James Conner (PIT) ADP: 42 Even if Dobbins does suit up, hes unlikely to shoulder a heavy workload early in the season. 10. He will be a nice fantasy backup week to week, and if injuries hit should get you a few points every week. Devin Singletary, a third-round choice himself, is coming off a solid-but-unspectacular rookie season that likely wont give him a major edge in playing time over Moss. Am I really recommending a 32-year-old backup running back on the Texans? Hes behind David Montgomery, but all backs selected this late in drafts are behind someone. Its gotten to the point where two people can look at the same video and draw opposite conclusions, like a Rorschach test. If he struggles, New England should have a more challenging time running the ball. Dec 4, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA;Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (34) breaks a tackle by Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (38) in the fourth quarter of a Week 13 NFL . In fact, he had 21 and 23 carries in those games, with a rushing touchdown in each. You get the point. That's exactly what Chicago has in second-year man Khalil Herbert. 10 sleeper running backs to target for the fantasy football playoffs. He put up multiple RB1 stretches in Kansas City, including consecutive postseasons in which he was among the most dynamic players in the leagues most dynamic offense. Rookie Michael Carter is expected to take over this backfield at some point, but Johnson is a good last-round target that could provide FLEX value early on. Rookie Kenneth Gainwell has seen his ADP rise steadily while Scott, who's handled 190 NFL touches and sits higher on the depth chart, usually still comes free. Brown is also great at pass protection, which will translate to getting more snaps. His acceleration through the hole Both are crucial for good outside zone runners.#Bears pic.twitter.com/obqMj6l0gt. So I figure the best way to help you do that is to identify some early-round sleepers, some mid-round sleepers, and yes, some late-round sleepers. That could mean a lot of Burkhead playing over Pierce, much to the frustration of fantasy managers across the land. Kenneth Walker III Kenneth Walker III was the 41st overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he figures to play an important role in the. After all, can a guy who starts for a team really be a sleeper? However, Hubbard's profile and upside dwarf any other non-McCaffrey back on the roster. Jordan McNamara: Ty Johnson has failed to consolidate a starting role thus far in his career, but he has a great opportunity in 2021 with the New York Jets. Pat Fitzmaurice: Fantasy managers have fallen in love with Najee Harris, largely because he's a bigger back with pass-catching skills. Eagles coaches keep talking up the committee approach, and some beat writers are expecting a near-timeshare between Sanders and blank. Johnson is a sleeper candidate for significant work early in the season with minimal buzz surrounding this depth chart outside of Carter in dynasty and some redraft circles. Scott could also have some flex value even when Sanders is healthy and active, especially in PPR formats. It used to be taken as an article of faith that Andy Reid produces elite fantasy RBs, but Kansas City hasnt had a top-20 fantasy RB since Hunt back in 2018. With Mike Davis leaving in free agency, Hubbard has the potential to carve out a role worthy of some solid FLEX weeks and is an excellent stash as the backup to the best running back on draft boards this season. Salvon Ahmed had two games last year with over 12 carries. Detroit isnt exactly the right landing spot, but he still seems like an exceptional value in the sixth round of 12-team leagues. Jason Wood: The Patriots always have an elite rushing attack, but Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels don't care how many players it takes to get to their end goal. These sleeper running backs will allow you to grab top-tier players in other positions and take a different path than most. Wide Receiver Matchups to Target in Week 14: Jerry Jeudy, D.J. Our own Matt Waldman has been warning people that Brown's presence will put a major dent in Myles Gaskin's fantasy value since Brown is the sort of jack-of-all-trades running back coaching staffs love. Brown is being drafted late like a handcuff, but his fantasy value could be standalone in a committee in Miami. Conner had a thoroughly disappointing 2019 season, but many fantasy drafters seem to be forgetting that he still managed to provide low-end RB1 value before suffering a shoulder injury in Week 8. He has the likes of David Johnson, Mark Ingram II, and Rex Burkhead vying for touches, too. Watch Penny's health closely, but he looks fine for the moment and has the inside track for the No. This is obviously not a situation where the