Positional rankings are incredibly important when building out your fantasy football rosters, especially when there is a key decision between two players. If there is a tier break between the two options, then knowing where both players sit in your rankings can help make that decision easier. Let's now take a look at the top fantasy football running backs.

The following list focuses on the top 15 running backs for the 2023 NFL season – even with RBs having been the talk of the offseason, there is plenty of talent you can count on for your fantasy football rosters. While there are plenty of household names on this list, there are going to be a few that are a bit surprising.

All rankings are based on PPR league formats, and the reasoning for the rankings of each player on this list are below. Each 2022 finish (in total fantasy points) is listed in italics.

15. James Conner 2022 Finish: RB19

Have you ever looked at an NFL offense and made a guttural sound that shows how gross it is? Welcome to the 2023 Arizona Cardinals offense.

With Kyler Murray fighting back from his ACL injury, the offense in the desert likely will consist of Hollywood Brown and James Conner, which is great news for your fantasy football squad. Conner is a fantastic value at RB27, and he should easily outplay that spot on the draft board – don’t be afraid to grab him a round early.

14. Najee Harris RB12

It feels like Najee Harris has failed to meet his fantasy expectations every year, and yet, when you look at the numbers, he has recorded two top-14 finishes. The Pittsburgh offense is very far from a sexy one, but Harris has a dedicated role.

Even with Jaylen Warren likely having an expanded role this year, the coaching staff has been vocal about Harris having the RB1 role on the Steelers. Even with Kenny Pickett still struggling, Harris has enough promise to be a solid RB2 for your roster.

13. Rhamondre Stevenson RB14

Questions have quickly popped up with the signing of Ezekiel Elliott, but Rhamondre Stevenson still has a ton of value for the 2023 NFL season. With Bill O’Brien running the offense now, Stevenson can be counted on more to lead the backfield, especially since Damien Harris is no longer on the team.

Goal-line work likely will be the first element that Elliott factors into, which will vulture some of Stevenson’s value, but his pass-catching abilities should keep him more than relevant this year.

12. Aaron Jones RB11

Having a first-year starter at QB should help Aaron Jones hit top-12 numbers this year, and that should be considered his floor. Even with AJ Dillon taking his fair share of work, Jones and his receiving abilities will keep him on the field a lot.

Matt LaFleur enjoys using both of his running backs, and with Jones the elder statesman, it is expected to see him continue in his lead-back role. While it is more of a 1A and 1B scenario, Joens is still the clear leader.

11. Jahmyr Gibbs Rookie

Projecting two rookie RBs to finish in the top 12 feels wrong, but this is a class of backs that has two leaders that are more than capable of doing so.

The division of work between rookie Jahmyr Gibbs and free-agent signee David Montgomery will be important to discover to start the season. With the Detroit Lions having plenty of experience utilizing two backs (see Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift), Gibbs should earn the lead-back workload, but his opportunities within the 20s will dictate just how good of a rookie season he has.

10. Jonathan Taylor RB36

With this drama dragging on, using a pick within the first two rounds on Jonathan Taylor is risky business. But it doesn’t feel like Taylor wants to sit out, so the prevailing feeling makes it seem like he will be back this year, and perhaps a trade (Miami Dolphins?) will get done before Week 1.

The Colts really don’t have much negotiation power on their side at this point, seeing as how Taylor is exactly what they drafted him to be – a young, stud RB looking for his first deal. Expect Taylor to fall to the end of the second round, which is right around the time you should consider drafting him.

9. Joe Mixon RB13

Legal troubles aside, the bellcow role for Joe Mixon on the Bengals is his for the taking yet again this year. As long as his health holds up this year, his contract restructure this offseason showed that both sides were willing to have him remain the starter.

As Samaje Perine departed this offseason for Denver, Mixon’s main source of vulturing walked out the door. It’s a good bet that he sees more work as a three-down back this year, giving him more chances to increase his fantasy football value in PPR formats because of third-down passing game work.

8. Josh Jacobs RB1

Josh Jacobs and the Raiders finally came to terms on a new contract, so that holdout saga is over. When he is on the field, Jacobs is a stud at RB, and with Jimmy Garoppolo leading the QB group in Vegas, this team will be happy to have him out there.

