How many RBs do you carry on the bench?

[Lab 0]

How many RBs do you draft at the beginning of the season? For a 16-man team that starts 2 RBs, I usually try to grab RB1 & RB2 in the first 3 rounds, and then stockpile about 2-4 more RBs in later rounds. However, in some recent mocks, I have been drafting RB, RB, RB before looking at any WRs. When I do that, I miss out on all the top WRs, and I find myself frantically sweeping up every potentially valuable mid-level WR well into the later rounds, so I sometimes end the draft with only 3 RBs on my roster. (I understand this RB-early strategy might be a bust, but that's not my question here.)

 

My gut says it's bad to have only 3 RBs, because I need to have plenty of backups for when they start getting injured. However, in most of these mocks, I end up with three pretty solid RBs. Here are three sets from recent drafts: (1) S-Jax/K.Jones/C.Taylor, (2) S-Jax, C.Williams, FWParker, (3) R.Johnson, Westbrook, Droughns. If I get three solid RBs like this, do I really need more depth at RB for a 2RB team? I am thinking I might be OK with just these 3 (and maybe a late round handcuff for the more fragile RBs, like Moats or Staley maybe).

 

What do you think? Is three RBs enough to get through the season? Or will I get killed by injuries? Has anyone tried it before?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

By the way, I understand (and agree) that not all of this stuff can be planned pre-draft. If (for example) I already have 3-4 solid RBs on roster, and a solid mid-level back like Droughns is still sitting there, then of course I'll grab him. My question assumes that no one will drop unexpectedly far below his ADP.

 

Not sure if it matters, but I am thinking a redraft league, not keeper.

[duaneok66 0]

How many RBs do you draft at the beginning of the season? For a 16-man team that starts 2 RBs, I usually try to grab RB1 & RB2 in the first 3 rounds, and then stockpile about 2-4 more RBs in later rounds. However, in some recent mocks, I have been drafting RB, RB, RB before looking at any WRs. When I do that, I miss out on all the top WRs, and I find myself frantically sweeping up every potentially valuable mid-level WR well into the later rounds, so I sometimes end the draft with only 3 RBs on my roster. (I understand this RB-early strategy might be a bust, but that's not my question here.)

 

My gut says it's bad to have only 3 RBs, because I need to have plenty of backups for when they start getting injured. However, in most of these mocks, I end up with three pretty solid RBs. Here are three sets from recent drafts: (1) S-Jax/K.Jones/C.Taylor, (2) S-Jax, C.Williams, FWParker, (3) R.Johnson, Westbrook, Droughns. If I get three solid RBs like this, do I really need more depth at RB for a 2RB team? I am thinking I might be OK with just these 3 (and maybe a late round handcuff for the more fragile RBs, like Moats or Staley maybe).

 

What do you think? Is three RBs enough to get through the season? Or will I get killed by injuries? Has anyone tried it before?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

By the way, I understand (and agree) that not all of this stuff can be planned pre-draft. If (for example) I already have 3-4 solid RBs on roster, and a solid mid-level back like Droughns is still sitting there, then of course I'll grab him. My question assumes that no one will drop unexpectedly far below his ADP.

 

Not sure if it matters, but I am thinking a redraft league, not keeper.

 

 

You need at least four or five . . . for example, let's say you have Caddy, Sjax, and Ronnie Brown . . . looks decent, but Caddy and Sjax seem always to be nicked up, and Ronnie hasnt proven he can carry the load . . . if one gets hurt and another is on a bye week, then you're up against it . . . so you need backups, guys you can get (maybe) in the later rounds, like Rhodes, Michael Pittman, Barlow or Gore, etc . . .

 

 

good luck . . .

[gatorbait7391 0]

You need at least four or five . . . for example, let's say you have Caddy, Sjax, and Ronnie Brown . . .

have fun getting those rbs!!

 

anyway I usually grab 4.

[GobbleDog 822]

If you draft a bunch of RBs early, obviously your WRs probably won't be very good. If one of your RBs gets injured during the season, you're covered, but your WRs still won't be very good and your team will always be average.

 

So I think you have to take some RB injury risk in order to have a great team.

[Kellys Heroes 0]

If you draft a bunch of RBs early, obviously your WRs probably won't be very good. If one of your RBs gets injured during the season, you're covered, but your WRs still won't be very good and your team will always be average.

