The 2021 fantasy football season was a doozy for the running back position. Many of the backs selected with high Average Draft Positions succumbed to injury. As a result, fantasy football managers worked the waiver wire and traded throughout the season to fill the void. Now, as NFL free agency approaches, it’s worth noting that three of the top-10 2021 fantasy football running backs will be hitting the market. Furthermore, many late-season fantasy heroes at the position are free agents, as well. Where they sign on for the 2022 season, and perhaps beyond, will definitely have a significant impact on this upcoming fantasy football season.
Every NFL team can soon begin negotiating with free agent players come noon on March 14, 2022. Once the clock strikes 4:00 p.m. on March 16th, free agency officially begins and players will start inking their new deals. For fantasy football purposes, the free agency period is an undoubtedly exciting time. It’s the first bit of real football news to get us all buzzing ahead of the 2022 fantasy football season, albeit, by that time, over six months away. While that seems like a long time now, trust me, there will be plenty to talk about, especially as the free agents start making moves.
Below, I rank the top available free agent running backs, give a brief overview of each, and make a call at where we can expect the most value from them for the 2022 fantasy football season, with consideration to team needs at the position and cap space ahead of 2022 free agency.
Top Free Agent Running Backs’ Top Landing Spots for 2022 Fantasy Football
1. Leonard Fournette
After two back-to-back seasons playing under one-year deals with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Leonard Fournette should entertain multi-year offers from around the league as a free agent. He is entering his sixth NFL season at 27 years old. There is plenty of meat still on the bone. Compared to the workload of other running backs in an incredibly strong draft class, here’s where Fournette stacks up:
2017 #NFL Draft Class RB’s Career Touches (Inc. Playoffs):
🏈 Alvin Kamara — 1,411
🏈 Joe Mixon — 1,360
🏈 Leonard Fournette — 1,338
🏈 Dalvin Cook — 1,246
🏈 Christian McCaffrey — 1,150
🏈 Aaron Jones — 1,090
🏈 Kareem Hunt — 978
🏈 James Conner — 916
— Colin McTamany (@Colin_McT) February 28, 2022
Following the emergence of “Playoff Lenny”, which ultimately evolved into “Lombardi Lenny” after a 2020 Super Bowl win, Fournette returned to Tampa on a deal of just over $3 million with the opportunity to run it back with the Bucs. In 15 games played during the 2021 season, Fournette played at least 60% of snaps in 10 of them. Five of those games, he played 80% or more of the snaps. More importantly, Fournette logged 15 or more touches in 12 of 15 games. Until a late-season hamstring injury, Fournette was the only running back of relevance in that backfield, especially for fantasy football.
There is no doubt Fournette can step in as the lead back on any team. The former 4th-overall pick matched a career-high average of 4.5 yards per carry last season. The pleasant surprise of Fournette’s game is his expanded role as a pass-catcher. Even with Ronald Jones II and Giovanni Bernard on the Tampa Bay depth chart, Fournette dominated the target share amongst the position with 61% of targets in 2021.
Fournette’s Best Fantasy Football Landing Spot: Kansas City Chiefs
From one contender to the next, Leonard Fournette would be in a position to get paid and win in Kansas City. Of the 1,512 running back snaps in Kansas City Chiefs last season, 908 could be vacated in free agency between Darrell Williams and Jerrick McKinnon. The Chiefs conveniently enough find themselves with just under $12 million in cap space. It would be wise to bring in an experienced veteran like Fournette to carry the load.
If this were the case, Fournette is an easy top-10 option at running back for the 2022 fantasy football season. I would expect him to log at least 250 total touches with Clyde Edwards-Helaire mixing in throughout the year. In three seasons (2017, 2019, 2021) that Fournette has hit 249 or more touches, he has finished in the top-10 (RB9, RB6, RB5) at the position. I think this same logic would apply to a Buffalo Bills landing spot, as well. Either way, I fully expect “Lombardi Lenny” on a Super Bowl contending team in 2022. He should help win a few fantasy titles along the way.
2. James Conner
Another free agent running back from the 2017 NFL Draft class, who played in 2021 on a “prove it” deal, is James Conner. In Pittsburgh for the 2018 season, Conner filled in for season-long holdout, Le’Veon Bell. It wasn’t until this past season that Conner became fantasy football relevant again. In fact, 56% of Conner’s career touches are accounted for in the 2018 and 2021 seasons combined.
