College Football Draft Kit: 2023 Running Back Fantasy Rankings

Written by

Chris Bennett

Chris Benzine

Updated on August 11, 2023 2:03PM EST

For our next installment of our College Fantasy Football Draft Kit, we're diving into the running back position. Our staff of writers has penned outlooks for our top-ranked backs this season. Topping the charts at the position is Quinshon Judkins, whose electric presence in an uptempo Ole Miss offense should lead him to wild numbers for a second consecutive campaign. Our top 36 features backs from around the country, varying from the SEC to the MAC to prepare for the upcoming season.

2023 College Fantasy Football Draft Kit

2023 College Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs

1.) Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss

Judkins emerged as one of the best backs in college football as a freshman last season, amassing a whopping 274 carries while averaging 5.7 yards per tote en route to 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns. That doesn't factor in his 15 grabs for 132 yards and another score. He's widely considered the top fantasy running back option in 2023, operating again in Lane Kiffin's uptempo offense that averaged north of 33 points per game a season ago. Judkins is the heart and soul of the offense and should be fed on a weekly basis. -Jesse Siegel

2.) Rasheen Ali, Marshall

In Marshall's last season as a Conference USA team, Ali was a star. He ran the ball 250

2023 College Fantasy Football Draft Kit

2023 College Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs

1.) Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss

2.) Rasheen Ali, Marshall

In Marshall's last season as a Conference USA team, Ali was a star. He ran the ball 250 times for 1,401 yards and 23 touchdowns, while adding 46 catches for 342 yards and a score. Then, 2023 rolled around, the Thundering Herd moved to the Sun Belt, and Ali proceeded to miss the first 10 games of the year with an injury that was never disclosed. In the interim, Khalan Laborn emerged as a star in his own right, but when Ali got healthy, he picked right back up where he left off. In three games, he rushed 47 times for 273 yards and a score. Now, both Ali and Laborn are healthy, and what does that mean. There are two guys here who have rushed for over 1,400 yards at some point. Of course, there have been occasions where two backs have both been viable options for fantasy purposes. This feels like one of those times. Clearly, even with Laborn's breakthrough, Marshall wanted to have Ali involved based on the final three games of 2022. Expectations are high, but with good reason. -Chris Morgan

3.) Raheim Sanders, Arkansas

In a season that fell short of expectations overall for the Razorbacks, Sanders provided a huge silver lining as a sophomore. Sanders rushed for 1,443 yards for Arkansas, averaging a robust 6.5 yards per carry. He finished second in the conference behind standout freshman Quinshon Judkins of Ole Miss, and 13th in the nation. The rushing ability of dual-threat quarterback KJ Jefferson clearly did little to deter the Hogs from continuously feeding Sanders, who managed 222 carries on the year. Sanders also scored 10 times on the ground. He proved a more than capable receiver out of the backfield as well, snagging 28 balls for 271 yards and two more scores through the air. Opposing defenses will certainly be keying on Sanders and Jefferson in the running game, especially with the Hogs losing 125 receptions from their wide receiving corps from last season. Nevertheless, do not expect the "ground and pound" game plan to change for the Razorbacks under head coach Sam Pittman, an experienced former offensive line coach. -Jesse Siegel

4.) Blake Corum, Michigan

Corum's output progressed as planned in 2022 for the Wolverines, taking over the lead back role for the team following the departure of Hassan Haskins. Despite his 5-foot-8 stature, Corum is built to handle a full workload at 213 pounds and did just that prior to a late-season knee injury, compiling 247 carries for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns and adding 11 catches for 80 yards and another score. While Donovan Edwards figures to siphon away some of Corum's looks in the passing game again, look for the Wolverines to again lean on Corum as the team's workhorse in an offense that ran the ball 60.8 percent of the time last season, among the highest in the nation. -Chris Benzine

