This article is taken from the 2023 Footballguys Best Ball Guide. To download the full 60+ page guide for free, click here.
Also, note that the principles, while specifically written here for Best Ball leagues, can also be applied to your regular redraft leagues.
While the name may be slightly confusing for those unfamiliar with the concept, Zero RB is simply waiting a while to draft your first running back. Whether you wait until the fifth, eighth, or tenth round to grab your first running back, the idea is basically the same. You want to focus your premium picks on other positions (especially wide receiver) to build an elite roster at those positions. Then, the hope is that you can hit on the right combination of mid-to-late-round running backs to complement the early-round stars you drafted at the other positions.
It is important to remember that despite what the name suggests, you still should finish your draft with a normal number of running backs (four to seven).
The Benefits of Zero RB Drafting
The Best Wide Receivers are Drafted Early
In looking back at the most valuable wide receivers in Best Ball in 2022, each of the Top 19 was drafted in the Top 100 overall:
| WR Rank | Player | ADP | Round | Best Ball Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justin Jefferson | 3.7 | 1 | 196.36 |
| 2 | Davante Adams | 10.8 | 1 | 173.9 |
| 3 | Tyreek Hill | 21.7 | 2 | 169.1 |
| 4 | A.J. Brown | 25.6 | 3 | 139.5 |
| 5 | Stefon Diggs | 8.6 | 1 | 136.2 |
| 6 | CeeDee Lamb | 14.1 | 2 | 122.4 |
| 7 | Jaylen Waddle | 37.9 | 4 | 115.2 |
| 8 | Amon-Ra St. Brown | 58.4 | 5 | 108.9 |
| 9 | Cooper Kupp | 3.6 | 1 | 103.3 |
| 10 | Amari Cooper | 70.0 | 6 | 100.3 |
| 11 | DeVonta Smith | 74.2 | 7 | 100.2 |
| 12 | Ja'Marr Chase | 5.4 | 1 | 98.4 |
| 13 | Tee Higgins | 26.2 | 3 | 93.3 |
| 14 | Mike Evans | 20.7 | 2 | 88.7 |
| 15 | Tyler Lockett | 98.3 | 9 | 84.7 |
| 16 | Christian Kirk | 81.8 | 7 | 82.8 |
| 17 | DK Metcalf | 53.6 | 5 | 79.3 |
| 18 | Brandon Aiyuk | 76.2 | 7 | 73.4 |
| 19 | Chris Godwin | 55.4 | 5 | 71.4 |
| 20 | Garrett Wilson | 114.0 | 10 | 70.1 |
If you wanted a truly impactful wide receiver last year, you almost had to get him very early in your drafts. 10 of the Top 14 wide receivers (and each of the top six at the position) were drafted in the Top 27 overall. There was no safer draft pick than an early-round wide receiver last season. Of the ten highest drafted, all but one (Deebo Samuel) finished in the Top 14 at the position:
Put simply, the fantasy community generally knows who the top wide receivers will be each season. If you want to have one of them on your roster, you need to select them with your early picks. For comparison’s sake, only five of twelve running backs drafted as RB1s finished in the Top 10 at the position, and there were a number of serious disappointments (Jonathan Taylor, Najee Harris, D'Andre Swift, Javonte Williams, Alvin Kamara).
The Very Top QBs and TEs Also Go Early
At quarterback, there was more value to be found outside of the Top 100. In fact, half of the Top 10 at the position were drafted in Round 10 or later. You do not have to spring for a quarterback early. However, each of the quarterbacks to provide 100-plus points worth of best ball value last season was drafted in the Top 6 rounds:
| QB Rank | Player | ADP | Round | Best Ball Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Mahomes II | 47.2 | 4 | 159.44 |
| 2 | Jalen Hurts | 61.2 | 6 | 145.58 |
| 3 | Josh Allen | 29.3 | 3 | 140.52 |
| 4 | Joe Burrow | 71.8 | 6 | 111.98 |
It is much easier to draft a top quarterback and unlock the massive upside of the position if you decide to wait until the seventh round or later to start drafting running backs.
The story is similar at tight end with the four guys who mattered most each going in the Top 90 overall: