Devy Running Backs Re-Evaluated: Who's Risen, Who's Fallen?

A year later, Kevin revisits the top freshman running backs from the 2024 class to track their progress, devy value shifts, and what it means for your rankings moving forward.

As devy managers, it’s easy to get swept up by the hype around each new crop of running backs, but the real edge comes from going back and re-evaluating. In this article, we’re taking a deeper look at last year’s top freshman running backs to see how their value has shifted based on production, usage, ADP trends, and long-term outlook.

Running back is one of the most volatile positions in devy. Injuries, depth charts, and coaching changes can drastically alter a player’s trajectory. That’s why it’s critical to revisit our early evaluations and ask: who’s still trending up, and who’s fading into the background? We can identify key risers, adjust for missed calls, and sharpen our process heading into next season by comparing where these backs were ranked a year ago to where they stand now.

Let’s dive in and break down which running backs from the 2024 freshman class are climbing — and who might already be falling out of favor.

Georgia RB Nate Frazier

2024 ADP: 6th Round – RB4 (2027 class)
2025 ADP: 2nd Round – RB1 (2027 class)

Let’s kick things off with the player who’s made a big leap at the position: Georgia’s Nate Frazier. After entering the year behind Trevor Etienne, it didn’t take long for Frazier to start turning heads. By season’s end, he looked like the most explosive back in that room, flashing legit SEC-level juice as just a true freshman.

Despite working in a rotation, Frazier led Georgia in rushing with 671 yards and added eight touchdowns. Not bad for a guy who was technically the RB2. Now heading into Year 2, the runway is clear for him to be the lead guy, and the expectations are sky-high. At 5’10” and 210 pounds with verified track speed (he clocked a 10.58 in the 100m in high school), he brings a true home-run threat every time he touches the ball.

There were some early bumps in the road — ball security was a concern at times — but to his credit, Frazier cleaned things up as the year progressed. That’s what you want to see from a young back: growth, maturity, and the ability to bounce back. And now, with more confidence and a year under his belt, he enters the fall with a real shot at a breakout campaign.

Georgia isn’t going to lean on him for 25 carries a game — that’s not how they operate under Kirby Smart. With Josh McCray transferring in, and other names like Chauncey Bowens and Dwight Phillips Jr. still in the mix, Frazier won’t be asked to do it all. But he doesn’t need 250 carries to make noise. His efficiency and big-play ability should be enough to push for a 1,000-yard season if things break right.

From a devy standpoint, Frazier is one of the biggest risers heading into 2025 drafts. He’s now viewed as the RB1 or RB2 in the 2027 class depending on the analyst. That said, the ADP feels a bit inflated and maybe even unstable. Georgia backs haven’t exactly crushed the draft process in recent years — early capital has been hard to come by, and the committee usage doesn’t help.

I like the talent. I like the speed. I like the upside. But I’m not fully ready to lock him into elite devy territory until we see how he handles a full workload and whether Georgia’s scheme allows him to truly shine. There’s some risk baked in here, but the ceiling? It’s real.

LSU RB Caden Durham

2024 ADP: 10th Round – RB7 (2027 class)
2025 ADP: 2nd Round – RB2 (2027 class)

Caden Durham’s rise over the past year has been one of the more impressive jumps in the devy RB landscape. A year ago, nobody was projecting him as a major factor in the LSU offense. He was finishing up a track season at Duncanville and prepping to arrive on campus in the summer. Fast forward to the fall, and Durham was thrust into action thanks to injuries and a stagnant run game and he delivered.

Despite splitting touches and dealing with a toe injury for most of the year, Durham still put up 753 rushing yards and six touchdowns while adding 260 receiving yards on top. He passed the 1,000-yard all-purpose mark as a true freshman. He wasn’t just efficient; he was explosive, clearly the most dynamic back LSU had in 2024.

Heading into Year 2, Durham enters the season as the expected starter and focal point of the backfield. Spring reports had him locked in with the first team until an ankle sprain held him out late. Assuming he’s back to full strength by fall, the Tigers will need him to set the tone on the ground. LSU is looking for more balance in the offense, and Durham’s versatility both as a runner and receiver is going to be key to making that happen.

What stands out about Durham is how productive he was on limited volume. He averaged just 11.5 carries per game last year and still made a consistent impact. If LSU commits to getting him 15+ touches per game and he stays healthy, there’s real All-SEC potential — and possibly even more. Especially with guys like Harlem Berry and JT Lindsey joining the fold, this backfield could become one of the most dangerous in the country.

Now, from a devy lens this is where things get tricky. Durham has shot up to RB2 in the 2027 class and is neck-and-neck with Frazier for that RB1 spot. But there are concerns. He’s a bit undersized and has already dealt with multiple injuries. If he can bulk up to the 210-215 range, there’d be more confidence in his ability to handle a workhorse role long-term.

The upside is legit. The burst and receiving skills are there. But to truly lock him in as a top devy RB, we need to see a full season of health, added weight, and sustained usage. He’s a top-end swing — but like any swing, there’s a bit of risk baked in.

Louisville RB Isaac Brown

2024 ADP: Undrafted
2025 ADP: 3rd Round – RB3 (2027 class)

No running back in the 2027 class made a bigger leap in value this past season than Isaac Brown. Undrafted in most devy leagues just a year ago, Brown exploded onto the scene with one of the most productive true freshman campaigns we’ve seen in the modern era. He finished 2024 with 1,173 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns, and an electric 7.1 yards per carry becoming just the second Power Four freshman to hit 1,000+ yards and 10+ TDs at that clip since Nick Chubb in 2014.

And here's the kicker: Chubb did it in a run-heavy Georgia offense. Brown pulled it off while Louisville averaged just 185 rushing yards per game. His efficiency and big-play ability were absolutely ridiculous breaking Lamar Jackson’s freshman rushing record despite barely seeing the field in the first few games.

Brown was a walking chunk play. He forced 37 missed tackles, ripped off 25 runs of 15+ yards, and over 60% of his total yardage came from breakaway runs. That level of juice is rare. He’s slippery in space, gets upfield quickly, and has a knack for outrunning angles. Louisville will build their offense around him in 2025 and they should.

But let’s talk development. At 5’9”, 190 pounds, he’s not quite there yet physically. The pass blocking is a major work in progress (graded sub-45 last year), and you can see it on tape. He needs more lower body strength and functional mass to survive NFL workloads. To his credit, Brown added weight this offseason, and if he continues to build up his frame and keep that explosiveness, he has a chance to round out his profile.

Still, this is where devy managers need to pause a bit. Yes, the numbers are wild, and yes, he looks like a future star but 190-pound backs don’t often command heavy NFL roles unless they’re elite in the passing game or rare outliers. And with Duke Watson still around (who’s no slouch), there’s also the chance this remains a split backfield.

From a value standpoint, he’s now going in the 3rd round and has cracked the top 3 of his class in some circles. But this is probably a smart window to test the market. If you can flip Brown for a more prototypical frame with similar upside or package him up for a top-tier WR/QB asset, I’d at least explore it. He’s a dynamic talent, no doubt — but there’s some projection risk here long-term.

Ohio State RB James Peoples

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