For a running back that’s had his fair share of injuries throughout his five-year career, Conner managed to take the field in a career-high 16 of a possible 18 games in Arizona last season. Not to bury the lead, but the big story with Conner from 2021 is his touchdown total. Conner scored 15 rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns in 15 regular-season games as a Cardinal. In six of those games, Conner scored two or more touchdowns.
For fantasy football purposes, 96.0 of his 230.4 PPR points can be attributed to finding the end zone. Ironically, the knock against Conner for much of the fantasy football season was that he was too touchdown-dependent. There is some truth to that as Conner had just five RB1 finishes during the fantasy football season even with the third-most touchdowns among non-quarterbacks. None of the said performances occurred in the fantasy football playoffs. Still, his 1,127 all-purpose yards on the year are hard to ignore. He is still one of the biggest surprises of late-round draft picks that crushed expectations and projections in 2021.
Conner’s Best Fantasy Football Landing Spot: Atlanta Falcons
It’s yet to be determined if free agent WR/RB Cordarelle Patterson will return to the Falcons in 2022. If so, Conner could still be in the mix as a true running back with Patterson mixing in more as a receiver. Atlanta hasn’t had a 1,000+ yard rusher since Devonta Freeman in 2016. In fact, they haven’t had a running back reach 800 rushing yards since 2018 nor any top 700 yards on the ground since.
James Conner isn’t a sure bet to touch 1,000 rushing yards either, as he’s never done it. However, He does have three seasons of over 700 rushing yards, one with 973. Additionally, Conner has two seasons of 1,100+ all-purpose yards. Three of Conner’s four non-rookie seasons also include 200 or more touches. Of the affordable free agent backs available, Conner, at just 26-years old with plenty of tread on the tires, has the potential to be a lead back.
Falcons head coach, Arthur Smith, after multiple seasons coordinating a Tennessee offense with Derrick Henry, needs to establish a stronger run game in 2022. The Atlanta Falcons have the fourth-least rushing attempts across the league in 2021. If the team is to get the most out of 37-year old quarterback, Matt Ryan, they need to run the ball more and effectively. Conner’s red zone usage and success with the Cardinals last season should be enough for any team to give him a call. If he does end up in Atlanta, I think he’s a good bet to finish as a volume-based, high-end RB2, if not better.
3. Cordarelle Patterson
Based on his 2021 breakout in Atlanta, one could argue Patterson should be higher on this free agent running back list. I feel he’s appropriately ranked considering he will be 31-years old and entering his 10th NFL season. I also think Patterson is best suited as a wide receiver for NFL and fantasy football purposes. Patterson is probably the best waiver wire pickup of the 2021 fantasy football season. He posted career highs in just about every stat, both rushing and receiving. Notably, Patterson totaled 1,156 yards on 205 touches with 11 total touchdowns.
Those keen enough to scoop up Patterson on the waiver wire had the unique ability to play him at either running back or wide receiver. Patterson really stands out from Weeks 1 through 9 last season as RB7, which, based on his 153.7 PPR points, also lands him as WR6 over that span. Unfortunately, his points per game average dipped drastically from 19.2 from the aforementioned stretch to 11.2 in Weeks 10 through 17. Still, fantasy managers, at that point, still had a viable flex option in Patterson after cashing in on early dominance.
Patterson’s Best Fantasy Football Landing Spot: Atlanta Falcons
Patterson is already making offseason statements that Atlanta “feels like home” which leave me no choice but to believe he is inclined to stay put. The Falcons, too, have every reason to want to bring him back. First of all, running back Mike Davis is likely a cap casualty given that Atlanta will save $2.5 million by releasing him. They currently sit approximately $6 million over the cap.
Secondly, after sitting out the majority of last year for mental health purposes, it’s looking unlikely wide receiver, Calvin Ridley, returns to the Falcons. With that said, Patterson should be a top free agent priority for this offense. The Falcons are simply better with him on the field, especially given that he scored 11 of the team’s 31 offensive touchdowns last season.
As far as fantasy football is concerned, Patterson will be a hot commodity if league platforms continue to provide dual positional eligibility to him. I would prefer to see Patterson, at this point in his career, line up more as a wide receiver. He caught 52 of 69 targets averaging 7.94 yards per target and 10.5 yards per catch. Assuming he sticks around and commands the majority of Ridley, Davis, and other vacated targets, there’s no reason Patterson can’t flirt with a 1,000-yard receiving season.
