We have reached the point now in the fantasy football community that it’s a cliche to sour on an incoming group of NFL rookies, while looking ahead with excitement at the following year’s class, or beyond. Just log on to Twitter and see the comments every year without fail. Sometimes the narrative that the grass is greener in the future draft class is justified and a particular class is loaded with players on track to be studs for fantasy. However, sometimes we overvalue the future class of tantalizing shiny new toys.

The 2023 class has had a level of buzz and anticipation among Devy and dynasty managers for some time now. The hype around the 2023 running back class in particular is high. This article explores the 2023 RB class as it stands today and how good it could actually be. Let’s take a look at the top backs at this point and see how the class is shaping up one year out.

The top of the class

Bijan Robinson

Texas – 6’0 – 214lbs  

Bijan came into college football as the number 1 ranked back in the 2020 recruiting class and was a top Devy prospect from day one. He has since only increased his value with impressive freshman and sophomore seasons at Texas.  To this point, he has been a highly efficient playmaker with 6.5 yards per carry and 12 yards per reception, while putting up over 120 total yards per game. He suffered a dislocated elbow which ended his sophomore season after 10 games, but Bijan is expected to be back on the field next year and continue to produce. Robinson’s tape shows a combination of big-play speed to break long runs and the power/burst to break tackles and rack yards after contact.

Expect Bijan to continue to dominate next season on a Longhorns offense featuring Xavier Worthy, Isaiah Neyor, 5-star QB Quinn Ewers, and former Alabama TE Jahleel Billingsley. Robinson checks all of the boxes for what we are looking for. He has size, efficient college production and receiving ability (25.8 rec yards per game and 9.5% target share). So long as he shows enough at the combine he should be at worst a day 2 pick in the 2023 NFL draft and the current favorite to be the RB1 in class when all is said and done.

Jahmyr Gibbs

Alabama – 5’11 – 200lbs

Jahmyr Gibbs joined Georgia Tech as a 4-star recruit and in two seasons has established himself as a dynamic back at the college level, displaying high-end receiving skills. Across his freshman and sophomore campaign Gibbs averaged 104 yards per game from scrimmage and commanded an impressive 13.7% target share in 2021. 

Gibbs now heads to Alabama via the transfer portal and he looks set to take on a feature role in the offense. Not only is 2022 starting running back Brian Robinson gone, the Crimson Tide are losing John Metchie, Jameson Williams, Slade Bolden and Jahleel Billingsley from the passing game. That’s 391 targets vacated from this past season. Given Jahmyr’s production as a pass catcher at Georgia Tech, expect to see him targeted early and often by reigning Heisman trophy winner Bryce Young.  The upside for the 2022 season is massive for Gibbs with the upgrade to surrounding talent and he has the opportunity to send his draft stock way up playing on the biggest stage in the nation. 

However, while the overall production is impressive and the opportunity going to Alabama is great, questions remain; can we project Gibbs to be a player who commands a full workload at the NFL level? Keep in mind he is listed at 5’11 200lbs. At that size, he may end up being deployed more as part of a committee in the NFL. His opportunity share (share of total carries and targets to the RB position) in 2021 at Tech was 40.2%. It will be worth monitoring if Alabama deploys him as a work horse back or in more of a timeshare. 

If he produces at Alabama, then lock Gibbs in for day 2 draft capital with a chance to sneak into the first round conversation, with NFL scouts lobbying for the elite receiving ability. Despite the concerns of size, with his production as a receiver Gibbs has high end upside for fantasy.

Zach Evans

Ole Miss – 5’11 – 212lbs

Zach Evans joined TCU as a 5-star recruit and the number 2 RB in the nation in 2020, with impressive athletic numbers out of high school (4.51 40 and a 37.2 inch Vertical). In two injury-shortened seasons, Evans profiles as an explosive back with big play ability. In 15 games, Evans had 21 plays for 15 or more yards (12.8% breakaway rate). In those 15 games at TCU, he averaged a whopping 7.3 YPC.  Injuries have muted his impact so far but the flashes we’ve seen to this point are exciting.

He now moves on to Ole Miss via the portal and the change of scenery should help Evans. In his junior campaign, he will be on a better offense with an upgrade to the talent around him, in particular at QB. Evans steps onto the depth chart as the clear favorite to start with the departure of Snoop Conner and Jerrion Ealy. Devy managers with Zach on their roster will hope he can stay healthy for the coming season and answer questions of durability. If Evans has a breakout year at Ole Miss as many expect, he can put himself on track to be a day 2 pick for the NFL draft and an early first round pick in dynasty rookie drafts.

Tank Bigsby

Auburn – 6’0 – 208

Another member of the 2020 recruiting class, Tank Bigsby enrolled at Auburn and has been the feature back since a breakthrough game against Arkansas where he rushed for 146 yards. Tank produced as the key cog in the offense and accounted for 23.8% of Auburn’s total offense as a true freshman and 24.6% as a sophomore. Bigsby also showed off impressive athleticism out of high school with a 4.55 40 yard dash. Tank profiles as another back with a three-down skill set who can add value as a receiver and as a pass blocker.

While the production doesn’t look as impressive as some of his peers in this class, keep in mind Tank did this in the SEC with poor QB play and on a struggling offense that turned to him to put the team on his back. The talent and difficult situation is reminiscent of what Cam Akers endured at Florida State. A high-end talent behind a bad line running against stacked defensive fronts littered with future NFL players. For this reason we can look beyond the 5.4 YPC and reasonably project Tank as a day 2 draft pick and a productive NFL back. 

Sean Tucker

Syracuse – 5’10 – 210  

Sean Tucker exploded for a monster sophomore year after an under the radar, yet promising, freshman 2020. In 2021, Tucker posted 1751 yards from scrimmage, averaging an eye-popping 145.9 yards a game. This accounted for 39.8% of Syracuse’s total yardage.  Tucker also displays above-average receiving ability with 12.8 yards per reception and 21.3 receiving yards per game. These numbers compare to some impressive names.

As well as this striking production, what’s also encouraging for Tucker’s profile is the track background. In high school, Tucker was a regional 55-meter dash title holder two years in a row and a champion in the 100-meter and 200-meters as a junior. Whether you value speed in prospects highly or not, what is key is that a fast time in the 40 yard dash can boost NFL draft stock. 

Tucker is checking off a lot of boxes as a runner, receiver and athlete. Assuming he can continue his dominant performance in his junior season then he will go into the combine next year with big upside. 

With the top backs mentioned above, this gives the ’23 class 5 all-purpose studs going into the 2022 college season.

The class also has the potential to offer depth at the position with familiar names returning such as Zach Charbonnet and Deuce Vaughn and productive small school runners like Lew Nichols and Rasheen Ali. Add any unforeseen Kenneth Walker-type breakout we get in the upcoming college campaign to this group and the 2023 running back class should be one of the best we’ve seen in a while. Buy high on these players every time you can in Devy leagues and make a point of acquiring 2023 rookie picks in Dynasty, this time next year the value is going to skyrocket.

Thank you for reading the article, if you enjoyed then follow me on twitter @Devy_Tom and consider joining Devy watch for up to date rankings, ADP and more great content.