Written by Matt Lukovsky at Sporting News.com
You don’t really need rankings or projections to identify potential fantasy football sleepers at running back, at least not on draft day. In fact, every 2017 fantasy cheat sheet should come with a flow chart that looks something like this: Is he a handcuff? –> Yes. –> He’s an RB sleeper.
You can could expand that even further: Is he ranked in the top 15? –> No. –> He’s a sleeper.
And by the way, when we say anyone outside the top 15 is a sleeper, we mean anyone, even guys who aren’t currently on a team. Heck, even you. You’re a fantasy football running back sleeper. That’s how deep this goes.
But while it’s easy to identify RB sleepers, it’s not always easy to identify good ones. With so many options, it can feel like you’re playing one of those rigged carnival games: Even if you manage to win, your prize could be some stupid, oversized stuffed animal you have to lug around the rest day while your friends make fun of you.
Beyond that, in order for backs to truly break out, they need opportunity, which often requires injury. You could be right about the talent level of a particular player, but if the starter in front of him stays healthy, it might not matter. Meanwhile, some other joker in your league who happened to have the No. 1 waiver claim gets the mediocre backup who actually starts putting up numbers.
So, be warned: Some of the names you’re about to see might not play much this year. They might get cut before the season starts. Or they might be awesome…but not until Week 6 after you’ve already dropped them. Even the ones with “guaranteed” playing time might take a while to really get going.
It takes a certain amount of luck and patience for an RB sleeper to really pay off, so it’s important to give yourself options and stay on top of things all season.
Dalvin Cook, Vikings. Rookie running backs tend to be sleepers by nature, but just a year after Ezekiel Elliott destroyed fantasy leagues, it seems like most of the big names are getting artificial bumps in pre-draft value. Leonard Fournette, Joe Mixon, and Christian McCaffrey are all in the top 20 of FantasyPros’ early consensus rankings. Cook is still fairly high at No. 25, but he definitely seems like a “fourth fiddle” to those other three. However, he doesn’t take a backseat when it comes to talent, and with free-agent signee Latavius Murray still recovering from offseason ankle surgery, Cook has a chance to run away with the starting job. There are concerns — mainly, the Vikings’ poor offensive line and Murray’s potential to steal goal-line carries — but Cook’s receiving ability fits well with Sam Bradford’s love of checking down. Either way, the potential is there for big things.
Bilal Powell, Jets. Powell has always been a solid receiver, but he proved he could be a complete back in the absence of Matt Forte last year, posting 82 carries, 411 rushing yards, 21 receptions, 141 yards, and three touchdowns during the season’s final four games. With seemingly no reason for the Jets to continue featuring the 31-year-old Forte, Powell has to a chance to really break out even if Forte gets the nominal Week 1 start.
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