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

Deeper Running Back Draft Sleepers for Fantasy Football (16+ Team Leagues)

Mark Ingram II - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers

Antonio Losada evaluates ADP data related to super-deep 16-plus team leagues and looks at a few players at the RB position than can ultimately become valuable sleepers in these leagues and formats.

Can you name every fantasy league you played in last season? Probably not. But can you think of their average structure? The most probable question is yes because most leagues are often comprised of eight to 12 teams with 15 roster spots each and use the now-standard PPR format of scoring. That is not always the case, though, and some fantasy GMs engage in way deeper leagues yearly in order to have a tougher challenge on their hands.

Fantasy leagues can be as large as the commish wants them to be, but for our purposes, we're going to define a deep league as one in which at least 16 teams take part. That means each draft round would consist of 16 picks and there would be 240 (15 rounds multiplied by 16 teams) players drafted overall. So for this exercise, I will be looking at players with ADP over 240 using a dataset comprised of drafts based on leagues with such structure. The data comes from PPR-format leagues, and whenever I mention stats, projections, and fantasy points, those would all be spoken of on the basis of that format.

Here is a look at a few running backs that can be considered sleepers in super deep, 16+ team leagues. Keep an eye on them and track their presence on the draft board as they can become interesting pieces down the road during the development of the 2022 season!

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.

 

Deeper Running Back Draft Sleepers

Rex Burkhead, Houston Texans
ADP: 306

Last season definitely wasn't the one for good old Rex. Sure, he got the most opportunities among Texans' rushers with 154 (David Johnson logged 109) and he scored the most FPPG... only that figure read 6.5 by the end of the season in PPR leagues and that's a pretty mediocre outcome all things considered.

Burkhead finished the season outside of the top-50 rushers (he was RB52 last season) for the first time in three years--and the third time in the past four although he missed half the season that single time.

Burkhead has scored at least 101.1 PPR points in all of his seasons in New England and Houston from 2017 on barring 2018 (only eight games played). Historically and looking at rushers in the 2017-2021 span, scoring 100-to-120 PPR points over a season have yielded an RB42 finish

Given the current landscape and running back usage trends (committees, touch-sharing, small workloads), that means that even the smallest of upticks in production can foster a rusher way past that rank and into the RB3 realm.

Houston has added oft-injured Marlon Mack and rookie Dameon Pierce to the fold this offseason to battle Burkhead for reps and touches. I am a Mack believer and he's still very young, but he's played all of seven games total in the past two years while also missing two, four, and two games in his first three seasons.

Dameon Pierce could get that RB1 role with time, but he doesn't project to become a bona fide starter getting the bulk of the workload from the get-go. What I'm saying is that Burkhead should have a good chance to get enough opportunities to reach that 100+ PPR mark and all he can add to add through the season as the team 1A/1B with Mack--as long as Mack lasts, of course. All of that for the price of... nothing?

 

Kenyan Drake, Las Vegas Raiders
ADP: 240

It feels like Drake has been around forever. He was drafted "early" by Miami all the way back in 2016, spent three seasons with the Fins, got traded to the Cardinals, and most recently he signed with the Raiders to ball last season. And ball... he did not.

More than anything, though, that lack of production was about a reduced amount of touches and opportunities for the first time in Drake's career. He went from averaging 205 touches in the 2017-2020 span (ever-growing from 165 to 173 to 220 to 264 in 2020) to only logging 93 in 2021.

Alas, the cratering production: from 12.8 PPR points per game in 2020 to just 8.5 last year playing a clear RB2 role. That's definitely not going to change next season, or as long as Josh Jacobs stays healthy. Jacobs has been the true bellcow of the Raiders for three years and he's missed time, but not ample (three, one, and two games in his three years in the NFL). Drake, of course, is the clear secondary option in the backfield now with both rushing and pass-catching chops.

Las Vegas reduced Jacobs' workload from 306 touches to just 271 last season while Drake got fewer touches than any of the RB2 that got paired with Jacobs in 2019 and 2020. In other words: Jacobs is going down in terms of touches (reasonable to preserve his health) while Drake's usage should be increased at least a little bit to around 110-120 touches even as the RB2 of the team.

