Fantasy football owners know the importance of the running back position. And, typically, if you want an elite back, you have to JJ Zachariason
We now have a two-season sample of middle of the fourth round. But if I'm spending on a Cardinals' back, I'd rather go with the cheaper 10th-round rookie -- the one who's more physically gifted than the player ahead of him on the depth chart, and the one who could, when it's all said and done, lead the team in rushing attempts.
Lance Dunbar, Dallas Cowboys
From Graham Barfield
The case for FantasyFootballCalculator.com) and, like Randle, has a small sample of carries that we can use to form an opinion on (just 80 attempts in three years). And here's the fun part: Dunbar and Randle have both been less-than-stellar in their miniature workloads, as Dunbar has a career Rushing NEP per attempt of -0.05, while Dunbar's career Success Rate (46.8%, which measures the percentage of runs that contribute positively towards NEP) is superior to Randle's (36%).
Again, the main thing here is cost and randomness. If Dallas does indeed sign a veteran, or if they deem Randle unworthy of starting at some point forcing an unpredictable running back-by-committee, pitvoting to the cheaper option (Dunbar) may save you a future headache.
Reggie Bush, San Francisco 49ers
From Scott Barrett
Right now, recent comments and an increase in negative game script due to the loss of an unusual number of veterans, I do believe Reggie Bush will be a major feature of the 49er receiving game. Beyond that, he's talented enough to at least eat into a large portion of Hyde’s carries (assuming Hyde is even the starter [which I'm not.])
Jay Ajayi, Miami Dolphins
From Aaron Watson
One of my favorite late-round gambles at running back is Baltimore's fourth-round pick Pro Footbal Focus' fourth-best run blocking offensive line while receiving a litany of targets in the passing game.
Montee Ball, Denver Broncos
From Tony DelSignore
Just one year ago, Broncos running back Montee Ball cost you a first-round pick in fantasy drafts. In standard leagues, Ball was the 10th player off the board.
An injury and some faulty play caused Ball to flop hard last season and disappoint many fantasy owners in the process.
This season, Ball is being taken at pick 11.02 in standard leagues, a far cry from his first-round status in 2014.
Sure, C.J. Anderson is the incumbent starter, but there's a new head coach and new offensive coordinator in Denver that have no ties to either one of the running backs.
What if C.J. Anderson goes down in preseason? Montee Ball would instantly be given the keys to a Peyton Manning-led offense.
Last season, Denver ranked eighth according to our Adjusted Rushing Net Expected Points metric. With one injury or change in philosophy, Ball would have RB1 upside at RB5 price.
For my money, Ball is one of the best late-round running back targets this season due to his high upside as a handcuff. Don't allow last season's disappointment to stop you from taking a flier -- he's cheap, and could be a huge return on your investment.
Duke Johnson, Cleveland Browns
From Joseph Juan
Last season, Browns head coach Mike Pettine showed the league that regardless of your pedigree -- whether you're highly paid free agent veteran, or an undrafted rookie free agent -- if you have the talent to start in this league, then you will for his team.
And if you're Cleveland Browns rookie tailback lineup at wideout, often with Crowell on the field. Hey, when the best receiver on your roster is matches perfectly with the zone blocking scheme first year offensive coordinator John DeFilippo wants to run. With the best agility scores among the running backs on the Browns roster, and having demonstrated great cutting ability in his days at Miami, Johnson will thrive in a system that will ask him to make that sudden cut into the hole that the offensive line has opened up in front of him. And with a line that was ranked 7th in run blocking according to Pro Football Focus last season, and who now has Pro Bowl center Alex Mack back from injury, the holes for Johnson should be plenty.
While second-year man Crowell is projected to take the early down work ahead of West and Johnson, his fumbling issues last year combined with the vows from this coaching staff to use a heavy rotation at running back gives Johnson a golden opportunity to showcase his talents and seize the starting role early on. And given the run heavy approach many are expecting out of Cleveland, if and when Johnson becomes this team's lead back, fantasy football managers willing to spend a late round draft pick on him will have quite a pleasant surprise on their hands.