2021 Fantasy Football RB Sleepers: Potential running back breakouts, draft steals

You can find no hotter commodity in a fantasy football draft than a functioning again sleeper. Absolutely everyone desires to round out their picks with two or three steals (typically rookies) who will arise at some level this yr and acquire more than. Fortuitously, you can find no lack of breakout candidates looking at how widespread accidents are at this position. When you add in the prospective for COVID-associated absences yet again in 2021, you can assume a very good chunk of the league to commence several RBs at a variety of factors this period. Any backup can have price if they get 15-additionally touches per video game, so you need to have to know far more than just the top rated-seventy five RB rankings your backs’ fast handcuffs — you damn near need to have to know each and every teams’ entire depth chart.

The record under is considerably from a total record of 2021 RB sleepers (yet again, any backup has prospective if a starter will get injured), but following hunting at consensus rankings and regular draft positions, these men stand out as candidates to outproduce their preseason outlooks. Some are apparent, like rookies Javonte Williams, Michael Carter, and Trey Sermon, though other people are veterans who have do not encourage substantially pleasure anymore (Phillip Lindsay, Justin Jackson, and Jamaal Williams). We also have a several deep sleepers who could commence the yr on the follow squad but inevitably locate their way to enjoying time. They are total guesses, but presented their conditions, we sense they are well worth specially mentioning.

2021 PPR FANTASY RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Jogging again | Huge receiver | Tight close | D/ST | Kicker | Leading two hundred

Those are the most remarkable types of sleepers to numerous fantasy homeowners. It is a thrill to draft or decide up someone the rest of your league has not listened to of and look at as he has a wonderful stretch of games. The odds of that going on are rather very low, even though. Hitting a homer with a total lotto ticket may well be the epitome of sleeper achievement, but cracking a double with an underrated committee again who can operate as a flex most weeks is rather very good, far too. Really don’t sleep on the thrill of the latter.

2021 Conventional FANTASY RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Jogging again | Huge receiver | Tight close | D/ST | Kicker | Leading two hundred

Basically, if a staff has problem marks at starting up RB — be it simply because of a committee, harm problems, working experience, or all of the over — then it is well worth questioning who will inevitably see the most carries in its backfield. It may well wind up staying someone off the radar ideal now, but you won’t be able to seriously put together for that ideal now. All you can do is research the shaky conditions and know who the upcoming-gentleman-up is. 

DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Greatest 2021 Cheat Sheet

2021 Fantasy Soccer RB Sleepers: Possible functioning again breakouts, steals

Javonte Williams, Broncos. Williams will be competing with veteran Melvin Gordon for touches, but even if the proficient rookie isn’t starting up in 7 days one, he has far more prolonged-phrase prospective simply because of his explosiveness. In his final period at North Carolina, Williams totaled one,445 yards and 22 TDs though averaging seven.9 yards per touch. The Broncos offense has a ton of expertise but also a ton of problem marks. Williams can be a stabilizing force if the coaching staff allows him. It would be foolish to absolutely produce off the 28-yr-previous Gordon, who posted one,144 total yards, 4.six yards/have, and 10 TDs previous yr, but Denver drafted Williams early in the second round for a cause.

2021 FANTASY AUCTION VALUES (Conventional & PPR):
Quarterback | Jogging again | Huge receiver | Tight close | D/ST | Kicker | Over-all

Gus Edwards, Ravens. Absolutely everyone is thrilled about JK Dobbins this yr — and deservedly so — but do not sleep on Edwards. He’s posted at the very least seven hundred yards and averaged at the very least five. yards/have in every of his three seasons, so you know he’s going to develop on the floor. With Mark Ingram absent, his route to manufacturing is even far more open. He may well not crack double-digit receptions, but it would not be a total shock if Edwards wound up receiving far more touches than Dobbins and starred in the Ravens backfield. Possibly way, he’s staying undervalued in drafts. Contemplate Edwards far more of a 1B to Dobbins’ 1A than merely a conventional handcuff.