With all of that said, relying on him to be an every week fantasy starter for 17 weeks is bold. He’s a mid-to-late round pick wherever he goes. His stock goes up if you can plug him in at running back again for the 2022 fantasy football season.
4. Chase Edmonds
The biggest story out of Arizona right now is quarterback, Kyler Murray’s, interest in a contract extension. Meanwhile, most of his offensive weapons are set to be free agents in 2022. That includes the aforementioned running back, James Conner, as well as Chase Edmonds.
Prior to signing Conner on a one-year deal last offseason, head coach Kliff Kingsbury expressed confidence in Edmonds playing the “bell-cow” role at running back. This was also right before the team let Kenyan Drake walk as a free agent. So, they were always going to add a back alongside Edmonds. They just got far more than they bargained for with Conner.
Looking at the two in 2021, it’s clear Conner was the red zone favorite. He rushed 41 times inside the 20-yard line, 28 times inside the 10, and 16 times inside the 5, which was second in the league. Meanwhile Edmonds saw just 20, 13, and 5 carries respectively. Still, Edmonds had just 224 fewer all-purpose yards in four fewer games played (not counting a game he played just one snap in). Both will earn rock-solid free-agent deals, but it’s unlikely they both stay in Arizona.
Edmonds’ Best Fantasy Football Landing Spot: Arizona Cardinals
Not only do I think this is the best, I think it’s the most likely landing spot for Edmonds as a free agent. As I mentioned before, the Cardinals have a ton of offensive free agents looking for deals. That includes both Conner and Edmonds, Zach Ertz, Christian Kirk, and A.J. Green. If they are to retain any sort of success in 2022, it’s hard for me to believe it’s by paying both running backs.
With that said, if Kingsbury, who just signed a contract extension of his own, still believes in Edmonds to be the bell-cow, then I expect him back this season. We catch glimpses of Edmonds in this role from time to time. In the team’s final two regular-season games, Edmonds averaged 23.5 touches per game averaging 94.5 all-purpose yards. Again, in a handful of fewer games than Conner, Edmonds still managed six more receptions on 14 more targets. Edmonds is the more capable and preferred passing option.
So, for fantasy football, Edmonds should see a boost in value. Conner’s career-high 18 touchdowns widened the gap between his RB8 finish and Edmonds at RB30. Arizona will add to the backfield through the draft after paying one of these two. That is to be expected. Whoever remains, especially if it’s Edmonds, will have a shot at another top-10 PPR finish for the 2022 fantasy football season.
5. Sony Michel
Sony Michel is a big winner from the 2021 NFL season. After Cam Akers tore his Achilles, the Rams came calling to the Patriots and acquired Michel for draft pick compensation. Spoiler Alert: the Rams went on to win the Super Bowl. Not bad for Sony, right?
The Patriots notoriously replenish their backfield every offseason, often through the draft, so Sony was somewhat expendable. In his first two seasons with New England, though, Sony was as close to a lead back as the team ever usually has. He had 456 carries in his first two seasons totaling over 900 rushing yards in each. Even in a shortened 2020 season, Sony averaged a career-high 5.7 yards per carry with four games of 69 rushing yards or more. That’s exactly what the Rams traded for as an Akers replacement.
In Los Angeles, Sony played in every game. He logged 18 or more carries in seven games, specifically in the final six regular-season games. I’m sure you already know that that sort of volume that late in the regular season bodes well for the fantasy football playoffs. From Weeks 13 through 17, Sony was the RB4 with 16.5 points per game. Specifically for the fantasy football playoffs Weeks 15 through 17, Sony put up RB6 numbers. He is one of the best waiver wire pickups of the season.
Michel’s Best Fantasy Football Landing Spot: Buffalo Bills
At 27 years old and with 909 touches in four seasons, Sony Michel is probably looking at a front-loaded, three-year deal as a free agent running back. The Buffalo Bills are on the cusp of reaching the Super Bowl. Signing a free agent back like Sony could be one of the missing pieces to completing their offense.
Now, I know Devin Singletary had a late-season breakout of his own last year. He still has one year left on his rookie contract. Additionally, Zack Moss is still under his rookie contract, as well, for the Bills. However, quarterback, Josh Allen, remains the most explosive runner on this offense. While it’s a successful part of his game, Allen needs to be able to hand it off on a more consistent basis. The Bills running backs were bottom-five in 2020 rushing attempts and second to last in 2021 with just 313 total.
