Running Backs -- who's got the moves?

Paul Charchy and my co host is Brian Johnson. Normally um either in our studio or in my kitchen, but now thanks to social distancing at the at an extreme level, Brian is on the phone. Hi Brian, Hello from a chart making history on Fantasy Football Weekly episode. I'm honored to be a part of it. But absolutely, absolutely yeah, we'll take any and all human contact at this point is probably good human contact, right, no doubt, without a doubt, in any any free agent move at this point is

the most captivating news in the NFL. But we've been lucky. There's been some some haymakers. Last week. Ye last week, Matt and I broke down the quarterbacks that moved and

there were a ton of them. Huge Quarterback Week. If you missed that episode, we encourage you to go back to the podcast, and then this week you and I are going to break down all the running back changes, including the guys who have new destinations and even the guys who stayed in place in the fantasy value of those guys whom who had the chance to leave, like a Derrick Hennry but did not end up going anywhere. We'll talk about those guys too. Let's kick it off

Brian with Todd Gurley. Last year, he was running back seventeen in points per game, ultimately released by the Rams due to the beloaded contract he had as much as anything else, and I think probably they're ongoing concerned with the me and subsequently signed by Atlanta where he replaces DeVonta Freeman, who is currently a free agent. What do you let's start here, what do you think of the Rams without Todd Gurley? Well, everyone uh immediately started jumping

back on. I should say the Darryll. Is it the red? He's a Darrell. I think he's a straight Darrell. He got he basically was never mentioned on TV last season, so we never got to hear his name. Never. Yes, but but you know he's the guy everyone's talking about now. For the Rams outside of their awful new logo, of course, But I'm not getting too excited for Henderson. They didn't invested on a draft capital in him last year. He was the seventieth overall pick in the draft. That's not bad.

That's not like a third or fourth running back taken, I think, But he never had like that the air apparent vibe to him, like you know, he was the guy after Girley, like, and even after they release Girly, it's not like because they have Henderson, I feel like they're gonna invest in another running back somewhere in the draft in the same region there, even though they don't really have many picks left to do they or money

to pay players. But I don't know, he just doesn't have bell Cow potential to me, and he's his A DP is probably you know, crept up to two to three rounds since the Girly news. But I'm just fading it personally if it seems like it's gonna be another like, you know, a three headed monster that isn't very dangerous because that The running back usage was abysmal for the Rams last year. They weren't used in the passing game whatsoever. We're not sure if that's going to change. It's just

like it's like the Patriots on the West Coast. You know, I hate the Patriots running back situation to always has and I'm getting that same vibe from l A. So I'm just out entirely on Henderson. I'm way more optimistic on Henderson. And here's why. Malcolm Brown to me is a middling talent. I don't think he's at all special. Brian Darryl Henderson flashed some really nice stuff in the preseason last year, and there's gonna be reps for him

to have now. Obviously, if they burn a second round pick on at the running back position, you know, everything changes. But I'm very intrigued by Anderson. We've seen a lot of cases where a young rookie running back doesn't get a lot of reps and then year two it all blossoms together. Devanta Freeman, who is relevant to this argument, is one of was one of those guys who blossomed in year two. Todd Gurley now goes to Atlanta and the Falcons have only got Edo Smith and Codrea Allison

and Brian Hill. I mean, you know, the all those guys who did nothing last year. How do you see Todd Gurley working his way into the Falcons rotation here? Well, just a one year deal, correct, So it feels like they're just gonna sort of run him into the ground and see what they got. But listen to this. This is brutal for Atlanta running back. Since two thousand and twelve, Atlanta's lead back is averaging only eight hundred and thirteen rushing yards. Only twice has the lead back top the

thousand yards, and that was DeVonta Freeman. And and he didn't even top eleven hundred yards in those years. So it's never been a real money spot for a lead back in Atlanta. They were ranks four and run blocking by Football Outsiders last season. For what I recall, they spent a couple of early picks on offensive line and those guys got hurt early that that old line was kind of ravaged by injuries. But you know, it's an

exciting offense. Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley. Uh Now, I guess it's elite side and no Austin Hooper, but I hated Hirst. It seems pretty comparable, so I'm you know, I'm bullish on Gurly. I think, you know, it's just his home state. He's gonna be motivated. He's got money motivated again for for whatever. Although he's gonna come off a year in which he will have been paid by both teams. They bade him twenty million dollars to leave, and now he also gets paid by Atlanta. He's Todd

