Each year the NFL draft alters the landscape of the dynasty football world. Players head to new teams from the college ranks and change the fates of veterans and our rosters alike. No position feels this change more keenly or sharply than the running back position. Running backs have some of the shortest careers in the entire league. Very few see a second contract and even fewer still see a second contract with a different team than the one that drafted them. Despite being one of the deepest offensive drafts in recent memory, the 2024 NFL draft was not friendly to the incoming rookie crop. As a result, there are far more winners than losers in the dynasty ranks. For this article we will highlight the veteran winners and losers at the running back position. Without further ado let us delve into the 2024 veteran running back winners and losers.
Winners:
Zamir White – Of all the veteran running backs in the NFL few were bigger winners as a result of the 2024 NFL draft than Zamir White. The former University of Georgia star had a tentative hold on the starting running back job in Las Vegas following the departure of former 1st round pick Josh Jacobs. White, a former 4th round pick, excelled in a brief audition at the end of the 2023 season. You can see his numbers below.
| Rushing | Receiving | Scoring | Tackles | Fumbles | Off. Snaps | Def. Snaps | ST Snaps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Date | G# | Week | Age | Tm | Opp | Result | GS | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | Ctch% | Y/Tgt | TD | Pts | Sk | Solo | Ast | Comb | TFL | QBHits | Fmb | FL | FF | FR | Yds | TD | Num | Pct | Num | Pct | Num | Pct | |
| 1 | 2023-09-10 | 1 | 1 | 23.357 | LVR | @ | DEN | W 17-16 | 1 | 2 | 2.00 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5.00 | 0 | 100.0% | 5.00 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | |
| 2 | 2023-09-17 | 2 | 2 | 23.364 | LVR | @ | BUF | L 10-38 | 4 | 22 | 5.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 15% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | |||
| 3 | 2023-09-24 | 3 | 3 | 24.006 | LVR | PIT | L 18-23 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1% | 0 | 0% | 12 | 42% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 2023-10-01 | 4 | 4 | 24.013 | LVR | @ | LAC | L 17-24 | 3 | 15 | 5.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10% | 0 | 0% | 4 | 16% | |||
| 5 | 2023-10-09 | 5 | 5 | 24.021 | LVR | GNB | W 17-13 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 8 | 33% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 2023-10-15 | 6 | 6 | 24.027 | LVR | NWE | W 21-17 | 2 | 2 | 1.00 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 3.50 | 0 | 100.0% | 3.50 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6% | 0 | 0% | 11 | 44% | ||
| 7 | 2023-10-22 | 7 | 7 | 24.034 | LVR | @ | CHI | L 12-30 | 2 | 2 | 1.00 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 8.67 | 0 | 100.0% | 8.67 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 22% | 0 | 0% | 1 | 4% | |
| 8 | 2023-10-30 | 8 | 8 | 24.042 | LVR | @ | DET | L 14-26 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2% | 0 | 0% | 7 | 28% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 2023-11-05 | 9 | 9 | 24.048 | LVR | NYG | W 30-6 | 4 | -2 | -0.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8% | 0 | 0% | 14 | 58% | ||||
| 10 | 2023-11-12 | 10 | 10 | 24.055 | LVR | NYJ | W 16-12 | 1 | 5 | 5.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 37% | ||||
| 11 | 2023-11-19 | 11 | 11 | 24.062 | LVR | @ | MIA | L 13-20 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 11 | 42% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | 2023-11-26 | 12 | 12 | 24.069 | LVR | KAN | L 17-31 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3% | 0 | 0% | 17 | 65% | ||||
| 13 | 2023-12-10 | 13 | 14 | 24.083 | LVR | MIN | L 0-3 | 2 | 8 | 4.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9% | 0 | 0% | 11 | 50% | ||||
| 14 | 2023-12-14 | 14 | 15 | 24.087 | LVR | LAC | W 63-21 | * | 17 | 69 | 4.06 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 5.33 | 0 | 75.0% | 4.00 | 1 | 6 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 70% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | |
| 15 | 2023-12-25 | 15 | 16 | 24.098 | LVR | @ | KAN | W 20-14 | * | 22 | 145 | 6.59 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 76% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | |
| 16 | 2023-12-31 | 16 | 17 | 24.104 | LVR | @ | IND | L 20-23 | * | 20 | 71 | 3.55 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 35 | 7.00 | 0 | 83.3% | 5.83 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 57% | 0 | 0% | 6 | 20% |
| 17 | 2024-01-07 | 17 | 18 | 24.111 | LVR | DEN | W 27-14 | * | 25 | 112 | 4.48 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 9.00 | 0 | 50.0% | 4.50 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 73% | 0 | 0% | 4 | 16% | |
| 17 Games | 8-9-0 | 104 | 451 | 4.34 | 1 | 19 | 15 | 98 | 6.53 | 0 | 78.9% | 5.16 | 1 | 6 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||
Many believed there was a chance that new head coach Antonio Pierce would attempt to upgrade the position during the NFL draft. Well, not only did the Raiders wait until the 6th round to address the position, but they bolstered the team’s blocking by hitting the tight end and offensive line spots early. Furthermore, Dylan Laube, the running back they added, was an FCS satellite back that would better complement White than challenge him for the top spot.