Enter Sony Michel who, as I’ve mentioned has carried the ball 18 or more times in multiple games before. The Bills running backs last year collectively averaged 18.4 carries per game. Plugging a free agent like Sony into this backfield with scoring potential and volume would unquestionably provide an RB2 floor for the 2022 fantasy football season. Josh Allen’s 393.72 fantasy points last season consisted of 106.0 from rushing alone. That number would drop, but he’s still the favorite to finish as QB1 in this offense.
6. Rashaad Penny
The Seahawks’ 2018 first-round pick, Rashaad Penny, is set to be a free agent after Seattle declined his fifth-year option last May. They had no reason not to. Prior to last year, Penny dressed for just 27 games in his first three seasons. He suffered an ACL tear in Week 14 of the 2019 season which kept him out until December of 2020.
Aside from that, Penny has missed 11 other games throughout his career due to knee, hamstring, thigh, and calf strains. However, in an extremely unfortunate, injury-riddled season in Seattle last year, Penny, of course, broke out in a big way. From Week 14 on, Penny carried the ball 92 times in the final five games for 671 rushing yards and six total touchdowns. In fantasy football, that easily lands him as the RB1 in that span. In the fantasy football semifinals and finals, Penny averaged 26.0 points per game. That’s what we call a league winner.
The Seahawks enter the off-season without their 2022 first-round draft pick, at 10th overall. That belongs to the New York Jets. There are also rumors swirling, again, about a possible Russell Wilson trade. The good news is they have the seventh-most cap space across the league. As far as running back goes, it’s unlikely they give Penny any significant deal. Especially with his injury history, the Seahawks probably won’t be investing any further in him. Not to mention they gave Chris Carson a contract ahead of last year. If he is surprisingly let go, then maybe Penny stays.
Penny’s Best Fantasy Football Landing Spot: Houston Texans
The Texans have one of the largest vacancies at the running back position across the league. For the 2021 season, Houston ranks dead last in total rushing yards, yards per carry, and rushing touchdowns. Throughout the year, seven different running backs carried the ball. Three of those backs, Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsay, and Jaylen Samuels, are no longer with the team.
As for the other four, David Johnson and Royce Freeman are set to be free agents. That leaves 32-year old Rex Burkhead and 2020 undrafted free agent, Scottie Phillips, under contract. I do like Phillips, but there’s no legitimate reasoning, as of now, to think he all of the sudden slides into a significant role here.
Needless to say, a healthy Rashaad Penny easily carries the ball over 200 times in this offense. After years of frustrating injuries and taking a backseat, this is the best spot for this free agent running back to secure the lead role that he was drafted to be. For fantasy football, Penny is a high-end, volume-based RB2 in this case. Though he only has 23 career receptions, I still like Penny to ground and pound his way to sporadic, weekly top-10 finishes for the 2022 season.
7. Melvin Gordon
Melvin Gordon enters 2022 as a free agent ahead of his eighth NFL season. Besides Leonard Fournette, Gordon is the most proven running back on this list. Gordon averages around 211 carries and 40 receptions in roughly 14 games played per season. Aside from his rookie season, Gordon has totaled at least 1,131 all-purpose yards in five of his last six seasons. In Denver alone, the last two years, he’s eclipsed 900 rushing yards and scored 20 total touchdowns.
On one hand, with Gordon, he has only been to the NFL playoffs once, in 2018. So, he continues to have plenty of time in the offseason to get right for the next year. On the other hand, and more importantly, Gordon has 1,789 total touches in 100 games played. He will also be 29-years old when the 2022 NFL season begins.
In 2021, Gordon and rookie running back, Javonte Williams, had nearly a dead-even split in playing time. Williams, in just one more game played than Gordon, logged just 37 more snaps on the season. They also had the exact same amount of carries (203), though it was Williams who saw 14 more targets.
With this in mind, it’s worth noting that the Bronco’s new head coach, Nathaniel Hackett, comes from Green Bay, after a successful season deploying both Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon out of the backfield as the team’s offensive coordinator. Aaron Jones out-snapped A.J. Dillon 620 to 491, but Jones saw just 12 more opportunities (236 carries and targets) than A.J. Dillon (224). Jones finished as RB9 with 15.3 points per game while Dillon managed an RB22 season with 11.1 points per game. Gordon returning to Denver wouldn’t be the worst thing for him. It would certainly cap Javonte Williams’ mouthwatering potential.
