Fantasy: Which RBs will emerge from their backfield battles as starters?

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2018 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.

There's significant turnover at running back across the league every year, and fantasy owners who correctly forecast those changes can gain a notable advantage.

The following backfields are heading toward the 2018 season with some level of uncertainty around their depth chart, and each will likely require a lengthy training camp battle before a true starter is named.

Denver Broncos

Projected Starter: Royce Freeman
Competition: Devontae Booker, De'Angelo Henderson, Phillip Lindsay

The Broncos' running back corps is far more complicated than it seemed when Freeman was drafted in April. Given the third-round investment, many assumed the Oregon back with insane college production was a lock for the starting spot, and that may still be the case, but it won't be his job alone.

Booker, who once enticed fantasy owners with his potential as the heir apparent in Denver, isn't stepping aside for the rookie. Despite his career 3.6 yards per carry average, Booker has been projected as the Week 1 starter, according to longtime beat writer Mike Klis of 9News Denver. Even if that occurs, Freeman would remain involved, turning this into a dreaded committee.

De'Angelo Henderson and Phillip Lindsay have impressed at times in the offseason, but it will likely take an injury for either to show up on the fantasy radar.

Fantasy Approach: The Broncos have a winnable schedule in the opening month, which gives them a chance to see if 230-pound workhorse Freeman can power the offense. But with a clear advantage as a pass-catcher and a history with the playbook, Booker is capable of carving out a consistent role that will last throughout the season. That makes him a massive value pick at his current ADP outside the top 100. Freeman is still the back to own here, with his touches likely increasing each week, though his ceiling will be capped by Booker's usage.

Green Bay Packers

Projected Starter: Aaron Jones
Competition: Jamaal Williams, Ty Montgomery

The running back depth chart in Green Bay has a chance to be the deciding factor in fantasy titles this season, but it may take years off your life in the process.

There's no question Jones is the most talented Packers rusher after he averaged almost 2 yards more per carry than his teammates in 2017. However, injuries during his rookie campaign and a two-game suspension to begin this season make his path to the starting job much more challenging.

Williams, a solid all-round back, proved himself down the stretch while doing his best to carry a Brett Hundley-led offense. Training camp is prime coach-speak season, and Mike McCarthy has heaped praise on Williams, saying he envisions a big second-year leap.

Montgomery, on the other hand, has been plagued by injuries and simply isn't built to be a full-time NFL ball carrier. Had Jones not been suspended, it's possible the Packers would have returned Montgomery to his original position as a receiver. Now he'll be used as a passing-down back, siphoning touches from Williams or Jones.

Fantasy Approach: The good news is that the uncertainty around this group has dropped all their draft-day prices to the eighth round or later. Williams will get first crack at starting with Jones sidelined, but he'll need to perform against tough run defenses from Chicago and Minnesota in the opening two weeks to secure his seat. Once Jones returns, it will be hard to keep him off the field as Green Bay's most explosive weapon on the ground. While a nightmarish RBBC is possible, I'm still placing my chips on Jones and his immense upside as a potential league-winning RB1 available in the ninth round.

Cleveland Browns

Projected Starter: Carlos Hyde
Competition: Nick Chubb, Duke Johnson

Hyde joined the Browns in free agency, signing a deal that put him among the top-10 highest-paid running backs in the NFL. Pairing a skilled veteran like Hyde with a passing-down specialist in Johnson made sense for a Cleveland team expecting to take a step forward on offense.

Only the Browns weren't done, instead pouring even more resources into the position by selecting Chubb early in the second round. He has elite athleticism, having posted the second-best SPARQ score among rookie RBs this year behind Saquon Barkley. Chubb is the future in Cleveland, but how soon that future arrives depends on a fierce training camp battle.

Hyde is setting the bar high, suggesting he wants to lead the league in rushing yards - a lofty goal for a player who has yet to eclipse 1,000 yards as a pro.

Fantasy Approach: Hyde and Chubb will fight it out for early-down work, with Johnson's value coming in PPR leagues, where he's been a top-30 fantasy back the last three years. Unless Chubb blows Hyde away in camp, the elder statesman should open the year as the lead back before he's overtaken during the season due to durability issues. The draft stock of Hyde and Chubb varies from the sixth round all the way to the 10th depending on the league. If you want to own a member of this trio, target Chubb and be prepared to wait on your return.

Detroit Lions

Projected Starter: Kerryon Johnson
Competition: LeGarrette Blount, Theo Riddick, Ameer Abdullah

This is the one stable of running backs no one is talking about - but they should be, especially when it comes to one player in particular.

Detroit's primed for a big step forward under a new coaching staff and that starts by improving the rushing attack behind a promising young offensive line. With Taylor Decker fully healthy and first-rounder Frank Ragnow slotting in at left guard, the Lions are formidable at every position up front.

They traded up to select Johnson in the second round, hoping he can capitalize on their newfound blocking strength - and perhaps even give them their first 100-yard game on the ground since Reggie Bush ran for 117 yards on Thanksgiving in 2013.

Johnson's overshadowed by the bigger names in this RB class, but he has a three-down skill set and is positioned to lead the Lions with Blount and Riddick playing supporting roles. Lions senior writer Tim Twentyman recently wrote that Johnson's "expected to be a featured part of the revamped run game," and went on to suggest the 21-year-old will make a big impact in Year 1.

