Cook has yet to show he can stay healthy.
A torn ACL knocked him out of his rookie campaign after just four games, and he was limited to just 11 contests in 2018 due to more injury issues.
But now with Cook seeming to be 100 percent, an increase in his workload seems probable—if not imminent—in 2019, especially with Latavius Murray no longer around.
Cook averaged 12.1 carries per game in 2018 and logged 40 catches, two numbers that are sure to increase this season.
There is no doubting Cook's talent, as he owns a career average of 4.7 yards per carry through 15 NFL games, and we know how shifty he is. It's just a matter of staying on the field.
1. Aaron Jones
That brings us to possibly the most obvious name on this list.
Aaron Jones is on pretty much everyone's board of top Fantasy Football sleepers heading into 2019, so it's no surprise that he is on a list of running backs most likely to gain touches.
Jones carried the ball 133 times in 12 games in 2018. Translated over 16 games, that's 177 carries, which is simply not enough for a halfback of Jones' talent.
This is a guy who averaged 5.5 yards per carry in each of his first two seasons, so we know he is efficient.
Matt LaFleur also seems prepared to utilize him more, so expect big things from Jones (if he stays healthy) this season.
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