With Jacobs back in the fold, he is more than capable of returning to his 2022 production levels, even if it takes a week or two to get up to speed.

7. Derrick Henry RB3

The king of the heavy workload, Derrick Henry is back at it, ready to lead the Tennessee Titans in most every offensive category. Deandre Hopkins is now in the fold to help Ryan Tannehill in the passing game, but that will only help balance out the offense better.

Henry is in no way threatened by Tyjae Spears or any other elements on this offense, so fire him up as another RB1 option. With his current ADP putting him as a early-to-mid second round option, you can get an elite talent in Round 1 and then draft a high-volume RB in the next round.

6. Tony Pollard RB8

No more Zeke means the training wheels are completely off for Tony Pollard, and his usage in the Dallas offense will be fascinating to watch. This offense is used to having two starting-caliber backs running the ball, so does that mean Pollard becomes a bellcow?

Targets vacated by Dalton Schultz’s departure may help integrate Pollard even further into the passing game, which will help him hit his RB6 projections. There will absolutely be another back that helps spell him at times, but currently that group of backups is nothing special.

5. Saquon Barkley RB6

With his own offseason contract issues resolved for the season, it is time to see Saquon Barkley string together yet another healthy season. The offensive line is better than last year, and so is the acclimation of the second-year coaching staff to its roster, which will help keep Barkley near the top of the weekly RB stats.

The New York Giants seem like they are being severely doubted this offseason, almost like it is thought that last season was a fluke. But with Barkley’s talent and another strong season from Daniel Jones, and you have another competitor in the NFC playoff race.

4. Bijan Robinson Rookie

As was mentioned when describing the case for Jahmyr Gibbs, trusting rookie running backs can be tough, but their track record for first-year success is impressive. Also, Bijan Robinson is just not some regular rookie RB.

The best fit for Robinson was to head to a run-heavy offense like what the Atlanta Falcons employ, and his timeline matches up with Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Desmond Ridder quite well. It feels like you’re taking a big risk, but Robinson feels like a strong bet to put up a really solid rookie campaign, so make sure you don’t get caught without him.

3. Austin Ekeler RB4

TD regression is coming for Austin Ekeler, an area of his game that has carried him to a few top-5 finishes over the course of his career. As an undrafted player turning into a superstar, Ekeler has overcome plenty in his career, and his role in the Chargers’ offense in 2023 looks to be even better.

Kellen Moore has experienced the importance of having solid running backs (Tony Pollard, Ezekiel Elliott) to incorporate into his offensive game plan, and Ekeler will be the best back he has worked with so far. With the offense switching to more of a passing focus, Ekeler’s role likely will include more work in the passing game, which provides more value in PPR formats but likely will give him fewer opportunities for red-zone work.

2. Nick Chubb RB5

It feels weird, sort-of, to have Nick Chubb this high on the list, but truly, his opportunity is the biggest of his entire career this season. Without Kareem Hunt to vulture passing work, Chubb looks primed and ready to earn the most touches in a season in his career.

Deshaun Watson is entering his first full season with the Browns, likely targeting Amari Cooper and David Njoku the most. But don’t sleep on Chubb in the passing game, as he has received 29+ targets in three of his five seasons, racking up 37 last year.

44 targets and over 200 receiving yards walked out the door when Hunt departed, and while Jerome Ford looks to be the backup to Chubb, it’s highly unlikely he is plugged directly into Hunt’s old role. Look for Chubb to earn at least 45 targets this year, extra work on top of his rushing work that should see him rush for 1,300+ yards and 8+ TDs.

1. Christian McCaffrey RB2

Ol’ friend Christian McCaffrey heads this list of running backs for your fantasy football team, a result that should be unsurprising. Entering into his first full season in San Francisco, McCaffrey will be counted on for a huge workload yet again, likely sniffing another 1K-1K season.

The offensive line is full of question marks for the 49ers, a bit of a rare occurrence for Kyle Shanahan. But with Brock Purdy cemented as the team’s starter and both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel holding down the outside, CMC has the RB duties locked down, and a full season in the Bay should lead him back to being the top running back in fantasy football this season.