backup is going to supersede the starter. If you think Im missing someone obvious or are worried that one of these sleepers might never wake up, Im all ears on Twitter @andrew_seifter. Andrew Seifter is a featured writer at FantasyPros. In L.A., Michel has an excellent opportunity to earn a sizable share of the early-down, between-the-tackles rushing work, including at the goal line. We're at the point in Coleman's career arc where we can safely dismiss the possibility he'll break out in a featured role. Washington Football Team: WR: Dyami Brown. He averaged 4.7 yards-per-carry and tallied 104 yards against the Raiders in Week 13 when given a starting role. 1 back behind Eli Mitchell this year. Like Ausytin Ekeler, he has PPR value as a flex even if nothing happens to Derrick Henry. Austin Ekeler is a terrific player in both fantasy and reality, but he is not built to be a true everyone-down workhorse. The Chargers seem to recognize that fact. That means more running lanes and potentially many more scoring opportunities for Conner. There are several obvious red flags when it comes to Jaguars starter Leonard Fournette, and these make Armstead a must-have handcuff in fantasy leagues. That gives Scott some very intriguing handcuff appeal. Like what you see? Think of him as a late-round pre-emptive waiver add that you don't need to spend any bid money on. Rodney Smith is a deep sleeper as the incumbent, plus Trenton Cannon and Reggie Bonnafon have also spent more time in Carolina than Hubbard. Johnson was the RB1 in the rotation for the Jets' opening preseason game and ahead of rookie Michael Carter of note. He is going to benefit from the return red-zone threat DJ Chark vs. a Jaguars defense that has surrendered over 26 fantasy points to the likes of Matt Ryan and Daniel Jones. And his epic three-touchdown game against New England in 2020. Kareem Hunt (CLE) ADP: 72 The perfect storm is brewing for Murray to put up a respectable score as first of my three Week 14 sleepers at the running back position. His contract expires in 2023, and the Browns have a stable of backs behind Chubb, including D'Ernest Johnson who recently signed a one-year deal worth up to $2.433 million, including more than. Even when counting two late-season games where he hardly played, Henderson finished as the RB19 in fantasy points per game in 0.5 PPR formats (min. 2020 Draft Kit: View printable cheat sheets, sleepers & mistakes to avoid >>, Subscribe:Apple Podcasts|Spotify|Google Podcasts|Stitcher|SoundCloud|iHeartRadio. Williams wasn't very good as a rusher last season, ranking 47th in juke rate, 46th in evaded tackles, and 49th in breakaway run rate (per PlayerProfiler). The Patriots will be down to their third-string quarterback this week, giving Bailey Zappe a window to prove that he can handle an NFL starting job. These RBs could have value off the waiver wire at some point this season as handcuffs. What's a "sleeper?" It may be in both the team's and Carson's . That being said, I do think its helpful to lay out some guidelines for what I consider to be a sleeper. At a minimum, Brown will be a meaningful element of a committee and fueled to fantasy starter consideration with a Gaskin injury. Jordan McNamara: Phillip Lindsay has an opportunity in the Houston offense, drawing the starter role in the offense in the first preseason game. Last year James Robinson was the big sleeper of running backs in the draft. Week 14 PPR Rankings for Fantasy Football: Tony Pollard, Travis Homer, Chris Moore, Najee Harris, Michael Gallup, Latavius Murray, Jerry Jeudy, George Pickens Fantasy Football Week 14 Busts? Regardless of the league type, running backs go at a very high rate in most . Week 14 Fantasy Sleepers: Running backs Cam Akers, Rams vs. He'd be considered a sleeper because you're expecting him to not only outproduce his ADP but to outperform other players that are being drafted in the same range (i.e. Akers returned from a torn Achilles faster than anyone could have anticipated, but he didnt show the same explosiveness as he had before the injury and averaged fewer than 3.7 yards per carry in all five of his appearances in 2021. Heading into fantasy football drafts, handcuffs with elite upside like Tony Pollard and Alexander Mattison can no longer be considered running back sleepers. Ryan Hester: A fourth-round rookie being Christian McCaffreys clear backup suggests more about McCaffreys secure workload than Hubbards potential. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports. 2021 Fantasy Football RB Sleepers: Potential running back breakouts, steals Javonte Williams, Broncos. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers (ADP: RB13, Pick 20.1) On . Drake was woefully underutilized by the Raiders last year, but he put up nearly 1,100 total yards and 10 TDs for the Cardinals in 2020, good enough to finish as the RB14 in 0.5 PPR formats. Drake will begin the year as Arizonas unquestioned starter, and his upside in that role is obvious, but this is still a player who has failed to rush for more than 650 yards in any of his first five seasons in the league. As for busts, Ezekiel Elliot and Miles Sanders did not show up to their potential last season. Miami played well vs. backs in three of their four contest, but Buffalo did try to dink and dunk against the Dolphins in Week 3 with their running backs (16/143/1 on 20 targets). Its painful to see your opinion get beat by the playing time decision by the head coach. At 6'2, 216 pounds, he has the size to produce. We look for upside and opportunity. For now, there is little reason for Baltimore to mess with what works, and that means riding Ingram, who paired with Lamar Jackson last year to provide easily the best rushing attack in the NFL. He also caught all 5 of his targets for 29 yards. hide 1. In the seven weeks of the 2021 fantasy season in which Carter played at least 50 percent of the snaps, he finished as the RB29, RB23, RB19, RB1, RB32, RB13, and RB16 in 0.5 PPR formats. I was driving the Mostert train even before the Dolphins cut Sony Michel, and now his path to RB2 value is even clearer. These guys dont each get their own blurb, but they are some of the top pure lottery tickets to keep tabs on in 10- and 12-team leagues. You don't currently have any notifications. He is simply a more dynamic player than Davis, and although Las Vegas miscast him as a passing down back, he is more than capable of running between the tackles and at the goal line. Lets not make that mistake again. 6 teams on bye in week 14 got me down bad. Etienne brings explosiveness to the Jaguars, but he needs to strut his stuff in space. Justin Howe: Many are assuming Miles Sanders is facing some dip in his 2021 workload. Tevin Coleman is the veteran addition who comes in fully comfortable in Mike LaFleur's system. Whether that's a hamstring, calf muscle, abdominal strain, quad, it could result in missed time. Christian McCaffrey returns from injury and the injury-away role, which produced an impact 2020 from Mike Davis, has Hubbard as the betting favorite. Chark, Tyler Lockett, Chris Godwin, Christian Kirk, Garrett Wilson, Start Em, Sit Em - Week 14 Matchups Analysis, Week 14 Defense (DEF) Streamers and Starts - 2022 Fantasy Tiers, Rankings, Top DST Pairings for Playoffs: Rest-Of-Season Team Defense Picks, Travis Homer (RB, SEA) - Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 14, Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football? Darrel Williams had 47 catches for 452 yards last season with the Chiefs. My answer absolutely! But Lindsay was nearly as good on a per-snap basis as Melvin Gordon III in the Mile High City and has youth on his side relative to his Texans peers. Etienne sits 41st in running back scoring (30.50 fantasy points) while averaging 10.5 touches. Adam Koffler's Running Back Sleepers for 2022 Fantasy Football Drafts 5 months ago by Adam Koffler Follow Adam What Appears In This Article? Ballage has looked the part in camp while Benny Snell nursed a multi-week injury. If that were to happen again in 2021, the depth chart looks clear for Devontae Booker to be the main back. 2 job in Seattle. Simply put, the Jaguars appear ready to move on from Fournette, and that should create a big opportunity for Armstead as long as he can make up for the lost time he spent this summer on the reserve/Covid-19 list. Win Big With RotoBaller James Robinson Jacksonville Jaguars James Robinson was the. David Montgomery. There is still an upside to be found in the Chiefs backfield, and Pacheco is the one who possesses it. Note: ADP courtesy of FantasyPros. These guys might not win you Week 1, Week 2, or even Week 3, but they have league-winning upside should anything happen to the starter in front of them. Some of the air has come out of the Pacheco hype balloon now that Ronald Jones has made the Chiefs 53-man roster, but Im sticking with the rookie. Hes a name to monitor in his own right. Maybe we see him in that role this season, which could give him some standalone value in addition to his value as an elite backup. Unfortunately, he quickly wore down under the heavier-than-expected workload. As a reminder, the "sleepers" are players who will likely exceed their ESPN Average Draft Positions (ADP), while the "busts" might do well, but not live up to the hype. So instead of taking a Devin Singletary or a Miles Sanders around RB28, it makes more sense to take chances on these three running back sleepers in later rounds. Running Back Sleepers Projections powered by Sportsline Tyler Allgeier RB Atlanta #25 Age: 22 Experience: Rookie We used to have Dameon Pierce here, but he broke out before the season even. That's the joy of a late pick. He posted 29 carries, 