5.) Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

After taking the college football world by storm as a true freshman in 2021 and then seeing his production dip slightly last season, the pressure is on Allen to remind the country why he should be considered one of the top backs nationwide. Last year, Allen still displayed the same vision, power and burst that helped him run wild as a freshman, but the Badgers' offense was largely lethargic. Uninspiring play-calling and shaky quarterback play factored into his slight regression last season, but the tailback still managed to post 1,242 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. Now, under new offensive coordinator Phil Longo, Allen looks primed to explode in 2023. Longo's spread system stretches defenses out horizontally pre-snap, which should greatly reduce the number of stacked boxes Allen will face. And while Longo's offense is technically an air-raid, he loves to utilize talented running backs when he has them. Allen will share the backfield with another talented back in Chez Mellusi, but he's still the unquestioned RB1 in Madison. -Seamus Rohrer

6.) Kevorian Barnes, UTSA

Last year, the Roadrunners needed somebody to step in for Sincere McCormick at running back. He had been great, but his time as a college back came to a close and he was not easy to replace. The Roadrunners tried holdover Brenden Brady and Arkansas transfer Trelon Smith, but eventually, they turned to redshirt freshman Barnes. He grabbed the role with gusto. Barnes didn't really play until Week 7, and then he exploded onto the scene. Over eight games he carried the ball 129 times for 825 yards and six touchdowns, adding 119 yards through the air as well. With a chance to be the lead back from the start of the season, which we assume will be the case, what can Barnes do? Brady is gone, but Smith is still around, and Vanderbilt transfer Rocko Griffin has joined the backfield as well. Still, Barnes is going to be the top back as UTSA moves to the AAC. Maybe he won't average 6.3 yards per carry if he gets 175 carries or so, but when all is said and done, Barnes has the upside of being a 1,000-yard back for the Roadrunners. -Chris Morgan

7.) Will Shipley, Clemson

Shipley will look to anchor the Tigers rushing attack for the third straight year. A durable runner, he saw double-digit carries in all but one game last season, seven times garnering 15 or more totes en route to 1,182 yards and 15 touchdowns. Shipley doesn't have homerun-hitting speed but is rather an efficient, volume runner that runs hard behind his pads and rarely is hit behind the line. He failed to score only twice last season, and is a capable receiver to boot, turning 46 targets into 38 grabs. With new offensive coordinator, Garrett Riley expected to spark the Tigers' passing attack, Shipley could see less crowded defensive fronts and bigger alleys to exploit. There may not be much room for additional statistical growth, making Shipley a less-than-sexy pick on draft day, but he certainly looks to be amongst the most stable in the country. Draft him, set start him weekly and enjoy known production every week. -Chris Bennett

8.) Sieh Bangura, Ohio

Bangura came from relative obscurity in terms of previous production to turn in one of the better fantasy seasons at the running back position last year. In addition to serving as the team's workhorse on the ground, logging 222 carries for 1,078 yards and 13 touchdowns, he was a frequent contributor in the passing game as well, drawing 43 targets and turning them into 27 catches for 226 yards and a pair of scores. With the majority of the team's offense intact from last season, Bangura should be positioned for another sizable output in 2023. -Chris Benzine

9.) TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State

Henderson will look to bounce back after injuries limited his production in 2022. As a true freshman in 2021, Henderson was electric. He ran for 1,255 yards and 15 scores while also catching 27 passes out of the backfield. Last year, the tailback missed five games and ultimately underwent foot surgery prior to the College Football Playoff. He unsurprisingly sat out the Buckeyes' spring practice period as he continues to rehab his foot, but all signs point to the halfback being ready come fall. Ohio State's offense will welcome a new starting signal caller, likely Kyle McCord, but it should still remain one of the most potent in the country as many of the top weapons return for 2023. As for the backfield, Henderson will likely split carries with Miyan Williams, who emerged as a dangerous runner in his own right last season. When the two tailbacks were both healthy last year, they tended to split carries rather evenly. In this way, they cap each other's value, although each runner is so talented individually that production shouldn't be an issue for either. -Seamus Rohrer