Gurley is having a pretty good financial year. Yes, definitely, And you know it's I'm it's I'm a contender in a Dinasty or Empire league. Imn't willing to hold the dice on I'm short term in redraft. I think he's back up in like late second early third round tier right now, could creep up, you know. So, uh yeah, I'm optimistic for Girly. I hope he I hope he

does well all right. I mean the part that you're not touching on with Gurley is the knee, Brian, Yeah, for you to touch on the actual body part, right if there's there's nothing I like better than touching body parts, does Todd. The worry for me is that Todd Gurley just is never going to be a workhorse back again ever. And if they if he really could be, then I think the Rams would have been a lot more open to keeping him. If um, you know, I think we're gonna see a lot of what we saw last year.

Twelve carry games, fifteen twelve touch games, fifteen touch games, eight touch games, stuff like that. That's gonna make him really up and down for fantasy owners. But I do agree with with what you're saying about that offense as a whole. It's gonna be a very healthy offense. And

he'll get the goal line work for sure. And you know, with Matt Ryan throwing balls to Julio Jones and and Calvin Ridley, there's there's certainly room for Todd Gurley to get some get some touchdowns, and I like that part of it. So if ore to summer, I se Girly this way, I'm gonna ask you this, does he have more or less fantasy value this year than he had

last year? Well? I just know, you know this time last year, everyone was way down on Girly leading up into the summer, So I mean those feelings aren't the same right now for whatever reason, him going to a new team, So I'm just gonna go with more. I think that he's going to have more value, even though I think he quietly was still an RB two last year and where it was an awful year, but I do think, uh, we see some more production from Girly this year. Of course you can stay healthy. Who will

cross their fingers for that? Yeah, let's hope. So reminder, he went off the board last year at the as ADP wise in the in in August, the preseason of last year, he was going off the board at roughly positioned ten, So there was there ended up being a lot of downside in Girly last season. Let's shift over to Melvin Gordon, who ends up signing a two year, sixteen million dollar deal after one of the dumbest holdouts in the history of the NFL and ultimately now gone

from San Diego. He scored nine touchdowns last year despite missing those first four games, But Brian Melvin Gordon only averaged three point eight yards per carry. And I think I saw a stacko by my Twitter feet along the lines of this. So if I don't get this perfect um, I apologize, but it's close. I think it was. Pro Football Focus showed him as the league's worst starting running back on inside carries in the NFL. Yeah, I saw a similar stat uh, and again you gotta feel bad

for Philip Lindsay here. It just feels like a region of last year where Gordon wasn't the best running back on his team, when Austin Eichler was the best running back. But when Gordon came back, he laws continually eight into echoed his touches. And that's what's gonna happen with Philip Lindsay right now is essentially the backup, which is insane because he's like a top twelve running back in the

NFL running back and Lindsey is better. Yeah, don't you think the same thing can happen again, where you know, we roll into a season and thinking Melvin Gordon's gonna get most of the work and then you know, the the other guys sort of the backup and Ekeler ends up being the better back. I don't know that that doesn't happen again. That God, Gordon gets the first crack to show that he's good, but then Philip Lindsay is ultimately the better back and they go back to him. Hopefully.

