Fantasy Football: Draft Debate – Should Bijan Robinson or Breece Hall be the second RB picked?

San Francisco 49ers superstar Christian McCaffrey is once again the consensus No. 1 pick for 2024 fantasy football drafts among our analysts. Two electric young running backs are being drafted after CMC – but in what order should they go? Dalton Del Don and Andy Behrens debate below.

Team Breece

Hall averaged 0.5 PPR fantasy points (17.3) in Week 5 of last season when he began seeing full snaps upon returning from ACL surgery. Only Christian McCaffrey totaled more fantasy points in that span, despite Hall playing in a New York offense that put up the second-fewest yards per play (4.3). The Jets’ quarterbacks were truly disastrous without Aaron Rodgers, as New York averaged just 15.8 points per game (fourth-lowest) while providing Hall with the 43rd most runs in the red zone; The Jets had somehow just a carry inside the five yard line and none at the goal line last season, but Hall remained a fantasy star.

He is a special back who somehow leads all RBs in YPC after contact It is yards per route run since entering the league. Hall has a better YPRR rate than CMC despite playing in the bottom three and recovering from major knee surgery.

Running backs historically show real improvement in year 2 post-ACL and Hall surgery already led all RBs in receptions last season. Hall feels back to your old selfand a returning Rodgers will be a major upgrade at quarterback. The Jets have a dominant, overhauled defense your poor offensive line early in the draft and through free agency. Hall averaged the most fantasy points when your team was leading It is the most thoughtful second chances as the favorite last season, and the Jets are the favorites in 14 of 17 games entering 2024.

I’m also incredibly excited about Robinson and have him neck and neck with Hall in my overall rankings, so I’m not here to criticize Andy’s side of the debate (there’s plenty of room for that with your ranking of Malik Nabers ).

But I’m closer to moving Hall to RB1 than RB3. -Del Don

Team Bijan

Let’s get the first word on Robinson to his new coach, Raheem Morris:

And then let’s give the second word to Bijan’s new offensive coordinator, Zac Robinson:

Basically, we have a situation on our hands where a versatile and extremely talented running back is about to function as the absolute centerpiece of a much-improved offense. The Falcons have been yelling at us all offseason about the elite usage Robinson is about to see. To me, he’s the clear RB2 in fantasy — and he’s probably a little closer to McCaffrey than Hall.

Last year, in a season when no one was satisfied with Robinson’s defensive role, he yet managed to deliver 1,463 yards from scrimmage, eight touchdowns and 58 receptions, averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 5.4 per touch. He is a near-perfect defender for the modern NFL, with no obvious weaknesses and several glaring strengths.

Here are every trait you could want in a running back, presented in a single play:

Just a ridiculous player. We should expect more of almost everything from Robinson now that Arthur Smith has moved on. Last season’s goal line awkwardness is behind him, as is one of the most disastrous quarterback situations of 2023. There is simply no doubt that Robinson has the potential to lead the NFL in yards from scrimmage and touches in his second year, as at the same time that he finishes as Fantasy’s top scorer.

If you’re feeling spicy on draft day and want to grab him first overall, I understand. At some point in the next 2-3 seasons he will be the consensus pick in our game.

As for Hall…well, I don’t have anything terribly negative to say. Great lap. Like Robinson, he’s a rising player tied to an offense that should be massively improved. I don’t think we’ll see Hall’s receiving usage from last year stick around, as he was highly focused on the Tim Boyle-Trevor Siemian games. But he’s definitely in the RB3 conversation – behind CMC and Bijan. -Behrens