Blount has been a serviceable player his entire career and is just one year removed from an 18-touchdown campaign with the Patriots. Lions head coach Matt Patricia was the Pats' defensive coordinator that season, so he's well aware of what Blount offers around the goal line.

Riddick has been the Lions' default passing option out of the backfield for years, but Johnson has the tools to take over in that area.

Fantasy Approach: With an inexplicable ADP in the seventh round, Johnson continues to provide excellent value. Playing behind this line, Johnson has league-winning potential with very limited risk to fantasy owners. Entering his age-32 season, Blount is unlikely to get a big enough workload to be a fantasy starter, and Riddick could be phased out in favor of more touches for Johnson.

Seattle Seahawks

Projected Starter: Rashaad Penny
Competition: Chris Carson, C.J. Prosise

Before we waste any time here, let's get one thing straight: Penny will be the starter in Seattle.

Yes, the Seahawks have a history of letting the best player win position battles regardless of draft capital. And yes, it's impressive that Carson has come back from last season's broken leg to shine in offseason workouts and early training camp practices. But Carson is a seventh-round selection from 2017 who produced in a very small sample size as a rookie. Head coach Pete Carroll is known for his overly glowing reviews of players, so the Carson love needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

Will Carson be incorporated into the offense this season? Absolutely. However, it would be a stunning admission of error by the Seahawks for Carson to beat out their first-round pick, Penny. And what everyone seems to be missing here is the fact that Penny is a talented player.

The bigger threat to the Seahawks' running game is Brian Schottenheimer. A mediocre offensive coordinator in his previous stops, he'll now have to overcome below-average blocking to reignite the team's backfield.

Fantasy Approach: Although Penny is still my pick to start in Seattle, there are safer fantasy backs to target in the fourth round like Jay Ajayi, Alex Collins, and Kenyan Drake. Each offers a higher ceiling in 2018 and faces less competition for touches. Carson is a smart bench stash at the moment, but his 11th-round ADP will rise with all the hype.

Indianapolis Colts

Projected Starter: Marlon Mack
Competition: Jordan Wilkins, Nyheim Hines

The return of Andrew Luck will be the deciding factor in whether fantasy owners want any part of the Colts' offense or prefer to avoid it entirely. I advocated for the latter in a recent column, noting that Indy hasn't finished among the top 20 in team rushing yards for a decade.

Mack enters training camp looking to build on a decent rookie season spent backing up veteran Frank Gore. With Gore out of the picture, Mack will now try to hold off a new wave of rookie backs in Hines and Wilkins.

Hines appears destined to be used in the short passing game, an area of the Colts' scheme the new coaching staff has emphasized. His dynamic skills will add a welcome new wrinkle to the offense and should allow Luck to get the ball out quickly.

Wilkins has the size and college profile to be a starter at the next level. General manager Chris Ballard compared him to Matt Forte and head coach Frank Reich praised his elusiveness for a player of his build. He'll need a big training camp to vault ahead of Mack.

Fantasy Approach: Unless you're completely sold on Mack running away with this job and preventing a committee (which seems unlikely), he's not worth considering at his current cost in the sixth or seventh round. Meanwhile, Hines and Wilkins are the perfect type of late-round RBs to fill your bench with as high-upside commodities in a wide-open training camp race.

Other teams to monitor

• Houston Texans - With D'Onta Foreman still working his way back from an Achilles injury, this will be Lamar Miller's backfield to start the season. Miller was a low-end RB1 in fantasy during Deshaun Watson's starts in 2017. Let's hope the Texans aren't foolish enough to let Alfred Blue enter the mix like he did down the stretch last year.

• New England Patriots - This will be an intriguing depth chart to monitor in the preseason, but it didn't make this list because the split should allow both backs to remain fantasy relevant. First-rounder Sony Michel will slide into the Dion Lewis role, with Rex Burkhead serving as the primary passing-down back who sees a portion of the goal-line work. If this happens, fantasy owners can feel comfortable starting either player as a top-30 weekly option.

• Tennessee Titans - The Titans are in a similar situation to the Pats, with Derrick Henry and free-agent addition Lewis joining forces rather than competing for a single lead back job. Lewis is still my pick to finish with more fantasy points because he fits the offense better, but Henry isn't far behind him in my rankings. Both rushers will flirt with borderline RB2 fantasy numbers.

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Some people love Ronald Jones. I'm not one of them. Jones doesn't profile as a sustaining back, and the coaching staff already admitted it plans to keep Peyton Barber involved. Tampa's offensive firepower will also be reduced significantly in the first three weeks as the team faces a tough slate without the suspended Jameis Winston. If you're looking for a worse version of Henry-Lewis, invest in the Bucs' backfield.

• New York Jets - The Jets have a very favorable fantasy schedule for their running backs, but it remains to be seen whether they have a ball carrier who can take advantage. Isaiah Crowell should emerge with the most touches, with Bilal Powell handling receiving duties. Sophomore Elijah McGuire looks doubtful to contribute early in the year after breaking his foot. Any Jets back would fall under the "desperation fantasy picks" category.

Related: 2018 Fantasy Rankings - Running Backs

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