I think that's how it will play out, and we should quickly mention that Royce Freeman is non existence anymore. I think he is right now, Let's get the name for the border right now, Let's get the name right Royce dropped the piano freeman. Finished last year, I was running back fifty two in points per game. Royce dropped the piano freeman. What do you think about l A

now with Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson. I remember during the regular season on the show towards the end of the season, for premature speculation, we kind of we you know, we're recommending guys or a good dynasty stash if you're dead in the Dynasty League and grabbing a guy with virtually no value at the time, but if the cards following his favor, he might to have some value come start of twenty. And that's Justin Jackson right now, who's

the number two behind Ekeler. And they like Justin Jackson, and Justin Jackson has looked good in his limited actions. So um Ekeler is right now in PPR leagues of borderline late round one pick, I think he is now. He finished last year's finished last year's RB six in PPR UM. I don't see why he wouldn't be RB

six necessarily again this year. Offense can't be any more dysfunctional than it was last year in general, right, so you would think that this would be an opportunity for Austin Ekeler to potentially get even even better than what we saw last year, if that's possible. No, Melvin Gordon there, right, who's to say that at the one yard line that it's called gonna be Justin Jackson? You know, Austin Ekeler is not a scatback, definitely not. Yeah, So I'm excited

for Echuler's prospects and Justin Jackson. I think it's a mustinkuff for Echler owners going into the season, throughout draft season and um. But yeah, and it's you know, there's it's gonna be a lot of playing from behind, most likely from the Chargers, which usually goes well for fantasy production. So I like the running back situation from a fantasy perspective in l A for the Chargers. I don't like

it in Denver though. From the fantasy perspective, it's it's a great real life situation with Gordon and Philip Lindsay running behind uh an old line that was ranked ten and run blocking by Football Outsiders and all of those sudden this Broncos offense is pretty sexy with uh so and then Noah Fans, and they could they have the fifteenth overall pick. I think they're either gonna bolster that line or take one of these elite wide receivers there with Sutton and then I like Drew Locks. So all

of a sudden, you got a really fun offense. And when it comes to the running back situation, one of these guys that has to go down really for uh for me to get excited about him. I'll probably be looking to pick up Lindsay on draft day because you know his ADP is gonna plummet a little bit with the Gordon signing. But I'll take the discount on him all day. Ten have a ten times overboarded, it's going

to be heavily discounted. Melvin Gordon finished actually in points per game, and again, so this is after he missed those first four games, and actually I think he missed the fifth game too. Uh in points per game, he ended up BARB fift, which is not that bad in PPR. And so based on that, do you believe Melvin Gordon will have more or less fantasy value this year than last? If you're taking everything to account from last year, the fact that he missed, you know, the first hand full

of games. But on a point three game basis, it almost feels like a lateral move because I feel like, uh, Windsley, you will eat into Gordon's numbers, as Ekeler did, rightfully. So so I'm on the fence here, but I'll say a little bit more because I think it's a better offense and I just think he'll score more touchdownts with the Broncos. And let's not forget this angle charge to guaranteed revenge games from Melvin Gordon the next two seasons. Right there you go in the division, so you got

a lot of that. He'll be running hard for those games, right I like it. Let's go to David Johnson. He was a disaster last year, clocking in as RB thirty eight in points per game. But really it was worse than that, Brian, because after about week five he brought nothing to the table. He topped forty rushing yards two times last year, none of them after and by the way, that's it he started. You can stop right there. David Johnson top forty rushing yards twice last year. I mean,

that's a disaster by itself. None of them were after Week five, so he was. He was a guy you could have dropped in early October and been better off having dropped him. Arguably Fantasy Football's biggest bust last year, David johnson average draft position was pick seven for David Johnson last year. He leaves Arizona with Kenyan Drake and Chase Edmonds. Let's start there. What do you think of

the Arizona backfield now that David Johnson's out. Oh, Kenyan Drake is right up there with Austin ekelo almost in that an elite pier of late first early second round running backs. I think he's easily in PPR Top ten running back. Kenyan Drake and that Arizona offense without a doubt. We'll address their offensive line in the draft, starting with the eighth overall pick. If they don't go old line there. Uh, something is seriously in this. You know they added DeAndre Hopkins.

