2024 Fantasy Football Running Back Awards
2024 is in the books! Comment below with your #RazzBallChampionship roster. It’s important to reflect on the year that was as we prep for the next upcoming. What better way to do that than through Fantasy Awards? This article celebrates my Top 5 Fantasy Football Running Backs from 2024. Check out our YouTube channel for the visual breakdown of all of our articles.
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First Round MVP(s)
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- Player: Saquon Barkley, Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson and Derrick Henry
- Team: Eagles, Lions, Falcons, Ravens
- 2024 ADP / Finish: Pick RB4 / RB1, Pick RB6 / RB2, Pick RB2 / RB3, Pick RB9 / RB4
I understand this is the lowest possible hanging fruit, but when your First Round Pick hits, you are in great shape to win your league. These dudes made it happen. Saquon was the RB1 in PPRPPG with an unprecedented five games of 30+ fantasy points. Gibbs was the PPR RB1 overall and RB1 during the Fantasy Playoffs. Even with 15 touches per game, Gibbs is a Top 10 weekly RB. If/when David Montgomery misses time, Gibbs is the RB1. Bijan had a mediocre start to 2024 as the RB18 in PPR through Week 5, but took off the rest of the way pacing as the RB2 from Weeks 6-18 behind only Gibbs. Henry kept the doubters in check, again. He was the RB4 in PPR, RB3 in ½ PPR and RB2 in non-PPR with 18 total touchdowns. Each of these guys went nuts in the fantasy playoffs too.
Mid Round MVP (Rounds 4-8)
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- Player: James Conner
- Team: Cardinals
- Drafted 52 Overall, RB18 / Finished RB11
Conners averaged 16 PPRPPG, but had eight games of more than that. He stayed healthy until a knee injury in Week 17 forced him to miss Week 18. He had over 1,500 total yards and nine TDs. The Cardinals never really hit their stride that was expected with Kyler Murray coming back healthy and drafting Top WR Marvin Harrison Jr., but Conner handled business. If healthy again in 2025, he’ll most likely be a draft day value once again..
Honorable Mention: Aaron Jones Sr., Vikings | Drafted 56 Overall, RB19 / Finished RB14
Late Round MVP (Rounds 9+)
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- Player: Chase Brown
- Team: Bengals
- Drafted 108 Overall, RB36 / Finished RB10
I admit. I did not see this coming. I didn’t believe in Zack Moss, but I didn’t expect Brown to be a Top 10 fantasy RB either. We all know what Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow did (lookup Tee Higgins’ stats too), but did you know Brown had seven games of 20+ PPR fantasy points? He had 1,300+ total yards and 11 touchdowns, but that’s after handling just 19 total touches over the first three weeks before Moss went down. Few saw Brown coming last year. He’s no secret now. Expect more of the same in 2025.
Honorable Mention: Chuba Hubbard, Panthers | Drafted 129 Overall, RB42 / Finished RB14
The Rookie MVP
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- Player: Bucky Irving
- Team: Buccaneers
- Drafted 181 Overall, RB52 / Finished RB13
Say it with me folks… “GO DUCKS!”. As a University of Oregon alum, there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing one of my guys fly like Ducky did as a rookie. He could be in a number of these categories. It’s still baffling that Tampa Bay even gave carries to Raschaad White after seeing what Irving could do with volume. Bucky was PPR RB 13 on the season, but RB8 after Week 6 and RB6 after TB’s bye in Week 11. He was a dart throw that few drafted. He really should be the Waiver MVP, but early 2025 mock drafts have him as a 2nd Rounder… some even pushing late 1st. I’m all in, but just hope Liam Cohen taking his talents to Duuuuuvvvaaaaal won’t end in more touches for White.
Honorable Mention: Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants | Drafted 211 Overall, RB57 / Finished RB26
What Could Have Been if Not for Injury MVP
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- Player: Kenneth Walker III
- Team: Seahawks
- Drafted 42 Overall, RB17 / Finished RB27
This one is just odd. I liked KW9 just as much as Breece Hall when they came out in the same draft class, but I haven’t thought of Walker since. It’s weird. I know he’s good. I know Seattle likes to give him touches. I know he has a solid offense. I just don’t think he’s as dynamic now as when he was coming out. Injuries have already piled up and Geno Smith just doesn’t bring me excitement. Walker was RB27 on the season in PPR, but RB12 in PPRPPG. He missed another five games though and four of those when you needed him the most down the stretch and Fantasy Playoffs. He’s missed 10 games in three seasons. His rushing stats have declined in each of his three seasons. Oddly enough, his receiving numbers have increased each season as well. So, maybe they’re allowing him to take less of a beating up the middle. Either way, teammate Zach Charbonnet was a dawg when he got his opportunity playing all 17 games and ending with five more fantasy points on the season including 38 points in Week 14. I’d rather take the discount on ZC knowing he’s a high end RB3 weekly as a “backup” and RB1 if KW3 goes down again.
Honorable Mention: Christian McCaffrey, 49ers | Drafted 1 Overall, RB1 / Finished RB69
Waiver Wire MVP
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- Player: Kareem Hunt
- Team: Chiefs
- Drafted 546 Overall, RB113 / Finished RB31
Again, this should also go to Bucky Irving, but I’ll put my Duck homerness aside for a bit. Hunt turned back the clock a bit, reuniting with the Chiefs after Isaiah Pacheco went down in Week 2 missing 10 more games and being a shell of himself Weeks 13-17 collecting 26 total PPR fantasy points over that time. Hunt wasn’t amazing, but he was serviceable as RB26 Weeks 4-17. Considering he wasn’t even drafted in most leagues and barely rostered until Week 4, having an RB2 off waivers in an offense like Kansas City was a win for those that scooped him. He had at least 20 touches in five of seven games without Pacheco. You can’t ask for more from a waiver pickup. There may have been more exciting adds and better overall finishes, but ADP vs. finish has to go to Hunt.
Honorable Mention: Tank Bigsby, Jaguars | Drafted 247 Overall, RB65 / Finished RB36
For more from Sky and his Razzball content, find him on Twitter @skyguasco.