10.) La'Damian Webb, South Alabama

While some transfer moves don't work out, that can't be said for Webb, who, after a year among the JUCO ranks, joined South Alabama's backfield last season and dominated the workload, accounting for 45 percent of the team's carries en route to 209 rushes for 1,063 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground and another 21 grabs for 213 yards and a pair of scores as a receiver on 25 targets. Given the continuity among the coaching ranks and under center with Carter Bradley, there's reason to anticipate a similar season on tap for Webb in 2023. -Chris Benzine

11.) Marquez Cooper, Ball State

Cooper has progressed tremendously during his three-year span at Kent State but is looking to do the same this season after deciding to transfer to Ball State. Cooper played a workhorse role the last two seasons at Kent State, where he saw 285 carries for 1,331 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. He now takes over a lead role at Bowling Green in an offense that gave Carson Steele 289 carries and 38 targets, suggesting Cooper could increase his involvement in his final collegiate campaign. -Justin Pottinger

12.) Nicholas Singleton, Penn State

Singleton had an excellent freshman season where he saw a good amount of work and did not disappoint. The freshman has explosive potential, racking up 22 plays of 10-plus-yard rushes and 16 carries of 15 yards or more. That breakaway ability was on full display in his 87-yard Rosel Bowl run, and he should see a healthy share of the workload again in 2023 alongside Kaytron Allen. Singles closed out 2022 with a total of 156 carries, 1,061 yards, 12 touchdowns on the ground and another 11 grabs for 85 yards and one touchdown as a receiver. He also was consistent as a returner, where he had 14 attempts for 349 yards and a touchdown. His 4.17 yards after contact per attempt also ranked 12th-best in the country, highlighting Singleton's ability to shed tacklers and continue to grind out yardage. There's little reason to anticipate a dropoff in production in year two, and it wouldn't be shocking if he improves on his freshman output. -Chris Benzine

13.) Trey Benson, Florida State

After transferring from Oregon, Benson got off to a bit of a slow start in the 2022 season. However, he ended the regular season on a tear, rushing for over 100 yards in five of the last six games while racking up six touchdowns along the way. Benson will open the 2023 season as the lead man in the Seminoles' backfield, and bigger numbers than the 990 yards he accumulated last year can be expected as he will now be getting the bulk of the reps for a full season. -Jake Blanchard

14.) Michael Wiley, Arizona

Wiley will return to the Wildcats for his final year of eligibility after briefly sniffing out his prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft. The running back compiled 771 yards on the ground and eight touchdowns in 2022, and also caught 36 of Jayden de Laura's passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns. The rise of FSU transfer DJ Williams at the beginning of last season resulted in a temporary demotion for Wiley, but Williams' production sputtered down the stretch, allowing Wiley to reclaim the top role. Wiley should reclaim the lead role in Arizona's backfield in 2023 and could be poised for a big final season in Tucson. -Jeff Edgerton

15.) Samson Evans, Eastern Michigan

Evans emerged as one of the focal running backs for Eastern Michigan last season, tallying 249 carries, 1,166 yards and 15 touchdowns. Evans was used more of a goalline back in 2021, when, despite having 13 touchdowns, he only totaled 316 rushing yards. In 2022, we saw an increase in workload produce a pair of additional touchdowns and a surprisingly more efficient effort at 4.7 yards per carry. Expect to see a similar workload and production from the senior in 2023. -Justin Pottinger

16.) LeQuint Allen, Syracuse

Allen didn't get much action in 2022 as he sat behind two-time 1,000-yard rusher Sean Tucker. When he did see the field Allen was extremely productive rushing for 6.7 yards a carry. With Tucker now moved on to the NFL Allen looks to fill the big shoes left behind. With few other options at running back, Allen seems to be a shoo-in to start in 2023 it will be interesting to see what he can do as the lead back for the Orange. -Jake Blanchard

