Proceed with Caution 2022: Running Backs

For those wondering how I did last season, I'll explain here. For those who don't care, I remind you that this is titled "Proceed with Caution" because I'm not telling you to avoid drafting them outright, I'm merely suggesting you don't throw all your eggs into their baskets. I'd consider my pick successful if they finished below the top 10 for QB, TE, K and D, and below the top 20 for RB and WR. Last year I went 1 for 3 (Tevin Coleman).

Leonard Fournette (Tampa Bay): The addition of Rachaad White in the draft and the (sort of) emergence of Ke'Shawn Vaughn down the stretch late last season make me believe that Fournette's production will take a hit. Almost half of Fournette's fantasy production came through the air (half PPR leagues). Vaughn and White both demonstrated very good receiving back abilities in college. Fournette is still the RB1 in Tampa, but if Vaughn and White eat into his receiving duties, his fantasy viability is going to take a hit.

Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas): Despite the many predictions that Jacobs was going to fall off last season he still finished as the RB16. I wouldn't count on him doing that again this year. Besides the fact that his new Head Coach comes from a system that loved using multiple backs, he's also dealt with injuries (minor or otherwise) in every season since entering the league. There's also the Zamir White factor, who was a steal in the fourth round in my opinion, and who I believe will take away a decent amount of Jacobs' touches.

Miami's stable of backs: Miami's backfield right now consists of Chase Edmonds, Myles Gaskin, Sony Michel, Raheem Mostert and Salvon Ahmed. I could basically say right now that Mostert and Ahmed are at the bottom of that totem pole, but with Mike McDaniel now running the show, I'm sure they'll get touches too. Barring injuries, this backfield is going to be a huge committee that's going to frustrate the snot out of fantasy owners, so my suggestion is to avoid it altogether. If you don't want to listen to that suggestion, then at the very least, don't pick one until the double digit rounds.