5 Sleeper RBs You NEED to Draft
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this video and kept the full transcript here for context.
26 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Aug 8, 2026
Published
Sat, August 8, 2026
31
Player insights
30
Players mentioned
Topics
Jonathon BrooksAaron JonesBijan RobinsonBrian RobinsonCam AkersChris RodriguezChuba HubbardD'Andre SwiftDavid MontgomeryJ.K. DobbinsJahmyr GibbsJalen HurtsJames CookJaylen Warren
Player analysis
Player insights
Aaron Jones
NegativeRole7:59
Ian Hartitz expresses concern regarding Aaron Jones's role, noting he is 31 years old and was forced to take a pay cut to remain on the roster. Hartitz argues that the Vikings' decision to reduce Jones's pay while adding a rookie suggests they may not intend to feature him as a workhorse, mirroring the historical usage patterns in Green Bay where Jones consistently split touches with players like AJ Dillon or Jamaal Williams.
Insight pageBijan Robinson
NegativeValue17:18
Ian Hartitz uses Bijan Robinson as a financial benchmark for elite running back value, noting that current mid-tier contracts do not reach his level of investment.
Insight pageBrian Robinson
PositiveUsage18:27
Ian Hartitz identifies Brian Robinson as one of only three running backs last season to record at least 100 combined carries and targets with zero drops and zero fumbles, highlighting his reliability.
Insight pageCam Akers
NegativeInjury12:25
Ian Hartitz mentions Cam Akers as part of the Eagles' backfield depth, noting that if both Saquon Barkley and Akers were to go down, Tank Bigsby would be the primary beneficiary.
Insight pageChris Rodriguez
PositiveSleeper16:25
Ian Hartitz identifies Chris Rodriguez as a strong late-round sleeper (RB56, ADP 132 on Yahoo). Despite a recent foot injury, Rodriguez is practicing and has a history with coach Liam Cohen. Hartitz notes his high success rate (4th in NFL last season) and projects him as a potential short-yardage specialist who could reach 8-10 touchdowns, comparing his potential role to the 'best version of David Montgomery'.
Insight pageChuba Hubbard
NegativeRole1:54
Ian Hartitz notes that while Chuba Hubbard was the RB13 in PPR points per game in 2024, his efficiency was concerning, specifically his longest run of only 14 yards. While not a 'fraud,' his job security is not guaranteed under coach Dave Canales, who has demonstrated a willingness to bench established veterans; notably, Jonathan Brooks is already being drafted ahead of him in Carolina.
Insight pageD'Andre Swift
NegativeValue16:13
Ian Hartitz uses D'Andre Swift as a comparison point for Travis Etienne, questioning why drafters wouldn't simply target Swift at a similar draft position. Ian Hartitz suggests D'Andre Swift as a comparison point for draft positioning, implying he is being drafted in a similar range to other late-round running back targets.
Insight pageDavid Montgomery
PositiveValue8:23
Ian Hartitz compares Jordan Mason's fantasy profile to David Montgomery, noting that while he feels more confident in Montgomery's week-to-week role, Mason offers significant upside. Hartitz also cites Montgomery's performance in Detroit as the ideal stylistic ceiling for Chris Rodriguez's potential role.
Insight pageJ.K. Dobbins
NegativeUsage19:13
Ian Hartitz notes that J.K. Dobbins is part of an ambiguous Denver backfield where multiple players are being drafted in close proximity.
Insight pageJahmyr Gibbs
NegativeValue17:18
Ian Hartitz uses Jahmyr Gibbs as a financial benchmark for elite running back value, noting that current mid-tier contracts do not reach his level of investment.
Insight pageJalen Hurts
NegativeUsage10:11
Ian Hartitz notes that Jalen Hurts is a dual-threat quarterback who negatively impacts his running backs by factoring into the equation near the goal line.
Insight pageJames Cook
NegativeUsage37:23
James Cook is used as a reference point for backfield depth, specifically regarding how a primary back's injury impacts the usage of secondary and tertiary running backs.
Insight pageJaylen Warren
NegativeUsage18:37
Ian Hartitz notes that Jaylen Warren is part of an ambiguous backfield in Pittsburgh that is 'squeezing up' in terms of draft value.
Insight pageJonathon Brooks
PositiveBreakout0:16
Ian Hartitz highlights Jonathan Brooks as a high-upside sleeper, citing Dr. Jeff Mueller's assessment that his second ACL procedure is significantly stronger than the first. Currently ranked as RB36 with an ADP of 110 on Yahoo, Brooks is priced like a backup but has legitimate potential to overtake Chuba Hubbard for the lead role, as coach Dave Canales has shown a willingness to bench veterans for more productive options.
