We’ve seen Day 3 running backs move up the draft boards, and some with good reason. Day 3 running backs have been relatively helpful over the past few seasons, especially in their first two seasons. We saw Bucky Irving, Chase Brown, and Tyrone Tracy Jr. hit last season, with Isiah Pacheco, Chuba Hubbard, and Kyren Williams being other notables (though Hubbard broke out in Year 3).

Using the RotoViz Screener, we can find which running backs went past pick 150 in the NFL Draft and scored 150 fantasy points. Several of these Day 3 running backs we’ll discuss are rookies, but there’s one heading into Year 3 that drafters have been pushing up the board.

Why have these running backs been rising in ADP? Should we be investing in them at their increased cost?

Woody Marks is Skyrocketing in ADP

FFPC ADP: 171.2 (+57.2), RB63

With the Joe Mixon injury, Marks has seen his ADP skyrocket, and about a 20-pick difference, since we wrote up the recent big gap backfield. Drafters have been moving Marks up the board significantly since there are also concerns about Nick Chubb not being the same after multiple injuries.

In the first preseason game, Dare Ogunbowale had the first backfield touches before Marks with Mixon, Chubb, and Dameon Pierce sidelined. We won’t want to overreact to one preseason game, and we might have a better idea of how the backfield shakes out with Chubb and Pierce active. Since the Texans traded up for Marks, one would hope Ogunbowale doesn’t become the primary pass-catching running back.

There were a few games last year when the Texans were without Mixon, and the visual below shows the backfield usage.