Update 8/30: JK Dobbins will pass up the complete 2021 regular period with a torn ACL. When Edwards was a sleeper, he’ll probably shoot up in ADP. If you’ve currently drafted and grabbed him, congratulations. If you have still to draft, he’s rated our No. 21 RB in conventional leagues and No. 29 RB in PPR.

2021 FANTASY SLEEPERS:
Quarterback | Huge receiver | Tight close | D/ST | Each individual staff

Michael Carter, Jets. Carter is competing with Tevin Coleman and La’Mical Perine for carries, but it is tough to believe in possibly following they averaged one.9 and three.six yards/have previous yr, respectively. Carter posted again-to-again one,000-garden seasons at North Carolina and averaged a whopping 8. yards/have in his final period. He’s the most explosive participant in New York’s backfield and should inevitably see the most touches. Equally Coleman and Perine have upside if they are receiving the bulk of the carries, but Carter, even at five-8, 201 kilos, is even now the man to root for in this backfield.

2021 FANTASY TIERS & DRAFT Approach:
Quarterback | Jogging again | Huge receiver | Tight close | D/ST

Phillip Lindsay, Texans. David Johnson had a shock bounce-again period previous yr, posting one,005 total yards and 8 TDs though averaging a profession-high 4.seven yards/have in 12 games. Even so, the Texans picked up Lindsay in the offseason, and fantasy homeowners should not overlook him. Lindsay begun his profession with again-to-again one,000-garden seasons just before battling in an harm-plagued 2020. Lindsay even now has a profession 4.8 yards/have regular, and inspite of his sizing (five-8 ,one hundred ninety kilos), he’s a tough inside of runner. Johnson may well commence the period as Houston’s starter, but presented his harm background and age (29), Lindsay could wind up outproducing him for the period. Really don’t allow Lindsay fall far too considerably at the rear of Johnson in drafts.

2021 FANTASY Consistency Rankings:
Quarterback | Jogging again | Huge receiver | Tight close

Jamaal Williams, Lions. Williams was continuously good in his 4 a long time with the Packers, but he almost never starred outside of the occasional very good video game. Now with Detroit, he’ll once yet again operate in a complementary position (at the rear of D’Andre Swift), but the Lions have a potent offensive line and extremely minimal going for them in the acquiring video game. That should open up far more prospects for Williams, both equally as a runner and a pass-catcher. It will probably acquire a Swift harm for Williams to seriously go off, but he’s capable of outproducing his ADP and staying an each and every-week flex, at the very least in PPR formats.

FANTASY DRAFT Approach:
Snake Draft | Auction | Greatest Ball | Dynasty/Keeper | IDP

AJ Dillon, Packers. When a man is six-, 247 kilos and has both equally “Quadfather” and “Quadzilla” outlined on his PFR site as nicknames, you want to give him your entire interest. Dillon did not play much as a third-string rookie previous yr, but he did regular five.three yards/have in confined action and went off in the one particular games the place he did get major touches, posting a 21-124-2 line in a 7 days sixteen video game in opposition to Tennessee. With Jamaal Williams absent, Dillon usually takes more than the most important backup position to Aaron Jones, so he’s primed for one hundred twenty-additionally carries. At previous year’s amount, that would produce all around seven hundred dashing yards and a 5-to-six TDs. The prospective is there for far more with the supremely proficient Dillon even in a backup position, and if nearly anything occurs to Jones, seem out. Dillon would right away vie for top rated-10 thought.

A lot more 2021 FANTASY RANKINGS:
Superflex Leading two hundred | Superflex Leading two hundred PPR | IDP | Rookies | O-traces

Tony Pollard, Cowboys. Pollard has played well in his to start with two seasons, averaging 4.8 yards/have and showcasing good acquiring abilities. When Ezekiel Elliott out in 7 days 15, Pollard took edge, functioning 12 situations for 69 yards and two scores in opposition to the 49ers. With Elliott coming off a down yr, it is reasonable to ponder if Pollard will see far more touches, and in Dallas’s high-powered offense, even 10 touches per video game would give him flex price. If Elliott will get damage, Pollard’s price would seriously acquire off. If you draft Elliott, be ready to overpay for Pollard simply
because he’s the type of backup other homeowners will draft in the middle rounds, far too.

