We are just a couple short weeks away from the beginning of training camp, but until then, the primary focus for fans is in the lens of fantasy football. With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at the top players in fantasy football at each position and formulate a top 10 at each position.

As a reminder, make sure you check out the Draft Dynasty podcast, which is released every Wednesday on the FFSN NFL podcast feed wherever you listen to podcasts. Each week, Jeremy Betz and I tackle the biggest questions in the fantasy football or NFL Draft landscape.

Today, we begin our top-10 rankings with the running back position. I am a running back truther in fantasy football, and I am not afraid to take them with three of my first four picks. I happen to do that quite regularly, but the landscape in fantasy has changed the past couple seasons. Is it truly valuable to take running backs as early as we used to, considering there are more committee backfields than ever before? I still like having a strong staple of high-volume running backs, but I am definitely not closed to the idea of drafting other positions earlier than I used to.

Here are my current top 10 running backs in half-PPR formats for fantasy football in 2024:

1. Christian McCaffrey
Do I really need to give a reason? Health is the only concern with taking McCaffrey, and he has remained upright during his time in San Francisco.

2. Bijan Robinson
If Bijan could rack up over 1,000 yards in such a horrible offense last season, imagine what he will do with an improved offensive system and reliable quarterback.

3. Breece Hall
I’ve never been the biggest fan of Breece Hall, but as much as I like Izzy Abanikanda, the Jets are not as high on him as I am. He will continue to be the workhorse in this backfield, and if Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, Hall will not be faced with constant 8-man boxes.

4. Saquon Barkley
I have no issue with taking Barkley in the late first round. He has played behind porous offensive lines for most of his career, but he now heads to Philly, where he will be surrounded by an excellent supporting cast and offensive line. Again, health is the only concern. If he is healthy for a full 17-game season, he could easily finish as the RB1 overall in fantasy.

5. Jonathan Taylor
There is less drama this offseason surrounding Taylor, and that is a good thing, considering his upside is absolutely tremendous. With a healthy Anthony Richardson, teams will have headaches trying to stop a deadly RPO game that involves both Richardson and Taylor.

6. Jahmyr Gibbs
Gibbs may be lower on my overall list, but that is more due to my love for Barkley and Taylor than it is to any sort of disdain for Gibbs. The volume he will receive still warrants an early selection, but how much will David Montgomery eat into his goal line work?

7. Derrick Henry
I have not been a fan of Derrick Henry the last couple years in fantasy, but his move to Baltimore makes all the difference in the world. Behind a powerful run-blocking line and with an organization which thrives on physicality in between the tackles, Derrick Henry has the opportunity to potentially set touchdown records in Baltimore. Keaton Mitchell will get third-down work, but Henry could easily lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns this season.

8. Kyren Williams
The only caveat I would give concerning Williams is that he is injury-prone, and if he goes down for even a couple weeks, I am not sure he will ever get his job back. Expect Sean McVay to begin the season utilizing him as a workhorse back, but make sure you draft Blake Corum if you draft Kyren Williams. If Williams goes down, Corum will run with the job and never look back.

9. Travis Etienne
The Jaguars have stated their desire to lighten the workload for Etienne, but the problem is that they have nobody else capable of handling consistent carries. Tank Bigsby looked as if he did not belong in the NFL in Year 1, and D’Ernest Johnson oddly seemed to get lost on the depth chart. I still anticipate Etienne garnering a near-workhorse role.

10. James Cook
I was tempted to put De’Von Achane here, but I like Cook’s consistent workload in Joe Brady’s offense. As soon as Brady came in as the offensive coordinator, Cook’s numbers improved dramatically. In a full year with this offense, I expect big things from Cook, who will be relied on heavily by a team that is looking to transition to a run-first unit.