The 2016 free-agency period and NFL draft are in the books, which means we have a pretty good idea what each team's roster will look like this season. We're still a couple of months away from a majority of fantasy drafts, but the season never ends in dynasty leagues, and it's never too early to start thinking about your keeper picks.
To answer your keeper/dynasty league questions, below are my 2016 rankings for running backs. Although a non-PPR scoring system is assumed, keep in mind that a switch to PPR would yield only minor changes since we're looking at each player's long-term contributions.
In addition, please be sure to check my overall top-200 dynasty rankings, as well as my dynasty rankings for 2016 rookies.
More dynasty ranks by position: QB | WR | TE
Ages shown are as of Sept. 8, 2016 (years-months).
Tier 1
1. Todd Gurley (LA), Age: 22-1
2. Le'Veon Bell (PIT), Age: 24-0
3. Ezekiel Elliott (DAL), Age: 21-1
The demise of the running back position has been a hot topic as of late, but Gurley and Elliott are two of the top young talents in the entire league. Gurley scored 10 times in 13 games during a terrific rookie campaign and his best years are ahead of him; he is just turning 22 this season. Bell is two years older, but he'd be atop this list if not for durability concerns. When healthy, he's the top running back in fantasy right now. Elliott steps in as the workhorse back behind Dallas' terrific offensive line as the fourth overall pick in this year's NFL draft. Yes, he has never played an NFL down, but he's 21 years old, landed in a great situation and his pass blocking and receiving ability supplies him with a high fantasy floor.
Tier 2
4. David Johnson (ARI), Age: 24-8
5. Lamar Miller (HOU), Age: 25-4
6. Carlos Hyde (SF), Age: 24-11
7. Devonta Freeman (ATL), Age: 24-5
8. Mark Ingram (NO), Age: 26-8
9. C.J. Anderson (DEN), Age: 25-6
10. T.J. Yeldon (JAC), Age: 22-11
11. Eddie Lacy (GB), Age: 26-3
It's easy to make a case that Johnson should be in the first tier, but he turns 25 this year, has a short résumé of NFL success and doesn't have quite the pedigree of Gurley or Elliott. If we had a 'Tier 1.5', Johnson would be the only one in it. Miller's back-to-back top-10 fantasy seasons have been more about efficiency than volume. He's a terrific, young player and figures to take a larger share of the workload in Houston's revamped offense. Lacy is coming off a down year, but offseason reports suggest he's in much better shape, which makes sense considering it's a contract year. It's not a bad time to buy low. Yeldon's stock took a hit when the Jaguars signed Chris Ivory, but the 22-year-old was solid as a rookie and remains the franchise back in Jacksonville's emerging offense.
At one point or another over the past few months, I've had to put on the apologist cap for Hyde, Anderson, Ingram and Freeman. Hyde is one of my favorite players in the league. Durability and a low ceiling as a pass-catcher are concerns, but he's a super-elusive bulldozer at just 24 years of age. Anderson led the NFL in YPC and YAC after Week 6 last season and received a healthy raise during the offseason. Ingram is another player with durability concerns, but we quickly forget he was a fantasy stud last year (sixth in fantasy points per game in PPR). Freeman was fantasy's top-scoring back last season. In a nutshell, he's a solid rusher, terrific receiver and underwhelming blocker who handles a massive workload. Sounds a lot like Matt Forte to me.
Tier 3
12. LeSean McCoy (BUF), Age: 28-1
13. Doug Martin (TB), Age: 27-7
14. Jamaal Charles (KC), Age: 29-8
15. Adrian Peterson (MIN), Age: 31-5
Our third tier is dedicated to veteran backs who have a lot of short-term value, but who are nearing or past their fantasy prime. I recently traded a late second-round rookie pick (Carson Wentz) for McCoy. He turns 28 later this year, but remains the workhorse in Buffalo's run-first offense. Martin scored three touchdowns after Week 5 last season and is highly dependent on rushing volume. Charles is one of the most effective backs in NFL history, but his second torn ACL is a major concern, especially since he's nearing 30. Peterson is 31 years old and his lack of usage as a receiver makes it imperative that he doesn't see a reduced role on early downs and at the goal line.
