NFL
Fantasy Football: 10 Sleeper Running Backs to Target in 2017
These are the high-upside running backs to look for late in your fantasy draft, according to our football staff.

Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles

Death. Taxes. A top-30 PPR finish for Darren Sproles. The three consistencies in life.

Sproles has moved up over the past few weeks to an early 11th-round pick in PPR leagues after languishing in the 13th round from mid-June through July. He's still just the 49th running back off the board -- much too low.


Though his Rushing NEP per attempt has dropped in each season with Philadelphia, his 0.06 mark in 2016 -- in his age-33 season -- was still 17th at the running back position, just behind Mark Ingram and Jordan Howard, and a hair above Tevin Coleman.

Sproles has finished as a top-30 PPR back in each of the past eight seasons -- he's one of only three players to do so.

Player Top-30 PPR Seasons Since 2009 Avg. RB Finish
Darren Sproles 8 21.9
Frank Gore 8 14.1
Matt Forte 8 9.5
LeSean McCoy 7 8.4
Adrian Peterson 6 5.8
DeMarco Murray 6 14.0
Steven Jackson 6 17.3
Chris Johnson 5 7.4
DeAngelo Williams 5 20.8
Fred Jackson 5 15.6
Jamaal Charles 5 6.4
Jonathan Stewart 5 21.4
Ray Rice 5 7.4


While Doug Pederson struggles to figure out who the early-down back is in Philly, Sproles’ role is well carved out. Sproles is Sproles. Respect him, and draft him earlier. —Ian Goldsmith

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