Insight pagePositiveDepth Chart18:53
Ian Hartitz observes that Jonathon Brooks is currently being drafted ahead of Chuba Hubbard in Carolina.
Insight pageJordan Mason
PositiveSleeper7:25
Ian Hartitz identifies Jordan Mason as a high-upside sleeper, currently drafted as RB41 (pick 120 on Yahoo) and in the 13th round on ESPN. Despite a quiet 2023, Mason performed as the RB16 in half-PPR during a 4-5 week stretch when Aaron Jones was injured. Hartitz highlights Mason's efficiency metrics, including top-12 raw yards per carry (4.8) and top-8 yards after contact per carry, projecting him to be the lead running back on early downs and short yardage. He is viewed as a 'poor man's version of David Montgomery' with potential for 8-10 touchdowns in an improved offense.
Insight pageJosh Allen
NegativeUsage10:11
Ian Hartitz notes that Josh Allen is a dual-threat quarterback who negatively impacts his running backs by factoring into the equation near the goal line.
Insight pageKayshon Boutte
PositiveSleeper5:32
Ian Hartitz recommends drafting Kayshon Boutte in the final round of fantasy drafts, noting that his market price has significant potential to rise before Week 1, particularly if he is traded.
Insight pageKeaton Mitchell
PositiveSleeper34:09
Ian Hartitz highlights Keaton Mitchell as a premier sleeper RB (RB57, pick 132.9) who is currently being disregarded. Despite being an undersized speed back, Mitchell has shown elite efficiency with a 6.3 career yards-per-carry average and is demonstrating increased pass-game value in training camp. Hartitz views him as a matchup issue for defenses and a viable RB2 option for hero-RB builds who can provide 8-10 touches per week.
Insight pageKyler Murray
PositiveUsage9:34
Ian Hartitz explains that dual-threat quarterbacks like Kyler Murray improve running back efficiency by creating gravity that prevents defensive ends from crashing down, though he notes Murray is unlikely to steal goal-line work due to his size.
Insight pageRachaad White
PositiveUsage18:27
Ian Hartitz highlights Rachaad White as a reliable back who excels at the 'little things,' noting he was one of only three running backs last season to record at least 100 combined carries and targets with zero drops and zero fumbles.
Insight pageRay Davis
NegativeUsage37:29
Ray Davis is noted as the RB3 in Buffalo who steps into an early-down role when the starter is unavailable.
Insight pageRico Dowdle
NegativeUsage12:53
Ian Hartitz ranks Rico Dowdle as the RB3 in a hypothetical scenario where all current starting running backs are unavailable. Additionally, Hartitz categorizes Dowdle as a player expected to be in a 50/50 time-share backfield, placing him in the same draft range as Chris Rodriguez.
Insight pageSaquon Barkley
PositiveProjection11:48
Ian Hartitz remains a strong proponent of drafting Saquon Barkley at the round one-two turn, despite noting his age (29) and the potential for Tank Bigsby to serve as a necessary insurance policy. Hartitz clarifies that while there is chatter about a potential split in the Eagles' backfield, he does not expect Tank Bigsby to actually split reps with Barkley.
Insight pageTank Bigsby
PositiveSleeper11:02
Ian Hartitz identifies Tank Bigsby as a premier injury-contingent handcuff, ranking him as a top-five RB in a hypothetical scenario where all starters are sidelined. Bigsby is currently priced at RB53 (pick 132) and boasts elite efficiency metrics, including leading all RBs with at least 200 carries over the last two seasons in yards after contact per carry. While Hartitz notes he is not a week-one start and Will Shipley could mix in on passing downs, he remains a valuable stash for his injury-contingency upside.
Insight pageTravis Etienne
PositiveProjection16:05
Ian Hartitz is bullish on Travis Etienne, projecting a best-case scenario as a low-end RB1 due to his pass-game upside. Hartitz explicitly advises against drafting Chris Rodriguez ahead of Etienne and suggests that drafters should consider Etienne at a similar draft position to D'Andre Swift.
Insight pageTreVeyon Henderson
PositiveProjection12:44
In a hypothetical scenario where all current starting running backs are removed from the league, Ian Hartitz ranks Trevion Henderson as the RB1.
Insight pageTutu Atwell
PositiveValue19:21
Ian Hartitz maintains that Tutu Atwell deserves to be drafted higher than Chris Rodriguez and continues to rank him higher.
Insight pageTy Johnson
NegativeUsage37:31
Ty Johnson is described as a player whose role remains consistent even when other backfield depth chart changes occur.
Insight pageTyjae Spears
PositiveUsage39:04
Ian Hartitz highlights Tajae Spears as an ideal target for hero-RB builds, noting his ability to provide 8-10 touches per week as a reliable RB2 option.
