1. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
Full write-up here
The best fantasy running back in the NFL two years from now. Sorry Todd Gurley, but Elliott is in a prime position to dominate this position over the next six-to-eight years. You simply don't see a prospect of this ilk enter the NFL too often.
Now add in the fact that Dallas' offensive line helped DeMarco Murray become NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2014 and worked wonders with McFadden last season, and Elliott will find himself in a prime position to dominate.
When looking at dyno drafts, the question is whether you go with someone that's proven himself in the NFL (Gurley), or a player in Elliott that can transform the fantasy football world by his mere presence. All indications here are that Elliott remains the best option in dynasty drafts.
He's a bit more of a risk than Gurley because we haven't seen Elliott prove himself in the NFL. But he has everything he needs to be a dominating performer from a fantasy perspective. That much cannot be denied.
2. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
Full write-up here
Henry's long-term fantasy prognosis isn't only complicated by DeMarco Murray's presence in Tennessee. There are a couple other factors we have to take into account here.
First off, Henry is the vastly superior running back in terms of talent, meaning he will eventually take over for Murray at some point in the not-so-distant future. You don't spend a second-round pick on a running back without that happening.
Secondly, Henry provides no real value in PPR-heavy leagues. This will limit his overall value in those contests, potentially pushing him down behind some lesser running backs in the 2016 NFL Draft class.
With all that said, top-10 fantasy production has to be considered Henry's floor two years from now with top-five production becoming a real possibility. The mere presence of Marcus Mariota at quarterback magnifies this. As does Tennessee's blocking scheme, a scheme Henry was successful in at Alabama.
3. Kenneth Dixon, Baltimore Ravens
Full write-up here
We have Dixon below Derrick Henry in re-draft contests, but ahead of the new Tennessee Titans running back in dynasty leagues. It's rather simple. Dixon's competition for the starting job two years down the road is nowhere near as difficult as Henry with the Titans. That's magnified by Justin Forsett's advanced age and injury concerns.
What we saw on tape and just how much Dixon fits into the Ravens offense seems to indicate that consistent top-10 fantasy production from the running back position is on the horizon. Likely a top-10 pick in rookie pool drafts. Remember. Dixon was recruited by LSU and Auburn before choosing Louisiana Tech. The talent is obviously here.
4. Devontae Booker, Denver Broncos
Full write-up here
A stud. There's no other way to put it. We've seen underrated running backs such as Arian Foster and Justin Forsett have success in Kubiak's system. Denver has also proven willing to give the mid-to-late round guy a chance in the past. See C.J. Anderson for a case study there.
Even if Booker doesn't see the field a whole lot as a rookie, his dyno value is through the roof. Expect top-12 production from him within two years.
5. C.J. Prosise, Seattle Seahawks
Full write-up here
It's really good. While Rawls has to be considered the wild-card here, we have absolutely no idea how he's going to return from that terrible foot injury he suffered a season ago. Prosise's lack of experience and own injury history aside, he seems to be a perfect fit in Seattle's scheme. Add in PPR value out of the backfield, and there's real upside to be had here.
At this point, I would have Prosise as the ninth overall pick in rookie pool drafts. That's how high his ceiling is in Seattle. Though, don't expect huge top-10 running back production out of the gate. This is going to take experience at running back in the NFL.
6. Paul Perkins, New York Giants
Full write-up here
One could make the argument that Perkins should be a top-five fantasy running back option out of this draft class. What he brings to the table cannot be denied. The only issue is whether his 5-foot-10 frame will hold up as a primary running back in the NFL.
What we're going to want to see here is for Perkins to take advantage of weaker competition on the Giants roster during the summer. If that happens, there's a darn good chance he could be a real steal in rookie pool drafts.
7. Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears
Full write-up here
Really good. If Howard is able to hold up at the NFL level, he projects to be the Bears' starting running back two or three years down the road. Much higher upside than either Ka'Deem Carey or Jeremy Langford. That much cannot be in question.
Though, the issue here is floor compared to ceiling. Howard's injury history suggests he could be out of the league within a couple years. He could also be a top-15 fantasy running back. Definitely worthy of a valuable selection in rookie pool drafts, just not as high as he would be if it weren't for the injury concerns.
8. Kenyan Drake, Miami Dolphins
Full write-up here
Drake's value here is two-fold. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, which could be a huge if you are looking to utilize a running back as a FLEX option in PPR contests. He also has the ability to put up large numbers of yards with very few touches, yet another sign he can surprise in the fantasy football world.
However, Drake's value is severely limited by two factors. First off, injuries have to be a concern here. Secondly, he's not going to be one of those backs that puts up 15-20 touches on a consistent basis. Instead, Drake's ceiling is likely close to what we've seen from Darren Sproles and Reggie Bush in the past. That drops him down our rankings considerable.
9. Tyler Ervin, Houston Texans
Full write-up here
Ervin's absolute ceiling in dyno is Darren Sproles or Danny Woodhead. He's not going to be one of those guys that can give you 20-plust touches per game. And in reality, that drops him down draft boards a great deal. Nothing more than a mid-round option in rookie pool drafts.
10. DeAndre Washington, Oakland Raiders
Full write-up here
Dyno is where it's at with Washington. If Latavius Murray fails to improve from last season's uneven performance, there's a good chance that the Raiders will look to transition away from him. The key here will be to see whether Washington's work load increases as the season goes on. If given 15-plus attempts on a consistent basis, has decent RB2 upside.
*Check out Luke Inman's video review of the 2016 NFL Draft class at running back from a fantasy perspective below.
*Check out Luke Inman's video review of the 2016 NFL Draft class at quarterback from a fantasy perspective below.
*Check out our top 10 rookie dynasy quarterback rankings here