X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

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
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Way Too Early 2017 Breakouts - Running Back

This year's Super Bowl hasn't even happened yet but that doesn't mean we're not still starving for more fantasy.

The best way to satiate that craving is to get a head start on prepping for 2017. With running back being the most fluid position of them all, it's probably the best place to start.

Obviously these names are all subject to change based on the NFL draft, free agent signings, trades, cuts, and everything in between. Nevertheless, here are some names you should keep in the back of your mind as potential breakout candidates for 2017.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!

 

Running Backs To Monitor for 2017

Bilal Powell - (RB, NYJ)

Perhaps the most obvious name of the bunch, Bilal Powell had a solid 2016 campaign even with Matt Forte as the starter. In fact, the only real difference between the two was Forte getting the edge in touchdowns at seven to Powell's three. Powell, however, had a greater presence in the passing game. Throw in two games of over 100 rushing yards over the last four weeks and Powell had himself a severely underrated year. Believe it or not, this was a lot closer to a timeshare than you'd think.

Basing future fantasy success on recency bias can backfire so it's always wiser to too look ahead rather than behind. Matt Forte is already 31 years old, three years older than Bilal Powell. For as tough of a competitor as he is, Forte's days as a lead back are numbered. Now would be the right time to bet on that happening. Even if it ends up being a similar split, there's a good chance Powell ends up as the "starter" based on age, health, and production.

The other key aspect to keep in mind is that Forte is a "big name." Forte will almost certainly go higher than Powell in most fantasy drafts. That alone makes Powell a hot commodity since he'll have better draft day value. Expect the Jets to limit Forte's touches in 2017, leaving plenty of room for Bilal Powell to assume a larger workload.

 

Paul Perkins - (RB, NYG)

Our second running back located in New York is that of Paul Perkins on the Giants. I don't think I've ever seen this before but over the last seven weeks of the 2016 season, Perkins had his yardage total increase in each game. Here are his totals through those last seven outings: 16, 29, 38, 45, 56, 68, 102. That's pretty impressive to me, especially on a team that rotates its running backs at will.

It's not exactly a science but ending the year on a high note is always a plus. The downside on Perkins is that he didn't have any rushing touchdowns on the year, essentially rendering him irrelevant for fantasy. That being said, the Giants don't really have anyone else of value. Rashad Jennings has been a bust since joining the team, Shane Vereen can't stay healthy, and Bobby Rainey simply isn't an every down back. If not Perkins, who?

A few things have to happen in order for Perkins to get a crack at the starting gig. First, the Giants need to depart with at least one of their other three rushers. To be honest, that's virtually a guarantee given the circumstances. Once that's done, they need to stop diddling around and commit to one guy rather than a make-shift committee. I'm not confident that happens but for fantasy purposes I'm willing to take a chance on Paul Perkins. He has a legit shot at being a starting running back which holds value in itself. He won't come at a high price either so he warrants your offseason attention.

 

Dion Lewis - (RB, NE)

Now a full season removed from ACL surgery, Dion Lewis is going to ride the hype train all the way through the offseason. Forget the fact that he was having an awesome 2015 prior to tearing his knee up, his dismantling of the Houston Texans will stay fresh in everyone's mind. Unfortunately, the downside of any potential breakout here is the fact that Lewis plays for a team that is impossible to read in regard to workloads. Oh, and, LeGarrette Blount is still hanging around.

Blount's presence is the biggest roadblock standing in Lewis' way of being a fantasy star. He has the talent to be a star fantasy RB and is now healthy enough to rely on. But if the Patriots are going to keep Blount around, you can't exactly draft Dion Lewis as a sure fire starter. Instead, you're going to have to take him as a flex play/RB3 and hope for the best. That doesn't mean he's worse off than the other names on this list by any means. It just so happens his situation is murkier.

All that said, Blount is already 30 years old. It's not like this is a Devonta Freeman/Tevin Coleman situation where there are two young stallions. Blount is old enough to warrant a changing of the guard and 2017 could easily be the year of Dion Lewis.

 

Ameer Abdullah - (RB, DET)

Our last name on the list is the riskiest of the bunch yet there's a chance he's also the most forgotten. Plagued by a foot injury that ended his season in September, Abdullah went from sleeper to a wasted draft pick at the drop of a hat. For some added confusion, the Lions are going to head into 2017 with several different options at running back.

Everyone knows that when healthy, Theo Riddick is the most reliable back in Detroit, particularly in PPR. Then there was the slow-moving hype train that was Dwayne Washington. Lastly, Zach Zenner started turning heads when it mattered most. That leaves Abdullah the farthest away from recent memory and that's honestly a good thing for fantasy. He'll likely come at a supremely low cost, making his upside that much more enticing. Besides, it's not like he had some career-threatening ailment that will bleed into next season anyway.

