Training camp and the preseason shouldn't have too much impact on your redraft rankings. They should have even less effect on your Dynasty rankings. That doesn't mean they should have no impact.
Two running backs who have risen in these rankings the past month are Chris Carson and Austin Ekeler. They couldn't be much different as football players, but they're definitely moving the same direction.
Carson is someone who, based on production alone, probably should have been higher in the first place. He's a 25-year-old back coming off a 1,300-yard, nine-touchdown season. He also plays for one of the most run-heavy teams in the league. It's time to stop worrying about Rashaad Penny; Carson has beat him out again. He's a borderline No. 1 back in non-PPR redraft and a solid No. 2 in PPR Dynasty.
Ekeler has been one of the most efficient backs in the NFL the past two seasons, but that's easier to do when you're the backup. The longer Melvin Gordon holds out the more it seems like we may get a chance to see what Ekeler can do as the larger part of a committee. If he shines, we'll be talking about him as a borderline top-20 Dynasty running back.
Here is the final preseason update to my Dynasty Running Back Rankings:
Rank | Player | Team | Age |
1 | Saquon Barkley | NYG | 22 |
2 | Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | 24 |
3 | Alvin Kamara | NO | 24 |
4 | Christian McCaffrey | CAR | 23 |
5 | Nick Chubb | CLE | 23 |
6 | Joe Mixon | CIN | 23 |
7 | James Conner | PIT | 24 |
8 | Melvin Gordon | LAC | 26 |
9 | Dalvin Cook | MIN | 24 |
10 | Kerryon Johnson | DET | 22 |
11 | Leonard Fournette | JAC | 24 |
12 | Le'Veon Bell | NYJ | 27 |
13 | David Johnson | ARI | 27 |
14 | Todd Gurley | LAR | 25 |
15 | David Montgomery | CHI | 22 |
16 | Josh Jacobs | OAK | 21 |
17 | Aaron Jones | GB | 24 |
18 | Marlon Mack | IND | 23 |
19 | Phillip Lindsay | DEN | 25 |
20 | Sony Michel | NE | 24 |
21 | Tarik Cohen | CHI | 24 |
22 | Chris Carson | SEA | 25 |
23 | Derrius Guice | WAS | 22 |
24 | Derrick Henry | TEN | 25 |
25 | Devonta Freeman | ATL | 27 |
26 | Miles Sanders | PHI | 22 |
27 | Darrell Henderson | LAR | 22 |
28 | Damien Williams | KC | 27 |
29 | Tevin Coleman | SF | 26 |
30 | Rashaad Penny | SEA | 23 |
31 | Kenyan Drake | MIA | 25 |
32 | Royce Freeman | DEN | 23 |
33 | Mark Ingram | BAL | 29 |
34 | Lamar Miller | HOU | 28 |
35 | Kareem Hunt | CLE | 24 |
36 | Austin Ekeler | LAC | 24 |
37 | James White | NE | 27 |
38 | Alexander Mattison | MIN | 21 |
39 | Ronald Jones II | TB | 22 |
40 | Devin Singletary | BUF | 22 |
41 | Darwin Thompson | KC | 23 |
42 | Matt Breida | SF | 24 |
43 | Justice Hill | BAL | 21 |
44 | Damien Harris | NE | 22 |
45 | Ito Smith | ATL | 23 |
46 | Latavius Murray | NO | 29 |
47 | Jordan Howard | PHI | 24 |
48 | Kalen Ballage | MIA | 23 |
49 | Nyheim Hines | IND | 22 |
50 | Peyton Barber | TB | 25 |
51 | Justin Jackson | LAC | 24 |
52 | Tony Pollard | DAL | 22 |
53 | Jamaal Williams | GB | 24 |
54 | Jaylen Samuels | PIT | 23 |
55 | Benny Snell Jr. | PIT | 21 |
56 | Duke Johnson | CLE | 25 |
57 | Dion Lewis | TEN | 28 |
58 | Dexter Williams | GB | 22 |
59 | Carlos Hyde | KC | 28 |
60 | Jalen Richard | OAK | 25 |
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