That's gonna be a very fun offense. Uh. Kyler Murray just spreads the field almost like no other. Last year, Drake faced eight plus men in the box on just eight percent of his carries with Arizona. That's the third lowest rate they did the opponent. Opponents aren't gonna be able to afford to stuff the box against Arizona with Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins now Christian Kirk, so it's

gonna be a very fun offense. And now, yeah, Kenyan Drake, I couldn't fault anyone for if taking him as their lead back in the late first, early second round of Chancy drafts. Really, I don't think I think Kenyan drakeson okay running back. They that offensive line has to get better, and Brian they just it's it's one of the four worst in the NFL. So hopefully this draft, and they have a ton of defensive need as well Arizona does, but hopefully in this draft they're serious about addressing their

offensive line deficiencies. And if they do that, um, then I'm starting to listen to Kenyan Drake that high. But right now I'm not quite as enthusiastic as you are. Let's talk about where this puts David Johnson in the Houston with Houston where at least at at least he's he's gonna have to deal with Duke Johnson and what will likely be another situation where we'll have a split

backfield right right. And just to talk reality football for a quick second, Bill O'Brien head coach and GM such a qualified to run a fantasy football team when he could have signed god Gurley or Melvin Gordon a couple of days later and then kept kept one of the five best wide receivers in the league. We have money

and what a contract leastored with David Johnson. So for that reason talking about getting run into the ground, they are going to make do everything in their power in Houston to make that trade look like a good idea, which is impossible. It's never gonna happen. But as long as Johnson can stay healthy, he's gonna get used like a workhorse back duke Johnson into We're not so, but it's not. You know, running back hasn't been a great spot,

uh since Arian Foster for the Texans. Last year. They were ranked in the bottom third when it comes to one block one blocking by Football Outsiders. David Johnson turns twenty nine this season. I'm out on Johnson pretty much, even though he just traded for him in an Empire league that I basically got him for free, because that's that's the general perspective that is, that's all you have to give up, That's all you have to give up

for David Johnson is basically air um. We shaid know Carlos Hyde and Lamar Miller both unsigned free agents right now, and you know, as time goes on and neither there's not going to be a lot of value for these guys.

And it's a running back rich draft. I think both of these guys have an excellent chance of being unsigned until after the draft when teams can you know, teams look and go, well, all right, we didn't walk out of the draft with any of the running backs we had hoped to get, so you know, we'll make do with Carlos Hide or whatever whatever is left of Lamar Miller's career. So it is it's David Johnson's job to take.

And now the question is is he going to be in so much better shape now that they can actually get something useful and get some useful reps out of David Johnson. And you know, because if he if he shows up looking like he did last year, it doesn't matter. Guy can't play football at that size. Let's take a quick break then, I want to talk about two other guys that have that have moved Jordan Howard and Peyton Barber.

I don't even spent a lot of time in either one, but we'll talk about those, and then some of the guys have stayed in place, like Damian Williams and Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake back in moments, welcome back, Paul Charge and Brian Johnson with you. We are talking through the running backs in new places we've done Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon and David Johnson. Let's turn our attention to briefly to two other guys that I don't think I have nearly as much impact and ultimately won't. That

includes Jordan Howard. He was running back twenty eight in points per game last year. He goes to Miami where he's effectively the lead back for the moment. But let's start here, maybe more saliently than than Jordan Howard. This leaves the Eagles with Miles Sanders and Boston Scott. Now that becomes pretty intriguing. What do you think of those two players without Jordan Howard there in Philadelphia? Well, Miles Sanders, people are you know ringing the bell cow bell for him? Already?