Tier 4
16. Thomas Rawls (SEA), Age: 23-1
17. Derrick Henry (TEN), Age: 22-1
18. Jeremy Hill (CIN), Age: 23-10
19. Melvin Gordon (SD), Age: 23-4
20. Ameer Abdullah (DET), Age: 23-2
21. Duke Johnson Jr. (CLE), Age: 22-11
22. Matt Jones (WAS), Age: 23-9
23. Dion Lewis (NE), Age: 25-11
This tier includes young backs who are either on the cusp of emerging or who haven't produced consistently just yet. Rawls could emerge into an elite fantasy back this year, but he's recovering from a broken foot and has a small (albeit highly productive) body of work. Henry, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, will start out behind DeMarco Murray and may never add much value as a receiver, but he has 10-plus touchdown upside. Hill and Gordon are in a similar boat. Both are 23-year-old early-round picks who were tremendous in 2014 (Hill in the NFL, Gordon in the FBS), but who are coming off disappointing 2015 campaigns. Lewis is one of the league's most injury-prone players, but he's only 25 and was an elite fantasy back when active last season.
Abdullah, Johnson and Jones were selected in the 2015 NFL draft. Abdullah failed to live up to lofty rookie-season expectations, but he was solid when called upon and makes for an intriguing post-hype target. Johnson was pedestrian as a rusher, but exceptional as a receiver as a rookie. Jones was bad at Florida in 2014 and bad with Washington as a rookie. That's not a good look, but the Redskins have given him a clear path to workhorse duties this year.
Tier 5
24. Kenneth Dixon (BAL), Age: 22-7
25. Paul Perkins (NYG), Age: 21-9
26. C.J. Prosise (SEA), Age: 22-3
27. Jordan Howard (CHI), Age: 21-10
28. Jerick McKinnon (MIN), Age: 24-4
29. Karlos Williams (BUF), Age: 23-4
30. Tevin Coleman (ATL), Age: 23-4
31. Jay Ajayi (MIA), Age: 23-2
32. Charles Sims (TB), Age: 25-11
33. Kenyan Drake (MIA), Age: 22-8
34. Isaiah Crowell (CLE), Age: 23-8
35. Latavius Murray (OAK), Age: 26-7
36. Jeremy Langford (CHI), Age: 24-9
37. DeMarco Murray (TEN), Age: 28-6
38. Matt Forte (NYJ), Age: 30-8
39. Jonathan Stewart (CAR), Age: 29-5
40. Giovani Bernard (CIN), Age: 24-9
Our tiers are becoming a bit larger as we get into short-term starters and bench fliers. Dixon, Perkins, Prosise, Howard and Drake were all selected in this year's draft. Each are expected to start out in a committee, but have the skills to emerge into lead backs. Four of the five (exception being Howard) are intriguing pass-catching prospects, which adds to their appeal in PPR. McKinnon, Williams and Coleman are among the league's top handcuffs, and each is a potential lead back at the pro level.
Ajayi and Langford are popular 2016 breakout players, but both are unproven at the pro level. Ajayi touched the ball 56 times as a rookie and Langford was horribly inefficient on 148 carries, averaging just 3.6 yards per rush. Sims was one of the most effective players in the league last season, but he may never be more than a committee back. Crowell is only 23 years old and a candidate for a resurgence in Hue Jackson's offense. Murray is atop the depth chart in Oakland, but he will need to fend off rookie DeAndre Washington. Bernard remains in a timeshare with Hill, but he was effective as both a rusher and receiver last season and is headed into a contract year.
The veterans of the tier -- Murray, Forte and Stewart -- are nearing or past their prime years. It's very possible 2016 will be the last year of fantasy relevance for at least two of these backs, but all are in the RB2 discussion this season.
