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Dynasty Leagues

Long-term RBs

Jets sitting on an up-and-coming running back

What exactly do we make of Braelon Allen? On the one hand, he’s backing up one of the top few running backs in the league. But at the same time, it’s clear Allen is a needle mover. He’s going to start some games before his career is through.

If you’re looking to make a long-term investment in a big, violent back, Allen would need to rank high on the list. As the league’s youngest player, he’s got a lot more tread left on his tires than Derrick Henry, Nick Chubb and James Conner. He’s about six years younger than Najee Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. Brian Robinson is an emerging back in this genre, but he’s about 5 years older than Allen.

Ranking players for dynasty purposes is always difficult, with the need to balance what players are doing now against what they’ll be doing next year and 2-3-4 seasons down the road. But Allen in general looks like a guy who’d be worth going after, with some confidence he might be a top-10 back in the future (perhaps with a different quarterback, different coach or even a different team – but it should happen).

If I were walking in a dynasty draft today, I wouldn’t make Allen one of the first 25 running backs drafted. I would want to prioritize guys who are more productive in the here and now. But I would think Allen would be a third or fourth back on some team (in a 12-team league) – stashed away with some confidence he’ll be something in the future.

Stacking him up against the other rookies, I think he’s the No. 3 guy. I’m sticking with Jonathon Brooks (who should be in uniform soon) as the No. 1 rookie. If not for his knee injury, he might have snuck into the first round in April. For the 2nd-best rookie back, I would go with Trey Benson; he hasn’t shown as much as Allen yet, but I like his situation more – in a stat-friendly offense behind an older back who’s had a lot of injuries.

Jaylen Wright would be my fourth rookie. I liked the look of him in the preseason, and I believe his time will come in Miami. And then perhaps Blake Corum; as with Benson, I like his situation.

I turn my attention to dynasty leagues each Saturday during the regular season, rotating between the four notable positions. Rankings assume about 12 teams, with players held on rosters indefinitely. PPR scoring. I've got rookies tagged with black dots. (To see previous lists, use the “past issues” option on the right side of the page.)

Last week: Quarterbacks

Next week: Tight ends

DYNASTY RANKINGS, RUNNING BACKS
RkTmPlayerAge
1.ATLBijan Robinson22.6
2.NYJBreece Hall23.3
3.DETJahmyr Gibbs22.5
4.INDJonathan Taylor25.7
5.PHISaquon Barkley27.6
6.SFChristian McCaffrey28.3
7.JACTravis Etienne25.7
8.GBJosh Jacobs26.6
9.LARKyren Williams24.1
10.BUFJames Cook25.0
11.MIADeVon Achane22.9
12.HOUJoe Mixon28.2
13.NOAlvin Kamara29.2
14.KCIsiah Pacheco25.6
15.SEAKenneth Walker23.9
16.TBRachaad White25.7
17.TENTony Pollard27.4
18.CAR• Jonathon Brooks21.2
19.DETDavid Montgomery27.3
20.WASBrian Robinson25.5
21.NERhamondre Stevenson26.6
22.DENJavonte Williams24.4
23.PITNajee Harris26.5
24.ARIJames Conner29.4
25.MINAaron Jones29.8
26.BALDerrick Henry30.7
27.LACJ.K. Dobbins25.8
28.SFJordan Mason25.3
29.LVZamir White25.0
30.CINZack Moss26.8
31.ARI• Trey Benson22.2
32.CLENick Chubb28.7
33.NYJBraelon Allen20.7
34.PITJaylen Warren25.9
35.CHID'Andre Swift25.7
36.MIA• Jaylen Wright21.5
37.DENJaleel McLaughlin24.0
38.NYGDevin Singletary27.0
39.CARChuba Hubbard25.3
40.ATLTyler Allgeier24.4
41.CINChase Brown24.5
42.SEAZach Charbonnet23.7
43.MINTy Chandler26.4
44.LAR• Blake Corum23.8
45.TENTyjae Spears23.3
46.BUF• Ray Davis24.9
47.CLEJerome Ford25.0
48.DALEzekiel Elliott29.2
49.JACTank Bigsby23.1
50.WASAustin Ekeler29.3
51.MIARaheem Mostert32.4
52.GB• MarShawn Lloyd23.7
53.NEAntonio Gibson26.2
54.TB• Bucky Irving22.1
55.LACGus Edwards29.4
56.CHIKhalil Herbert26.4
57.NYG• Tyrone Tracy24.8
58.DALRico Dowdle26.3
59.DEN• Audric Estime21.0
60.KC• Carson Steele21.9
61.BALJustice Hill26.9
62.CHIRoschon Johnson23.6
63.NYGEric Gray24.9
64.NOKendre Miller22.3
65.PHI• Will Shipley22.1
66.LVAlexander Mattison26.3
67.HOUDameon Pierce24.6
68.INDTrey Sermon25.6
69.PHIKenneth Gainwell25.5
70.GBEmanuel Wilson25.4
71.SF• Isaac Guerendo24.2
72.NOJamaal Williams29.5
73.CARMiles Sanders27.4
74.CLEPierre Strong25.8
75.KCSamaje Perine29.0
76.HOUCam Akers25.2
77.BUFTy Johnson27.0
78.SEAKenny McIntosh24.6
79.CLED'Onta Foreman28.4
80.MIAJeff Wilson28.8

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index