 

So I think you have to take some RB injury risk in order to have a great team.

 

 

Its the age old question FF; whats better - depth or starting line up.

[mggoilers 0]

Its the age old question FF; whats better - depth or starting line up.

 

Agreed, I'm in a keeper and trying to decide between a 3rd WR (starter) or 3rd RB (backup).

 

You need at least 3 RB's to get through bye's and injury weeks in most seasons, but having a quality 3rd WR who will contribute could be huge.

 

Looking at so-called "Experts drafts", they all get that 3rd RB before their 2nd WR is picked. So according to most experts they draft RB depth. But those drafts tend to be RB heavy. this question has been bothering me all offseason, and then you have to think about next year and age in keepers/dynasties.

 

My best options:

 

Chambers, Driver, Addai, D. Williams ... I'm torn.

[kristv 0]

In my league, we have to play 2 RB's every week. I always draft 4, and pick up a 5th during the season. If there's a 5th RB worth picking up in the draft, I'll grab him. But that usually isn't the case in our drafts. RB's are a hot commodity.

[mdubz 0]

i usually carry all my #1 backs' backup and 1 more. so usually 4

[TheGiantJets 18]

my philosophy is take the best player at the time. while it is important to get your rb1 and rb2, you have to get a top wr, you have to. I save my rb3 for a decent starting rb, ex. fred taylor. You have to get a top wr in my opinion. Every year theres a RB that can will break out and if you play the waiver wire smart you can snatch him up.

[ratbastard1 0]

I dedicate as much of my depth possible to RBs. I usually only carry one TE, one K, 2-3 Qbs and 4-5 WRs in a start 2 non-ppr 10 team league.

 

so thats about 10 of my 17 man roster. 7 RBs seems about right to me.

[nos23 1]

starting lineup is the most important thing. having a good bench is nice, but then u sometimes have trouble making your starting lineup if your bench is real deep.

[RumbleReady 0]

In a 16-18 player roster, I will usually draft six to seven running backs. I try to

target TE, K, and D with a late season bye week which allows me to carry more

at the RB position. It all depends on who falls where in the draft - I will always

only carry one kicker and D to begin the season and TE I may carry two, as that

is tougher to pick up a serviceable one for bye week/injury.

 

Usually WR's and QB's will emerge and can be picked up or traded for during the

season, however, it is more difficult to trade for a running back. I will still pick two

running backs within my first three picks, and then will target RB's that share time

or those that I think will emerge.

[Kilroy 0]

Throughout the season I carry as many as it takes, which usually means no less than four. You need two starters, a reliable back-up and then I normally take whoever I feel the best handcuff is to one of the backs I have. If I don't like any of them I'd grab a fourth back I targeted who has upside. Usually I end up with 5 RBs by the end our draft and sometimes 6 if I feel the value is there.

 

Running backs are the hardest thing to come by and you can never have too many of them. If you draft well (okay, if you get a little lucky too ), and have enough that you manuever some of them, you can get a solid receiver for them in return because of the amount of value they have. Even if your thin at WR out of the draft, you'll still have your starters covered and a few weeks into the season you'll have a better feel as to which back-up RB you have that's worth dropping for a wide receiver. Every season and from week-to-week you can usually grab a receiver off the waiver wire that can produce for you. That being the case you might as well take a chance on as many of your sleeper backs as you can.

 

You always have to balance your roster out by the end of the year, but at the start I place higher value on trying to land an undervalued RB as oppossed to a WR. By the end of the season I'll have traded for and/or grabbed two wide receivers that can function as a starter once in a while if needed. By week 8 or so you can kinda tell which defenses are poor against the pass and target some WRs that may not be lighting it up now, but have a nice schedule coming up that could mean an upswing in production for them.

[Datathief 0]

On average, I'll use one bench spot for something other than a RB. All the rest I use on RBs. Many times, this means I use all my slots on RBs.

[texasmouth 1]

I like to have three starters. A lot of people are really caught up with taking a "handcuff." To me, I would rather have three starters than two starters and their backups. The other guys are backups for a reason. For example;

 

 

If I take Rueben Droughns and Corey Dillon.

