4 Backup Running Backs Worth Targeting Late in Your Fantasy Football Draft
Jerick McKinnon, Minnesota Vikings
Jerick McKinnon may be the running back with the most upside should his team's starter go down with an injury. As our own Austan Kas pointed out, there several reasons why McKinnon should be on your fantasy football team.
First, McKinnon is insanely athletic. Like chart-topping, 100th-percentile-SPARQ-score athletic. If Will Smith had declined to play the lead role in Hancock, they could've just called McKinnon and used less of their special effects budget.
All joking aside, McKinnon, unlike some SPARQ-freak athletes, has been able to translate his athleticism to production on the field when he's gotten opportunities.
| Season | Rushes | Rushing NEP | Rushing NEP per Rush | Success Rate | Receptions | Reception NEP | Reception NEP per Target | Reception Success Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 113 | -0.82 | -0.01 | 39.82% | 27 | 1.68 | 0.04 | 40.74% |
| 2015 | 52 | 8.83 | 0.17 | 40.38% | 21 | 10.62 | 0.37 | 61.90% |
McKinnon's sophomore campaign -- while less voluminous than his rookie season due to Adrian Peterson being back on the team post-suspension -- showed marked improvement in both the running and passing games. His 0.17 Rushing NEP per rush was third in the league among all running backs with over 50 carries.
His total Rushing NEP actually ranked ninth in the league among all running backs, higher than his living-legend backfield mate. Now, since rushing is inherently an inefficient way to move the ball (the average running back accrued -0.02 Rushing NEP per rush in 2015) more volume would have likely driven down his level of efficiency.
But, still, if McKinnon can continue to play that effectively, the Vikings are going to want him on the field more and more, which is exactly what they've said they want to do they want to do.
In points per reception (PPR) leagues, McKinnon may serve as a startable standalone asset if you're in a pinch, but if Peterson goes down, he may have RB1 upside.