Gordon’s Best Fantasy Football Landing Spot: Miami Dolphins
If Gordon is looking for the payday, and a true starting role, then Miami is his best landing spot as a free agent running back. Miami currently has the most cap space of any team. They’re also coming off of a season in which they totaled just 1,339 rushing yards on 370 carries from six different running backs. Five of those running backs are set to be free agents, as well.
One would have to imagine newly acquired head coach, Mike McDaniel, has interest in adding a more reliable option to their run game. Gordon has proven himself in all aspects of the game. It would be a big boost for the development of quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, as well, knowing he has a trustworthy back to move the offense along. The San Francisco 49ers, where McDaniel most recently spent time at their run game and offensive coordinator positions, finished in the top-five of team rushing attempts two of the last three seasons.
If Gordon does end up in Miami, he will be a mid-round fantasy football draft pick that likely finishes as a high-end RB2, if healthy. I do expect the Dolphins to add a running back through in the NFL Draft. Furthermore, McDaniel is surely going to be creative mixing in runs at other positions, in addition to Tua taking a few himself. Still, anywhere that Gordon sees a majority of the snaps out of the backfield, like Miami, bodes well for his 2022 fantasy outlook.
8. J.D. McKissic
J.D. McKissic is your favorite PPR running back’s favorite PPR running back. After bouncing around the league for a few years, McKissic landed in Washington on a two-year deal. In 2020 alone, McKissic carried the ball just three fewer times (85) than his previous four seasons (88) on the Seahawks and Lions. Even better, he logged 80 receptions, which is 10 more total than he had in Seattle and Detroit combined.
McKissic’s success comes at the slight expense of Antonio Gibson, who has finished as PPR RB13 and RB12 in his first two seasons. He affects Gibson’s role more so in the passing game than anything. This frustrates fantasy football managers, especially after head coach, Ron Rivera, claimed Gibson could assume the Christian McCaffrey role in Washington. Still, Gibson managers shouldn’t have much to complain about. Gibson, even after injury scares in 2021, didn’t miss a single game and logged 300 touches.
McKissic’s Best Fantasy Football Landing Spot: Washington Commanders
Admittedly, that’s the first time I’ve typed out “Washington Commanders” in an article. Even with Gibson’s aforementioned 2021 workload, McKissic still managed 11.6 points per game. It’s hard to imagine, at 29-years old, McKissic getting as good of a contract elsewhere with a similar role.
Returning to Washington may cause fantasy football managers to fade Gibson ahead of his third season. I would advise you not to worry, especially after a season with 300 touches and McKissic in the mix. First and foremost, we all need to see who is playing quarterback for the Commanders. Then the rest of the fantasy related dominos will fall.
As far as McKissic goes, this is his best landing spot as a free agent. He will be a flex play with upside all while serving as Gibson’s handcuff. McKissic is usually picked up on the waiver wire. If he’s back in Washington, I would consider using a late-round pick on him.
Other Free Agent Running Backs That Could Be on the Move
Justin Jackson would do himself, and the Chargers, good to return to Los Angeles for the 2022 season, at least. It will still be the Austin Ekeler Show, as long as he’s healthy. Jackson showed up late last season, though, during minor Ekeler injuries, and ran well. He would be one of the more valuable running back handcuffs for next fantasy football season.
James White has a chance to produce perhaps one more flex-worthy fantasy football season in PPR leagues. I like him to land with the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s time for White to move on from the New England Patriots, whom he’s spent all eight seasons of his NFL career with. With this free agent signing, White would follow the Pats’ former offensive coordinator, and now Raiders head coach, Josh McDaniels. Following a season-ending broken ankle for Kenyan Drake, and Josh Jacobs’ limited role in the passing game, bringing in White on a cheaper one-year deal makes sense.
Raheem Mostert is already getting linked to the Miami Dolphins for the 2022 season. It’s easy to do. Dolphins’ new head coach, Mike McDaniel, spent four seasons as the San Francisco 49ers run game coordinator before a promotion to offensive coordinator. Unfortunately, he’ll be 30-years old in April with just nine games played since the 49ers 2019-20 Super Bowl appearance. Mostert is an underwhelming NFL free agent with a minimal fantasy football impact in most formats.
Ronald Jones II is an RB2, through and through. Even if free agent, Leonard Fournette, walks and RoJo returns in Tampa, it’s hard to imagine his ceiling getting any higher in fantasy football. I’d like to see Ke’Shawn Vaughn in an expanded role, anyway. Whatever happens, in a Tom Brady-less offense, the Buccaneers offense is going to come back down to earth in 2022.