 

I would rather take Fred Taylor instead of L. Maroney. Fred Taylor is a starter. He fills in for Dillon on a bye week. He can be inserted if Dillon goes down. Maroney, he is only usefull if Dillon gets hurt, then I still only have two backs.

 

Hope that makes sense. It did in my head.

[LunaTick 29]

depending upon quality and depth at all positions.

 

I will typically take 4, unless I went wr early. Then likely 5 rb.

 

Conversely, I may take 5 wr, unless I went wr early, than I will take 4.

 

But it just depends on how the draft plays out.

 

sometimes you realize you have nobody for a bye, so then you end up rb heavy. (when all things are crap, for instance)

[RLLD 3,505]

I hold as many as i possibly can.

 

RB #1- Try to get a top 5 back

RB#2- A top 10 back

 

RB#3- Usually look for some undervalued clod, Fred Taylor is this years likely candidate- he has some upside but should drop far enough

 

RB#4- Usually a rook

 

RB#5&6+.....usually a handcuff for one of teh top 5...

[Lab 0]

OK, thanks for all the input, but *why* do you take so many RBs? You only need one spare for bye weeks. Really, in all the time you're played FF, how often have your RB4, RB5, or RB6 turned into superstuds that displaced your RB1, RB2, or RB3?

 

I understand that RBs get hurt and miss weeks, but if you have one spare, aren't you protected? If you lose your two of your top three RBs to injury, that's rough sledding and you season is probably over. But even if that happens, are you going to rely on your RB4 or RB5, or are you going to grab your RB1's handcuff off the waiver wire?

 

I also understand the value of handcuffs to your stud RBs. However, in my (admittedly few) years at FF and in the mocks I've done, I rarely see people sticking to a strict handcuff approach. Few people grab Ladell Betts or Mo Morris in the late rounds -- most grab some RBBC candidate and hope for the best.

 

What gives?

[Parja 0]

I hold as many as i possibly can.

 

RB #1- Try to get a top 5 back

RB#2- A top 10 back

 

RB#3- Usually look for some undervalued clod, Fred Taylor is this years likely candidate- he has some upside but should drop far enough

 

RB#4- Usually a rook

 

RB#5&6+.....usually a handcuff for one of teh top 5...

 

[ratbastard1 0]

OK, thanks for all the input, but *why* do you take so many RBs? You only need one spare for bye weeks. Really, in all the time you're played FF, how often have your RB4, RB5, or RB6 turned into superstuds that displaced your RB1, RB2, or RB3?

 

I understand that RBs get hurt and miss weeks, but if you have one spare, aren't you protected? If you lose your two of your top three RBs to injury, that's rough sledding and you season is probably over. But even if that happens, are you going to rely on your RB4 or RB5, or are you going to grab your RB1's handcuff off the waiver wire?

 

I also understand the value of handcuffs to your stud RBs. However, in my (admittedly few) years at FF and in the mocks I've done, I rarely see people sticking to a strict handcuff approach. Few people grab Ladell Betts or Mo Morris in the late rounds -- most grab some RBBC candidate and hope for the best.

 

What gives?

 

 

Position scarcity and injuries are "what gives". In most of my leagues, the chance of me being first to pick my hand-cuff during the season is slim to none. Also your RB slots change over the weeks and you also want to keep RBs off your rival's roster. Everyone needs RBs so trading is always an advantage with a deep bench of RBs.

[Datathief 0]

Position scarcity and injuries are "what gives". In most of my leagues, the chance of me being first to pick my hand-cuff during the season is slim to none. Also your RB slots change over the weeks and you also want to keep RBs off your rival's roster. Everyone needs RBs so trading is always an advantage with a deep bench of RBs.

 

Yep.

 

In most leagues, RBs are the only bench position with scarcity. Its easy to pluck depth at QB, TE, WR, Def, or K off the waiver wire at any time during the season. However to pluck a decent RB off the wire, you have to be the first to jump. If you end up with too much quality depth at RB, you can then usually trade one of your more popular RBs (or sometimes even the less popular ones) for starter upgrades elsewhere and rely on that depth.

 

Of course after the trading deadline passes, the only strong reason to hang onto a deep bench of RBs is to keep them away from your playoff rivals. If all the competitors already have depth of their own, then there isnt much reason to hang onto so many late in the season. Instead, fill your bench with guys with good playoff matchup players to either use or keep away from those competitors who might put them to use against you.

