Drafting more Double Anchor or Modified Double Anchor RB builds this year

July 23, 2024

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Megan Shoup

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As I’m scrolling through my Best Ball Overlay Portfolio Optimizer, I see a lot of Double Anchor or Modified Double Anchor RB builds. I love that you can scroll through your exposures, combinations, and teams, but also easily see your build structures.

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There are multiple reasons for this. First, I love being able to get Christian McCaffery, Bijan Robinson, or Breece Hall in the 1st round. I also love Saquon Barkley and DeVone Achane at their falling prices in the late 2nd or early 3rd round.

But most notably, I have the Round 3, Round 4, and even Round 5 running backs ranked higher than a lot of their receiver counterparts. That means I will have a lot of Kyren Williams, Derrick Henry, Isiah Pacheco, and Josh Jacobs, and I love that.

Yes, I know not to get buried by the wide receiver avalanche and I make sure to keep pace to usually still have 3 WR through 6 rounds, 4WR through 7 or 8 rounds, and 5WR through 9 or 10 rounds.

But especially on Underdog Fantasy where we’re touchdown hunting, I still value these bellcow, high projectable volume running backs with the goal line role.

I will still get one more running back by Round 10, because my favorite start is 1QB/3RB/5WR/1TE in the first 10 rounds as I noted in an article I wrote earlier this summer.

Finally, while I love this build structure, I will be mixing all the different builds in my portfolio, which I can easily manage on Best Ball Overlay – code FANSPEAK. I will still have plenty Hero RB, Zero RB, and some Hyper Fragile RB builds. I’ll write more about that build structure next week.

Data and Other Experts:

If you don’t believe me, take a look at data and context from other analysts who are smarter than me.

Hayden Winks of Underdog Network just wrote an article about 8 things he’s doing in 2024 drafts. One was more hyper fragile 4 RB builds. But he talked about not grabbing wide receivers above superior running back options.

I agree and that’s why I’ve been leaning into two RBs drafted in the first six rounds heavy this year.

8 things @HaydenWinks is doing in 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts 👀

💠 7 WRs through 13 rounds
💠 Target David Njoku
💠 Late-Round QB3

For the 5 other strategies, check here 👇https://t.co/3Vvfo5d9mD

— Underdog Drafts (@UnderdogDrafts) July 22, 2024

Mike Leone from Establish the Run discussed how getting two running backs in the first six rounds and drafting 5 total is a solid strategy this year. He also mentioned the 4RB Hyperfragile build being successful last year and can have a high expected value if you can push that team into playoffs. Watch here on ETR’s show breaking down historical BBM data and trends.

Our friend of the channel, Pat from Fantasy Dog Pound and Best Ball Overlay has done many Weekly Winners shows including a lot of last year’s Weekly Winners data.

What it showed was that RB’s hit the flex at a 2 to 1 ratio and that a double anchor or modified double anchor is an optimal Weekly Winners build. Well if it’s optimal on a given week, that shows the power of that build structure.

You’re seeing this in Weekly Winners rankings and drafts, that RBs are ranked and are drafted much higher.

Bottom line…we have no idea what the 2024 NFL season is going to give us. But the field is drafting as if all or most of the early RBs are going to be injured or not have success. If the early RBs stay healthy and crush their ADPs, then the double anchor or modified double anchor RB builds will likely be very +EV.

But again, I can’t predict the 2024 NFL season, so I will be mixing in different build structures to my portfolio. But this is my case for why I’m heavier on this build structure this year.