In the past 4 seasons, no more than 10 running backs have scored 200 or more fantasy points in standard scoring. The past two years its been eight, in 2012 it was 10 and back in 2011, there were only four. Way back in 2007 when this writer started playing fantasy football, it was the very tail end of the running back dominated era. Yours truly won a title by leaning on players such as Brian Westbrook, Clinton Portis, and Fred Taylor. Today, it is nearly impossible and downright inefficient to draft three stud running backs in the first four or five rounds. It's hard to make it to the fifteenth ranked RB on the list without finding a guy who could be splitting carries. 

Just for some context, this writer has won three titles in the past two seasons and in those three drafts, seven of his first nine picks (three in each league) were wideouts. The two ball carriers were studs like Marshawn Lynch in 2014 and Matt Forte in 2013. So, what's the point here? 

The point is that in standard formatted leagues with 2 wide receivers, 2 running backs and a wide receiver/running back flex spot, RB2 has become the least important position on the entire roster, even behind quarterback. Thats right, this writer would even value his kicker above his second running back at this point. Hey, even Defense/Special Teams can make or break your week in fantasy football too. 

Now lets be clear, yours truly is not advising anybody to ignore or throw away your second RB spot. However, you don't need to waste your time racking your brain about a RB2. Last season, yours truly rotated between guys like Jonathan Stewart, Denard Robinson, Andre Ellington, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Tre Mason. He still managed to score the second-most points in this league and win the title, so who cares that he didn't have a set guy at RB2? 

The key is not to view your bench as "backups." Sure, when you have Aaron Rodgers and Ryan Tannehill as your quarterbacks, we know who the backup is. All in all though, the fantasy football bench should be a dynamic, somewhat rotational field of players. As a fantasy player, it's up to you to decide who to play week in and week out, but even that's not that hard. Let's try to illustrate this strategy and method of thinking to give everybody reading this a clearer picture. 

With the 8th pick, try to get Arian Foster and Julio Jones with the first two picks. Foster might miss a few games, but when playing, the guy is dynamite. With studs at RB and WR, go into the third round and grab Mike Evans. Now while some would start fretting about their second RB in the fourth round, keep it cool and get the third WR and the top flex option in T.Y. Hilton. In the fifth round, grab a good Tight-End in Greg Olsen and in the sixth get a quarterback, lets say it's Ben Roethlisberger. Ok now all the main spots are filled out except for RB2. Don't worry about a defense until round 10, and don't grab a backup QB until probably round 12, so for rounds 7-9, go grab three decent RB's who have some uncertainty attached with them. Maybe you can get Tevin Coleman, Isaiah Crowell, and T.J Yeldon. Yes, that's two rookies and a second-year player. After a defense, grab a sleeper WR that you like, maybe its a Terrence Williams, Breshad Perriman, or Devante Adams. Who knows? Anyway, the team is now solidified at flex, at RB1, at both WRs, TE, and QB with a rotation at RB2. 

This strategy is merely a reflection of what has been working for this author the past two seasons, as well as the NFL's shift to a more pass-happy league. Aside from the Bills, Chiefs, Browns, Jets, and Seahawks, no team could be described as "ground and pound" last season. Rookie wideouts such as the aforementioned Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr., Kelvin Benjamin, and Sammy Watkins emerged as legitimate fantasy weapons. So, keeping with this trend, you want to load your team with pass-catchers early in the draft. If you can play three every week, then do it. If you can play four in your league, do that. WRs have actually become more reliable than RBs in todays NFL. Beyond those 4-10 guys getting 200 fantasy points at the RB position, you have a much less clear idea of what RB's you want. So if RB's have become less reliable overall and you get past those top 10 guys, why bother? Just wait. The odds of one of those three players (Yeldon, Crowell, Coleman) becoming a solid RB2 option is very good. They all have a good shot to be primary ball-carriers for their teams. The best part is: you only need one! The others you can keep around, or drop them for the inevitable free agent gem that comes around in week 4 or 5. Yes, there are a few free-agents at every position that become week-to-week starters EVERY season in fantasy football. So between them and a handful of RB's you pick in later rounds, while your friends are scrapping for Tight Ends and flex players, somebody will step forward for you. If you have two guys you like, rotate them in and out based on the defense they are playing. The point is: don't worry about your RB2. Drop the classic format of getting 2 WRs and 2 RBs in the first four rounds and get with the times. You need to evolve in fantasy football if you want to thrive. Do a mock draft using this method and you're going to like the team you get. It's a guarantee.