Last year, we saw a multitude of rookie running backs absolutely dominate fantasy football. According to eDraft's official rankings, Doug Martin and Alfred Morris finished in the top-five among running backs in fantasy points this past season. Meanwhile, Trent Richardson ranked ninth overall at this position. That's three top of the line RB1 options right there.
Don't expect the 2013 NFL Draft class to be as top heavy. That being said, there are going to be a couple rookie running backs that will surprise the fantasy football world. Let's take a look at them and a few more.
Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals
Bernard put up over 3,300 total yards and 31 touchdowns in two seasons at North Carolina. He is also one of the most accomplished receiving running backs in this class with 92 receptions during that span. Meanwhile, BenJarvus Green-Ellis didn't really set the world on fire in his first season with Cincinnati. He ranked 19th among running backs in fantasy points and averaged a pedestrian 3.9 yards per rush. Look for Bernard to beat out "The Law Firm" in training camp and get the necessary touches to be a solid fantasy performer. Projected Statistics: 1,250 rushing yards, 35 receptions, 320 yards and eight touchdowns.
Johnathan Franklin, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay's leading fantasy performer from the running back position in 2012 was Alex Green, who ranked just ahead of Beanie Wells in terms of fantasy output. Needless to say, the only realistic fake football options on the Packers' offense was via the passing game. Overall, their running backs averaged just 3.6 yards per rush this past season. That's not going to get it done and will not give Aaron Rodgers the necessary balance on offense.
Enter into the equation both Franklin and Eddie Lacy, who Green Bay nabbed in the 2013 NFL Draft. While some will come to the conclusion that Lacy will be the more productive red-zone running back, I personally believe Franklin will get a bunch more touches on a regular basis. Look for him to average anywhere between 12-to-15 rushes per outing, which might put him in the FLEX conversation. The UCLA product did put up over 2,000 total yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior in 2012. His game matured from runner to running back, which meant huge things for his prodution in college. Expect Franklin to work well with Packers' running back coach Alex Van Pelt, among others, to hone his game and become an immediate producer behind Rodgers in what promises to be a dynamic offense. Projected Statistics: 1,025 rushing yards, 25 receptions, 220 yards and five touchdowns.
Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers
Bell should never have gone in the middle of the second round with both Lacy and Franklin on the board, but that really doesn't matter a whole heck of a lot anymore. The Michigan State product was among one of the most productive red-zone running backs in the nation over the last two years: He tallied a total of 33 rushing touchdowns in three collegiate seasons. Expect Pittsburgh to use him in a similar role this upcoming season. In addition, there is absolutely no reason to believe that Jonathan Dwyer or Isaac Redman will beat him out in camp. They combined for five fumbles in just 260 rush attempts; something I fully understand that Mike Tomlin WILL NOT put up with. For what it is worth, Bell fumbled less times in nearly 700 touches with Michigan State.
It is also important to take into account Bell's production this past season without a great deal of help from the passing game. He was a rock, averaging a Division-1 high 29 rush attempts per outing. While that number is sure to decrease in the NFL, Bell will be a rock as a rookie. Projected Statistics: 1,100 rushing yards, 15 receptions, 100 yards and six touchdowns.
Montee Ball, Denver Broncos
Ball will be a solid fixture for the Broncos over the next handful of seasons, which means that his fantasy production will be there. Expect them to release Willis McGahee in order to open up more ball-carry opportunities for the Wisconsin product as well. It must also be noted that Denver possesses one of the better run-blocking offensive lines in the National Football League. This seems like a match made in heaven.
While I am nowhere near as high on Ball's upside for numerous reasons not worth mentioning in a fanasy article, he should be able to come through and make a solid impact for Peyton Manning and Co. as a rookie. It will all depend on how much the Broncos plan to use him and whether or not he'll be the featured running back in what has to be considered a pass-first offense with Manning. Will he get the touches? Projected Statistics: 850 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
Sleeper
Stepfan Taylor, Arizona Cardinals
Taylor was the most productive college back in the 2013 NFL Draft and goes into a situation in Arizona where he should see a ton of touches. While the Stanford product doesn't do one thing great, he has no glaring weaknesses in his game. He tallied over 5,000 total yards and 45 touchdowns in four seasons with Stanford. Expect that game to translate to an extent in the National Football League. I am expecting huge things from Taylor, especially after Arizona selected the best run-blocking guard in the draft in the form of Jonathan Cooper. Projected Statistics: 1,000 rushing yards, 25 receptions, 180 yards and four touchdowns.