Fantasy Football 2018: Early NFC North running back rankings

An early look at the top running backs in the NFC North for fantasy football in 2018.

The NFC North has no shortage of talent at the running back position, despite the fact the likes of Adrian Peterson and Matt Forte have departed in recent years. The next generation of backs have quite literally hit the ground running. That’s good news for fantasy owners.

But considering the wealth of talent at the position around the league, even the NFC North’s premier back might drop out of the first round in fantasy drafts. Just consider the talent across the NFL. Le’Veon Bell and David Johnson were considered the top-two fantasy backs a year ago, but they are now joined by Kareem Hunt, Alvin Kamara and Leonard Fournette. Ezekiel Elliott will be a much higher selection now his suspension is behind him.

A lot can change between now and the start of the regular season. The Detroit Lions need more help at running back, despite adding LeGarrette Blount in free agency. We’ll get a better idea of how their backfield will shake out following the draft.

But it’s never too early to talk fantasy. Who are the best running backs in the NFC North for fantasy football in 2018? Here is our top five ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft.