Is drafting running backs high worth the risk? | Pro Football Talk | NBC Sports – FANTASY FOOTBALL FAN SITE
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Is drafting running backs high worth the risk? | Pro Football Talk | NBC Sports

Mike Florio and Chris Simms look at the NFL's slew of running back injuries, including first-round pick Christian McCaffrey, and discuss why drafting an RB early can be risky. #NBCSports #ProFootballTalk #NFL
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Is drafting running backs high worth the risk? | Pro Football Talk | NBC Sports

D P

It’s not about the risk. You shouldn’t draft them high even if they stay healthy because there’s too much talent beyond the 1st round to warrant using that pick for the position (e.g. Jonathan Taylor (2nd rd), Dalvin Cook (2nd rd), Derrick Henry (2nd rd), Alvin Kamara (3rd rd), Aaron Jones (5th rd), Austin Ekeler (undrafted)).

    Delonte Bright

    Tbf JT and Henry were both 1st round talents that got drafted later because everyone says don’t draft rbs in round 1 its like a self fulfilling prophecy

Odis Brown

You have to feel bad for all the hurt running back ….draft no running back before the third round..

Jonathan Straka

You have to wonder why young blue chip athletes would even want to play running back instead of another position at this point. Your career is essentially over at 30 and you are going to get maybe one decent contract.

    smiTTy Rodgerz

    Exactly … I’m telling my son to play defense or QB

    Gerald Bartczak

    Maybe players don’t need a trillion dollars in their lifetime

    NeverTalkToCops1

    @smiTTy Rodgerz No, tell your daughter to play basketball, big money!

Dr. Wan PharmD

If I was a GM and wanted to keep my job, I’d never draft a RB in the first round.

    Ray Gaub

    Unless of course you own the team like Jerry stinkin’ Jones.

John p

49ers running backs last 4 yrs , no 1st or 2nd round pick, always a great running offense

    markula4040

    You sure? They finished 15th in rushing last year and 13th 2 years before that. Would not call that ‘always a great running offense’

    John p

    @markula4040 . Decimated by injuries last 2 yrs. SB 2019, Led LEAGUE IN RUSHING

    Christian Sr

    🥰

    Larry Booze

    9ers do turn nobodies into good backs

Bryce Peters

James White was always a Patriots fan favorite.

Lord Rayden

Use the high draft picks to build the OL and DL,

If you have those built up, everyone else will look better

    H Jean

    true. But do you need 5 good/great O-linemen and 3 good/great D-linemen? like what’s the best way to build an NFL roster?

    You obviously need a good/great quarterback who won’t be a liability. You would need 2 good/great o-linemen, preferably left tackle and center. Your 2 guards and right tackle can be decent/ok, just as long as they are not a liability. You need a number one wide receiver who is probably going to draw double teams and the rest of the wide receivers can be decent/good. and as for running back, take the patriots approach where you have multiple guys who get it done when they are called upon.

    For defense, you need 2 good/great D-linemen, tackle and edge, and the rest of the D-linemen can be decent/ok, as long as they are not a liability. You need a good/great middle linebacker. You need a number 1 shutdown corner and a good/great free safety.

    That’s how I would build a football team. Easier said than done, but…

    Jeff Carr

    That’s pretty much what the patriots did it seems to be working they have average running backs and average wide receivers and look at the record. And their quarterback is efficient not outstanding .

Michael Lazzeri

MY team got a steal, when we took Javonte Williams in Rd. 2 . they almost moved up into Rd 1 to get him, but held off, wisely. ———–VERY wisely./———————–MJL, 75 y/o

    Gerald Bartczak

    But that doesn’t make him less likely to go for the big bucks on his next contract

Gerald Bartczak

They showed Christian on the sidelines and said he had a bad ankle

Richard Ernsberger

Panthers gave McCaffrey a huge contract before last season and he promptly missed most of last season and most of this season. Poor value for huge money spent? That would be an understatement!

    NeverTalkToCops1

    Many NFL players get the big contract, and promptly get injured.

myko freder

Teams drafting in the top 15 should look at the 5th year option money to decide what positions they should consider. QBs are top 5 positions are about 30% less, and running backs and tight ends are on the bottom just above kickers. Some tight ends are really receivers and are an acceptation to the rule, maybe a running back who is a receiver half the time would be an acceptation if that exist.

damion mccauther

The issue is that they make the top rbs their whole offense. Christian Mccaffrey was playing like 98 percent of his team snaps for years.

Trevor Rotan

You need a running game, but a tandem backfield with a well drafted gem is ideal.

    NeverTalkToCops1

    Yes, like WFT’s Gibson & McKissic.

The Real

Fans: “PAY THIS MAN!!!”
The Rooney’s: “Hold these franchise tags”

Seewise

I will say Dalvin Cook has been good this year, even though he will be out now for a few weeks (shoulder). Plus his OL is below average.

    Steve G

    Cook is on the downside 100%

Richard Clark

Running backs as a whole are over rated. Going back to the start of 2000, only Marshall Faulk and Marshawn Lynch have won a Super Bowl and been one of the top 5 highest paid RBs in that year. Serviceable backs you dont have to pay high are better for your team than star backs.

Steve

Running backs get screwed by the rookie contracts

Chris B

Mccaffrey has been hurt for 75% of his NFL career!?! I’d say bye if I was the decision maker for the Panthers. 💯

Damien Mann

Simms would do everything high given the chance 💨

A Radcliffe

Damien Harris had a 68yrd touchdown run with a 9man box..Gotta give him some credit Simms

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