A lot more 2021 FANTASY Support:
Mock Draft Simulator | Place battles | Bye weeks | Greatest staff names

Trey Sermon, 49ers. Sermon had a first rate college or university profession break up between Oklahoma and Ohio Condition, but he saved his very best performances for the Significant 10 Championship and Sugar Bowl previous yr, dashing for a put together 524 yards and three TDs though incorporating yet another 65 acquiring yards on 7 catches. The six-one, 215-pound Sermon ran a 4.57 40-garden dash and won’t wow with any other measurables, but you know if he will get regular touches in the 49ers method, he’ll be successful. Raheem Mostert is not going to stay healthier, and even if he does, we know San Francisco will use several ball carriers. Wayne Gallman will most likely far more associated than any of us want, but Sermon even now has significant breakout prospective.

Justin Jackson, Chargers. Jackson is just as probably to get reduce as he is have a very good yr, so proceed with warning here. That claimed, the Chargers need to have a real “direct again” to enhance acquiring ace Austin Ekeler, and previous year’s preferred rookie sleeper, Joshua Kelley, frequently flopped in his tries to acquire more than the direct position when Ekeler was damage (three.2 yards/have). Possibly Kelley will bounce again and get to start with crack at the 1B job, but Jackson outplayed him previous yr (when he wasn’t missing 7 games simply because of toe, quad, and knee accidents). Jackson averaged 4.six yards/have (4.9 for his profession) and caught 19 passes for 173 yards in a equivalent campaign as his rookie period. It is tough get far too thrilled about Jackson, but someone figures to arise in this backfield. If it is not Jackson or Kelley, then you happen to be hunting at sixth-round rookie Larry Rountree III, who made well in his profession at Mizzou (five. garden/have, 40 TDs). For now, we’ll err on the aspect of the veteran.

Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots. The six-, 231-pound Stevenson may well extremely well be on the inactive record early in the period (he is a Patriots RB following all), but he has upside if he finds his way into the lineup. The Patriots are notorious for shenanigans with their RBs, and even even though Damien Harris appears to be “the man” in New England, no one particular would be stunned Stevenson begun stealing carries or staying utilized as a target-line hammer. Stevenson averaged seven.2 yards/have and scored thirteen TDs in 19 profession games at Oklahoma, and he even confirmed some acquiring chops with eighteen catches and 211 yards in just six games previous yr. He provides the type of unique skillset Invoice Belichick enjoys to use, so fantasy homeowners should have him high on their watchlists.

Sony Michel, Rams. Does everyone seriously believe in Darrell Henderson to previous the entire period as the Rams’ element again? Possibly he will, but with L.A.’s late-preseason trade for Michel, it appears like they are currently hedging their bets. Henderson experienced a hand harm in follow, so possibly which is the only cause the Rams produced the move, but possibly way, you can find cause to consider yet another again will be associated at some level this period. Michel has extensive working experience and is in fact coming off his most successful period (five.seven yards/have on just 79 rushes), so he’s well worth a late-round flier.

Qadree Ollison, Falcons. Originally, we had rookies Javian Hawkins and Caleb Huntley here, but with Hawkins receiving reduce and Ollison staying announced as the most important backup, we switched it up. We are even now leery of Ollison, who’s averaged just 2.three yards on 23 profession carries, but of course with that smaller of a sample sizing, he may well as well be a entirely new participant. The six-one, 232-pound again has the sizing to be efficient, in particular all around the target line, so if Mike Davis struggles or get damage, Ollison will be an exciting participant to use in flex spots.