It's never too early to prepare for your fantasy football draft. Here are composite rankings from numerous fantasy sources for the best running backs in the 2017 Fantasy Football Draft:
ESPN's rankings are compiled by five fantasy football experts: Eric Karabell, Field Yates, Mike Clay, Tristan H. Cockcroft and Matthew Berry.
CBS' rankings are compiled by three fantasy football experts: Jamey Eisenberg, Dave Richard and Heath Cummings.
Pro Football Focus' rankings are based on their grading formula.
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1. Le'Veon Bell — Pittsburgh Steelers
1. Le'Veon Bell — Pittsburgh SteelersESPN: 1 CBS: 1 PFF: 1
Bell does so many things in both the running and passing game it's easy to see that he's the No. 1 guy on the list. He was third in total points last year among running backs (317.4 points) despite playing only 12 games. He only scored nine touchdowns, too, the only top 10 running back besides Jordan Howard to score single-digit touchdowns.
MORE: Is Antonio Brown the Top Fantasy WR?
2. David Johnson — Arizona Cardinals
2. David Johnson — Arizona CardinalsESPN: 2 CBS: 2 PFF: 2
David Johnson was the top overall scoring player in standard fantasy football leagues last year (407.8 points). He totaled more than 2,000 all-purpose yards (1,239 rushing, 879 receiving) and he led all backs with 20 total touchdowns. He's the work-horse for Arizona, and if healthy should once again garner close to 400 touches.
3. Ezekiel Elliott — Dallas Cowboys
3. Ezekiel Elliott — Dallas CowboysESPN: 3 CBS: 3 PFF: 3
Zeke burst onto the scene as a rookie and led the league with 1,631 rushing yards. He was third in the league with 15 rushing touchdowns and was better than you remember through the air — 32 catches, 363 yards and a score. He was the second-highest scoring fantasy running back (325.4 points).
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4. LeSean McCoy — Buffalo Bills
4. LeSean McCoy — Buffalo BillsESPN: 4 CBS: 4 PFF: 4
The fourth-highest scoring running back in fantasy football last season is again expected to be No. 4. He scored just under 300 fantasy points in 2016 (298.3) and scored 14 total touchdowns on the season.
5. Melvin Gordon — Los Angeles Chargers
5. Melvin Gordon — Los Angeles ChargersESPN: 6 CBS: 5 PFF: 5
After a rough rookie season, Gordon bounced back last year and impressed in his sophomore season with 997 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground and 419 receiving yards and two scores in the passing game. He missed three games but was still the seveth-highest scoring running back in fantasy football last year (250.6 points).
MORE: Who's More Likely to Contend by 2022: The Los Angeles Chargers or Rams?
6. Jordan Howard — Chicago Bears
6. Jordan Howard — Chicago BearsESPN: 5 CBS: 7 PFF: 8
Jordan Howard was the lone bright spot for a dismal Chicago Bears team in 2016. He rushed for 1,313 yards and caught 29 passes for nearly 300 more yards, but only scored seven touchdowns. He finished 10th in fantasy points among running backs (230.1 points).
T7. DeMarco Murray — Tennessee Titans
T7. DeMarco Murray — Tennessee TitansESPN: 7 CBS: 8 PFF: 6
DeMarco Murray carried the brunt of the Titans rushing attack even though Derrick Henry stole some carries. Murray finished the year with more than 1,200 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns. He even threw for a score.
T7. Devonta Freeman — Atlanta Falcons
ESPN: 8 CBS: 6 PFF: 7
Another running back who works in a time-share (with Tevin Coleman), Freeman was the sixth highest fantasy scoring back (284.1 points) las year with more than 1,000 yards on the ground, nearly 500 through the air, and 13 total touchdowns.
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9. Jay Ajayi — Miami Dolphins
9. Jay Ajayi — Miami DolphinsESPN: 9 CBS: 9 PFF: 9
Ajayi had a couple monster games last year — rushing for more than 200 yards three times — helping him finish 11th among fantasy running backs (215.3 points). He's expected to again shoulder the load for the Dolphins.
10. Todd Gurley — Los Angeles Rams
10. Todd Gurley — Los Angeles RamsESPN: 11 CBS: 11 PFF: 11
Gurley rushed for just 885 yards and six scores last year in a disappointing finish, but is expected to have a bounce-back year in 2017.
MORE: Rams Added O-Line Help in Free Agency