If you were a believer in Abdullah as a sleeper prior to 2016 there's no reason to back off of that stance for 2017. The only thing that's changed is that other backs on his team have become names worth mentioning yet none of them have had significant fantasy success.

 

More Sleepers & Draft Values


Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nick Senzel5 hours ago

Expected To Miss 3-4 Weeks
Jon Gray5 hours ago

To Start On Sunday
Justin Steele5 hours ago

Likely To Go On Injured List
Anfernee Simons7 hours ago

Out Against The Heat
Max Kepler7 hours ago

X-Rays Come Back Negative On Max Kepler
Keldon Johnson7 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Justin Steele7 hours ago

Has Left-Hamstring Tightness
Matisse Thybulle7 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Davis Bertans7 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Friday
Jusuf Nurkic8 hours ago

Questionable Against Oklahoma City
Dario Saric8 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Noah Clowney8 hours ago

Probable For Nets Friday
Jonathan Kuminga8 hours ago

Questionable For Warriors Friday
Jerami Grant8 hours ago

Considered Doubtful For Friday
Dennis Smith8 hours ago

Jr. Probable For Friday
Lauri Markkanen8 hours ago

Questionable Against Houston
Toumani Camara8 hours ago

Will Not Play Friday
Justin Steele8 hours ago

Exits Thursday's Start
Richaun Holmes8 hours ago

Out Versus Pistons
Cameron Johnson8 hours ago

Out Against Chicago On Friday
Luka Doncic8 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Friday
David Bednar9 hours ago

Still Dealing With Lat Injury
Deandre Ayton9 hours ago

Is Questionable For Friday
Rudy Gobert9 hours ago

Might Miss Friday's Game
Tyus Jones9 hours ago

Unavailable For Friday
Zeke Nnaji9 hours ago

Ruled Out Against Minnesota
Jaden Ivey9 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Rhys McKee9 hours ago

Searching For First UFC Win
Anthony Edwards9 hours ago

Uncertain For Friday Night
Chidi Njokuani9 hours ago

Drops Back Down To Welterweight At UFC Atlantic City
Kyle Nelson9 hours ago

An Underdog Again At UFC Atlantic City
Bill Algeo9 hours ago

Eyes Sixth UFC Win
Joaquin Buckley9 hours ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Vicente Luque9 hours ago

Gets Short-Notice Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Eduardo Rodriguez10 hours ago

Could Throw Off Mound In 5-7 Days
Max Kepler10 hours ago

Leaves On Opening Day With Injury
Nick Senzel10 hours ago

Suffers Broken Thumb
Jason Foley10 hours ago

Earns The Save For Tigers
Tarik Skubal11 hours ago

Tosses Six Scoreless Innings On Opening Day
Corbin Burnes11 hours ago

Pitches A Gem On Opening Day
Royce Lewis12 hours ago

Exits With Quad Injury
Max Scherzer13 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw13 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler13 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager14 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz14 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Bryan Reynolds16 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jordan Romano17 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Aaron Ekblad18 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov18 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto18 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin19 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard19 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins19 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist19 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear19 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Mark Hubbard1 day ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson2 days ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia2 days ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen2 days ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers2 days ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers2 days ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers2 days ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers2 days ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels2 days ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby2 days ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds2 days ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA2 days ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry2 days ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox2 days ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak2 days ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan2 days ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg2 days ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn2 days ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby2 days ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord2 days ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala2 days ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler2 days ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder2 days ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen2 days ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin2 days ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield3 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR3 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras3 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen3 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb3 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift3 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson3 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell3 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans3 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott3 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley3 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs3 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad3 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson3 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas4 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas4 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan4 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson4 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla4 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo4 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron4 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher4 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo5 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal5 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman5 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott5 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa5 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams5 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala5 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen5 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland5 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron5 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More


Xavier Worthy 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Texas WR Be Selected?

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been one of the top pass-catchers in college football over the past few years. The explosive receiver was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 62 receptions for 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slipped in 2022. Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns... Read More


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, RB, NFL Draft Sleepers

Blake Corum 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update - When Will the Michigan RB Be Selected?

Former Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. The 23-year-old is fresh off a College Football National Championship victory and a 2023 campaign consisting of over 1,300 yards from scrimmage. However, given the devaluation of the running back position and Corum not being an... Read More


Brandon Aiyuk - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Will The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?

Brandon Aiyuk had a career year last season, finishing seventh in the league in receiving yards (1342), second in yards per catch (17.9), and catching seven touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro. However, despite many expecting them to do so, the 49ers failed to win Super Bowl LVIII and now... Read More