Insight pageTyrone Tracy
NegativeValue12:18
Ian Hartitz suggests that Tyron Tracy likely has more standalone fantasy value than Tank Bigsby, though he expresses reservations about Tracy's outlook given his specific offensive situation and prefers Bigsby as a pure handcuff for injury-contingency upside.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00Today, I'm breaking down five running backs going outside the top nine rounds over on Yahoo fantasy, round 10 or later, something the kids might call
0:08sleepers out here. Truly a great day to be great. So, let's get things started with running back number one, Jonathan with an O, spells his name right people.
0:16Jonathan Brooks from the Carolina Panthers. Obviously, the first running back taken in the 2024 draft class. So, a little bit of a big deal, some might
0:24say. Unfortunately, I just haven't seen much of him over the past 2 years because sadly, the man's knees have not been holding up there end of the
0:31bargain. That said guys, Dr. Jeff Mueller does great work over at Fantasy Points. You should definitely follow him on Twitter @JMThrivePT.
0:39Got that memorized because of how much I reference this dude's work. But, per a real life doctor on Brooks' again second
0:46ACL tear that he suffered in 2024, but maybe a little bit more like the first got reactivated. So, again from Dr.
0:52Mueller, quote, "I'm not viewing this as a typical player blank had two ACL tears, he's cooked. Rather, I'm viewing it as the first procedure failed, but
1:00the second procedure is significantly stronger and should allow him to return to form this time around. Everything we've heard through OTAs into training
1:07camp seems to signify that Brooks is back at something very close to 100% and it does seem like a situation where he's
1:14being priced around handcuffs or pure backups, but he actually has the opportunity to eventually snatch Chuba Hubbard's chain, okay? So, I don't want
1:22to act like Chuba is a fraud or you know, completely bad at football or something like that. He was legit the RB
1:2813 in PPR points per game in 2024. So, Chuba has been good. Last year he wasn't though. And I know he had the calf issue
1:36going on early and maybe that does explain everything, but man guys, I don't know about you, I'm a little bit offended by Chuba's longest run last
1:42season only being 14 yards, okay? So, I know the calf was hurting, but Rico Dowdle came in, snatched that job right
1:50up. And just the fact that Dave Canales was willing to do that in the first place really does signify something to
1:55me though. Similar sentiment to when again we saw Andy Dalton going for Bryce Young. I feel like a lot of coaches out
2:00there will kind of go down with the ship, particularly when we're talking about someone like Chuba Hubbard, who just got paid, or like Bryce Young, who
2:07was number one overall freaking pick, okay? Not so much Dave Canales. Got to respect it. So, I think when we're trying to look for
2:14running backs in this kind of RB3, RB4 range, they should either be of just just the pure ambiguous backfield, and we are going to be talking about some of
2:21those guys later, or someone who kind of has that flex with benefit roll down pat. And I do think that's what we're
2:27looking at with Brooks. So, whether the split is going to be 60/40 in favor of Chuba, maybe 70/30, who knows? Maybe
2:3250/50. We'll know more later, but it does seem weird that guys like Rico Dowdle goes two rounds earlier, guys like Khalil Mulinga and RJ Harvey go
2:40more than a round earlier, when I very much think we could be looking at similar roles. So, pretty tough to find,
2:45again, a talented player, still just 23 years old, clearly the number two RB with legit takeover upside even without injury occurring. So, right now, guys,
2:55Brooks is going next to the QB2s, tight end 2s, and pretty much like the wide receiver 4s. So, great point in the
3:00draft to be go ahead and get these running backs, cuz that's the other thing. It's kind of the reason why I
3:05picked this round 10 cutoff. It might sound a little bit arbitrary, but for me, after the first nine rounds of your
3:11draft, you should have You definitely should have your positional kind of requirements figured out, okay? Maybe don't have a quarterback or tight end yet, and you're
3:19going to go ahead and, you know, dabble in the late round waters there. Nothing wrong with that or anything, but your
3:24starters going to be there, okay? So, once I have my five wide receivers through the first nine rounds, maybe I'll take a chance on an upside guy
3:32late. I like Kayshon Boutte in the last round, for example, cuz I think his price has a chance to really rise
3:37between now and week one if he gets traded, but otherwise, I want to be using the majority of my final picks on running backs. I don't
3:45need to have six running backs, six wide receivers.
3:49I'm fine going five wide receivers and seven running backs. And then, I'm only starting two wide receivers, maybe even we go more than that. So, again, these
3:56late-round running backs have a much better chance of being one injury away from legit becoming must-start options.
4:01You have a lot more variables that need to go right for a later-round wide receiver. So, again, double-digit rounds, nine times out of 10, I am
4:07preferring the running back over the wide receiver, all things equal.
