NFL
A Running Back to Target in Each Round of Your Fantasy Football Draft
Which running back is your best option during each round of fantasy football drafts this season?

Danny Woodhead, San Diego Chargers

ADP: 87 (8.01)

Two factors have suppressed Danny Woodhead's value in fantasy football drafts this season: recency bias and Melvin Gordon.

In 2014, Danny Woodhead missed all but three games due to a fractured fibula and ankle. This is the Danny Woodhead most fantasy football managers remember.

But in 2013, playing in the first year of head coach Mike McCoy's system in San Diego, Woodhead amassed 1,034 total yards and 8 touchdowns -- including, most importantly for PPR, 76 receptions and 605 yards through the air -- to finish the year as an RB12 in PPR-scoring leagues.

Let me repeat that: in 2013, Danny Woodhead finished the year as an RB1.

Yet, when the Chargers traded up in the first round to get their hands on talented Wisconsin tailback Reports say that Gordon's "pass protection remains a work in progress." And not only will Gordon cede passing down work to the far more experienced Woodhead, he may also give up red zone work to him as well.

An underrated red zone threat, in 2013, Woodhead converted nearly 20% (7 out of 37) of his red zone touches into scores. And on this note, flashing his pre-injury form, in Week 1 of the preseason, Woodhead ran in an 8-yard touchdown on the Cowboys while working in with the first unit.

As the forgotten man -- as far as fantasy football managers are concerned, that is -- in the Chargers backfield thanks to their shiny new toy in Gordon, all of these elements conspire to place Woohead in a very profitable situation in PPR leagues at just the fraction of his true price.

Prev Next

Related News

An Introduction to FanDuel Research

Jim Sannes  --  Aug 17th, 2015

The Late-Round Fantasy Football Podcast, Mailbag 7/21/23

JJ Zachariason  --  Aug 17th, 2015

The Late-Round Fantasy Football Podcast, Approaching Unique Leagues

JJ Zachariason  --  Aug 17th, 2015