And uh, justifiably so. He looked he looked like he could play that role in the later later parts of the season last year, you know, and Boston Scott looked great when Sanders got hurt dead, he really did. He certainly has carved out a role for himself. He's gonna get at least of the touches agree with the Eagles. So, uh, you know, Sanders again, right with the other running backs we mentioned to have stayed put, he's right in that tear with Eckler and Kenyan Drake. He might even be

viewed higher than those guys right now. I don't know how I would rank those three, but they're all safe RB twos with RB one upside. Yeah, and for Sanders, who's getting goal line carries? Not Boston Scott, that's for sure. Right, So I think I think the upside that Sanders springs is tremendous Brian from that standpoint that he never really you know, didn't have all Jordan Howard was there to a great extent with the Eagles. Now for the Dolphins,

they have very little depth at running back. Patrick Laird and Miles Gascon, who proved themselves to be you know, completely ordinary at best last year. Where is I think Miami will bolster the running back position at some point, probably in the draft where they've got a billion picks, But assuming they don't, for the moment, what do you mean, just what we know right now? What do you think

of Jordan Howard with the Dolphins. Jordan Howard turns in November, still pretty young, third, the third most rushing yards and seventh most rushing touchdowns since team So no, no, you know, he didn't lose his job last season with the Eagles. He got hurt. Now he's still starting running back. It's not like he was playing bad. But he isn't an exciting back fan. He means he's certainly is not known

for his his past catching prowess. In his four seasons in the league, he owns a sixteenth percent drop rate, which is very high. Only he generates less than win eight yards per route run. Only two of his two career catches have gone for touchdown, so he's not really a bell cow type guy. And I can't envision Miami. I know you said, try to envision them not drafting running back. That's that's virtually impossible with four sick So definitely got to take it's not one made me maybe two,

says how many and when? And I think they're gonna take one of these elite backs to the first round to be on raced Raft or Dobbins or you know, one of those guys. So I know, I know Howard's ADPs has left UH invest malls right now because he's just starting on my kind of team, no death. But his job is threatened already before the draft has even started. They're gonna draft someone to h seriously into his work. But he should be the goal line back. So don't

be the goalne back. He'll get rotational work, right. I mean, you know, even if they draft somebody that you know, whoever that rookie is, is likely to end up sharing time with Jordan Howard at some point, let's go to Wells and then I'll ask again, does he have more or less fantasy value this year than last year? Jordan Howard, He's going from running hand arguably the best offensive line to the worst. The Dolphins ranked dead last UH in

one blocking with Football Outsiders last year. The trade of learning the counsel to acquire some of these picks, and they again they got four keeen draft picks five in the first two rounds, so they seriously need to address their offensive line. But Miami was kind of you know, garbage time point Hayden towards the end of the year, which they couldn't be again, or they could be the best team in that division. Who knows. But it feels

like another lateral move. But I think there's gonna be a little less value because that do you think Miami takes one of these leap running backs that don't have no choice? But you give the majority of touches too, all right, I don't want to spend a lot of time on Peyton Barber, who topped fifty rushing yards zero times after Week three last year and only and scored three times in the final eleven games of the season.

He was nondescript. He goes to Washington Um where he adds he's into the mix with Adrian Peterson and Darius Guys and Bryce Love. He might not even make the cut. But maybe more importantly, Tampa's got this gaping hole now

running back and they've got Ronald Jones. But he was completely incapable of stepping up when they repeatedly tried to get anything out of Ronald Jones I feel like this is Tampa's another team that's really set to draft another running back and uh and fill that that whole left by Peyton Barber. Yeah, I know people, a lot of people would love to see Kareem Hunt end up in Tampa, which is very unlikely now that Cleveland signed up to a second round of tender, right, But I don't Ronald

Jones is not the guy. Even though Tom Brady has been heard calling him Ron That means they're pretty close already. But I don't pay Tom and Ron are going to be sharing the backfield as much as Ron would like. So yeah, hon with you. I think they draft a pretty big game running back who is going to be better than Ronald Jones and get a lot more touges. So I'm not I'm not buying a spike in value for Ronald Jones. Now that's all right. Paul charge And

is gone. Yeah, And Paul Charchy and Brian Johnson. You can follow Brian on Twitter at b t x J and I am at Paul CHARCHI. And let's talk about some of the runners who are staying in place. Beginning with Damian Williams. The Chiefs ex exercised a team option on him and bring it will bring him back. Now he was running, He's going to be one of the