Payton Barber is out of Las Vegas and replaced by rookie Zamir White, but Drake should start the year with that RB2 role and upside for a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 finish if Jacobs misses a few games--and even without those perks.

 

Mark Ingram II, New Orleans Saints
ADP: 241

After seven games in Houston, the Texans traded Ingram back to his first NFL team in New Orleans. He went on a weird Baltimore detour in 2019 and 2020 (one extraordinary RB11 season, one putrid RB77 year) but he's now back in the place that saw him grow into an unstoppable backfield force.

It's a rather impressive development, though, as Ingram had three very tough seasons to kick his career off (fewer than 100 PPR points and no more than 162 touches) but then absolutely exploded into a perennial RB1.

From 2014 to 2019, Ingram scored at least 142 PPR points and averaged 11.9 at the very least. Of course, those two "low" marks belonged to his 12-game 2018 season. Other than that, Ingram averaged 16.1 FPPG and an RB10 finish in that span. Just ridiculous.

Baltimore didn't use Ingram nearly enough to help him have a terrific season in 2020 (they gave him a measly 78 touches), but Ingram bounced back a bit in 2021 in HOU/NO as an RB2 with 187 touches for 108.6 PPR points and an average of 7.8 FPPG.

Alvin Kamara is going to miss the first six games with a suspension. Beyond that, he and Ingram shared the backfield in the 2017 and 2018 seasons and Mark still got to score 17.4 and 11.9 FPPG, the former figure a career-high. While Kamara is definitely a legit threat on pass plays, Ingram could eat from the his target pie.

Ingram has scored 10 receiving touchdowns from 2016 on, and five as recently as 2019 on just 29 targets and 26 receptions. He is entering his age-33 season, so it'd make sense for the Saints to preserve him as much as possible and deploy him exclusively in high-leverage and scoring situations.

Ingram will be an RB2 at the end of the day, and thus the low ADP. But for the really low price, you will definitely be getting one of the strongest backup running backs in the NFL.



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

Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Terry McLaurin

Could be a Holdout at Training Camp
Roger McCreary

a Candidate for a Contract Extension?
Max Fried

Exits Start With Blister
Mike Evans

Buccaneers Could Have Difficult Time Retaining Mike Evans
Charles Cross

Could Sign Extension Before Training Camp
Xavier Restrepo

One to Watch Going into Training Camp
Calvin Ridley

Appears Re-Energized
Mark Andrews

Still a Key Piece in Ravens Offense
Ndamukong Suh

Officially Announces his Retirement
Jaylen Waddle

Motivated After Disappointing Season
Tre Harris

Still Unsigned
Hunter Dobbins

to Miss Rest of Season With Torn ACL
Nolan Arenado

Held Out of Lineup on Saturday
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Carlos Correa

Sitting on Saturday
Austin Riley

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Nolan Arenado

Exits Friday's Contest With Sprained Finger
Jake Burger

Expects to Play on Saturday
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Wyatt Langford

Records Four-Hit Night
Cal Raleigh

Homers Twice, Drives in Five
Cody Bellinger

Swats Three Homers in Victory
Jake Burger

Leaves With Quad Discomfort on Friday
Carlos Correa

Exits Game With Mild Ankle Sprain
Edward Cabrera

Dealing with Posterior Elbow Discomfort
Austin Riley

Leaves Game Early on Friday With Abdominal Tightness
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Rafael Devers

Dealing With Back Inflammation
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Returning on Friday
Sauce Gardner

Wants to be Highest-Paid Cornerback
Rhamondre Stevenson

Heading into an Important Season
Minnesota Vikings

Josh Metellus, Vikings Have Mutual Interest in Extension
Tua Tagovailoa

2025 Could be Tua Tagovailoa's Last Season in Miami
Rashawn Slater

has "Full Confidence" a Deal Will Get Done
Byron Buxton

Returns on Friday
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Jake Meyers

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Calf Strain
Brandon Lowe

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Tightness
Kodai Senga

Reinstated to Start on Friday
Alex Bregman

Officially Activated and Starting on Friday
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Chicago Bears

Bears Extend General Manager Ryan Poles
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
MarShawn Lloyd

in a "Much Better Spot" Heading Into Training Camp
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Dustin Hopkins

Browns Still Counting on Dustin Hopkins
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
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
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
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
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
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF