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Analysis of five fantasy football running backs to target late. Are these RBs undervalued players and potential sleepers to target in deeper 2024 drafts?
Once you reach the late rounds of fantasy football drafts, everyone wants to select high-upside players who can potentially help you win your league. Fantasy managers can afford to take risks on a variety of different players, including prospects, forgotten veterans, players returning from injuries, or even skilled players with potential playing time concerns.
It's essential to have at least a handful of sleeper targets at each position heading into your fantasy football drafts, no matter the format. Here are some late-round running backs for you to consider drafting this season.
Our editors have hand-picked these specific NFL players for your draft prep enjoyment. Usually only available to Premium subscribers, the outlooks below are meant to give you a taste of the in-depth analysis you receive with our industry-leading 2024 Draft Kit. Be sure to subscribe today and start reading all 300+ of our 2024 player outlooks, along with many other premium articles and tools available exclusively in our 2024 Draft Kit.
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Chase Brown, Bengals, Fantasy Football Outlook
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown had a relatively quiet rookie season in 2023. He missed time with a hamstring injury and only received five touches during the team's first 11 games. Starting Week 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Brown began to gain some steam. The Bengals coaching staff must have seen something they liked, as Brown averaged nearly nine touches and 53 scrimmage yards per game from Weeks 13-18.
That would equate to roughly 150 touches and 900 scrimmage yards over a 17-game season. That would be enough to warrant flex consideration in fantasy leagues. His final stats underwhelmed, but Brown displayed big-play ability during the year. Head Coach Zac Taylor has hinted at Brown receiving a larger role this season.
Chase Brown only had 58 touches as a rookie in 2023.
However, Brown averaged 0.80 fantasy points per touch.
Brown should be more involved in the Bengals backfield in 2024 behind their improved OL. pic.twitter.com/nlJruXmjEz
— Moody (@EricNMoody) August 4, 2024
While Zack Moss was brought in as the lead back, he has never handled more than 210 touches in a season, nor has he ever been a significant pass-catching threat. There is room for Brown to carve out a role in this offense. He has stand-alone value as a flex option in PPR leagues with upside for more. Ranked as RotoBaller's RB33, Brown is a great target later in drafts and is a worthwhile investment in all leagues.
Blake Corum, Rams, Fantasy Football Outlook
The Los Angeles Rams drafted Blake Corum in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft to help ease Kyren Williams' workload. Williams is already set to miss OTAs with a "foot issue" but Sean McVay says the RB is expected for training camp. The red flags there have elevated the rookie's buzz this summer. The 5-foot-8 Corum showed immense power behind Michigan's stout offensive line, totaling nearly 60 touchdowns in 49 games across three starting seasons.
Most swoon over 27 rushing TDs in '23, but his 4.8 yards per carry dropped from 5.9 the year before. Volume is no concern here as Corum topped 250 touches as both a junior and senior, though he was rarely involved as a receiver.
If that more effective rusher seen at Michigan in 2022 meets a starting opportunity within McVay's creative rushing scheme then top-10 weeks are possible. Corum's half-PPR ADP has risen into the first 10 rounds of 12-team drafts as of early June to go with a RotoBaller rank of 136.
Rico Dowdle, Cowboys, Fantasy Football Outlook
There was speculation the Dallas Cowboys might roll with Rico Dowdle as their RB1 heading into the 2024 season. However, it seems likely he'll play second fiddle to Ezekiel Elliott with the news that Dallas re-signed Zeke to a one-year deal after his one-year stint with the New England Patriots.
Dowdle currently projects as a change-of-pace option in a potent Cowboys offense, which might be a good thing. He'll have a solid chance to take over the lead role if Elliott falters, and while once a fantasy stalwart, Zeke has seen his production decline in recent years, having yet to clear four yards per carry since 2021. At Dowdle's current price – RB50, #151 overall – he's a little below RotoBaller's rankings of RB43.
Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle “has to be the favorite to lead the team in rushing”, per @jonmachota of The Athletic.
The current Cowboys depth chart is:
RB1 - Zeke
RB2 - Dowdle
RB3 - Royce Freeman
RB4 - Deuce Vaughn pic.twitter.com/doDVXlfjsu— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) August 8, 2024
At this point in the draft, we're looking for upside, and Dowdle fits nicely into this bucket. With Elliott’s skill set regressing, it would be no surprise to see Dowdle take on more work than expected, and when given the opportunity in 2023, he proved to be an explosive playmaker. Now, with the Tennessee Titans, Tony Pollard had his best seasons as the former backup to Elliot, and Dowdle certainly profiles like the former.
Jaleel McLaughlin, Broncos, Fantasy Football Outlook
As a rookie, Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin totaled 570 yards on just 107 touches. His efficiency metrics were off the charts. Per PlayerProfiler, he ranked 4th among running backs in true yards per carry (5.1), 6th in juke rate (25.2%), and 6th in yards created per touch (4.42). His 0.95 fantasy points per opportunity ranked 9th among running backs. When the undrafted rookie out of Youngstown State touched the ball, he was electric.
However, even in games Javonte Williams didn't play or left early, McLaughlin averaged just 11.5 opportunities on a 33% snap share. He produced 18.7 PPR points per game in those two games, though, as he found paydirt in both games. Again, he's got the ability to put up fantasy points in a hurry, but he never played more than 28% of the snaps in games Williams was a full-go. At just 5'7", 187 lbs, McLaughlin may never be more than a change-of-pace type back.
Only RBs with 82.0+ receiving grade and 82.0+ rushing grade in 2023 (min. 150 snaps):
Christian McCaffrey
JALEEL MCLAUGHLIN2024 Fantasy outlook:https://t.co/euXpc8a36M
— PFF DEN Broncos (@PFF_Broncos) August 7, 2024
That feels even more likely now that the Broncos took Notre Dame running back Audric Estime in the 5th round of the 2024 NFL Draft. At 5'11", 227 lbs, Estime is built more like Javonte Williams and could be called upon to shoulder the load should anything happen to Williams. In that case, McLaughlin would continue as that change-of-pace back in Sean Payton's offense. However, just like in 2023, he could have some spike weeks. Because of his hyper-efficiency, he's one of those running backs you'll want to have stashed on your roster, just in case.
Jerome Ford, Browns, Fantasy Football Outlook
Jerome Ford looks poised to enter the 2024 season as Cleveland's RB1 after Nick Chubb (knee) suffered a multi-ligament injury in Week 2 of the 2023 season. With Chubb uncertain for the 2024 season, it appears the Browns will lean on Ford and veteran D'Onta Foreman with Kareem Hunt also no longer in the mix. As the de facto starter last season from Week 3 through 17, Ford averaged 11.5 half PPR points per game on a 54% snap share. He was a low-end RB2 on a weekly basis, with a few spike weeks mixed in.
His efficiency didn't jump off the page, but he was good enough to fend off Hunt and be a productive starter for a lot of fantasy teams. Chances are, he'll do something similar in 2024, as he earned the coaching staff's trust last season. In fact, we could even see his snap share increase a bit for as long as Chubb remains on the sidelines.
According to Browns general manager Andrew Berry, Chubb still has "a little ways to go" in recovering from a devastating knee injury. Still, even with the latest news, Chubb has suppressed Ford's average draft position (ADP) thus far in the offseason. Should Chubb be placed on the Physical Unable to Perform (PUP) list, Ford's ADP could skyrocket. For now, consider him an RB3 with RB2 upside
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