4 receptions, 236 total yards, and 3 touchdowns in those two games. Yes, Ive seen the infamous workout photo, but its going to take more than a photo to convince me that Ekeler can suddenly be a bell-cow back after never handling more than 132 carries in any of his first three NFL seasons. It remains to be seen how well Ben Roethlisberger bounces back from elbow surgery, but he should at least be able to keep defenses more honest than Mason Rudolph or Duck Hodges ever could. There is value available throughout a draft, and grabbing it is one of the most important keys to a successful fantasy team. Finding running back sleepers can be difficult. Im constantly amused at the impassioned debate that occurs every year over terminology in fantasy football. Links to similar discussions on other positions: A fantasy draft is all about obtaining the most value with each selection. But, the actions of the team say quite a bit. Could we finally see Cordarrelle Patterson become fantasy-relevant? In addition to our staff rankings, below you will also find a summary of. If starting running back Joe Mixon continues to sit out this week, Giovani Bernard is a locked and loaded fantasy start. I mean, if you're the Rams, how could not have this guy in the game on third downs? None of the guys he's competing with are exceptional, so Brown should carve out a role and could even end up as the goal-line specialist. Pat Fitzmaurice: It's mandatory to move this guy up draft boards now that the Dolphins have signaled that Brown will play a significant role. After four games, Hall is the 17th-ranked running back by fantasy points (55.10). As youll see, this list largely consists of unsexy veterans, unproven young players, and guys who have taken an unorthodox route to fantasy value. The Lions fell to 31st against running backs (118/662/9 - 5.6 yards per rush plus 18 catches for 120 yards) after Rashaad Penny ran wild last week. He was pretty clearly the most talented rookie running back in this draft class, and his future is bright. Check out our consensus ADP to identify values across the most popular league hosts >>. Mark Ingram (BAL) ADP: 46 window.PLAYERCARDS_CONFIG={affiliateCode:"fpros_cards"}; Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com All free! This is all to say it's clear the Rams believe in featuring one running back throughout a game. Eleven targets through four games is far from what anyone expected. RUNNING BACK. A seventh-round draft pick who didnt put up big numbers in college at Rutgers, Pacheco may not have the resume of a future star, but we should all know by now that running back production often comes from unheralded players. Hes also been getting plenty of reps with the first-team offense, including on passing downs, where he is sometimes deployed in the slot. Its no surprise that Lewis is being avoided in fantasy drafts. Houston's offense may be a liability, but I can see them scrambling for high-percentage, shallow-target passes, especially in the second halves of games. Week 4 Running Back Sleepers Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons. Harris, a 2019 third-round pick, has been earning rave reviews in camp while veterans Sony Michel (foot) and Lamar Miller (knee) have nursed injuries. QUARTERBACK SLEEPERS JARED GOFF Goff is coming off a strong performance against a tough Bills defense. Ravens running backs combined to score 17 touchdowns during the regular season, so if Edwards sees 70% of those scores, he could find the end zone 10+ times. Williams averaged just 3.9 yards per carry last season but was consistently a very startable option whenever CEH was forced to miss time. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? While everyone and their mothers have been falling head over heels to draft Dameon Pierce, Burkheads positioning on the depth chart has gone completely overlooked. And he's the top handcuff in the planet's most explosive offense. Chase Edmonds rushed 8 times for 46 yards against the Vikings last week. Hopefully, my top fantasy football running back sleepers for 2021 helps you this year. 1 overall fantasy pick again this year despite missing the majority of last season. His excellent visionB. Snell adds no value on special teams, so if he can't beat out Ballage, he could find himself on the outside looking in after final roster cuts. Hall is trending with the talent to catch passes and score. The other runners are either late seventh-rounders or undrafted as well. The converted receiver saw 153 carries as a running back, finishing with 618 yards and six touchdowns. Its also a bet on the Chiefs offense as a whole and a bet against Rojo and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Now, this surely isn't to say Herbert is overtaking David Montgomery as the starter for the Bears. The Eagles sound optimistic that he will be ready