most divisive players for fantasy owners. Anybody who tried to get through the regular season with him suffered badly because Damian Williams was hurt basically all season long, and they got virtually nothing out of him, and you didn't know if he was gonna start or not start, and even who's active was going to get the ball. It was a disaster for Damian Williams. And then here comes Week seventeen through the Super Bowl, and he couldn't have been

a better fantasy producer. An astounding run for Damian Williams in the postseason and Week seventeen, So he's gonna stay in place here. He's currently the team's clear number one. To the point that I feel like all the rest of the mismatch of guys that Kansas City trolled out last year, I don't think any of them are necessarily even guaranteed to be back to the team. They're all terrible. So where do you feel like Damian Williams fits in this year? As he stays with this team, probably doesn't

have to sweat the Darryl Williams of the world. Lashawn McCoy is gonna be gone, Spencer wears be gone. You know where where do you feel like he fits in? This is a play where you know owners are really going to be holding their breath during the NFL Draft, and if they might be holding their breath for a very long time, if they draw out the draft for a whole week, we could both think we should. By the way, it's a great idea in these times. But

it's all about it. The Chiefs invest in any serious draft capital in a running back, and if they don't, then it's yatsi for Damian Williams owners. If they do, then you know it's gonna be a little more trepidation if you're going to draft them on draft day. But as of right now, he is the guy like he said, and he's not he's He's almost fits right in the Austin Ekelers and the Melbourne Gordon's of the world. Now. I think he has RV two uh safe RV two floor with RB one that lead upside if he can

stay healthy, like any running back, his upside. If they don't draft a running back, the Chiefs don't draft a running back Damien Williams has the upside to be the highest scoring running back in fantasy football. He's not the best running back, and not by a fair margin, but in that off fence, as we saw in the playoffs, he can be an elite fantasy point producer. And that's the kind of upside we're talking about. It'll be fascinating

to see if the Chiefs go there not. It's safe to say I'll ask you the same question, Masks, for all these guys, does Damian Williams have more or less fantasy value this year than last year? The answer has got to be more right because he missed so much time and played so sporadically with the injury last year. Yeah, assuming you see his selvy again and Kingado doesn't doesn't draft a premiere back, he's got to have more going into this year. I would agree. I think so too.

Let's talk Let's talk Derrick Henry. He was running back three even in even in PPR leagues last year, and if you were non PPR, he may have been running back one for you. Um, he gets the Titans franchise tag and the team released Dion Lewis, player very near and dear to your heart where How do you how do you think this shapes up? Is there any reason to think there's gonna be any different for Derrick Henry

this year than last year? But he's probably gonna be running a little angrier getting the franchise tag he wanted to exec money didn't get that. This is where my stance on Henry right now is. I think, with Danny and Tomlinson, was the only runner in the two thousands to repeat as rushing champion, and that was back in the O six or seven uh times. So I don't like Hendrick Chansons repeating as the rusting champ. Uh his his a dps right, it's probably right right around running

backs five six, I don't know. I think not a whole lot is going to change for him. It appears Ryan cannon Hill will be the quarterback, No major changes there. They might draft a wide receiver Corey Davis looking like a bus. They got a J. Brown, of course, So I don't know. Henry's right around where he's at, and there's nothing that's really changed here. We just know Definity to believe it will be playing for Tennessee this season.

Where does Henry I believe Derrick Henry will go roughly pick two, pick three, maybe as low as pick four in some leagues. But I think that's it, don't don't you see he's say he's at the beginning of the first round in most fantasy drafts. Yeah, definitely. And in standard leagues you can make the case for him to be the top overall running back. That's over McCaffrey. But you could make the case in standard leagues non PPR, you can. You can although Teddy Bridgewater just the dump

offs that are coming, it's gonna be. Yeah, you know, I I would not be surprised to see a one hundred catch season for for Christian McCaffrey. Let's say, don't rule out p J Walker XFL will start p J Walker beating out beating out Teddy altogether. Right, you never know, you never know. You looked pretty good. Um, let's take one more quick break. When you come back, I want to talk to you about some of the other non moves and some of the unsigned running backs. It's Fantasy

