Zero RB is no longer a virtually unused strategy in fantasy football draft strategy. Once misunderstood and universally mocked, it is now a nearly-mainstream concept. “Zero RB” is mostly what it sounds like, but not exactly. Obviously, you need to draft and start running backs in basically every fantasy football format. But a Zero RB approach generally puts the running back position at the bottom of the priority list. Instead, you’ll focus on building strength at the quarterback, wide receiver, and tight end positions.
Running back injuries are a crucial element to the Zero RB strategy. First and foremost, nobody should be wishing injuries on any player. But injuries are very real and unavoidable, and the Zero RB strategy embraces that reality.
There’s a key distinction to make when it comes to the Zero RB strategy. It’s not advisable to leave value on the board just because you’ve committed to Zero RB. There will come a point in the draft when you should start drafting running backs in nearly every round. But early in dynasty startups, there’s a treasure trove of young quarterbacks and receivers available to give you a stable foundation and flexibility. Mix in a handful of quality tight end options, and the fragile running backs are easy to fade.
In a 12-team, start 10 or more superflex PPR dynasty league, there’s only one running back I’d confidently draft early in a startup this season. Bijan Robinson was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and could quickly become one of the top difference makers in the NFL. Breece Hall is in contention as a second exception, but there are plenty of question marks with his ACL injury. Based on his small sample of success, it’s difficult to select him over an extremely promising young receiver.
Outside of Robinson or Hall, your first running back selection can come roughly when the roster requirements call for it (that is to say, when you’ve built out the rest of your lineup). You can still be in a strong position to contend now and in the future with this approach. You aren’t drafting a running back in rounds 10 or 11, for example, for the sole purpose of filling your lineup sheet. But, when you’ve reached that point of the draft – barring hyper-TE premium settings or quality quarterbacks falling in the draft – you still want to target running backs that offer replacement-level production at the position.
You could also select aging veterans in the hopes that they can still provide difference-making production. But taking the strategy too far could doom you in the first year of the league. It could also prove difficult to build your running back room up to replacement level after the draft.
To execute the strategy properly, it’s crucial to fade low-impact wide receivers and tight ends. You must also hammer the running back position with high-leverage handcuffs, committee backs, and backups. Players like Antonio Gibson, Jerick McKinnon, Jamaal Williams, Leonard Fournette, and Michael Carter aren’t exactly the hottest names in dynasty, but they all share one thing in common: upside in the event of injuries to other running backs in their backfields. Or, in the case of Fournette, the potential to join a backfield after an injury.
These players make up a majority of the running backs on a team I recently drafted. Other running backs on my roster include Miles Sanders, David Montgomery, Chris Rodriguez, and Kendre Miller. Miller was my top investment at the position after selecting the 2.02 rookie pick at the 8.08 startup pick. I have fallen in love with Kendre Miller since the NFL Draft. After not selecting a running back through the first seven and a half rounds, my running back group still looks competitive with room for upside. There is also the added benefit of rostering few non-productive depth receivers and tight ends.
Be aware: Zero RB is becoming more and more common in dynasty startups. It’s more important than ever to be flexible. Don’t get stuck implementing the same strategy as the rest of your league. Be on the lookout for your league mates getting too conservative with their running back avoidance, too. An equally viable approach is to flip the script and build a Robust RB group on the cheap. This is especially true if most managers are fading RBs.
When injuries inevitably shake up the fantasy landscape, your lackluster running backs could be in line for starter-type workloads. The starter is often ruled out well before game time, so it is usually easy to predict those backup RB spot starts. Adding your elevated running backs to your starting lineup and getting solid production in the stretch run becomes a lethal proposition. This is especially true if you’ve made strong investments elsewhere. As your once weak RB room gets stronger, your opponents’ running back rooms get weaker.
Elijah Southwick
Elijah Southwick is a professional writer, editor and content creator covering sports news and fantasy football. He is a contributing writer for The League Winners and Lead Sports Content Writer at Degen Magazine.