Below is the RB1 Machine’s uniformed designations for each of the 9 different tiers of Fantasy Football running back. Curious how these tiers were created? Click here to read more.
| RB Designation | RB Designation Explanation |
|---|---|
| RB1E+ | These are players performing at all-time great levels, are completely match-up proof, and have the ability to nearly single-handedly win your match-up for you every week. Even with mediocre at best in-season roster management, these players still make you championship contender in your league (trust me, I rode LaDainian Tomlinson to a championship in ’06 not knowing my back side from a hole in ground). The only two runnings backs to ever have an RB1E+ season in Half-Point PPR Leagues since 2000 are LaDainian Tomlinson (2006) and Marshall Faulk (2000). |
| RB1E | A running back in this tier still has a strong week-to-week ability to win your matchup for you, is a no-brainer every-week starter, and is only in a tier below the RB1E+ because of how truly rare and distinguished the RB1E+ designator is. There have only been 16 RB1Es since 2000, with guys like Priest Holmes (2002, 2003) and Steven Jackson (2006) being well-known representatives of that tier. |
| RB1+ | While still incredibly valuable, running backs in this tier begin to look a bit more mortal in comparison to their RB1E and RB1E+ counterparts…but that’s far from a slight or knock on their worth. With that said, these running backs are more susceptible to dips in performance based on matchup, but are still stud running backs you never sit, barring an injury. They are enviable workhorses that you’ll be hard-pressed to win a league without having at least one of them on your team. |
| RB1 | The RB1 is the gateway into elite Fantasy Football running backs. Still an every-week starter barring injury, you can expect more notable drops in scoring based on a given week’s match-up, but you still have a high-ceiling of potential performance in neutral or better match-ups. While the RB1 alone (or even more than one) won’t win you your league, they are the heart and soul of many teams, and having two or more of these guys on your roster means you’re almost assured to be competitive every week, and in the mix for a championship in your league every season. |
| RB2+ | The RB2+ designator is an individual who may not get as many touches as an RB1 or perhaps is a strong pass-catching back in a check-down happy offense but they’re still solid contributors that are more than viable bye-week fill-ins match-up based starters or a 3rd RB in your line-up as a solid FLEX. Often times an RB2+ with matchup based RB1 upside can be a strong bargaining chip in late-season trades. |
| RB2 | While you can start an RB2 as one of your two starting running backs and still find weekly success ideally an RB2 would serve as a FLEX or a 3rd/4th running back on your roster. The RB2 may not have tremendous upside week-to-week but RB1 numbers in certain match-ups are not out of the question and they serve as invaluable depth for injury and bye week fill-ins in any RB or FLEX slot. |
| RB3 | An RB3 is predominately depth and often a running back involved in a committee or a running back ceding snaps to a better running back ahead of them serving as their handcuff. In redraft leagues you may want to stock up on guys like this in the later rounds(7-8 or later) as if given a significant boost in touches due to injury suspension etc. could jump into weekly RB1 territory overnight. |
| RB4 | RB4s are going to be guys who get limited touches and playing time but the situation they’re in allows them to have higher touchdown potential than other backs or some other more unique situation that in an emergency you can plug-in and expect anywhere from 5-12 points (if a touchdown is scored). While not reliable they’re often much better than anything available on the waiver wire in a quality league when you’re in a pinch at running back. |
| Non-con | A Non-Con (non-contributor) that outside of extenuating circumstances will rarely (if ever) get starts in our fantasy football rosters. And while they may contribute during the week you actually do start them that’s likely an emergency/one-off situation that’s not likely to last beyond that week and/or the next. They have a part-time to change-of-pace role at best and simply cannot be counted on to contribute for you without highly unusual circumstances. |