Fantasy Football – Rookie RB Breakdown

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16.) David Fluellen, Eagles:

Playing time – With McCoy and Sproles locked in as the top 2 running backs, Fluellen’s best shot is as the #3 back on the depth chart. I think he is all but a lock for that job considering that he is about 30-40 pounds heavier then McCoy & Sproles and much better suited for the short-yardage back role. I don’t see Fluellen getting more than 4-5 carries per game, but as the short-yardage back he could see plenty of work inside the 5 yard line and vulture some touchdowns.

Fantasy outlook – If Fluellen can lock down the short-yardage / goal-line back duties he could be a player of interest in fantasy with the potential for 6-7 TDs by the end of the year. I could see him ending up as a poor man’s Mike Tolbert.

17.) Isaiah Crowell, Browns

Playing time – Crowell might have more talent than the two backs ahead of him on the Browns depth chart (Tate, West) but off-field question marks (from 3 yrs ago) dropped him out of the draft and now he will have to impress to make the roster. The Browns gave him an above average signing bonus ($10,000) for a UDFA so it’s clear they see his talent and will give him a fair shot to make the team. Crowell only has to beat out diminutive Dion Lewis (5’7, 193) and plodding Edwin Baker to win the 3rd RB spot and another off-field incident is the only thing I could see keeping him from winning that job. Tate is injury prone, but West is built to be a workhorse, so I think Crowell’s 2014 ceiling is as a 3rd down change-of-pace back. He certainly has the talent to win that job, but even if he does he will be limited to a few touches per game and irrelevant for fantasy purposes.

Fantasy outlook – Despite having the talent to be a premier back in the league, Crowell will most likely be relegated to a spot on the bench or at best a change-of-pace back. It’s too bad because he has every thing you look for in a #1 RB. He has the size to be a workhorse back (6’0, 224), good speed for his size (4.57), linebacker strength (23 reps of 225) but what separates Crowell from other backs is his agility and ability to make people miss. His tape from his freshman year at Georgia, where he was the SEC’s freshman of the year, is some of the most impressive tape I watched pre-draft. If given a legitimate chance to play, it will be hard to get Crowell off the field. He’s a long-shot to see enough playing time to be relevant in fantasy, but he’s going be the last man on my roster in at least a couple of deeper leagues just in case he gets a chance.

18.) Lache Seastrunk, Redskins

Playing time – Seastrunk isn’t a good fit for the Redskins one-cut scheme, so I’m curious to see how they will use him. I wasn’t surprised to see him drop to the sixth round as I think he was a product of Baylor’s spread offense and bounced runs outside way to often. I don’t think he has the vision or fortitude to run inside and bouncing everything outside won’t work as well against faster NFL defenses. That doesn’t mean Seastrunk is worthless though, he has elite explosion and speed and should be a solid contributor as a 3rd down back. He’ll get an occasional carry on pitches outside and draw plays and could catch a few screen passes per game.

Fantasy Outlook – Seastrunk has the speed to break a couple long plays this season, but I don’t think he’ll get enough touches to make a fantasy impact. I see 2-3 carries and a catch or two per game as his rookie year ceiling. Seastrunk could be a dangerous kick returner and if your league counts return yards then the combination of return stats and a few catches per game could earn him the last spot on your bench.

19.) Alfred Blue, Texans

Playing time – Ben Tate is gone but he was replaced with former Giant RB Andre Brown which means Blue will start the season no better than the 3rd RB. 2nd-year player Dennis Johnson is still around, but he is better suited as a change of pace back. Still that leaves little to no playing time for Blue and he will have to impress in training camp and the preseason. Blue will have to fight to stick around, but if he does he has a chance to eventually get some touches. Starting RB Arian Foster seems to get hurt every season and Andre Brown is even more injury prone. If one or both go down, Blue is a better fit as a work horse running back then Dennis Johnson. He may go the season without a carry, but with two injury prone RBs in front of him I have a gut feeling Blue will get a start before the season is over.