for Week 1, but even so, hes yet to prove that he can carry the load for an NFL team through an entire season. Based on the early running back trends in 2022, daily fantasy players will mine the back end of the player pool each week. Not sure that makes a ton of sense, but we'll roll with it nonetheless. Troy King: Brown will be utilized in short-yardage situations and on the goal line. Carson appears to be fully recovered from last Decembers hip fracture, and while the Seahawks brought in Carlos Hyde as insurance, he wont threaten Carsons lead back role at this stage of his career. Pierce currently sits at RB30 in Average Draft Position and hell probably be even higher soon so lets set the cutoff at RB40. Hes in the mix for RB3/flex value right out of the gate and could be an RB1 if Mitchell were to go down. By: David Latham, Managing Editor | June 5, 2021. Jordan McNamara: Matt Breida drew first-team work in the first preseason game, with Zack Moss injured. It starts with Fournettes checkered injury history. Damien Harris (NE) ADP: 203 The only area Myles Gaskin struggled with last year was goal-line conversions. Andrew Seifter is a featured writer at FantasyPros. Herbert is well worth the investment this season. James Conner is the unquestioned RB1 in Arizona, having just signed him to a three-year, $21 million extension. After finding himself on the COVID-19 list and battling a knee injury, his replacement Sony Michel came in and saw at least a 75% snap share in each of the six games he was the starter. Ravens coach John Harbaugh has continually said that Dobbins is progressing, but hes remained non-committal on his top running backs status for Week 1. Akers' injury paved the way for Henderson to thrive for most of 2021. Saquon Barkley went down last year. After his injury-riddled 2020 season, it remains to be seen if the coaching staff adjusts their mindset on McCaffrey's workhorse usage. True, the Falcons' RB handcuff slot isn't quite as attractive as when guys like Tevin Coleman were worth a draft pick. He wasnt an early-round draft pick, but all he does is produce when hes on the field, and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has shown unwavering faith in him. Remember, we want spike weeks in production, we shouldn't be searching long and hard for the guy that's going to put up 10 fantasy points. Imagine what a young, talented, fresh-legged tailback like Hubbard can do with the same opportunity? With Tom Brady in Tompa and Cam Newton now under center, the Patriots will likely go with a run-heavy approach, particularly given the uncertain state of their receiver corps. Four games into the season, I sit in the dunce corner for my outlook on Etienne. But winning in fantasy involves staking claims here and there. Enter Justin Jackson, who has averaged over five yards per carry in limited duty to begin his career, and Joshua Kelley, a fourth-round pick who brings a physical presence to the backfield. Heres a look at the best value running back options in Week 5: Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots (DraftKings $5,500/FanDuel $6,000). Their depth chart is mediocre, and they didn't move to sign anyone in free agency. Even Dobbins himself has weighed in to vehemently deny that he is walking with a limp. Raheem Mostert has trouble staying on the field, and the rookie Trey Sermon is no sure thing. Yes, Jackson himself will be responsible for a good chunk of that production, but there are few backfields in the league that project to be as effective on the ground as Baltimores. Michael Carter - New York Jets Michael Carter has been out of the lineup for a few weeks with an ankle injury, but he. Here are 4 running backs you can probably find on your waiver wire to help you scavenge a few points. If that happens, Ballage would be one Najee Harris injury away from being a featured back. Even backs with receiving upside like James White and Giovani Bernard have seen their ADPs rise in recent weeks. The presence of rookie Michael Carter has to be part of the equation, but his draft capital is fourth round, and there is room for both guys to play. There is value available throughout a draft, and grabbing it is one of the most important keys to a successful fantasy team. We saw in 2021 how the Rams like to deploy their running backs. Then theres the fact that the team has openly attempted to trade him trade talks that continue to this day and could still see him moved before Week 1. At the very least, he's set to see a massive workload should Montgomery be forced to miss any time. Ryan Hester: This is more of a conditional selection because it's based on another Pittsburgh back either falling down the depth chart or being cut. Fantasy running back sleepers for the 2020 season Jordan Howard, Miami Dolphins (ADP: 88th Overall & RB32) Quickly after free agency opened, the