The Player
While we profiled Zenner in 2015 and his stock certainly has gone up, this preseason star still sits at RB63 in dynasty ADP. He is still an unknown to many in the fantasy community -- despite notching 42 carries for 207 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and 2 touchdowns in his last five preseason games (not to mention an additional 11 catches for 98 yards and a touchdown).
Sure, it's preseason, and sure, Zenner played college ball at South Dakota State. But he was dominant against that inferior competition, rushing for more than 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Oh, and he also ripped off a 99-yard run against Kansas and had 202 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns (9.6 average) against Nebraska, showing he could carry the load and match up athletically against superior opponents.
His athletic profile is an intriguing list of power backs:
| Name | Hght | Wght | 40 yd | Bnch | Vert | Broad | 3Cone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Zenner | 5' 11" | 223 | 4.60 | 25 | 41" | 121" | 7.08 |
| Marion Barber | 6' 0" | 221 | 4.53 | 20 | 40" | 127" | |
| Isaiah Crowell | 5' 11" | 224 | 4.57 | 23 | 38" | 117" | 7.28 |
| Brandon Bolden | 5' 11" | 222 | 4.66 | 21 | 38" | 119" | 6.96 |
| Rudi Johnson | 5' 10" | 227 | 4.57 | 24 | 37½" | 119" | 7.32 |
| Joique Bell | 5' 11" | 220 | 4.68 | 16 | 36½" | 120" | 6.84 |
| Stevan Ridley | 5' 11" | 225 | 4.65 | 18 | 36" | 118" | 6.78 |
| Alfred Morris | 5' 10" | 219 | 4.67 | 16 | 35" | 117" | 7.01 |
| BenJarvus Green-Ellis | 5' 11" | 219 | 4.6 | 24 | 30½" | 114" | 7.56 |
Watch him on the field and you can tell his elite 41-inch vertical is no fluke, and he explodes up the field and through contact. The Rudi Johnson comparison is especially striking, and the two have similar bruising, one-cut styles and enough speed to get to the edge. He also demonstrates soft hands out of the backfield, and his ability to be on the field in all situations is evident.
The Opportunity
The Detroit Lions backfield is a mess for fantasy football, with a potential three- or even four-player time share behind a suspect offensive line. Theo Riddick shows a proficiency in the receiving back role, but obviously Ameer Abdullah was drafted for possessing a similar skill set, and the team will be tempted to justify their investment in the young back.
But Abdullah is no power back, and with Joique Bell finally moving on, that role appears open for the taking, with Zenner and Stevan Ridley battling it out this preseason. Ridley has yet to demonstrate he can overcome a torn ACL from several years back to be an effective player and appears to be behind Zenner on the depth chart.
While the team will likely attempt to make Abdullah the focal point of their offense, his rookie season was a mixed bag, and his Rushing LeGarrette Blount or Isaiah Crowell.
Zenner is worth a roster spot in all deep formats and may even be worth stashing in traditional redraft leagues.