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There will always be NFL players who will either gain more or have fewer touches every year. This is partly due to the competition in their respective position groups that fluctuates throughout the season. The running back slot is no different and remains to be one of the most coveted offensive positions in all of fantasy football.
A lack of depth in a team's running back position also helps a rusher hoard more carries for himself which will help him tally better numbers. The running backs enumerated in this list will most likely see a significant increase in touches as they enter 2020 with a bigger role or will be set as the new centerpiece of their team's offense.
Here are the top 5 fantasy football running backs who will gain more touches in the upcoming season.
5. Raheem Mostert
Six-year veteran wideout Raheem Mostert was undrafted in the 2015 NFL Draft. He then proceeded to bounce off several teams' practice squads namely with the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and the Chicago Bears all in a span of two seasons. He finally found a home during the middle of the 2016 season with the San Francisco 49ers.
After tallying non-existent numbers in his previous teams, Mostert saw himself on an upward trajectory since joining the team four seasons ago. He went on to record his best season yet with 772 rushing yards and eight touchdowns along with 14 receptions last season.
The former Purdue Boilermaker clearly needs more carries next season. In fact, he has been spectacular in the 10 games in which he had at least 10 carries in. His efficiency on the field will yield to more touches even with the presence of fellow sixth-year ball-carrier Tevin Coleman and seven-year veteran Jerick McKinnon around him.
The 49ers are looking to cruise past their first few games in the 2020 season against rebuilding teams which makes Mostert more attractive for his drafters. He is expected to have a larger role in the offense along with a weaker competition with former 49er Matt Breida out of the picture. He is poised to exceed his 2019 tally and will be a steal if he will be grabbed in rounds five to six of fantasy football drafts.
4. Devin Singletary
After being selected by the Buffalo Bills with the 74th pick in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, running back Devin Singletary overachieved and exceeded expectations. Despite a nagging hamstring injury, he still amassed a total of 775 rushing yards and two scored rushing touchdowns last season.
The immortal Frank Gore recently took his talents to the neighboring New York Jets which leaves Singletary as the Bills' lead rusher. Another draft gem in rookie running back Zack Moss arrived in the team's camp during the offseason. Even with Moss around, Singletary should be able to command his fair share of touches.
The sophomore running back is positioned gain more carries and exceed 1,000 rushing yards in the coming season. He can be secured by drafters somewhere in Round 4 or 5 of fantasy football drafts to be their RB2 or flex option.
3. Kenyan Drake
Fifth-year ball-carrier Kenyan Drake started his career with the Miami Dolphins when the team selected him with the 73rd pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He went on to have a back-up role in the Dolphins offense for three and a half years.
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Midway through the 2019 season, Drake was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick, which became Miami's original fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Upon his arrival in the desert, he was immediately slotted in as a starter in head coach Kliff Kingsbury's offensive rotation. Drake tallied 817 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns to go along with 50 receptions for 345 receiving yards.
With the absence of running back David Johnson along with the acquisition of All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins, Drake will solidify himself as RB1 for the Cardinals. The attention that Hopkins will generate towards opposing defensive players will allow Drake to gain more touches. The former Alabama Crimson Tide is primed to produce fantastic numbers for his drafters as he plays a full season with a spread offense that fits his playing style well.
2. Josh Jacobs
The arrival of prolific rookie running back Josh Jacobs to the then-Oakland Raiders last season was timely. He came at a time when the storied franchise is looking to have a change in scenery with its relocation to a new city in Las Vegas.
He has turned out to be a bright spot in what seemed to be another rebuilding season for the Raiders in 2019. The former Alabama standout accounted for 1,150 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns through 13 games played. He went on to become the first running back in Raiders' history to rush for 1,000 yards in a rookie season which led to a spot in the PFWA All-Rookie team.
With veteran DeAndre Washington now with the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacobs is expected to gain more carries and have a bigger scoring load in the upcoming season. He is now the focal point of the Raiders' offense and should have a prolific fantasy football season in 2020.
1. Miles Sanders
Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders sits atop this list due to his huge upside backed by his immense contribution to the Eagles last season. The former Penn State Nittany Lion passed LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson for the most rushing yards by a rookie and the most all-purpose yards by a rookie in franchise history, respectively. He finished the 2019 season with a total of 818 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns to go along with 50 reception. Sanders started 11 out of 16 games played last season.
Veteran running back Jordan Howard already left the team and with no essential new additions, the situation leaves Sanders to primarily steer the Eagles' ground attacks in the upcoming season. He is expected to be snagged from fantasy draft boards early on due to his promising upside and is primed to be a top 10 running back across all league formats for the upcoming season.
Sanders will indeed be an attractive selection for drafters and also has the capability to slot in as RB1 in fantasy football rosters.
