Definition of Zero RB

What does the term "zero RB" mean in the world of fantasy football? What is meant by the term "zero RB"?

"Zero RB" refers to the strategy of electing not to draft running backs until the later rounds of the fantasy draft.

Instead, you would be looking to select high-end wide receivers, tight ends and quarterbacks (if playing in a 2-QB league) early in the draft, and adding running backs later on.

The likes of CMC, Derrick Henry and Jonathan Taylor will be drafted in the first round.

With a zero RB strategy, you might start your draft like this:

AJ Brown
Tee Higgins
Kyle Pitts

With this strategy, you would have two high-end WRs and a tight end to start the draft.

In fact, you might elect to build everything BUT your running backs if you kept it going:

AJ Brown
Tee Higgins
Kyle Pitts
Drake London
Amon-Ra St. Brown
Kyler Murray

If you are playing in a two-flex or 1-flex/3 WR league, this start would absolutely set you up if you were looking to do a zero RB build.

The problem, of course? You are very exposed at running back and would need to NAIL your late-round running back picks.

If you get your running backs wrong, you will have a very hard time being successful.

With a start like this, you'd want to start grabbing as many running backs as you can.

Let's say that you draft four running backs in a row:

Chase Edmonds
Tony Pollard
Ken Walker III
Cordarrelle Patterson

Chase Edmonds is in a good position in what should be a good offense.

If Pollard, Walker or Patterson can have decent years, you would be setting yourself up very nicely, as the rest of your team would be so stacked.

This is the zero RB strategy.

Proponents of the zero RB strategy argue that running backs suffer many injuries due to the nature of their position (constantly hard hits, quick turns leading to injuries, etc), that having a rotating collection of second and third tier running backs is the way to go, while stacking talent in other positions.

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When Zero RB goes right, it's amazing.

When Zero RB goes wrong, it's demoralizing.