Tony Pollard, Austin Ekeler, Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley, and Derrick Henry will not receive their teams’ respective franchise tags in 2024. After all of the drama that unfolded regarding the running back market last offseason, this report indicates that we could be looking at a cut-and-dry start to the new league year come March 13th.
Cowboys' RB Tony Pollard
This was the expected resolution for Pollard after he failed to meet the lofty expectations both the fantasy community and the Cowboys organization had for him in his first year sans Elliott. While he was perfectly serviceable – 1300 scrimmage yards are nothing to sneeze at – Pollard’s efficiency took a noticeable dip in 2023 after he was touted for that exact reason as a potential RB1 candidate. Granted, he was coming off of a brutal ankle injury he sustained in the divisional round in 2022 – but with Dallas already strapped for cash with Dak Prescott’s contract situation staring them in the face, Pollard is the sensible option to let walk in free agency after a net-neutral year.
Chargers' RB Austin Ekeler
Ekeler fell of a cliff in 2023 after being drafted as one of the top overall players heading into the season, leading to his official label as Upper Hand Fantasy’s ‘bust of the year.’ He’ll be 29 in March, putting him past the optimal age threshold for running backs on the heels of a season where he couldn’t beat the Mike Tolbert allegations. Where he winds up for the 2024 season remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: his fantasy days as a workhorse appear to be behind him, as he is definitely not defying Father Time as fellow free agent RB Derrick Henry is.
Raiders' RB Josh Jacobs
After exploding onto the fantasy scene as a real, dependable RB1 in 2022, Jacobs followed that season with a dud in 2023. Amid the offensive dysfunction in Las Vegas, Jacobs posted just 2.35 yards after contact per attempt (last among qualifying RBs) and 0.15 missed tackles forced per attempt. With the Raiders allowing him to hit the open market, there’s a very good chance we see Josh Jacobs in a new uniform in 2024. After an inefficient outing in 2023, though, Jacobs may have a harder time finding a landing spot than others in a stacked RB class.
Giants' RB Saquon Barkley
The former Penn State superstar had a very serviceable season on one of the worst offenses in the NFL in 2023, providing hope that there’s still plenty left in the tank for the now 27-year old running back heading into free agency. After last year’s decision making debacle in the big Apple that saw New York take negotiations with Barkley to the wire, it appears that there won’t be any such deliberations this time around with Barkley slated to hit the open market. He’ll have plenty of suitors, but it remains to be seen whether or not he’ll be able to beat the RB market depreciation and land a multi-year deal.
Titans' RB Derrick Henry
The most curious case of a free agent running back the league has seen in quite some time. Despite turning 30 in January, the Titans runner has showed no true signs of slowing down and is expected to garner interest with the best of them this free agency cycle. Until Henry finally starts to show the effects of age catching up to him, fantasy managers will have no choice but to continue accepting him as an exception to the rule. The Titans and Ravens have been linked as potential trade parters as far back as during the season, but the range of outcomes remains wide open for King Henry’s services in the 2024 season.
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