17.) Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss

How did Southern Miss finish with a winning record in 2022 in spite of using four quarterbacks who all performed below average, including a true freshman who saw the bulk of the action? Frank Gore. The end. OK, here are some more details on that. The son of the NFL legend of the same name, Gore ran the ball 228 times for 1,382 yards and nine touchdowns. That included a bowl game performance where he ran the ball 21 times for 329 yards and two scores. His yardage total was a new record. Not a LendingTree Bowl record. A record for any bowl game. For good measure, Gore caught 20 passes for 221 yards and completed eight passes for 191 yards and four touchdowns. Since he was a freshman, Gore has excelled for the Golden Eagles. Clearly, the move to the Sun Belt didn't hurt. We can assume Southern Miss will rely on their workhorse back once more. You can probably pencil in 200 carries and 1,000 yards. -Chris Morgan

18.) Damien Martinez, Oregon State

Martinez's freshman campaign was stellar, leading all Oregon State rushers with 982 yards. He finished the season with a flourish, notching six consecutive 100-yard games before an almost non-existent presence in the team's 30-3 win over Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl following an injury in the final game of the regular season versus rival Oregon. Deshaun Fenwick will compete for touches in the backfield again, but Jamious Griffin has transferred to Ole Miss and Martinez will be the clear top option with an opportunity to lead the conference in rushing if he can stay healthy. -Jeff Edgerton

19.) Devin Mockobee, Purdue

Mockobee had a productive freshman year for Purdue, where he saw 195 carries, 968 yards, nine touchdowns on the ground and 32 receptions for 274 yards as a receiver. He was the lead back last season and ran at an efficient 5.0 yards per carry for the Boilermakers. There should be no reason to anticipate a less productive sophomore season, especially with a new coaching staff that could involve the ground game more. The sophomore could slightly upgrade his workload under the direction of Graham Harrell, whose running backs combined for more than 1,600 yards and 18 touchdowns last year at West Virginia. -Justin Pottinger

20.) Roman Hemby, Maryland

Hemby took a massive leap in his sophomore season with the Terrapins, finishing the 2022 campaign with 989 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground to go along with 33 receptions, 298 yards and one touchdown through the air. His 5.3 yards per carry finished seventh overall in the Big Ten, an increase of over 1.0 yards per carry from his freshman season. Entering his third year, Hemby should see a similar, if not increased, role as the lead back in a running back room among the likes of Antwain Littleton, Ramon Brown and Colby McDonald. Though the Terrapins' offensive line may prove to be one of the weaker units in the conference, Hemby's versatility grants him the ability to make plays in the open field and take the next step as an elite back in the Big Ten. -Charlie Dern

21.) Josh McCray, Illinois

After his 2022 season was largely plagued by injury, McCray returns to the Fighting Illini backfield with the hopes of continuing the success he had as a freshman. McCray is a former three-star recruit who provided a major spark in the offense during the 2021 season, finishing with 549 yards and two touchdowns on 112 carries, second highest on the team. Heading into the 2023 campaign, McCray is set to lead the rushing attack sans Chase Brown and should take the next step on the fantasy landscape in a run-heavy Illini offense. -Charlie Dern

22.) Carson Steele, UCLA

The Bruins poached the MAC conference in the transfer portal, adding Steele from Ball State and quarterback Collin Schlee from Kent State. Coach Chip Kelly needed someone to fill Zach Charbonnet's shoes, and for now, it appears Steele is their guy. Steele was a dependable every-down back during his tenure in Muncie and enjoyed a stellar 2022 campaign, compiling 1,556 yards and 16 touchdowns. Even though he'll be facing stiffer competition, he should excel in the Chip Kelly-led offense, especially if he can claim the Zach Charbonnet role from last season. -Jeff Edgerton

23.) MarShawn Lloyd, USC

Lloyd's arrival from the 'other' USC adds an interesting wrinkle to the Tirojans' offensive depth chart this season. While may expect Austin Jones to continue as the team's top back, it's way too early to count out Lloyd, who put together some impressive numbers against tough SEC defenses. He rushed for 573 yards and nine touchdowns in only nine games last season and seems well past the torn ACL that thwarted his freshman campaign with the Gamecocks. The battle in the backfield between Jones and Lloyd will be intriguing and worth monitoring. -Jeff Edgerton

24.) Bucky Irving, Oregon

The departure of Travis Dye left a gaping hole in Oregon's backfield in 2022, but Irving stepped up in a big way. The junior accumulated 1,058 yards and five touchdowns on the ground while also providing a solid receiving target for Bo Nix. He caught 31 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns, and even managed to throw a touchdown pass to pad his impressive stat line. Irving has no direct competition for the starting gig and will be Oregon's every-down option in the backfield. -Jeff Edgerton

25.) Jalen White, Georgia Southern

Entering his fourth season, White has a chance to cement himself as one of the best running backs in the Sun Belt. White finished the 2022 campaign with 914 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns to go along with 217 receiving yards and one touchdown through the air. The former three-star running back will continue in his leading role, though the Eagles are a very run-heavy offense (62.8 percent of plays last season), and the departure of Gerald Green from the mix could grant White an even larger slice of the backfield pie this season. -Charlie Dern

26.) Jase McClellan, Alabama

McClellan is the leading returning rusher for the Tide, having run for 655 yards and seven touchdowns a season ago as a junior. The seven touchdowns on the ground tied him for the team lead with Georgia Tech transfer Jahmyr Gibbs; in fact, four of those scores came in the last three games of the season. Though McClellan averaged 5.8 yards per tote, he occupied a complementary role to Gibbs, who parlayed a successful season at Alabama into being a first-round selection in the NFL Draft. McClellan received over 100 carries in 2022, but was much less active as a pass catcher than Gibbs, reeling in just 14 balls for 174 yards and three touchdowns out of the backfield. McClellan may not have the versatility of Gibbs, but McClellan has averaged over five yards per carry during his time at Alabama, and there is no reason to believe he cannot rush for 1,000 yards and score double-digit touchdowns on the ground as the featured back. -Jesse Siegel

27.) Rodney Hammond, Pittsburgh

Following the departure of Israel Abanikanda to the NFL, Hammond is set to take the reins as Pitt's starting running back in the 2023 season. Hammond has some large shoes to fill following Abanikanda's NCAA-leading 20 rushing touchdowns last season. The former three-star running back has tallied 972 yards and 10 touchdowns over his first two seasons with the program, including his impressive Week 10 performance against Syracuse where he rushed for 124 yards on 28 carries and scored a touchdown. The Panthers will have a new signal caller at the helm this season, requiring Hammond's veteran experience to take the next step. Hammond should play the bell-cow role in a run-heavy Pitt offense this upcoming season. -Charlie Dern

28.) Ray Davis, Kentucky

Entering his first season with the Wildcats and fifth collegiate season, Davis has some big shoes to fill as the projected starting running back. Davis is coming off of a 1,042-yard and five-touchdown season as the leading rusher for Vanderbilt in 2022. The 5-foot-10 running back is a former three-star recruit who saw success against Kentucky last season, rushing for 129 yards and one score in their Week 11 battle. He brings a ton of experience to the Wildcats' running back room and is projected to take over the lead back role from Chris Rodriguez, who toted the rock 175 times over just eight games last season. -Charlie Dern

29.) Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State

With Dominic Richardson transferring to Baylor, Gordon will be the featured back for the Cowboys. Considering Oklahoma State will also roll out a new quarterback in Michigan transfer Alan Bowman, it's realistic to think they will lean heavily on Gordon, at least early in the season. The true freshman had his best game in the regular season finale with 136 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries against West Virginia. Overall, it was a successful season for the youngster as he averaged 5.0 yards per carry on 62 carries. Other candidates for snaps at running back include Jaden Nixon and Michigan State transfer Elijah Collins. -Nick Grays

