Braelon Allen

Who is the RB1 in the 2024 Class?

All Access, Devy / By

Devy players and film guys alike are saying this 2024 RB draft class doesn’t have the top-end talent that 2023 had with Bijan Robinson, and maybe not even Jahmyr Gibbs or De’Von Achane. Nonetheless, I think we have some talented backs ready to make that next step into the NFL ranks and a few you could justify taking in the first round of 2024 Superflex rookie drafts. So, who exactly are the front-runners for RB1 in this 2024 draft class? In my mind, there are three clear names at the top of this list, with a couple of “Dark Horse” players that could make the jump into this tier. Let’s talk college football and find out who the Dynasty RB1 in this 2024 class is. 

TreVeyon Henderson | Ohio State

First, let’s discuss 3-year starter and OSU standout TreVeyon Henderson. The Virginia native was turning heads as soon as he stepped foot in Columbus, turning in one of the best freshman seasons we’ve seen from a running back in quite some time. Henderson finished the 2021 season with 1,560 scrimmage yards and 19 TDs, rushing for an impressive 6.8 YPC. He was also a major part of the passing game, catching 27 passes as a freshman. Since the 2021 season, Henderson has not seen a significant role in the passing game. 

Henderson was off to another solid start in his sophomore campaign before going down with a foot injury. He missed five games due to a broken bone in his left foot that required surgery. Still, Henderson’s Devy stock remained sky-high throughout the 2022 offseason, as Devy players know how special this guy is. 

The injury troubles have continued into Henderson’s junior season, as he’s missed the past two games versus Maryland and Purdue. Luckily for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes, Henderson wasn’t needed in either outing, with OSU winning by 20 and 34, respectively. Still, for those of us in the world of fantasy football, this is a slight cause for concern. After the 2021 season, TreVeyon seemed like the clear RB1 in this 2024 class, but the playing field has evened out significantly since then.

HC Day likes to keep injury news confidential, so we’re not sure exactly what’s going on with TreVeyon. I’m hoping it’s unrelated to the foot he got surgery on, but time will tell. Day said he hopes to have TreVeyon and Egbuka back for their big matchup against Penn State this weekend. Overall, TreVeyon is off to a fine start in Year 3, averaging 85 scrimmage YPG, 6.7 YPC, and five touchdowns through four games. We just need him to stay healthy going forward.

Braelon Allen | Wisconsin

Braelon Allen is an absolute bruiser, standing at 6’2″, 238 lbs. He’s been embarrassing Big Ten defenses since his freshman season in 2021, where he tallied 1,268 rush yards and 12 TDs. As a sophomore, efficiency took a step back, but he still posted some incredible numbers, finishing with over 1,200 rush yards and double-digit rush TDs. Braelon is off to his fastest start yet this season, averaging 106.5 scrimmage YPG, and has already found the endzone seven times in six games. But what’s been most impressive is Braelon’s ability to grow as a pass-catcher over his career as a Badger. In 2023, Allen has already matched his reception total from his first two seasons combined, gabbing 21 balls for 80 yards thus far. He is trending in the right direction in this department, while we’ve seen Henderson’s receiving role diminish over the past two seasons.

Does Braelon Allen have the skills to be an even better NFL running back than his predecessor, Jonathan Taylor? It’s entirely possible. Allen is the complete package, and I’m excited to watch him for the rest of this college season. 

Raheim “Rocket” Sanders | Arkansas

The 2023 season has not gone according to plan for Rocket, plain and simple. Unfortunately, Sanders suffered a knee injury in the season opener versus Western Carolina, forcing him to stay on the sidelines for the following three games. He returned on September 30th against Texas A&M and played the following weekend against Ole Miss, but did not look like the explosive back Devy players have come to know and love. On the season, Rocket has managed a measly 91 rush yards on 34 attempts for a 2.7 YPC average, finding the end zone twice on the ground. He’s also tacked on seven receptions for 58 receiving yards. Clearly, the Arkansas’ coaching staff recognized their star back wasn’t at full health because he also sat out this past weekend against Alabama. Arkansas now sits at a dismal 2-5 with a slim chance to turn things around and earn a bowl game bid this season.

Based on his prior two years of production, I still think Rocket deserves to be in this first tier of RB. As a freshman, Sanders split the backfield with former teammate Trelon Smith and was quite productive. He averaged 5.1 YPC and totaled five rushing touchdowns, adding 11 receptions for 109 yards and one receiving touchdown. 

His breakout season was 2022, rushing for over 1,400 yards on 6.5 YPC. Rocket also improved on his prior receiving numbers, hauling 28 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns. It was a truly dominant season from start to finish. Like Braelon, Raheim has quite the imposing build, listed at 6’2″, 225 lbs. He’s displayed the same explosiveness and power while running the ball that we’ve seen from Braelon these past three seasons. 

Dark Horse Picks

As of today, I don’t see any other running backs as serious threats to climb into this tier, but that could change within weeks, depending on performance. I see the second tier of 2024 RBs being Will Shipley, Blake Corum, and Trey Benson. All three of these guys have wildly different skill sets. Corum is more of that power back; his compact frame makes it difficult for defenses to bring him down. Shipley is the receiving specialist with excellent vision. And Benson can do a little of everything and is the best pass blocker of the bunch. My money is on Benson being the most effective NFL running back of the three, as he’s the most well-rounded. He has the strength, burst, agility, and pass-blocking ability to carve out a nice role at the next level. 

RB1 in the 2024 Class?

We still have the second half of this CFB season to play, and plenty could change between now and then, but Braelon Allen is my RB1 in this 2024 draft class. He doesn’t have the injury concerns that Henderson, Sanders, or Corum have, has the size to be a three-down workhorse at the next level, and has expanded his role as a receiver in college. I am concerned about his route-running and pass-blocking abilities, but I will still give him a slight edge over Henderson and Sanders. 

As with all Devy players, draft capital and landing spot will help us pinpoint exactly where we need to take Allen in 2024 rookie drafts. According to NFL Mock Draft Database, Allen is projected as an early-third-round draft pick next year, which I think is incredibly low and will continue to climb. But if one of these guys gets Day 1 draft capital, they will likely be the unquestioned RB1 on my list. As mentioned, this RB class doesn’t have the top-end talent that 2023 had, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there weren’t any running backs selected in Round 1 of the NFL Draft. If that’s the case, I would be hesitant to grab any of these RBs until the late first round of your rookie drafts. There are just too many exciting QBs and WRs you’d be passing up on. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. Until next time, keep grinding out there, DFF family! #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding

Related Posts