Zamir White is now set to begin the 2024 season as the starting running back of a team intent on pounding the rock. He offers a legitimate high-end RB2 upside with the potential for over 1,000 rushing yards and double-digit touchdowns. With runs like the ones below it is easy to see what the Raiders must be envisioning heading into the season.
ZEUS! 💪
— Nick Walters (@nickwalt) December 15, 2023
Zamir White’s first career regular season touchdown lets Raiders start the scoring.pic.twitter.com/Cd6hUAxLD9
Zack Moss/Chase Brown – The Cincinnati Bengals were yet another team that seemed like a potential destination for a high-profile rookie running back. The team parted ways with long-time starter Joe Mixon during the offseason. He had been one of the most consistent runners in the league prior to being traded to the Houston Texans. True the team signed veteran rusher Zack Moss to a 2-year 8 million dollar deal. But he will be playing for his third team in the last 3 seasons. Heading into the draft Moss and last year’s 5th round pick Chase Brown sat atop the depth chart.
It is anybody’s guess who will get the bulk of the work between Moss & Brown. However, it seems the job will be theirs to contest. Cincinnati didn’t add a single rusher during the pick portion of the draft. In reality Moss will likely provide a 2-down thumper with Brown bringing an explosive element to the running and passing game. Both players offer very nice flex appeal with the potential for RB2 production if one of them can wrestle the bulk of the job to themselves. No matter how it shakes out, both players were clear winners during the draft.
NFL Highlights (Week 5): Indianapolis Colts RB Zack Moss runs through the Tennessee Titans defense for a 56-yard touchdown to extend their lead.#NFL #TENvsIND #ZackMoss pic.twitter.com/NMQa7EOU0m
— Justin David Kish • Sports Journalist (@JustinDavidKish) October 8, 2023
Chase Brown Week 14 Every Run, Target, and Catch Cincinnati Bengals vs Indianapolis Colts NFL 2023
— @NFLStudy (@NFLStudy) December 13, 2023
Brown ran the ball 8 times for 25 yards. He also had 3 receptions for 80 yards and 1 TD.#fantasyfootball #football #highlights #dynasty #AFCNorth #WhoDey #RuleTheJungle pic.twitter.com/3ivLmmt1mF
Gus Edwards – When free agency began many tabbed the Los Angeles Chargers as a prime destination for a high-end running back. Some thought it could be a high-end free agent like Saquon Barkley or DeAndre Swift. Still, others believed new Head Coach Jim Harbaugh would look to the draft, perhaps bringing in his college workhorse Blake Corum. Then, to the shock of many, the Chargers signed former Baltimore Ravens rusher Gus Edwards.