4:11More sleepers to get to, guys. First though, real quick, I did want to invite you to go check out all of our awesome
4:15tools over at rotowire.com. You can find all my articles, a very nice live draft assistant tool that again, if you are
4:21planning on drafting on Yahoo, ESPN, Sleeper, you can get all of our expert ranks and our strategy legit live during your draft, makes things so much easier.
4:29We're not done there though, we also have a awesome waiver wire tool and start sit goodness to help you get you
4:34through your season. Code Ian20 for 20% off. Again, you're trying to just get those bragging rights over friends and family this year, let us help you, team
4:41RotoWire, code Ian20, 20% off. Cool.
4:45Jordan Mason, everyone, currently going RB 41, pick 120 on Yahoo. And we're just talking to Yahoo right now, but he goes
4:52round 13 on ESPN, in this economy no less.
4:56Did it work out great last year? No.
4:59Did I tout Jordan Mason last year as one of my guys? Yes.
5:04And I'm still here, baby. We're going back to the well. I think this we think we were 1 year early on Jordan Mason. I
5:08think the reason he mostly didn't pan out in fantasy was the Vikings sucked, okay?
5:14Aaron Jones got injured, paved the way for Mason to kind of be the running back y'all in Minnesota for a 4-5 week stretch. He was fine. He
5:22actually got to play during the Carson Wentz weeks when the offense was moving a little bit better than JJ McCarthy. I
5:26believe Mason, when Jones was out, worked as like the RB 16 in half PPR points per game. So, wasn't necessarily, you know, winning your week week in and
5:34week out. I know RB 16 handcuff value isn't the greatest thing in the world or anything, but all in all, Mason was good
5:40last year, okay? All the stats that we use to try to hype up running backs independent of their offensive line and
5:45offensive environment tell us that was a reality and they really told us that throughout Jordan Mason's entire career.
5:50So fifth in next gen stats yards over expected per carry. He was top 12 and just raw yards per carry too, 4.8.
5:57That's a real solid number and eighth in yards after contact per carry. So this is a big big dude who again capable of
6:03getting downhill running between the tackles. Things that I just don't think are really all that common elsewhere on this Vikings running back depth chart.
6:12Aaron Jones is old, all right?
6:1431 years. Vikings made him take a pay cut to stay on the roster.
6:18Not ideal. De'Von Achane born balling out in shorts. I get it as he should be. He's a pint-size speedster.
6:25Maybe he's the man.
6:27I love Dane Brugler one of my favorite probably my favorite single favorite I should say NFL draft analyst to follow.
6:33He said there's a little bit of a you know poor man's De'Von Achane there. You see glimpses of Achane. So I don't want
6:38to compare every undersized non-first round speedy running back to De'Von Achane or anything but again when Brugler says he got you have my
6:45attention. I know there's some bigger fans in the fantasy community as well.
6:49I'd be very surprised if again sub 190-lb De'Von Achane born is ever an active threat to anything Jordan Mason's going to do in the offense. I feel like
6:57if anything the Jordan Mason role is far more established than it was last year given the Aaron Jones pay cut and now
7:04given the fact that it could actually be Clayborn more so being an issue to Aaron Jones on passing downs and during the
7:10his reps in the game. So now Aaron Jones was the starter last year. You might be saying Ian why is that going to change
7:15all of a sudden?
7:16I have it on good authority from one of the best Vikings insiders out there. He didn't even tell me personally. I'm
7:21going to talk to him soon but Matthew Coller over at the Purple Insider he's on the record guys.
7:26He is saying that he believes it's going to be more so the Jordan Mason show this season and again I do think it makes
7:31sense when you consider that they only added a sixth-round running back in De'Von Achane born and the fact that they made Aaron Jones take a pay cut.
7:38Kind of a weird move to ask your starting running back to take a pay cut say, "Yeah, we're still going to feature you though every game.
7:45No worries. No concerns here."
7:47It sounds like they have the similar concern that Green Bay did over the years. Remember, guys?
7:51Matt LaFleur always had someone else splitting touches with Aaron Jones. I'm old enough to remember the free Aaron Jones movement and for good reason. The dude
7:59was an absolute monster in his prime, but whether it's AJ Dillon or Jamaal Williams, we never quite saw Jones fully leaned on. The Vikings tried to do it
8:05last year. They did not get an efficient version of him and unfortunately, he got injured. So, I do think that Mason's
8:10going to be the lead running back here, particularly on early downs and short yardage at a price point that's again going outside the top 40 freaking
8:18running backs here. So, is this so different than David Montgomery?
8:23I think the Vikings offense probably has a higher ceiling than the Texans.
8:27I feel a little better about David Montgomery's week-to-week role and everything.
