X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Late-Round Draft Values - Running Backs

Rashaad Penny - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Analysis of five fantasy football running backs drafted in the later rounds. Are these RBs undervalued players and potential sleepers to target in deeper drafts?

Once you reach the late rounds of drafts, everyone wants to draft high-upside fliers that can provide a great return on value. You 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. Today, we're looking at 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. Normally 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 2021 Draft Kit. Be sure to subscribe today and start reading all 300+ of our 2021 player outlooks, along with many other premium articles and tools available exclusively in our 2021 Draft Kit.

Editor's Note: Discover RotoBaller’s top Fantasy Football Sleepers to gain an edge in your drafts. Our free who to draft tool and expert picks spotlight undervalued players, breakout candidates, and late-round gems for all league formats.

 

Phillip Lindsay, Houston Texans

The former Denver Broncos breakout rookie has found a new home with the Texans this season, further muddying the already abysmal Texans backfield. Last year, David Johnson was the unquestioned feature running back for the Texans, but he had mediocre rushing production (147 carries for 691 yards and six touchdowns) which was bolstered by 33 receptions for 314 yards and another two touchdowns. I expect the receiving work to go to Lindsay almost exclusively due to his elusiveness and burst in the open field, but he can certainly contribute on the ground as well. He has breakaway speed (4.39 40 yard-dash) and over his first two seasons with the Broncos, Lindsay had over 1,000 yards and 30 receptions each year and he averaged 5.0 yards per carry doing it.

The Texans also signed veteran Mark Ingram II this offseason, but he only carried the ball 72 times last year and is well beyond his best years. If DJ struggles early, which is very possible given his workload and age, I'd expect the Texans to turn to Lindsay to try and generate a spark on offense. Lindsay is currently being drafted as the RB52, the 17th running back after Johnson, and he has the potential to be the most productive player in that backfield. I will probably own a ton of Lindsay shares due to the low risk and potential reward.

-- Frank Dyevoich

UPDATE: Houston Texans running backs Phillip LindsayMark Ingram II, and David Johnson will be utilized in a committee approach. Head coach David Culley essentially confirmed what many thought would be a halfback rotation, which is far from ideal for fantasy purposes. Johnson seems to have settled into more of a pass-catching role at camp, with Lindsay and Ingram splitting the early-down work, though there won't be enough volume or even scoring opportunities for any of these backs to have any upside. The best bet is that Lindsay, who had back-to-back 1200-scrimmage yard seasons in 2018 and 2019, has more left in the tank than the 31-year-old Ingram and soon-to-be 30-year-old Johnson.

-- Tim Capurso

 

Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks declined to pick up Rashaad Penny's fifth-year option in the offseason, clearly signaling that they need to see significant contributions from him this year if he is to remain with the team. Penny has played in 27 games in his three pro seasons. While Chris Carson is the apparent No. 1 RB for the Seahawks, they have ideally envisioned Penny as a perimeter and open space complement. Penny has flashed some big-play ability at times so far throughout his career, and if he can finally stay healthy this year, he could at least emerge worthy of some flex consideration. In 2019, Penny had touchdown runs of 58 and 37 yards. In his rookie year, he ran for 108 yards on 12 carries vs. the Rams.

There is still some sleeper potential for Penny if he meets the challenge to finally deliver on the first-round investment the Seahawks made in him. As fantasy players well know, Carson is also an injury risk. An opportunity for Penny to become the lead RB for the Seahawks could emerge at any time. Since it appears he has sufficiently recovered from his ACL tear, you have to keep him in mind to possibly start for Seattle at some point in 2021. Penny is certainly worth the flier at his low ADP.

-- Scott Engel

 

Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions

It appears as though this is Jamaal Williams' calling in life - to be a thorn in the side of a more talented starter. Williams spent the last four years taking far more work away from the superior Aaron Jones than fantasy managers liked. Now, he takes his talents to Detroit where he will do the exact same thing to the superior D'Andre Swift. You may not like it. You may not agree with it. But you have to accept it. Williams is going to touch the ball eight to 10 times per game and will likely see somewhere in the vicinity of a 40% snap share.

For Swift enthusiasts, this does not preclude the dynamic runner from being worthy of a second-round pick in fantasy drafts, but it does cap his upside. Swift profiles as more of a passing-down back, but Williams excels in pass protection. Williams is also likely viewed as the better between the tackles runner, regardless of whether that is actually true. Williams is going to have standalone RB3 value with high-end RB2 upside should Swift sustain an injury forcing him to miss time. Williams is the ideal type of running back to target in the later rounds, especially for those employing Zero RB or Single RB strategies.

-- Jason Katz

 

Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles

The former Memphis Tiger will have his work cut out for him in Philadelphia, with an explosive incumbent starter (Miles Sanders) and plenty of NFL veterans with playing experience ahead of him (Boston Scott). A mobile quarterback (Jalen Hurts) and questionable offensive line further complicate the first-year outlook for the Day 3 selection. Carries will be difficult to come by for Gainwell his rookie season with so much experience ahead of him on the depth chart.

Thankfully for Gainwell, he likely has the best receiving ability of any of the running backs in Philadelphia, especially with camp reports stating that Miles Sanders has struggled catching the ball during team situations. If Gainwell is going to have an impact, it will likely come through the air assuming there are no injuries ahead of him on the depth chart.

Gainwell is currently coming off the board in the 12th round of fantasy drafts as RB51, according to ADP. In PPR leagues, that represents fine value as a late-round dart throw who could see an early-season third-down role. His role could grow after a strong preseason and training camp or if Sanders suffers an injury throughout the 2021 NFL season. Gainwell is especially enticing for fantasy players who opt to attack the wide receiver position early in drafts and hope to get late value at the running back position. At such a low ADP, taking him as a later-round flier could potentially return a nice value on the investment.

-- Dan Fornek

 

Giovani Bernard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

For years, Giovani Bernard was a thorn in Joe Mixon's side. Despite being a valuable running back, Bernard was out there in passing situations and the two-minute offense. At age 29, Bernard is now in Tampa Bay, and reports out of camp have him pegged with a similar role to James White in New England during the Brady era.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said running back Giovani Bernard "has been pretty good" and is "going to be a major part of this offense." He has been a standout in training camp and is expected to have a vital role in the offense in 2021. Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones figure to see most of the early-down work while Bernard handles third-down snaps. Based on Arians' recent comments, the 29-year-old could see some early-down work as well.

Bernard has more fantasy value in PPR formats, especially with Tom Brady frequently targeting running backs in the passing game. The veteran RB's ADP is 175, and that's a cheap draft-day price to pay for a potential PPR contributor within the RB3/FLEX range. It's a nice flier to take in the later-rounds of PPR drafts.

UPDATE: Bernard missed practice on Thursday with what is being described as a "mild high-ankle sprain." Head coach Bruce Arians doesn't seem overly concerned with the injury and expects the veteran to be back for their Week 1 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF