The 2022 NFL season is right around the corner, which means that the 2022 Fantasy Football season is right around the corner as well. Per usual, fantasy football is one of the most engaging parts of the NFL season, as fans find great joy in keeping an eye on each contest every week as they monitor players on their fantasy teams. Making sure you have one of the top fantasy football running backs is a key to having a successful team.
Considering how there aren't a ton of true workhorse running backs anymore, and many top running backs suffer injuries along the way, it makes drafting running backs somewhat difficult in fantasy football.
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The 2021 season was tough for many top running backs, as the injury bug hit the position group pretty hard. The hope in 2022 is that the same thing won't happen, which would allow these top running backs to produce for fantasy owners. Let's look at our top 15 fantasy football running back rankings for owners to select in their drafts for the 2022 season.
Top 15 Fantasy Football Running Backs in 2022, ranked
15. Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley was a massive disappointment for fantasy owners last season, and his draft stock heading into the 2022 season has taken a pretty sizable hit. The New York Giants offense has a lot of question marks, but Barkley is the unquestioned top running back heading into the season. His struggles are concerning, but he's going to get a large workload, and that should help him be productive for fantasy owners.
14. Cam Akers
Cam Akers made a miraculous return from a torn ACL last season to help the Los Angeles Rams win Super Bowl LVI. Heading into 2022, Akers is the Rams top running back, but Darrell Henderson serves as an effective secondary option. That could limit Akers' production, but Akers showed his upside back in 2020, making him a tantalizing running back option if he falls down the draft board.
13. Leonard Fournette
Leonard Fournette put together an extremely productive 2021 campaign for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and took the top running back job away from Ronald Jones. The Bucs offense was pretty depleted last season, leading to Fournette getting a lot more touches than he normally would. He will still be effective in 2022, but expect him to regress a bit from his standout 2021 campaign.
12. D'Andre Swift
D'Andre Swift has proven to be a reliable dual-threat running back for the Detroit Lions throughout the first two seasons of his career. The Lions offense has a lot of question marks, though, and Swift's injury history, combined with Jamaal Williams lurking behind him for carries, limits his fantasy value. Swift has upside, but many owners may run the risk of taking him too early in their drafts this season.
11. Javonte Williams
Javonte Williams was extremely productive for the Denver Broncos while operating out of a timeshare with Melvin Gordon last season, but he's going to have the starting job to himself in 2022. Gordon still lurks behind Williams, and figures to take carries away from him from time to time, but the improvements to Denver's offense should only stand to benefit Williams in 2022.
10. Aaron Jones
Aaron Jones is one of the most effective running backs in the league. The problem for him, from a fantasy perspective at least, is that he is part of a 1A/1B running back committee with AJ Dillon. Jones is the 1A in this case, which makes him a solid fantasy option, but his upside is limited as long as Dillon is getting carries.
9. Nick Chubb
Nick Chubb proved how good he was last season when Kareem Hunt was forced to miss more than half of the season, forcing him to take the brunt of the carries. The Browns offense will be at less than 100 percent now that Deshaun Watson is suspended for 11 games, but with Hunt requesting a trade, Chubb could see a large volume for the second straight season, making him a sneaky good fantasy pick.
8. Joe Mixon
Joe Mixon is another solid dual-threat running back, and he played a huge role in helping the Cincinnati Bengals make it all the way to Super Bowl LVI. Mixon has some injury concerns, though, and with Samaje Perine establishing himself as a solid secondary option last season, Mixon figures to lose some carries to him. But the Bengals overall offensive upside helps Mixon maintain a high fantasy floor.
7. Alvin Kamara
It seems unlikely that Alvin Kamara will face a suspension in 2022 for his arrest back in February, meaning he should retain his status as one of the top running backs in the league. The New Orleans Saints offense has a lot of new faces, but Kamara's ability to make plays as a runner and a receiver should help his fantasy floor remain quite high on a weekly basis.
6. Najee Harris
Najee Harris proved last season he can be a workhorse for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he has virtually no competition for carries in the Steelers backfield. Harris' high volume makes him a fantastic fantasy option, even with the question marks under center for Pittsburgh at quarterback, and he should be in line to build off his standout rookie campaign.
5. Dalvin Cook
There isn't a more explosive running back in the game than Dalvin Cook. However, he struggles with injuries, and has an effective secondary option in Alexander Mattison sitting behind him. When Cook is healthy, Mattison isn't going to take carries from him, meaning Cook should continue to be a top five running back as long as he stays on the field.
Austin Ekeler has quietly emerged as arguably the best dual-threat running back in the NFL. He's a three-down running back thanks to his ability to be as valuable of a receiver as he is a runner. Ekeler has no competition in the backfield and has proven to be quite durable throughout his career, making him one of the safer running back choices you will have.
Christian McCaffrey has labored through a pair of injury-riddled campaigns in 2020 and 2021, but it's clear when he's on the field, he's the most dangerous running back in the league. There isn't a better running back available than McCaffrey from a fantasy perspective, but he needs to stay healthy in 2022 to help fantasy owners.
Derrick Henry is a behemoth of a running back. He is so hard to tackle, and he draws such a large volume of carries in the Tennessee Titans offense, that he is like a golden ticket when it comes to fantasy football. Similar to many running backs we've previously mentioned, Henry needs to stay healthy in 2022; if he does, he could be the most productive running back in the league in 2022.
Jonathan Taylor was easily the best running back in the NFL last season, and until anyone proves otherwise, he will hold that title moving forward in 2022. He can rip off big plays at any given moment, and commands a massive volume of carries. Taylor is also proven to be durable, and that should him as well in 2022.
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