To me, when it comes to most redraft leagues, there should be zero discussion over who to draft first. Whether it’s 1QB, 2QB, SF, standard, half-PPR, or PPR, the first pick should be Christian McCaffrey. If you manage to get him with any pick after the first one, you’re getting a steal. But if CMC is gone, now what do you do?

In 1QB leagues, there is a second tier of running backs and they’re all very close to me, to the point where I’d be happy with any of them after CMC is gone. They all have pros and cons and I’ll get into those now.

Dalvin Cook: He’s great…when on the field

Pros: Dalvin Cook is the offense in Minnesota, he’s a great runner, and he can catch the ball too.

Cons: He may not be as involved in the passing game as McCaffrey or Elliott and he has missed at least 2 games every season so health is a concern.

Ezekiel Elliott: Mr. Reliable…as long as Dak’s there

Pros: Ezekiel Elliott has only missed one game due to injury and has been a top-5 RB per game with Dak for each of the 5 seasons he has been in the league. He should get many carries and targets so he’s about as safe as you can get.

Cons: He and the offense took a huge hit when Dak went down (though he still finished as a top-12 RB). We could see something similar if Dak misses time again, but I wouldn’t expect that. There’s also a possibility Tony Pollard could take more snaps because of how well he performed last year, but it’s tough to see them taking Zeke off the field much when he’s being paid such a large salary.

Derrick Henry: The best running back…but not much more

Pros: Derrick Henry should get plenty of carries, plenty of yards, and plenty of touchdowns. He may be the best rusher in the NFL.

Cons: He isn’t very involved in the passing game, which limits his upside. He can also be game-scripted out if the Titans fall behind and need to throw to catch up.

Alvin Kamara

Pros: Alvin Kamara is used heavily as a receiver and the Michael Thomas news only helps with that. He also gets plenty of touchdowns.

Cons: He isn’t used as much as the other names on this list as a runner. Also, Taysom Hill is a rushing QB and if he starts, that could mean fewer rushes, fewer TDs and fewer targets for Kamara. Jameis Winston starting might be better for Kamara but he’s still probably a downgrade from Drew Brees.

Wrap-Up

Christian McCaffery is the best player in fantasy by a decent margin. To me, the four guys after that are really close and I’d be happy with any one of them. Saquon Barkley would have been on this list if it wasn’t for his current health concern. If that has changed for the better by the time you draft, he could be on this list as well. Hopefully, these notes help you to choose who you’d go for if CMC is gone.

If you must know, I have ranked these RBs in the order I’d draft them in, but I’d be happy with any of these 4 if I couldn’t draft McCaffrey. One thing to consider too is regarding who their handcuff is. If I had Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, I could be fairly certain I’d have a workhorse running back in Dallas as long as one of them is healthy. However, if I had Derrick Henry and Darrynton Evans, I’m not sure sure I’d have a great fantasy RB if Henry goes down.

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