Football Weekly. Alright, we're back. Paul Chargie and Brian Johnson with you. Brian Gus Edwards resigned by Baltimore is not a big move by itself, but it really doesn't utterly muddy the waters for those of us that are drafted and have held Justice Hill for a while, hoping that he would emerge out of this ackfield either through maybe middling play from mark Ingram, which he was anything but middling. He was great last year um or just like Gus Edwards will leave and then you know, just as Hill

could maybe step up. What are your thoughts on that Baltimore backfield with Gus Edwards back in it. Yeah, gust Edwards will continue to muddy the water is there. Justice Hill had a lot of hype last summer as a potential you know, Bell Cow if anything would have happened to mark Ingram, but it was Gus Edwards who is kind of always the number two throughout the season. So it's a it's another three headed monster that's you know, it's tough to dissect or do you want to take

it on draft day. It's almost one of those back deals that you want to target invest ball where you know you can get Ingram this season in the fourth, fifth round and then a lot of people can be into Gusts Edwards and Justice Hill and not owning Ingram. So that's a good back filled the target in best ball where you can kind of try handcuff those three guys to each other. But yeah, again and muddies the water big times and uh n C League's Justice Hill might be more of a long play than people were

hoping for. Mark Ingram shockingly good last year, finished his running back eight in PPR, including five receiving touchdowns to go with his ten rushing touchdowns and a total of

almost hundred yards. Most people did not see a top ten performance of mark from mark Ingram, coming in part because your quarterback stealing so much of the running work that I think most people felt like there wasn't that the time share and the presence of Lamar Jackson was just going to be too much for mark Ingram to overcome.

But to his credit, he he had a fantastic season, one of the best seasons of his career, and rolls into this year and it also be I think his tenth season now, um, and he rolls in feeling like he's another guy that you could just you can safely draft. And I don't feel like there's requisite buzz and recognition

for mark Ingram for what he did last year. Yeah, and people are scared off by the age and he's thirty one now, thirty returns through he won this season, but he still had a lot of tread on the tires for a thirty thirty one year old. Never you know, it was never went into the ground in New Orleans, was always splitting time. So that helps. Yeah, I think

I think he's seriously under value too. And you know, Baltimore, they're just gonna they're gonna run the ball, whether it's Lamar Jackson or Mark Ingram and play great defense or not. Gonna be bearing it out a ton. Uh one would one would think it's gonna be They're gonna play it like last year. And if that happens in Ingram states healthy. He's another guy safe RB two flour with RB one potential if he can get the two carries it will need. Kareem Hunt's got a new head coach, Kevin Stefanski, who

were familiar with here in Minnesota. Uh. Stefanski has done a nice job getting fantasy values out of out of his running back for for the last several years. And needless to say, Dalvin Cook was electric and he was a fantastic fantasy back last season. I think Kareem Hunt, who will continue to share time with Nick Chubb and much the same role that we saw last year. Even

though there's a new offense. You can't take Nick Chubb off the field, and they still used Kareem Hunt a lot last season once he was available on the second half of the year. What do you think, Yeah, I mean, once Hunt came off the suspension and it didn't take him mom and getting warmed up, he was outscoring Nick Chubb in PPR leagues and he finished the top twelve PPR back more like top seven in the in the second half of the season. He was an elite option.

And Cleveland's got their hands full in a good way with Chubb and Hunt. And you know, it's an easy call for me on draft if I have to pick one, if it's Chubb in the the late first, early second, or if it's Hunt in the sixth seventh, Rott will take Hunt all day long because he could be the better running back. They're both elite. But Hunt led the league in rushing as a rookie. I don't think that happens very often. Not a couple of years ago the Chiefs, he led the league and rushing as a rookie, so