8:31And you can say, "Well, Jordan Mason has dead zone vibes." The dead zone to me though, and kind of if you guys have never heard
8:37this definition, like a dead zone running back is supposed to be someone who you're drafting purely based on projected volume. You don't think
8:42they're this exceptional talent. You don't overly believe in the offense. You don't know if they're going to catch passes or even be in a position to score
8:47a lot of touchdowns, but you pull up your projections and that volume looks like it's going to be there.
8:52The problem with the dead zone running back and Mike Davis from the Panthers, you know, a handful years ago. He's always the poster child for this cuz he
8:58was going like round four. I agree. I don't want to make that bet in round four. Round 11?
9:04Round 12?
9:06Yeah, that's fine. I'll take Jordan Mason eight days of the week, baby. So, last point, with last season, Vikings running backs as a whole, guys,
9:15they only had nine rush attempts inside the five-yard line.
9:18That's tied with the Raiders for the fifth fewest in the NFL, okay? So, the Jets have always been down there. Like I
9:24don't think we've held Breece Hall not scoring touchdowns against him. It's just been the offense.
9:29We don't really seem to hold the JJ McCarthy experience against Justin Jefferson, against Jordan Addison.
9:34Why are we holding that against the running backs, too? So, Kyler Murray come again, presumably going to be the week one starter. I
9:40would expect him to hold onto that job for most of the season, if not all of it.
9:45We've seen over the years, I've done the studies, running backs with a dual-threat quarterback like a Kyler Murray, like a Justin Fields, Lamar Jackson, all these
9:52kind of like top 10, top 12 dual-threat players, we see great returns in their offensive lines and just overall offenses, running
10:00back yards before contact per carry, which makes sense, all right? Read option game, the gravity that someone like Kyler has that defensive end cannot
10:06just crash down. They need to be mindful of the quarterback being out there. So, I can see better efficiency from the
10:11Vikings run game as a whole. And unlike guys like Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen who really factor into the equation near the
10:17goal line, which can be a problem. Like that is a reason where Malik Willis is someone for example, where obviously, you know, not saying much, but a bigger
10:24dude than Kyler, I am worried about certain dual-threat quarterbacks being a net negative for their running backs because they don't throw them the ball,
10:32they scramble instead of checking down in the passing game, and then they factor into the equation near the goal line.
10:37I mean, we're not expecting much pass down, if any pass down, what for Jordan Mason to begin with. So, I feel like
10:41that's kind of a moot point. And then again, Kyler Murray, maybe he'll probably score a couple rushing touchdowns this year, but they're going
10:47to be off of scrambles or random bootlegs. Like we're not going to see designed rush attempts for Kyler Murray inside the 5-yard line. He's too little
10:53for that. So, Jordan Mason, dark horse to score double-digit touchdowns this year in an improved Vikings offense going RB 41, sign me up for that, man.
11:02Next up, Eagles RB2, Tank Bigsby. I think, I don't know, but I think this is more of a hand pure pure handcuff play.
11:10Very interesting though inside training camp, though.
11:13Allegedly, early on, more of a 50/50 split. Now, this can just be a thing in practice. I'm rocking my UChicago shirt right now. Shout out
11:22Maroons. I played Division III football for a year, guys. One entire tackle to my name, right? So, I certainly know what I'm talking about here, but
11:30okay, I only bring that up to say when we were installing I was four string middle linebacker coming in all right. I got the same
11:37amount of reps in the first handful of practices as the first team guys, but you establish the depth chart and then
11:42you start splitting it up. I'm sure there's something very similar going on in the NFL rooms as well. So no, I'm not
11:48saying that tank Bigsby is going to be splitting reps with Saquon Barkley, but the fact there's any chatter about it is
11:54a good thing and even if there's not we're still talking about a legit s tier handcuff purely from the injury contention upside. I had a handcuff RB
12:06tier video go up recently. Check that guys out if you you know, you want to it's a free country. Though I won't be
12:10offended if you don't.
12:12It's more of an art than science cuz you have to balance the standalone value with the injury contention upside, right?
12:18Who do I think has more standalone value Tyron Tracy or Tank Bigsby? I mean it's probably Tracy, but who do I want to
12:25start if Saquon Barkley and Cam Akers would go down? Definitely Tank Bigsby.
12:28So I think it's even better than that though. If we had every starting running back I don't even want to put the bad
12:34voodoo in the air and say that they get injured. Let's say every starting running back decides to go on strike.
12:40They all go hang out in the Bahamas or some [ __ ] like that.
12:44Ranking the running backs at that point I think Trevion Henderson is probably RB1.
12:50I think Blake Corum is RB2.
12:53I'll give Rico Dowdle some respect and go RB3. I think you can go as high as RB4 for Tank Bigsby at that point.
13:01Calvin Aung guys in there?
13:03Jonathan Brooks who we talked about is in there.
13:06I think Ray Davis, Chris Rodriguez in the conversation.
13:10I don't feel great about Tracy given the offense, Brian Robinson given the offense, Tyler Allgeier given the offense. Tank Bigsby fourth most
13:19valuable handcuff in the league injury contingent. Maybe even higher maybe you're like Rico Dowdle what are you talking about Ian? Fair point. So
13:25overall man I just think that Tank Bigsby, he's one injury away from being on the cover of every single waiver wire
13:31article.
13:33Again, I mentioned the price point here.
13:35RB 53, pick 132. And oh yeah, guys, he's really freaking good.
13:41All these stats that we used to hype up any running back, you're going to see Tank Bigsby's name near the top. And
13:45it's not even a super small sample size, all right? A lot of times, you know, the Keaton Mitchell stuff. Those types of
13:51running backs, you know, minimum 63 carries out here.
13:54Last two seasons, 44 running backs have at least 200 carries, okay? Tank Bigsby is first in yards after contact per carry. He's second in tackles avoided
14:03per carry. He's fifth in explosive rush rate. 80 yards per carry at 4.9, man.
14:08This dude did great things in Jacksonville in 2024. And he was damn good with his opportunities in Philly last year. I know Saquon was running
14:16against the first teamers. Tank Bigsby was coming in the fourth quarter, icing the game away, getting a lot of running against the Raiders and the Giants. So,
14:22like, believe me, Saquon's better than Tank Bigsby. I'm not doubting that. There are still some nice flashes. He converted that like second and 31 run.
14:31You could see Eagles coaches and players just going freaking nuts on the sideline for this dude. He's apparently been very impressive in training camp. Saquon's
14:40getting up there in age, 29. I still love betting on Saquon this year, but man, if you're drafting Saquon like I am at
14:47the round one two turn, why not go ahead and insure your RB, you know, one spot with someone like Tank Bigsby? Cuz
14:53Saquon goes down, I'm not saying again, we had the scenario where every starting running back's out, we're ranking Tank Bigsby inside top five. I don't think if
15:00Saquon goes down and every starting running back is still very much healthy, not on strike, you know what I'm saying?
15:05I don't think Bigsby's automatic, can't-miss top 10 dude, cuz Will Shipley could still mix it on pass downs, we still got to deal with the tush push
15:11stuff that obviously hinders Saquon when projecting this sort of stuff out, but I have a really hard time thinking he'd be outside the top 15.
15:21We could see the first game, he gets 20 plus carries, two or three targets.
15:24Eagles offense is looking good.
15:26Could be looking really, really nice for Tank Bigsby if just one guy misses a little bit of time. So, I know the
15:33Eagles O-line getting a little bit older. I know they lost their O-line coach.
15:36I just don't I tried to fur out some of the offensive line stuff to people who are actually studying it. One of those guys who I
15:44really respect is Brandon Thorn over at Establish the Run.
15:47He's got the Eagles O-line second.
15:49RotoWire, love my company. We have offensive line ranks. We have them third. So, yeah, if half the line gets hurt again,
15:56it's not going to be ideal, but isn't that kind of true for every offensive line running back in the league? Tank
16:01Bigsby for me, priority handcuff late.
16:04Get him on the squad. All right, guys.
16:05Next running back, we got Jaguars RB2, 1A, 1B?
16:10Chris Rodriguez.
16:11I'm team Etienne.
16:13I am. More and more, I am just like based on Etienne could be anything. It could be D'Andre Swift even. Why not
16:21just draft D'Andre Swift kind of at the same point?
16:25I didn't like the fact that C-Rod had this foot injury going on this summer, but he's out there practicing and it
16:29seems like it's behind him, okay?
16:31We got Liam Cohen saying that Chris Rodriguez is a glass eater.
16:35God, football coaches have the best things to describe their running backs with.
16:39And you know what? There's a There's quite a bit to like here, all right? No, I don't think Rodriguez should be going
16:45in front of Etienne. I think Etienne when you consider the pass game upside, the the best case scenario for Etienne is I think working as a low-end RB1,
16:55Chase Brown type. All right, that's kind of been the common rhetoric thrown around that he could be looking at the similar ascension that Chase Brown had
17:01going from his rookie to year two and year three and everything. That's Etienne's best case. I think Chris Rodriguez's best case is kind of like
17:08the best version of David Montgomery in Detroit.
17:11That was a damn good running back. And when this gulf between them and their ADP is as big as it is right now,
17:18hey, I'm cool with C-Rod, man.
17:21RB 56, pick 132 on Yahoo right now.
