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Do you like underdog stories? Then let's talk about Corey Grant.
Grant was a career backup for the Auburn Tigers, unable to find playing time behind the likes of Tre Mason and Cameron Artis-Payne. He was very productive with his touches, though, rushing for 1,040 yards and 9 touchdowns on just 135 carries (7.7 yard average) across three seasons.
In 2015, he was an NFL Combine snub, but went on to run a 4.28 40-yard dash at his Pro Day (some clocked a 4.18), along with 22 bench reps and a 37-inch vertical. Even though the dude is an athletic freak, he went undrafted and was picked up by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Grant impressed with limited touches that preseason, totaling 82 yards and a score on 10 carries. He saw limited action in the regular season, but was ready to shine again come next preseason, totaling 130 yards on 20 touches. He again, wasn't given many opportunities...until the final week of the regular season.
Grant drew the start in Week 17 and put his speed on full display, turning 20 touches into 137 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown run. This preseason, it has been more of the same for Grant, who rushed for 191 yards on 22 carries (8.7 yard average) across three games.
Still, he finds himself fourth on the depth chart entering Week 1, behind the likes of Leonard Fournette, T.J. Yeldon, and Chris Ivory. So how is there any path to fantasy relevancy for the third-year speedster?
Well, honestly, it would require an injury to Fournette. However, Fournette has garnered himself a bit of an injury risk label as of late, missing six games in his final college season with an ankle injury that he aggravated three times; he also missed three games of preseason action with a foot injury. He's not on Jacksonville's first injury report, but Yeldon, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, is. After Yeldon, Grant probably has the best receiving chops of any of Jacksonville's four backs, so if Yeldon is out for Week 1, we could see Grant on some passing downs.
More than likely, this will be another year with Grant buried on the depth chart and maybe making a Week 17 appearance. However, if something does happen to Fournette, remember the name Corey Grant.