Fantasy Outlook – Blue was one of my late round sleepers since I started watching LSU tapes to scout Jeremy Hill. Blue jumped out as an explosive, big-play back even if his combine measurables and stats don’t back it up. As part of a time share with Hill & Terrence Magee, Blue seemed to make something happen whenever to touched the ball and looked like a decent receiver out of backfield though I only saw him catch a few passes. I saw enough tape on Blue that I think he can be better than he was in college with more touches. He’s not draftable as the Texans third RB, but I will be rushing to the waiver wire to get Blue when Arian Foster gets hurt.

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20.) Antonio Andrews, Titans:

Playing time – With a new head coach in Tennessee (Ken Whisenhunt) the depth chart is fluid and rookies hand-picked by the new staff could find an easier path to playing time than usual. Andrews is one of those players; He has a very similar style to incumbent short-yardage back Shonn Greene and the fact that the Titans gave Andrews an above average signing bonus ($10k) makes me think he has a shot to stick around. Greene is under contract until 2016, but his contract was back-loaded and the Titans could save themselves $4.2M by letting Greene go before next season. That’s a hefty price tag for a guy who averaged under 4 yards per carry in his first season with the Titans. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Andrews not only make the team, but be getting 8-10 carries a game by the end of the season. If that happens, expect Greene to be cut, and Andrews to have a more significant role in 2015 as the thunder to Bishop Sankey’s lightning.

Fantasy outlook – Andrews led the FBS last season with 218.3 all purpose yards per game. His 1,728 rushing yards was good for 8th in the nation, he showed good hands with 41 catches for  478 receiving yards, and even returned kicks despite not having elite speed (4.82 40 at pro day). Andrews is slow for an NFL back, but he makes up for it with elite vision and good power. He’s basically a younger, much cheaper version of Shonn Greene and might have more upside. Andrews did have a fumbling issue in college and needs to improve his pass blocking but can work on both this year as Greene’s backup before taking over his short-yardage duties in 2015. In keeper leagues with deep benches he may be worth a look, but in most leagues he is a guy to keep an eye on in 2015.

21.) Tyler Gaffney, Panthers

Playing time – I thought Gaffney might be drafted higher after running a surprising 4.47 40 at the combine. He not only was taken later than expected, but he ended up in a situation that will probably keep him on the end of the bench most of the year. The Panthers are still using the DeAngelo Williams / Jonathon Stewart combo despite it’s ineffectiveness and Mike Tolbert is still around to vulture touchdowns. Kenjon Barner is the favorite for the change-of-pace back job, which puts Gaffney at best as the 5th option for carries. Most of the backs above him are injury prone, so there is an outside chance Gaffney gets a chance to play.

Fantasy Outlook – Even if multiple Panthers running backs get hurt and Gaffney gets a chance to play, he has limited upside and doesn’t warrant any fantasy attention.

22.) Senorise Perry, Bears

Playing time – A personal favorite of mine and a guy who has one skill that the rest of the Bears running back’s don’t have, breakaway speed (4.36). If Perry makes the team it will most likely be as the 3rd running back behind Forte and fellow rookie Ka’Deem Carey. Even as the 3rd back, Perry could see the field as a kick-returner and change-of-pace back but will be irrelevant for fantasy purposes with at best a few touches per game.

Fantasy outlook – None, barring multiple injuries in front of him on the depth chart, but if he ever gets a chance Perry has legitimate big play potential.

23.) Marion Grice, Chargers

Playing time – With Ryan Matthews, Danny Woodhead and new free-agent Donald Brown ahead of him on the depth chart, Grice will be lucky to make the team much less get any carries. In his favor, Matthews and Brown are injury prone, so there is an outside chance Grice could see some work but it’s a long-shot.

Fantasy Outlook – None unless multiple injuries strike the Bolts backfield.

¹Based on ESPN’s pre-season position rankings

Twitter: @MikeFlannery_