Karabell: 10 RBs who have already had their best fantasy football season

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Saying that New York Jets running back Frank Gore has already had his best NFL season is not going out on much of any limb as far as fantasy football is concerned. Gore, a future Hall of Famer, is 37 and ranks third all-time in rushing yards. Like so many other running backs, Gore's best season came at the beginning, for him in Year 2 with the San Francisco 49ers when he totaled 2,180 scrimmage yards and scored nine touchdowns. We might not have known this at the time, that it was all statistically downhill from there, but give him credit for a fantastic career.


The fellow ahead of Gore on the New York depth chart, however, also belongs on any list of running backs that have already had their best seasons. Le'Veon Bell is a lot younger and he can probably do considerably better than his 2019 campaign in a responsible offensive system that wants him to succeed -- sorry for the bluntness, Jets fans -- but it seems doubtful he ever topples 250 PPR fantasy points again. So many running backs lose statistical relevance before turning 28 years old, especially with nearly 2,000 touches on their record.



Running backs have an exceedingly short shelf life in the NFL and plenty of league personnel view the position as fungible, proving this notion in how they dole out funds. It figures that fantasy managers should view the position logically as well. Looking at the top 40 fantasy running backs, those likely to end up on the rosters of those in standard leagues, there are quite a few at the position that are not only younger and less accomplished than these Jets, but still fit the criteria of already achieving their best season.


Put simply, if you are planning to draft a running back or four this fall that might have already produced their best NFL numbers then you would want to know this, and might think twice about doing so, right? For some running backs, however, it might not be so relevant. Nobody views Gore or Bell the same as a decade or even two seasons ago, right? What about some of the first-round options from last season? That might be different.


Still, let us be proactive here and list myriad running backs likely to be among those chosen on your draft day that seem likely to have already produced their best because, hey, information is power and you deserve to know, even if it is only one man's opinion. For purposes of this exercise, we shall use the ESPN staff running back PPR fantasy football rankings (which Gore missed), and there are so many interesting names, in my opinion.


Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers: He remains my and probably everyone else's No. 1 overall selection, but if we are going to be honest and thorough, we should not expect another season of 2,392 scrimmage yards -- third most all-time -- and 19 touchdowns. I mean, wow, what a historic season. I think it is possible New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley still -- he has played only two years! -- has a season like that in him, but to be fair, what McCaffrey did was just ridiculous and might not be matched by anyone currently active.


Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints: This one is going to be more controversial, but injury and inconsistency plagued him in 2019 and his effectiveness has fallen a bit each year. Sure, precisely 81 catches a season -- exactly that number, actually -- are great but look at the yards going in the wrong direction. I think his 2018 might be the best we see from Kamara.


Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans: Much like McCaffrey, there is hardly anything negative to say but repeating a season quite like that, with 18 touchdowns and a rushing title, seems like a tall ask. Henry is a rather large person but breaking that many tackles, year after year, has to eventually catch up to him physically, and unlike the prior names, there is no upside in the passing game.


Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers: I rank Ekeler better than just about anyone, but 92 catches for 993 receiving yards and eight scores from a running back is simply outrageous. He has to give some of those numbers back, and he could make up for it with rushing volume, but the Chargers want to and should give him help, too.


Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers: Not to be negative or dismissive, but follow along with how this organization appears to view Jones, with their love of Jamaal Williams and drafting of AJ Dillon, and my conclusion is 2019, with the 19 touchdowns, will be his best season. Jones feels like one of those running backs that ends up playing for several franchises and can never recapture glory from his first team.


Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks: A physical runner that can be reasonably viewed as both underrated and not in fantasy, it sure seems like the Seahawks try harder than most franchises to find legit competition for their starting running back. Carlos Hyde, Rashaad Penny and rookie DeeJay Dallas lurk. I have been concerned about Carson staying healthy for two seasons. I wonder if the Seahawks agree.


Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars: Speaking of moving on, Fournette could be on another team at any moment. The Jaguars, as I wrote recently, want him elsewhere, despite public pleas to the contrary. Fournette chooses to run over, not around, defenders, and it plays a role in a lack of durability. I also do not see another 76 receptions in his near or extended future. Sorry, but I believe his rookie season was his apex, and that feature gets repeated on this list.


Le'Veon Bell, New York Jets: As noted in the beginning, Bell is hardly being utilized properly and that might not change anytime soon, but even if he was, repeating any of his top three Pittsburgh Steelers campaigns when he was among the top five fantasy options is wildly optimistic.


Todd Gurley II, Atlanta Falcons: Similar to Bell, Gurley has already compiled monster seasons, one with more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage and another with 21 touchdowns, all before he turned 25. Now he has an arthritic knee that compromises volume and passing game work, so while he can still aid fantasy managers with lesser stats -- though he is on all my bust lists -- we are not getting close to another 300-fantasy point season.


Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos: His situation confirms how NFL management views running backs! Sure, the Broncos gave him two years and $16 million, but that is not exactly what Gordon expected to get when he held out in 2019. I suppose Gordon can surpass 200 PPR points again, as he did over three consecutive seasons with the Chargers, but I do not expect he will in Denver.


David Johnson, Houston Texans: Some of my colleagues love the fit for Johnson in Houston, a clean slate for a 28-year-old that does not really have the career usage befitting someone of that age. Yeah, I do not buy it. Johnson leads my bust list. Oh, his 2016 season was fantastic and enough to qualify him for this list, but since then he has been an average player.


James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers: Perhaps this story should have been about running backs that had their top seasons in the first year or two. Is it too late to alter, dear editor? Anyway, thanks to Bell sitting out 2018, Conner took over and did awesome things. I just do not think the Steelers think awesome things are possible anymore, as they drafted a running back and worry about Conner staying on the field. As should we all.



Mark Ingram II, Baltimore Ravens: Look, when a franchise spends a heavy draft cost for a running back, it does not always mean a change to the depth chart is imminent. Ingram comes off what was arguably his career season, but he is 30, the Ravens have choices and further best seasons seem unlikely.


James White and Sony Michel, New England Patriots: Why not combine this tandem into one! I am not sure it matters who the quarterback is, for the statistical purposes of these fellows. White was the No. 11 PPR running back in 2018. Betcha did not know that one! His 2019 seems more like the believable ceiling for his future statistical production. With Michel, I just do not see much reason to believe any big season is pending, and a lack of receiving skills and inability to break a tackle are only parts of it. Michel could have been a prime Jordan Howard, but he just is not that player, either.


Jordan Howard, Miami Dolphins: Speaking of Howard, how sad that it never gets better than a rookie season. Howard does not catch passes and with Matt Breida coming aboard, it really is no lock he leads Miami in rushing attempts, either.


Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts: A fine player that tried really hard the past two seasons and aided fantasy managers, but did nothing in the passing game and now a rookie has entered the equation, and said rookie can play all three downs. Mack is a backup.



Phillip Lindsay, Denver Broncos: Another backup that might have deserved a better fate, the undrafted Lindsay only returns to RB2 status if Gordon lets him. He has time to return to this level, but it seems unwise to expect it.