Running backs can break out at any time, here we look at sophomore candidates that have a real chance to out-perform their position ADP. Grabbing a player before the blows up is what can give you long-term success in your dynasty league.
So, as part of our dynasty league coverage we wanted to cover the main positions, identifying some players that have a realistic opportunity to rank higher than they are being taken. For a player to qualify, they need to have the potential to out-perform their positional ADP by a decent margin.
That means that the likes of Kyler Murray and A.J. Brown won’t be featured after having fantastic rookie seasons. There could even be an argument that both of those players struggle to meet value, given where they are being taken in drafts
Miles Sanders
Sanders didn’t start in every game for Philadelphia, but he was a reliable option during the season. Sanders was forced to share touches early on in the season. But once Jordan Howard was injured, Sanders made the backfield his own. Not giving Howard an opportunity once he returned.
Sanders ended his season with 179 rush attempts, for 818 yards and 3 touchdowns. However, what is equally as important for fantasy is that he was also utilized in the passing game. Sanders caught 50 passes for 509 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns.
The Philadelphia Eagles clearly think that he is able to shoulder the workload, as they chose to not add another running back in the draft. Sanders is currently being selected as the 13th running back in mock drafts, but in this offense he will exceed that. Especially with his three-down skillset.
David Montgomery
Montgomery had plenty of opportunities last season, as he was the only running back that was effective last season. The Chicago Bears offense stalled last season, with the defense struggling to get off the field and Mitch Trubisky struggling to stay on it.
Despite that, Montgomery rushed the ball 242 times for 889 yards and 6 touchdowns. However, fantasy owners will have been disappointed with his season- partly due to his lack of passing down work. Montgomery was unlikely to be able to surpass Tarik Cohen in that department, but owners would’ve wanted more than the 25 receptions for 185 yards and a single touchdown.
Chicago decided to make a move at quarterback during the offseason, bringing in Nick Foles. The offense is similar to the one that he succeeded in as part of the Philadelphia, so he shouldn’t have an issue getting up and running. Montgomery is talented enough to do more, and in an improved offense there’s no reason why he can’t.
So that’s it for our Running Back sophomore break out candidates. What do you think of our selections? Any players you think we missed? Let us know what you think by reaching out to us on our social channels. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Stay tuned for our coverage of other positions.
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