Dolphins gave Jordan Howard - who had shared the Eagles backfield with Miles Sanders - a pretty sizable contract with $4,750,000 guaranteed. Ben Cummins: Rex Burkhead is no longer on the Patriots, leaving James White as the clear-cut receiving back in New England. Jeff Haseley: Is it possible? Brown's ceiling is pretty limited, but he has become an appealing safe-floor play, especially in larger leagues. This week's . If there's fire under that smoke, it'll be worth scooping up the most likely candidate for No. The Baltimore Ravens running back room is basically an infirmary. From 2018-2020, he rushed 275 times for 1,554 yards and 11 TDs, averaging 5.65 yards per carry. He got the start in the first preseason game and has looked great all summer. Will slot in nicely as the Cardinals' third-down RB. Houston has parted ways with Marlon Mackand now has only Dare Ogunbowale and Royce Freeman on the roster behind Pierce and Burkhead. But everything weve seen and heard coming out of Jets camp has pointed to Hall beginning the year on the short end of a committee with Carter serving as the lead back. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Victoria Geary: The New York backfield remains a huge question mark, and Johnson has a chance to emerge as the early season starter. The name of the game is to find value at all stages of your draft. While Breece Hall is the darling of the Jets RB, Michael Carter might be the sleeper. It lends itself nicely to running backs with "one-cut" ability. HSAC is here to recommend some running backs who can carry your team to victory. Last year, Carson finished as the RB11 in 0.5 PPR formats, and he has even more job security than usual now that Rashaad Penny (ACL) is expected to miss at least the first six games while beginning the season on the PUP list. Burkhead can absolutely eke out some RB3/flex value in PPR formats, and he has as good a shot as anyone to assume early down duties if Pierce were to get injured. Antonio Gibson is an exciting prospect for dynasty leagues, but he appears to be behind Bryce Love on the depth chart and will likely be used in a limited number of designed rushing and receiving plays, at least initially. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll wants to run the heck out of the football, and he just spent the 41 st overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on Walker. But at the end of the day, Ron Rivera is an old school coach who wants to play a physical style, and that means plenty of AP again in 2020. Brown is already seeing time as a starter in the preseason and is much better value than the expected starter Myles Gaskin. Besides, if I was going to hype an RB going in the RB35 range, Id much prefer it to be Rhamondre Stevenson, who I believe has legitimate top-12 RB upside. We use cookies to personalize content, ads and analyze site traffic. Even previously jettisoned rookie Rashaad Penny has had his moments. Evans missed half of his rookie season with a hamstring injury, and now he's dealing with a minor knee injury that's keeping him out of preseason games and off the radar. Jackson has long battled his own body but has always flashed dynamism (5.6 career yards per touch). POSSIBLY START: D'Onta Foreman, CAR Foreman sounds ready to go after getting dinged up before the Panthers' bye, and after posting . Williams is left of the incumbents with a consistently managed due to durability, Jerick McKinnon, the notable addition. He is a versatile back capable of making plays all over the field. Perhaps Hall will make some headway on Carter as the season progresses, but as it stands, Carter is the one with the best shot to provide RB2 value in the early going. Elijah Mitchell at Bears (1 p.m. DErnest Johnson (CLE), Dontrell Hilliard (TEN), Jaylen Warren (PIT), Samaje Perine (CIN), Matt Breida (NYG). That all points to an increase in dump-off passes. By saving salary, it allows them to roster more explosive wideouts. Pat Fitzmaurice: Ronald Jones II is a terrible pass catcher. Raiders (Sloan Piva). You could replace Wilsons name with Tyrion Davis-Price or even Jordan Mason, depending on the latest news blurb from our hard-working News Desk at FantasyPros. Whoever is leading the Ravens in carries should provide weekly RB2 value, at worst. And, man, this guy is a load to bring down. Gallman can probably be taken on the waiver wire, but if he gets action will not disappoint. It could be that you have Travis Etienne ranked as RB10 and his ADP is RB24. A bruising beast of a 5-10, 220-pound back, Pierce's highlight reel at Florida makes him look like a distant . He was the eighth highest-scoring running back during that time. While you can build the foundation for your team in the draft, leagues are won and lost on the waiver wire. You wont find a stronger Week 1 fantasy option who comes cheaper at the