Seek might have done the same thing. I don't remember. It was it was close, I think, and he was up there, and then there was Barkley too, I think. I see it does happen a lot Barkley. It was awesome in his rookie year. Zeke was awesome. Hunt was awesome happy last year. Zeke led the league. Last year in Barkley's rookie year, Barkley didn't do it. Barkley was president. Barkley may have had more total yards than Zeke dip but maybe now I don't remember. Um, probably because he

had like twenty catches of one game. You like manning all day long, right back from Rose days. All right, So, just from a PPR standpoint, I'm sorry, from a points per game standpoint, do you believe Kareem Hunt will have more or less fantasy value this year than last year? From a per game standpoint? Uh, I would have to say more, because that offense was so dysfunctional even when Hunt came back. The whole team in general, like, it just has to improve. It just it has to, even

though it's Cleveland and uh. And for that reason, I think we'll see a slight uptick in uh, Hunt's production and that probably you don't want to not mean on Shub as much as they did last year, you know, keep him fresh for what they hope is the potential playoff runs. So I think, you know, we see a little more touches for Hunting, a little less for SHUBs and what we saw the latter parts of the season last year. So I'll get a little more on a

per game basis for Hunt. Yeah, you know, Hunt on they had five carries per game and he only scored three touchdowns, which really torpedoed his fantasy value, but he was he was still the receiving numbers for there. He was getting targeted four or five, eight, nine times per

game targeted, and so the targets were there. I think things it's easy to see a scenario where he gets more rushes and maintains the receiving that he was getting last year and just converts it into more touchdowns than just the only three that he ended up scoring through the second half of last season. Fantasy value does go up any of the unsigned guys, Yeah, sorry, go ahead. The door open a little bit for Cleveland to deal Hunts still. I mean, the course they could train him,

but how they signed him to the ten. He's not He's not a lock to be a Cleveland Browns, right, Yeah, I don't think anybody's I don't think any team is going to match his second round tender. But you're right, there's there is a trade scenario out there for some contending team that loses a running back. Um, so yeah,

maybe that maybe it does work out that way. Let me hit you with some of the unsigned guys and tell me if you think these guys are totally cooked or is there fantasy value left for any of these guys. Davanta Freeman, Lamar Miller, Carlos Hyde, Frank Gore, Well, Frank or who want to joke too much about the times when he's away, jokes he's gonna survive, you know, the dup all out and whenever that comes to Frank Gore. But no fantasy value. He hasn't been a meaningful fantasy

player for a long time. He was the guy you picked up off the waiver wire when there was nobody else left over the past several seasons to just start in a bye week, you know, bye week desperation scenario. Yeah, here has no value. We shouldn't talk about Frank Gore anymore. Out of all those guys, you hope it's Devanta Freeman. He's not fully cooked, he's he needs to land in the right uh scenario. Of course, all these guys do. And you're gonna you're gonna give me a hard time

about Lamar Miller. I know, but I still think so. For Lamar Miller, things have been worked out for him in Houston. He never ran behind a competent line, but the offensive line was always ranked basically dead last in his three or four years in Houston. He needs to be land in the right spot. Though he's coming off in m c L and in the E c L. There's nothing too exciting about any of those guys, and that's probably why they're still Yeah, I think so too.

I don't. I don't think I think it'll. You know, Carlos Hyde surprises. We didn't think you'd have any fantasy value who ended up being a fairly meaningful fantasy guy and somebody that if you were start your flexing Carlos Hyde most weeks you felt pretty you felt okay about that, and he did all right for your team. So you know, there's a scenario out there with injuries and just the right spot where Freeman, Miller, Hyde, Gorere is dead. One

of these guys will end up having some value. I they'll they'll all be drafted, I'm sure in the later stages of drafts as handcuffs and maybe maybe as a starter, you know, a free starter like like Freeman has that potential. But yeah, again, not too excited about any of them. Great job, Brian, thanks for all the help to this week. Next week, I think we're back to I think we're

back to Matt Harrison a little explosive output. We're gonna break break down the wide receiver and tight end moves much like we have running backs in this show and quarterbacks last week. Thanks for listening for everybody, and we'll talk to you in one week. Fantasy Football Weekly is a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.