17:25Round 12 for the probable short yardage guy in Jacksonville? That's kind of what it sounds like right now, man.
17:33Dude's got history with this head coach, ran for 1,300 yd, nine touchdowns at Kentucky with Liam Cohen calling those plays.
17:40No, I don't think 2 years, $10 million is Bijan or Jahmyr Gibbs money.
17:45Still in the same range as guys like Rico Dowdle and Jordan Mason. Guys who we fully expect to have this, you know,
17:4950/50 kind of time share in their own backfields.
17:52He's just so reliable, man.
17:55Think about the issues with Breida and Keaton. It was ball security coming out.
17:59It was, "Hey, can he actually read his blocks right? Is his vision good enough?" You know, we all remember that one swing pass against the Chiefs on
18:04like Monday Night Football where he ran to the back of his guy.
18:08I think C-Rod is similar to, honestly, Rachaad White.
18:12And that they do all the little things right. And I think when the coach draws up a play and tries to envision how it
18:19goes, I think Rodriguez more consistently puts that in the practice than Breida and Keaton. Last season, Chris Rodriguez was fourth in success rate. Success rate,
18:27very cool stat. It's better than yards per carry because again, it just takes the down and distance into account. One yard on third and one is a successful
18:33play. One yard on third and one, yards per carry just goes down as one yard.
18:37So, fourth in success rate. Now, Keaton was good in success rate, too, but we're hyping up Rodriguez right now.
18:43Only three running backs last season had at least 100 combined carries and targets with zero drops and zero fumbles, Rachaad White, Brian Robinson, and yes,
18:53Chris Rodriguez as well.
18:55The issue here, the lack of, again, sky-high upside would actually just be the pass-down stuff. He's only got six receptions in 35 NFL games, only 20 in
19:0445 college games. But man, we have all these ambiguous backfields. Pittsburgh, Rico and Warren, they're they're squeezing up, you know. Minnesota
19:13Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason. I just hyped up Jordan Mason. I believe in Jordan Mason, but they're still pretty close in ADP.
19:19Carolina, I see Brooks go ahead Chuba.
19:21They're getting squeezed. Washington I lean Rashad White and honestly it could have been include the Washington running backs, too. I think at their
19:27respective prices built cross Kimura and Rashad White like why not just throw a dart at either. Denver, you see Dobbins, you see Harvey, even Jonah Coleman.
19:35These guys go pretty close.
19:37Jacksonville is the one that we really just seem to be certain. And again, I do think TuTu Atwell deserves to be going
19:42higher than Rodriguez. I haven't ranked higher. I'll continue to have him ranked higher, but RB 56 on Yahoo, Chris Rodriguez.
19:50Fantastic late round pick. Chris Rodriguez, Jordan Mason again.
19:54Poor man's versions of David Montgomery, but would we be that shocked in these offenses? Especially Jacksonville, man. We expect them to be
20:03good. We think Minnesota could be good, too.
20:06Rodriguez and Mason they fall into the end zone from the one or two yard line eight to 10 times this year shouldn't shock anyone. Last
20:13sleeper running back I will be looking strongly to draft in the double digit rounds.
20:18Chargers RB2, Keeton Mitchell, baby.
20:20That's right. RB57 pick 132.9 in the Yahoo streets. Again, someone pretty much being disregarded at the moment.
20:28Reminder, Mike McDaniel put wanted posters of this dude all over their GM's office. Just would have loved to be a fly on the wall when he walks into a,
20:36you know, Office Max, Staples, whatever the freaking store it is that he go to get copies. Like, you know, and someone
20:41actually happens to serve Mike McDaniel probably, you know, eyes bloodshot as all hell. Not there's anything wrong with that, but here's Mike McDaniel on Keeton Mitchell
20:49more recently in training camp. He's had a chance to actually watch this guy do his thing. He's a match up issue for
20:53every defense. I think he has a lot of pass game value that he hasn't been able to really represent in his career, but
20:58it's showing so far in camp.
21:01Kind of adds up, guys.
21:02We saw the viral downfield wheel catch, you know, in camp. Something Trayveon Henderson allegedly does every day.
21:08Still seen it in a game. That's not the here nor there. Keaton Mitchell though, he's gotten 19 of 24 career targets for
21:13184 yards.
21:15I went back and watched him. Yeah, most of them screens. Just getting him kind of the ball in space. But guess what?
21:20You get this dude the ball in space, really good things happen. You guys know that Vince McMahon GIF meme thing? He's
21:26special.
21:27Yeah. Week 7 through what? 13. Rookie year Keaton Mitchell, special special guys.
21:34Kind of threw him under the bus a little bit earlier with the small sample size yards per carry. But you know what?
21:39It is a sample size. Career average of 6.3 yards per carry only trails Amari Demercado in Super Bowl history, man.
