2020 Fantasy Sleepers: RB
Top: Todd Gurley (Atlanta)
Analysis: Feels odd putting Gurley on this list considering he’s only two years removed from fantasy (and pro) dominance. I’m not saying Gurley is going to leap back to the heights he achieved in 2018, but he is going to be a significant fixture in fantasy this season. I’ll give you three reasons why (remember those commercials? I miss them). First – His knee did not have as big of an impact last season as people were predicting. Doubling down on feats like what he managed to do in 2018 is incredibly difficult to do, we rarely see players reach those types of stats two years in a row, let alone surpass them. Second – He is the big fish in the pond in Atlanta. Ito Smith, Brian Hill and Qadree Ollison haven’t done anything that would make them significant threats to Gurley’s carries, it’s his backfield with three guys who can step in when he needs to catch his breath. Third – The Falcons O-Line is far better than that mess the Rams rolled with last season. I expect to see Chris Lindstrom take a major leap forward in year 2, James Carpenter is a sound veteran, and Alex Mack is still one of the better Centers in the NFL. The interior of this Offensive Line is going to be able to keep lanes open for Gurley to surge through.
ROOKIE: Ke’Shawn Vaughn (Tampa Bay)
Analysis: Edwards-Helaire, Taylor, Swift, Dobbins and Akers are going to get the most publicity out of the rookie backs, but don’t forget about Vaughn. The Bucs backfield situation is wide open, and Vaughn is the best man suited for the role. If Brady has a say he’s going to want someone that can catch passes out of the backfield as well as run the ball, Vaughn is better in the receiving game than Ronald Jones and I like the ability he showed on the ground while at Vandy. If you see the rookie runners flying off the boards, don’t forget Vaughn is available too.
Others:
Jordan Howard (Miami)
Analysis: Breida may be the more obvious choice to people, but I like Howard more. His build and play style are better suited to deal with Miami’s potential O-Line woes. Breida will be the dump off option for Tagovailoa when he officially takes over under Center, but Howard is going to be the guy that forces teams to respect the run. He’s probably not going to be an RB2 for you, but at the very least he will have bye-week fill and flex appeal.
Raheem Mostert (San Francisco)
Analysis: If you hit the 2nd-3rd round range and you’re looking for your RB2 check to see if Mostert is still available. The Niners shipped off Matt Breida and I don’t believe it was so they can include a whole lot more of Jerrick McKinnon. Nope, I believe it’s so they can get the ball into Mostert’s hands more often. Mostert is the best Running Back on this team and it’s about time San Fran starts treating him like it. We’ll still see Tevin Coleman stealing carries and McKinnon to a far lesser extent, but I expect to see the explosive Mostert putting on a show this year.
Carlos Hyde (Seattle)
Analysis: At first glance you may want to take Hyde and move him from your draft board to your watch list before your draft even takes place. Don’t do that. Rashaad Penny is going to start the season off on either PUP or the IR-designated to return list since he suffered an ACL tear late last season. Chris Carson is a talented back who deals with his own injuries (mostly minor). Hyde will be Carson’s relief back and he’ll be the starter in the event something happens to Carson. Not to mention, Hyde is coming off his highest single season rushing yard total and second best YPC.
Deep Sleeper: Joshua Kelley (LA Chargers)
Analysis: Cheating a little here by choosing a rookie, but that’s ok. We know Austin Ekeler is a special talent. We know Ekeler is going to get the first crack at starting for the Chargers. What we don’t know is how Ekeler will hold up under a full workload. Last season was his highest total for carries with 132. If his body breaks down during the season, then I expect Kelley, not Justin Jackson, to be the next man up. Kelley was a wrecking ball at UCLA who found a way to get the job done despite the lack of talent around him. Keep an eye on the preseason though, if Kelley gets off to a slow start, then you’ll want to slide Jackson into this slot.
