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Kipp Heisterman looks at an intriguing sleeper option for fantasy football drafts in Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary. Could opportunity open up for Singletary in Buffalo in 2019?
With the 11th pick in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select Devin Singletary from Florida Atlantic University. When this selection was made, Bills' fans probably did not know much about the young Singletary.
Singletary is a 5'7 203lb running back out of a small and rather unknown university, but do not let this fool you. He has the potential to be an eventual star in Buffalo, and that all begins in 2019 where he is set up in a tremendous situation behind aging veteran running backs, LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore.
In 2019, drafting a productive running back ranked outside the top-30 at the position is a difficult task. However, there are a few sleepers that rank outside of this range that should be taken before their current ADP. One of these running backs is Devin Singletary of the Buffalo Bills. Singletary is currently ranked just inside the top-50 at the position with an ADP of 150. He should provide much more value than these rankings given his overall skillset as well as the current state of the Bills' backfield.
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Soon to be Lead Back in Buffalo?
The current Bills' backfield is a graveyard of former productive backs with LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore in the current mix ahead of Singletary. Whether or not these two produce is a different story. McCoy, the supposed leader in the clubhouse for carries in 2019, finished 2018 with only 514 rushing yards on 161 carries, which was good for a measly 3.2 yards per carry. McCoy also had only one 100-yard rushing game and finished the season with just three 20-plus yard rushes. Both of these were career lows.
Gore cannot be relied on, either. In 2018, Gore finished with career lows in carries (156), rushing yards (722), and rushing touchdowns (0). He will also be entering his age 36 season, which is not exactly an age where running backs are known to thrive. Given the age and lack of recent production from both McCoy and Gore, there should be plenty of room for Singletary to overtake lead back duties.
Singletary also has the skillset to supplant these two former workhorse backs in 2019. At Florida Atlantic University, he rushed for over 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons, combining for a total of 4,289 rushing yards and 66 touchdowns. That equates to an average of 1,430 yards and 22 touchdowns per season. The fact that the Bills used a third-round pick on Singletary should also tell you they are high on the Owl alum. This includes Frank Gore who was quoted by the Bills Wire on usatoday.com as saying "He understands the position, he's got great eyes, lower body is real big. I think as long as he keeps working, he'll be fine." That is solid praise from the former five-time Pro-Bowl back.
Singletary may not be the lead back Week 1, but he will almost certainly figure into the mix as the season continues. With the lack of depth at the running back position in the later rounds of fantasy drafts in 2019, you could do a lot worse than taking Singletary around pick 135 overall.
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