30.) Jo'quavious Marks, Mississippi State

Entering his fourth season with the Bulldogs, Marks appears primed for a breakout of sorts under the direction of new offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay, whose running back room at Appalachian State last season accounted for 392 carries for 2,452 yards and 23 rushing touchdowns. While those total were shared among six different running backs, the Bulldogs don't quite share the same depth at the position, so expect Marks to taken on a healthy volume of carries in 2023.Marks posted a solid junior season in 2022, compiling 113 carries, 582 yards and 9 touchdowns while running at a 5.2 yards per rush and adding 48 catches for 288 yards. While his production in the receiving game figures to falter in the new offensive scheme, his increased touches on the round should more than make up the difference. -Charlie Dern

31.) E.J. Smith, Stanford

Smith sat out for spring practice, which is a wise move considering Stanford's current outlook on offense. Emmitt Smith's son showed a lot of promise in his first two seasons with the Cardinal, but an injury railroaded his junior campaign. He appeared in only two games, and although Casey Filkins filled in admirably., it's hard to see a scenario where a healthy Smith doesn't take over first-string duties again. Barring a setback, Smith should prove to be one of the bright spots in Stanford's offensive game plan. -Jeff Edgerton

32.) CJ Donaldson, West Virginia

Prior to breaking his ankle late in the 2022 season, Donaldson was one of the most surprising freshmen in all of college football. He opened the season with 100-yard rushing performances in three of his first four games and ended up accumulating eight touchdowns in just seven games. Although it's a smaller sample size, he was electric on his 87 carries while averaging 6.05 yards per carry. The only running backs better than him in the conference were Eric Gray (6.41), Kendre Miller (6.25), Bijan Robinson (6.12) and Devin Neal (6.06). If Donaldson can play like any of those running backs in 2023, he'll be one of the best in the conference. West Virginia will need him to be the featured playmaker and his former running backs coach Chad Scott is now the offensive coordinator, so expect a big year for Donaldson. -Nick Grays

33.) Audric Estime, Notre Dame

Estime took the step to lead back last season in the wake of Kyren Williams' departure for the NFL and produced 920 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground in 2022. He did so efficiently, racking up an impressive 5.9 yards per carry. Estime is projected to be the lead back again this season and should be able to produce a similar result and could challenge the century mark on the ground, especially with Logan Diggs and Chris Tyree no longer part of the picture. His most significant backfield competition figures to come from Jadarian Price, who missed all of last season with an Achilles injury and has yet to handle any carries at the college level. -Charlie Dern

34.) Ja'Quinden Jackson, Utah

At last, Jackson will command the rock full-time for the Utes. He was the running back-in-waiting behind Tavion Thomas, and although Micah Bernard is returning, Jackson is already widely assumed to be the every-down back, with Bernard offering a change of pace. Despite sharing the load last season, Jackson compiled 531 yards and nine touchdowns. His yardage could easily double in 2023. -Jeff Edgerton

35.) Antario Brown, Northern Illinois

Brown has compiled a pair of impressive seasons with the Huskies in 2021 and 2022, seeing a slight bump last year to 110 carries for 689 yards and seven touchdowns, all the best marks of his two-year career. With Harrison Waylee now out of the picture following his transfer to Wyoming, the backfield should be Brown's to command, leading to an expected growth in his production as part of a Northern Illinois offense that ranked 18th in the FBS last season with a 58.3 percent run-play rate. -Chris Benzine

36.) Jaydn Ott, California

Ott made a huge splash in the Pac-12 during his freshman year, logging 897 yards and eight touchdowns. Ott's 274-yard, three-touchdown beatdown of Arizona last season is evidence of the streaky sophomore's potential, and with a shaky quarterback situation, the Bears will sorely need Ott's services. Although Ott has the potential to be one of the conference's leading rushers, he'll battle for playing time against Montana State transfer Isaiah Infase, who was the school's all-time leading rusher and has a dynamic four-year record against FCS competition. -Jeff Edgerton