Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Young Running Backs Rising
Round 14
| Pick | Team | Selection | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 157 | Justin Freeman | Dante Pettis | WR73 |
| 158 | Jim Sannes | Marcus Mariota | QB12 |
| 159 | Drew Crawford | Doug Martin | RB61 |
| 160 | Anthony Amico | Keelan Cole | WR74 |
| 161 | Austan Kas | Mohamed Sanu | WR75 |
| 162 | JJ Zachariason | Darren Sproles | RB62 |
| 163 | Brandon Gdula | Jack Doyle | TE15 |
| 164 | Dale Redman | Tre'Quan Smith | WR76 |
| 165 | Joseph Redemann | Donte Moncrief | WR77 |
| 166 | Akash Bhatia | O.J. Howard | TE16 |
| 167 | Abe Schwadron | Mike Gesicki | TE17 |
| 168 | Blair Ames | Taywan Taylor | WR78 |
Best Pick: Doug Martin
In fantasy football, the cold reality is that sometimes opportunity trumps talent. A few seasons ago, Matt Asiata and Peyton Hillis were winning leagues in the fantasy playoffs due to the huge opportunity that was presented to them via injury. These two thumpers were certainly on the low-end of the NFL's talent spectrum, but if you had them on your roster you were counting money.
In the case of Doug Martin, although there are more talented backs on the Raiders' roster, new Head Coach Jon Gruden has shown an affinity for bringing in veterans with track records of success. Martin has averaged a paltry 2.9 yards per carry in each of the last two seasons as a member of the Bucs, but we are already hearing the new regime in Oakland using the "fresh legs" narrative.
Martin is surely not a sexy pick in round 14, but he is the only player in this group who at least has a path to being a league-winner. It may not be likely, but neither was Asiata or Hillis in the 2014 and 2010 preseasons, respectively. If Gruden determines that Martin is an upgrade over incumbent Marshawn Lynch, he may be able to outperform his inefficiency by producing with sheer volume.
