August is the month that many of my leagues turn waivers back on, or have a free agent auction. it's a fun time when those veterans who were dumped to make room for rookie picks suddenly become desirable assets again. There are a handful of running backs that have made some noise early in camp and may be on your waiver wire. Most of them are also risers in my most recent Dynasty running back rankings update below. If you have an extra roster spot or two, make sure they aren't already rostered in your league.
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings
Chandler will open the year in a committee with Aaron Jones, but there are two drum beats coming out of Minnesota that make that more desirable. The first is Head Coach Kevin O'Connell saying the team will establish the run this year. Surprise, a team starting Sam Darnold doesn't want to throw as much as they did when they had Kirk Cousins. The second drumbeat is that Chandler will see a larger share of the work than people are anticipating. This makes sense, Jones turns 30 in December, only played 11 games last year, and has never carried the ball more than 236 times in a season. Chandler could be a flex with Jones and a top-20 back without him.
Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers
Mason has been very impressive in training camp and there is talk that he may win the battle to be the RB2 behind Christian McCaffrey. Unlike Chandler, Mason won't matter unless McCaffrey gets hurt, but in this offense, Mason has more contingent upside. Mason has been wildly efficient as a rusher and has reportedly improved as a pass catcher this offseason.
Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens
Jim Harbaugh said he expects Hill to be on the field a lot, which should scare people drafting Derrick Henry in the first three rounds. The Ravens have used RBBC for most of Harbaugh's tenure in Baltimore and it sounds like they'll stick with it despite the addition of Henry. This makes sense due to Henry's age and Baltimore's playoff aspirations. Speaking of Henry's age, Hill could be one injury away from a starting role.
Deneric Prince, Kansas City Chiefs
Like Mason, Prince has made a splash at Chiefs camp, often receiving touches with the first team offense over Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Prince's size/speed combination is borderline elite and we don't have to tell you how much upside comes from being a part of this offense. Isiah Pacheco is the man here, and has also looked good, but he's one of the most violent rushers in the NFL. If he misses a game or two the RB in this offense would be a must-start option.
Honorable Mention: Cam Akers
Here are my updated Dynasty running back rankings:
