Using running back tiers allows you to balance the value at the RB position alongside the other areas of your roster.

When it comes to RB tiers, you can easily see where the next dropoff in talent is coming from and make an educated decision about whether you feel safe waiting at the position for another round or if you need to act now.

The top tiers are usually pretty obvious at the RB position, so the strategy comes into play more in the middle and later rounds. However, there is still a case to be made for using tiers at running back and wide receiver to make those key decisions in the first three or four rounds, especially when picking around the turns.

What are the Running Back Tiers for Fantasy Drafts in 2024?

Tier 1: Elite

Tier 2: RB1s

Tier 3: High-End RB2s

Tier 4: RB2s

Joe Mixon, Houston Texans
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
Zamir White, Las Vegas Raiders
David Montgomery, Detroit Lions
D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings
Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos
Brian Robinson Jr., Washington Commanders

Tier 5: Low-End Starting Options

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
Zack Moss, Cincinnati Bengals
Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers
Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans

Tier 6: Spot Starters

Devin Singletary, New York Giants
Gus Edwards, Los Angeles Chargers
Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings
Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns
Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders

Tier 7: Bench Stashes

Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants
MarShawn Lloyd, Green Bay Packers
Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams
Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears
Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos
Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals
Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints
J.K. Dobbins, Los Angeles Chargers
Antonio Gibson, New England Patriots
Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans
Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins
Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills
Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers
Braelon Allen, New York Jets

Tier 8: Deep-League Only

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs
Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens
Eric Gray, New York Giants
Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears
D’Onta Foreman, Cleveland Browns
Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore Ravens
Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars
AJ Dillon, Green Bay Packers
Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles
Samaje Perine, Denver Broncos
Deneric Prince, Kansas City Chiefs
Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers
Jamaal Williams, New Orleans Saints
Audric Estimé, Denver Broncos

Tier 9: Very Deep League Options

Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers
Alexander Mattison, Las Vegas Raiders
Israel Abanikanda, New York Jets
Kareem Hunt, Free Agent
Jeff Wilson Jr., Miami Dolphins
Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals
Dalvin Cook, Free Agent
Pierre Strong Jr., Cleveland Browns
Will Shipley, Philadelphia Eagles
Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers
Deuce Vaughn, Dallas Cowboys
Joshua Kelley, Free Agent
Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals
Evan Hull, Indianapolis Colts
Isaiah Spiller, Los Angeles Chargers
Chris Rodriguez Jr., Washington Commanders
Cam Akers, Houston Texans
D’Ernest Johnson, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jerick McKinnon, Free Agent
Cordarrelle Patterson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Chase Edmonds, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ronnie Rivers, Los Angeles Rams
Trey Sermon, Indianapolis Colts
Matt Breida, Free Agent
Salvon Ahmed, Miami Dolphins
Keaontay Ingram, Kansas City Chiefs
Dylan Laube, Las Vegas Raiders
Latavius Murray, Free Agent

What Are Tiers in Fantasy Football?

Fantasy football tiers are simply a different way of looking at fantasy rankings.

As opposed to a straight list, players are grouped based on their talent level relative to one another.

Players who are expected to provide a similar value to one another will be in a tier together. Where that value drops off, there is a tier break, and then we start again.

For example, in 2024, we expect Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Breece Hall to be elite fantasy options and a clear step above the next group of RBs available in drafts. Therefore, they go into the top tier, and then the next level makes up the second tier.

How To Use Tiers in Fantasy Football

If you are familiar with the horizontal board concept when discussing the NFL Draft, then tiers are a very similar proposition. Essentially, we look for the drop-off in talent at each position and use those groups to decide which players to prioritize at each stage of the draft.

For example, if only one RB remains in the RB1 tier, but there are still five WRs in the WR1 tier, you may decide to draft the RB and wait on WR. The reasoning is that it is more likely a player from the WR1 tier falls to your next pick in the following round than someone in the RB1 tier.

How To Create Your Own Fantasy Tiers

Probably the toughest part of creating tiers is getting the initial rankings together. However, once you have a rough ranking, tiers can save you from overthinking who should be your second or third-ranked RB.

If you feel that Robinson and Hall are essentially the same, then you put them together in a tier.

Naturally, if both are on the board when you are on the clock, you will have to choose between them. But setting tiers allows you to determine the limits of where you are comfortable with a certain group at that position.

To create the tiers, all you have to do is go down your rankings and draw a line between players where you feel there is a drop-off in expected output.

When you create your own tiers, you can do whatever you want with them. If you feel only one player is “Elite,” put him in a tier by himself. If you think all the RB1 should be tiered together, that is completely up to you.

Fantasy Football RB Tiers: Bijan Robinson and Breece Hall Join Christian McCaffrey at the Top