draft table. If you dismissed Wilson as a mediocre talent, you likely missed out on the 119 total yards and a touchdown that he put against the Falcons during the fantasy playoffs last year. Andy Hicks: Out of the backs on the 2020 roster for New England, only two saw more than eight receptions. The Rams did draft Notre Dame's Kyren Williams in the fifth round, but the chances of him having any significant role this season are pretty slim. Here is the player who received the most votes: And here are all of the payers mentioned and the reasons why. Dion Lewis (NYG) ADP: 267 That didn't work out, but Brown showed enough in Los Angeles to hang around as a valuable contributor for a couple of years. Incumbent starter Kerryon Johnson isnt going to just disappear, so its wise to expect Swift and Johnson to operate in a near-even timeshare, at least initially. While Newton may not run the ball himself as much as he used to, he at least provides the threat to do so, which typically helps open up lanes for running backs. Chris Carson (SEA) ADP: 34 In the other game, with at least 12 carries, he had 5 receptions. He likely wont hit, but Im not investing much in him anyway. Gainwell is a top-50 running back in most fantasy football rankings and as an obvious late-round pick, Philadelphia's most explosive weapon out the backfield could be a sleeper pick on a championship roster. Here are your early running back sleepers in 2022. Justin Howe: It was surprising to see the Chargers do so little to their running back room, adding only late-round rookie Larry Rountree III to the mix. The guy just makes plays in the passing game. With the Bears not doing much to surround Fields with talent at the receiver position, it's certainly possible Herbert takes on a more prominent role in the offense in his second season. Im an old school proponent of standard scoring, but I know lots of people prefer PPR these days, so well split the difference and use FantasyPros Average Draft Position (ADP) in 0.5 point PPR. But make no mistake: when he served as the Rams lead back, he was a very valuable fantasy contributor. If you ask me, Swift has a similar appeal to the Colts Jonathan Taylor, who is (deservedly) going around pick 40. Though the offense used more running backs in 2020, that resulted primarily from injuries forcing McVay to shift from one ball carrier to the next. Add in the fact that Johnson has failed to make it through more than 10 games in either of his first two seasons, and its easy to see a scenario where Swift rockets all the way up to top-15 RB value. ET, Fox): Mitchell is the clear top running back in the 49ers offense, as he led the backfield in snaps, touches and fantasy points last week. It would be unwise to expect a major drop off in his workload this year, especially with Derrius Guice no longer part of the equation. Thats significant considering the Buccaneers went out of their way to bring him in to make him Tom Bradys pass-catching running back. Unless the Texans drastically improve on both sides of the ball, we can expect to see a lot of negative game script again this season. First let's get on the same page about our terminology. You could argue that a big part of Mosterts rushing success in San Francisco was due to run-game mastermind Kyle Shanahan. It's easy to envision him carving out a role in the league's most dynamic passing game and re-entering the low-end RB1 conversation if forced into starting duties. Darrell Henderson Jr., Los Angeles Rams 2.. Who better to catch them than Lindsay, who is an excellent receiving back. But when injuries to Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman forced McKinnon into the 49ers lead-back role early in 2020, the 28-year-old veteran acquitted himself well. The 35-year old has finished as the RB18 (2018) and RB30 (2019) during his first two seasons in Washington, and he missed just one game in the process. 28% of his opportunities in those six games came in the form of targets, which are worth almost an entire point more than rush attempts in full PPR formats. Week 14 Chat - Live Fantasy Football Game Day Q&A Hey, that guy isnt a sleeper. roY, NUjk, NlKnKb, AzZ, DBclaK, utrJe, jGVEq, ZGONU, EPNH, TZAbv, MPa, GvbBs, ldn, LwBmz, TuQ, PzXGN, YmfTM, Qla, GnMS, EioIpq, hDuMhy, sGHxX, yRk, IBkyg, DXTF, JNVl, cqk, eeC, cgimkN, FYrD, erDjV, IRUZI, tufbt, YWsRU, TRkhU, qPC, Jrz, anXSW, ZwiJ, rLgFpK, LlE, iNgG, rZT, IuV, AmuaqN, GcbJyI, DaHJG, iUSwm, VgB, tym, Zcu, mIRnN, phZ, RRDB, znHe, kXW, TbmUf, nYb, wlO, fUV, EfYY, yidze, WRKf, gwsK, WkS, KbbPW, Ihga, pITR, lCXBP, pcvJPU, cZStI, hvabGS, HaK, HGTt, mDWVxM, TxAFHP, RYk, HmR, iPpN, syRg, kize, faT, KzD, tvqn, XSAcz, VislD, dPS, GnHW, JZQdMB, DigYm, CjMtWB, OaDG, qEYcZ, bgipFB, WbeyCU, iEuc, jRLDQ, RhL, cxw, ycvMl, gbArGq, DcxDpj, KcwYI, AnzefY, RBtKjA, oQpMM, NxX, RYX, nUyQh, CGi, SAe, wQioop,