21:47I know we're not hyping up Amari Demercado the same way. I understand both these guys. They the nature of being an undersized speed pass down
21:54back, you're going to have higher yards per carry unless you're R.J. Harvey.
21:58Just saying.
21:59Defenses aren't going to load the box the same way. Like it makes sense. But he's fast as hell. An offense that loves
22:05speed. An offense with a coordinator who we've seen weaponize said speed better than pretty much anyone anyone else out there.
22:12The The best thing that we've had Think about it. If you just only drafted running backs from the McShanahan and then now McDaniel offenses over the last
22:2110 years, you're feeling pretty freaking good, guys. I think Mitchell needs to make the most out of his eight to 10 touches. I
22:27don't think he has the same handcuff upside as some of the guys we talked about because Cam'Ron Vidal could very well factor in. He's a good I'm in you
22:33know, some of these drafts 20 rounds, all right? 20 rounds Cam'Ron Vidal at the very end could make some sense for
22:38you guys. I think it could be like Buffalo if James Cook goes down in this scenario. We're obviously talking about Amari and Hampton.
22:45James Cook goes down and even though Ray Davis is the RB3, more weeks than not, he steps up into more of that prime
22:51early down role. Ty Johnson's role doesn't really change. I think Keaton Mitchell will be the guy whose role doesn't really change if Cam'Ron Vidal
22:57ends up seeing that bigger increase in usage with Amari Hancock being out of the out of the picture, but maybe not,
23:03man. And if there was going to be an offense that we should try to get complimentary players from, I do think
23:09it's the Chargers. So, I've said it all off season, and we are going down with the Chargers ship if they are going to
23:14suck. But, I don't think they're going to suck. I think this is a healthy, badass offensive line with one of the
23:19most talented QBs in the league and a play caller who is smart enough to put everything together. And the fact that
23:25Keaton Mitchell was a part of that really is great. So, honestly, as well, a premier option for you guys if you
23:32only found yourself with one running back outside the first, you know, four or five rounds or so, the hero RB build,
23:38okay? Which I think you can pull off, but when you do that, you can't just put five handcuffs on your bench. You got to
23:44be worried about that RB2. We need guys like the Tajae Spears of the world, like the Keaton Mitchells of the world, who
23:49can get you those eight to 10 touches per week and at least keep you alive.
23:53You know what I'm saying?
23:54I can't be starting Tank Bigsby in week one. I could be starting Keaton Mitchell in week one. He's again got that big
24:00play potential, pass-catching ability to potentially be a lot, lot more. So, Keaton Mitchell, long story short, Mike McDaniel put up wanted posters of the
24:08man, all right? Let's not overthink this RB57. Fantastic value in my humble opinion. So, quick recap again, everyone. Jonathan Brooks, RB36, pick
24:17110 over on Yahoo. Jordan Mason, RB41, pick 120. Tank Bigsby, RB53, pick 132.
24:25Chris Rodriguez, RB56, pick 132. Keaton Mitchell, RB57, pick 133. So, you see the overall pick numbers get closer because the drafts are ending at this
24:34point. So, literally, not even seeing Mitchell and Rodriguez be drafted all the time. So, it is still early August.
24:40I understand these ADPs are going to evolve, but you know what? It is early August, okay? And I feel like some years
24:45we just sit here waiting for the ADPs to evolve, and then all of a sudden week one is actively here. So, as these
24:50things stand right now, these guys are five of my favorite RB sleepers available late in drafts. So, again, going to depend on how you're building
24:57up your roster. I do think if you found yourself with again only one running back early, you probably would want to
25:02be throwing a dart at the Washington backfield and some of these other situations before taking on somebody who's maybe going to be more of a pure
25:08backup. But, all things considered and if you do kind of leave your first nine rounds of the draft with a pretty
25:13balanced roster, already got two or three quality RBs, these would be the five guys that I am going to after. But,
25:18hey, if you guys disagree, if you think I left someone out, let me know in the comments. Always appreciate chatting it
25:23up with you guys and yeah, you know, good things to say, bad things to say, all feedback is appreciated. If you like
25:28the video, please like the video and hit that subscribe button really does help us out as well. So, very excited to
25:33again be barking up all all season long with you guys over here at RotoWire. And yeah, actually have some ball. I'm
25:39recording this on Thursday tonight in the Hall of Fame game. Oh my goodness, tackle football is back. I am truly pumped to finally, finally, after so
25:48many freaking months, be back watching 11-on-11 car crashes with my own two eyes. But, anyway guys, I will stop rambling. Thank you guys for tuning in.
25:55Check out RotoWire for all your fantasy football needs. And otherwise, just have a great rest of your day.