Edwards has been the power back for the No.1 rushing attack in the league over the past several seasons. The Gus-Bus as he is known in Baltimore has been one of the most efficient runners in the entire league averaging a robust career ypc. His play and his familiarity with offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s scheme which he played in at Baltimore made him an ideal fit for Jim Harbaugh’s smash-mouth scheme. With his brother having a long history with the player, Jim likely got a great scouting report on the former Rutgers standout
| Games | Rushing | Receiving | Total Yds | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | Pos | No. | G | GS | Att | Yds | TD | 1D | Succ% | Lng | Y/A | Y/G | A/G | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | 1D | Succ% | Lng | R/G | Y/G | Ctch% | Y/Tgt | Touch | Y/Tch | YScm | RRTD | Fmb | AV |
| 2018 | 23 | BAL | RB | 35 | 11 | 6 | 137 | 718 | 2 | 37 | 61.3 | 43 | 5.2 | 65.3 | 12.5 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 0 | 1 | 100.0 | 13 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 100.0% | 10.0 | 139 | 5.3 | 738 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 2019 | 24 | BAL | RB | 35 | 16 | 1 | 133 | 711 | 2 | 46 | 51.9 | 63 | 5.3 | 44.4 | 8.3 | 7 | 7 | 45 | 6.4 | 0 | 2 | 71.4 | 10 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 100.0% | 6.4 | 140 | 5.4 | 756 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 2020 | 25 | BAL | RB | 35 | 16 | 6 | 144 | 723 | 6 | 45 | 61.8 | 36 | 5.0 | 45.2 | 9.0 | 13 | 9 | 129 | 14.3 | 0 | 4 | 53.8 | 34 | 0.6 | 8.1 | 69.2% | 9.9 | 153 | 5.6 | 852 | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| 2022 | 27 | BAL | RB | 35 | 9 | 4 | 87 | 433 | 3 | 30 | 59.8 | 37 | 5.0 | 48.1 | 9.7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.0 | 87 | 5.0 | 433 | 3 | 1 | 3 | |
| 2023 | 28 | BAL | RB | 35 | 17 | 9 | 198 | 810 | 13 | 49 | 54.0 | 42 | 4.1 | 47.6 | 11.6 | 13 | 12 | 180 | 15.0 | 0 | 5 | 69.2 | 80 | 0.7 | 10.6 | 92.3% | 13.8 | 210 | 4.7 | 990 | 13 | 3 | 7 |
| Career | 69 | 26 | 699 | 3395 | 26 | 207 | 57.4 | 63 | 4.9 | 49.2 | 10.1 | 37 | 30 | 374 | 12.5 | 0 | 12 | 62.2 | 80 | 0.4 | 5.4 | 81.1% | 10.1 | 729 | 5.2 | 3769 | 26 | 7 | 27 | ||||
If there is one thing we know about Jim Harbaugh it’s that he wants to run the ball and then run it some more. The Chargers will be one of the most run-heavy squads in the league. The team traded away their top 2 targets and will seek to protect franchise QB Justin Herbert by pounding the rock and taking the focus off of him and his young pass catchers. The Chargers did nothing to upgrade through the draft and will head into the season preparing a heavy dose of the Gus Bus. He offers double-digit TD potential and the possibility of setting career highs across the board.
Gus Edwards All 22 highlights at CLE. The team did not have a good night. At least the GusBus was taking names and kicking a** pic.twitter.com/4BQWuaHd4R
— RavensPressBox128 (@rp_box128) December 19, 2022
Isiah Pacheco – The last big winner we will highlight in this piece is Kansas City running back Isiah Pacheco. The former late-round pick out of Rutgers has held on to the starting job in Kansas City ever since he wrested it away from former 1st-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Several in the dynasty community believed the Chiefs would finally look to upgrade their violent runner in the draft and rectify the former 1st round miss. Andy Reid and company made no major additions in the free agent market, deciding to instead bring back CEH in a complementary role behind Pacheco.
The Chiefs chose to stay the course with their running attack deciding to instead bolster their receiving corps by adding the fastest player ever tested at the combine. Pacheco will once more head into the season prepared to deliver his bruising running style to opponents who are on their heels concerned with the passing attack led by MVP Patrick Mahomes. Pacheco should again challenge for over 1,000 total yards and double-digit touchdowns as the hammer in the KC backfield. With violent runs like the ones below and back-to-back Lombardi Trophies in their display case, it is hard to argue with the formula.
Isiah Pacheco highlights?
— KC Sports Network (@KCSportsNetwork) June 25, 2023
More like Isiah Pache𝒈𝒐𝒂𝒕 highlights 😉
pic.twitter.com/eqH8K8SF4h
Losers:
Josh Jacobs – The majority of running backs in the 2024 class did not find good landing spots. That alone made it easy to tab winners in the veteran market. In searching for true losers in the veteran running back landscape we need to nitpick. With that in mind, I give you Josh Jacobs. The former Raiders 1st round pick struggled last season after holding out to begin the year. He never regained his footing and was outplayed by Zamir White. Many in the dynasty community were pleased with the signing in Green Bay. I was not one of those analysts. Jacobs’s deal with the Packers is essentially a series of one-year pacts with the team controlling the entire situation. Enter 3rd-round pick Marshawn Lloyd.