[LunaTick 29]

Position scarcity and injuries are "what gives". In most of my leagues, the chance of me being first to pick my hand-cuff during the season is slim to none. Also your RB slots change over the weeks and you also want to keep RBs off your rival's roster. Everyone needs RBs so trading is always an advantage with a deep bench of RBs.

 

Perhaps the only scenario where you may not hedge on grabbing as many rb as you can is where you have gone very chancy at other positions.

 

Say waiting on QB, or WR's in the draft.

 

There you might go 4 deep on rb, but take on more qb/wr hoping that someone does better than projected.

 

 

But agreed that it can be risky to leave talented rbs for others to hawk up on you.

 

 

However, don't just grab the handcuf to have them.

EG Broncos you never know who the real replacement #1 is going to be, thus it may be better to wait and grab more certainties before handcuffing, if at all. This is one of the few teams I have seen the entire corps be drafted based on different pov of who that #1 will be.

[Leonard Henry -2 Yds 0]

In other words, they're all telling you to draft 14 RBs and win the championship this year. Don't listen to any of these guys, they're all morons.

 

It depends on how you draft and who is available to you. 3 rbs is enough on any roster, if you get screwed with injury, so be it. Dont waste your picks on RB trash that will barely be utilized--there's only two starting spots on your team--and COINCIDENTALLY, everyone elses! After 4-5 weeks or so, all of the handcuff RBs usually get dropped by these RB frenzy morons anyway, since the rest of their teams blow and they scurry to find anything decent on the waiver wire.

[GhostofMeanMachine99 1]

3 on the bench. I try and handcuff at least one (preferably to my #1, but if I can't, I'll handcuff to my #2).

 

In a perfect world, I try and nab a starting back as my top reserve, the handcuff, then for my third reserve back, get someone who splits carries or who is apart of a RBBC (with the hopes that injuries pop up on that committee).

 

Getting the best players available trumps this theory, obviously, but having a plan in place is never a bad thing.

[Leonard Henry -2 Yds 0]

3 on the bench. I try and handcuff at least one (preferably to my #1, but if I can't, I'll handcuff to my #2).

 

In a perfect world, I try and nab a starting back as my top reserve, the handcuff, then for my third reserve back, get someone who splits carries or who is apart of a RBBC (with the hopes that injuries pop up on that committee).

 

Getting the best players available trumps this theory, obviously, but having a plan in place is never a bad thing.

 

My thoughts exactly, I just like being meaner and a bigger jerk about it

[Parja 0]

In other words, they're all telling you to draft 14 RBs and win the championship this year. Don't listen to any of these guys, they're all morons.

 

It depends on how you draft and who is available to you. 3 rbs is enough on any roster, if you get screwed with injury, so be it. Dont waste your picks on RB trash that will barely be utilized--there's only two starting spots on your team--and COINCIDENTALLY, everyone elses! After 4-5 weeks or so, all of the handcuff RBs usually get dropped by these RB frenzy morons anyway, since the rest of their teams blow and they scurry to find anything decent on the waiver wire.

 

So do you have a 10-man roster or do you draft backup kickers, defenses, and tight ends (commonly known as "The Corky Strategy")?

[Leonard Henry -2 Yds 0]

you couldn't be more wrong

[GhostofMeanMachine99 1]

My thoughts exactly, I just like being meaner and a bigger jerk about it

 

Whatever gets you through the day, chief.

[Parja 0]

you couldn't be more wrong

 

Care to elaborate?

[ratbastard1 0]

In other words, they're all telling you to draft 14 RBs and win the championship this year. Don't listen to any of these guys, they're all morons.

 

It depends on how you draft and who is available to you. 3 rbs is enough on any roster, if you get screwed with injury, so be it. Dont waste your picks on RB trash that will barely be utilized--there's only two starting spots on your team--and COINCIDENTALLY, everyone elses! After 4-5 weeks or so, all of the handcuff RBs usually get dropped by these RB frenzy morons anyway, since the rest of their teams blow and they scurry to find anything decent on the waiver wire.

 

Morons? Ill remember that little man.

 

3 RBs is enough? Maybe if you've fooled your little sister into "doing the opposite" and you drafted the big 3!