10 Massively Underrated Running Backs

Fred Jackson

Fred Jackson has improved with age, something you can't say about most running backs in today's NFL.

Almost any time fantasy football analysts talk about running backs, they're bringing up the young up-and-comer with "potential" and "opportunity." Which is why a proven producer like Fred Jackson is falling into the 9th and 10th rounds of fantasy drafts.

He'll not receive every carry that the Bills have to offer, because C.J. Spiller is the lead back (for good reason). But he's carved out a role as a top choice to get rushing attempts in a run-heavy offense in Buffalo.

The Bills had a pass-to-run ratio of 1.04 last year, which was the third-most run-heavy in the NFL. Only the Seahawks and 49ers ran the ball more often than the Bills. That's because E.J. Manuel isn't going to be a 40 pass attempts per game kind of quarterback, and the Buffalo stable of running backs is more than impressive.

That includes Jackson, who finished fifth among the 22 running backs with 200 or more carries using our Net Expected Points (NEP) metric last season. He's reliable and efficient, something that can't be said about most other backs available in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts.

By Leo Howell