Several respected analysts and dynasty scouts alike had former USC star Marshawn Lloyd as the top back in the entire class. The Packers selected him in the 3rd round of the draft. His talent and draft capital alone likely means he will get an opportunity to make his mark on the offense as early as this season. With so little guaranteed money on his deal past this season, and a talented rookie breathing down his neck, Jacobs could be classified as a loser among the veteran running backs in 2024. If he can be supplanted by Zamir White, why not Marshawn Lloyd? At a minimum, this is a serious wake-up call to Josh Jacobs. He better revert back to his 2022 form if he wishes to hold off the youngster.
Packers are drafting USC RB MarShawn Lloyd, per @schultz_report pic.twitter.com/ub0rYEBcqr
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) April 27, 2024
Devin Singletary – This one feels like a little bit of a stretch for me. Devin Singletary is the newly minted starter for the New York Giants having come over from the Houston Texans. The former Florida Atlantic star inked a new 3-year 16.5 million dollar deal to replace the departed Squon Barkley. Some believed that Singletary’s time at the top of the depth chart would be short. The Giants would surely look to a high-end draft pick in 2024. Well, the team didn’t spend high-end draft capital on a runner. They did however get a nice prospect in Purdue running back Tyrone Tracy Jr.
Tracy is a bit of an older prospect. He took advantage of the COVID rules and spent an extra season in the college ranks. Despite turning 25 in November, he is a dynamic athlete who is explosive with the ball in his hands.
Singletary will certainly be a big part of the Giant’s backfield in 2024. He has a chance to lock down the top spot for the next couple of years. However, the addition of the explosive Tracy means that he could be forced to share more of the load than originally appeared to be the case. The likelihood of sharing touches with the 5th-round pick has Devin Singletary as a possible veteran loser from the 2024 draft.
Chuba Hubbard/Miles Sanders – The biggest losers among the veteran RB group following the NFL draft was the Carolina duo of Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders. The two former explosive players sat atop the Panther depth chart heading into last Thursday. Sanders was the high dollar free agent bust and Hubbard the former electric draft pick. In 2023 both players failed to shine when given the opportunity to take reins of the offense. With a new front office and staff in place, there was a chance the team would allow Sanders and Hubbard to again fight it out for the top spot.
The above-mentioned situation did not play itself out. In order to fix their RB room, new GM Dan Morgan selected the first running back off the board with Texas’ Jonathon Brooks. The Panthers invested 2nd round draft capital in Brooks despite the fact he is coming back from a torn ACL. Perhaps the team felt comfortable enough in their current depth chart to ease Brooks back into action. This would ensure the long-term viability of the player. Seeing plays like the ones below, barring a radical change from Sanders and Hubbard, it won’t take long for Brooks to wrest the job away once he is fully healthy.
I had to make the Jonathon Brooks highlight tape a minimum of 8+ yard gain or a TD, the video was getting too long 🤣 pic.twitter.com/xZST4uDK3w
— Nash (@NashTalksTexas) October 1, 2023
James Conner – My final veteran loser of the 2024 NFL draft class is none other than Cardinals starting running back James Conner. How let me be clear, I fully expect Conner to remain the starter for the Arizona Cardinals in 2024. However, this will unequivocally be his final season in the desert. Arizona made one of the splash picks of the draft when the selected former Florida State star Trey Benson in the 3rd round.
Benson is the total package and has the looks of a long-term starter in the league. I expect the Cardinals to lean on Conner and ease their new weapon into the offense. The reason I believe Conner to be a loser in this scenario is that 2024 will be his last year with the Cardinals. This makes Conner the shortest of short plays in 2024. Benson is the No.2 RB in the class and will cap Conner before eventually replacing him next year. With explosive plays like the ones below it is easy to see why the Cardinals believe Benson will be their running back of the future.
Trey Benson, a thread. pic.twitter.com/wA8326lrD0
— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) May 8, 2023
Final Thoughts:
Heading into the 2024 NFL draft some in the dynasty community saw the active free agent market for running backs as a sign the majority of the league didn’t particularly like this year’s crop. Players like Devin Singletary, Zack Moss, and Gus Edwards were landing starting jobs for decent money. This seemed to potentially foreshadow the fact that most of the teams in the league were not particularly thrilled with the RB class. Fast forward to the end of the draft and that case seems to have played out exactly as you would think. When searching for losers sometimes it becomes necessary to nitpick and find small issues to separate winners from losers. It is even possible that winners are slow-burn players and so-called losers. Keep your heads on straight and enjoy your upcoming dynasty draft seasons.
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