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Veteran RBs Who Can Still Produce Big Fantasy Football Numbers
In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by Unest, boring veteran RBs, 3 projections to buy or sell and DraftKings best ball sleepers.
With a Sunday morning hat tip to compadre Ian Hartitz, who yesterday dropped a “great day to be great” analysis on the RB handcuffs we need to keep in mind during draft season, it’s time to get a little boring. As in the veteran RBs who have been around a while, and are still churning out yards and fantasy points.
Thinking about these players who still are projected to lead their backfields even though they’re creeping closer to that scary age-30 season, I’m reminded of a fantasy baseball term coined by amigo and fantasy analyst Scott Pianowski: Raul Ibañez All-Stars.
Ibanez was a solid player who hit 273 home runs after his 30th birthday. He was never a high pick in fantasy, yet was consistently good for 20-30 home runs in a season and steady production—some of it for Kendall Valenzuela’s hometown Mariners. That made me think of three veteran RBs who your leaguemates may be so familiar with that they might bypass them because of it. Yet savvy fantasy managers can scoop up those players because, well, fantasy points matter regardless who’s scoring them.
3 Key Veteran RBs to Remember on Draft Day
Josh Jacobs | Packers
- Rank: RB14
- ADP: 26.7
- Projections: 298 touches, 1,389 yards and 12.9 TDs
One thing that will be highlighted so much with these players is how much TDs play in their scoring. Jacobs has scored 30 TDs in 32 games over these past two seasons. He got 92% of the Packers’ inside-the-5 carries last season. Green Bay traded away backup Emanuel Wilson and did not replace him in the draft. The team also had a 58% dropback rate, which was tied for 25th in the league. So we have a player projected near 300 touches in a run-heavy offense where he’s getting almost all of the touches near the goal line. And he’s there in the third round? Sign me up.
Kyren Williams | Rams
- Rank: RB17
- ADP: 33.9
- Projections: 219-1,006-9 (rushing) and 28-183-2 (receiving)
I promise, this is not the Ram fan in me coming out. We heard HC Sean McVay say last offseason that Williams was going to get a lighter workload and that Blake Corum was going to get more involved in the offense. What happened? Williams still posted 295 touches, 1,533 scrimmage yards and 13 TDs, his third straight season with TD production in the teens. Corum did have a nice season, with some boom weeks, but Williams is still a heavy favorite to be one of the TD leaders in one of the best offenses in the NFL. He’s 26. He got 59% of the carries inside the 5 and 95% of the touches inside two minutes. Williams remains a main cog in LA’s machine going late in the third round.
David Montgomery | Texans
- Rank: RB21
- ADP: 48.6
- Projections: 221-958-8 and 29-214-0.9
What gets me on Knuckles’ ADP is that he’s going after TreVeyon Henderson. Um, did these drafters not see Rhamondre Stevenson dominate carries in the postseason for New England? Montgomery is now in Houston with the goal to fill the role that injury did not allow Joe Mixon to fill last season. Monty’s main competition for touches is going to be Woody Marks, who never surpassed 74 rushing yards nor 5 targets in a game last season. The definition of meh. When a player like Montgomery is projected near 1,200 yards and 9 TDs and is there at the 4-5 turn, no need to think twice before clicking on his name.
Yes, the names may be well-worn, but like your favorite hoody when fall turns to winter, those fantasy points will be plenty comfortable.
It’s Time For Buying In On Fernando Mendoza
Just think, last summer Fernando Mendoza was an afterthought in the college football landscape. A nondescript transfer to Indiana, all Mendoza did was lead the Hoosiers on an epic 16-0 run, completing 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards and 41 TDs on the way to winning the Heisman Trophy. He also threw in a gritty game-sealing TD run for the ages that locked down the first national championship for Indiana. All that before recently being the first pick in the NFL Draft of the Las Vegas Raiders. Everything seems to be going up for Mendoza and those who believed in him. A bright NFL future is in front of him.
UNest works the same way. You don't wait until your kid is 16 to start building their financial future. You start now, when time is your single greatest advantage. A tax-advantaged investment account that grows with your child, set up in under 10 minutes. The long game is always the smartest play, on the field and off it.
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Purdy ended last season on a tear, averaging 225.9 passing yards, 2.3 passing touchdowns and 20.7 fantasy points per game once returning from injury in Week 11. His 7% touchdown rate trailed only Matthew Stafford, and that was with RB Christian McCaffrey accounting for 31.7% of the 49ers’ targets from inside the 10-yard line, the 10th-highest rate in football.
Best Ball Sleepers on DraftKings
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Adam Kaufman identified seven players who can be late-round targets in these contests. Some players are coming off injuries, others are in muddied offensive environments and even some on new teams. They all could be options to pop occasionally during the season for some crucial best ball wins.
Around the Watercooler
The latest fantasy and NFL gossip, news, memes and more from our merry band of football nerds …
🏃🏽♂️ Bhayshul Tuten appears ready for his time to shine. Big workload awaits.
🙌 Updating the Rookie Super Model for WRs. So many ballers.
🏈 And doing the same for rookie RBs. A whole lotta Love.
🅰️ Who aced their draft grades? Cowboys get incomplete for going all defense.
🏈 Ty Simpson enters the latest dynasty rankings. When will he play?
🚨 Malik Willis goes just a bit outside. Don’t let the receivers see.
🤔 Is Carnell Tate going too early in best ball drafts? You be the judge.
🐎 From last to first … setting the Golden Tempo.
It’s a Dynasty Rookie Rankings Battle
It’s a battle royale! Matthew Berry vs. Dwain McFarland vs. Matthew Freedman. No steel cage, just their dynasty superflex rankings duking it out over which ones should reign supreme. Playing referees are Kendall Valenzuela and cooterdoodle, who break down the rookies and declare whose rankings they agree with. Then they close it out with loser playlists.
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