Tier 6
41. Devontae Booker (DEN), Age: 24-3
42. Alex Collins (SEA), Age: 22-0
43. Jonathan Williams (BUF), Age: 22-7
44. Wendell Smallwood (PHI), Age: 22-7
45. DeAndre Washington (OAK), Age: 23-6
46. Tyler Ervin (HOU), Age: 22-11
47. Ryan Mathews (PHI), Age: 28-10
48. Chris Ivory (JAC), Age: 28-5
49. Danny Woodhead (SD), Age: 31-7
50. Javorius Allen (BAL), Age: 25-0
51. Theo Riddick (DET), Age: 25-4
52. Bilal Powell (NYJ), Age: 27-10
53. Rashad Jennings (NYG), Age: 31-5
54. Frank Gore (IND), Age: 33-3
This tier is built similarly to the last, but the players' fantasy prospects are simply a step below those above. Booker, Collins, Williams, Smallwood, Washington and Ervin were all selected in this year's draft. Booker is a potential heir to Anderson in Denver. Collins busted at the combine, but had a terrific collegiate career and is a Rawls setback away from a big role in Seattle. Williams may sit for a while, but he's a talented player in a running back-oriented offense. Smallwood will start behind oft-injured Mathews in Philadelphia's new offense. It won't take Washington long before he's pushing Murray hard for lead back duties in Oakland. Ervin is a scat back who may flirt with flex value in PPR formats behind Miller.
Ivory heads to Jacksonville, where he forms a committee with Yeldon. Woodhead is 31 years old, but has a ton of short-term value, especially in PPR. Allen will need to beat out Dixon in order to return to fantasy relevance behind Justin Forsett. Riddick is a receiving superstar, but may never see more than a carry or two per game. At best, Powell will form a committee with Forte over the next season or two. Jennings and Gore will open 2016 as lead backs, but both are nearing the end.
Tier 7
55. Shane Vereen (NYG), Age: 27-6
56. Keith Marshall (WAS), Age: 22-6
57. Spencer Ware (KC), Age: 24-9
58. Charcandrick West (KC), Age: 25-3
59. Cameron Artis-Payne (CAR), Age: 26-2
60. Tre Mason (LA), Age: 23-1
61. Alfred Morris (DAL), Age: 27-8
62. Justin Forsett (BAL), Age: 30-10
63. Christine Michael (SEA), Age: 25-9
64. LeGarrette Blount (NE), Age: 29-9
65. James Starks (GB), Age: 30-6
At this point, you're just looking for fliers and/or handcuffs to fill out your bench. Vereen has some added value in PPR, but his fantasy ceiling is low. Marshall was a seventh-round pick this year, but he crushed it at the combine and is Jones' handcuff in Washington. West and Ware signed offseason extensions and could be the future in Andy Reid's running back-friendly offense. Artis-Payne is a potential heir to Stewart. Mason is only 23 years old and remains the next man up if Gurley goes down. Morris and Starks will end up in the RB2 conversation if Elliott or Lacy go down this year. Forsett is the lead back in Baltimore, but his durability and age are a concern, and Dixon, Allen and Lorenzo Taliaferro are in the mix. Michael is a good back, but his value took a hit when Seattle drafted Prosise and Collins in April. Blount has short-term value as the thunder to Lewis' lightning in New England.
Tier 8
66. Ka'Deem Carey (CHI), Age: 23-10
67. Darius Jackson (DAL), Age: 22-9
68. Khiry Robinson (NYJ), Age: 26-8
69. Benjamin Cunningham (LA), Age: 26-2
70. Daniel Lasco (NO), Age: 23-10
71. Arian Foster (FA), Age: 30.0
72. Kelvin Taylor (SF), Age: 22-11
73. Alfred Blue (HOU), Age: 25-4
74. David Cobb (TEN), Age: 23-3
75. Brandon Wilds (ATL), Age: 22-3
76. Zach Zenner (DET), Age: 24-11
77. Terrell Watson (CLE), Age: 23-1
78. John Crockett (GB), Age: 24-6
79. Stevan Ridley (DET), Age: 27-7
80. Andre Ellington (ARI), Age: 27-7