By: Jake Rajala

The fantasy football action has only just begun. Heading into Week 6, there has certainly been a lot of fun running back performances. However, there are some RBs that have left fantasy owners scratching their heads. With that said, I’m going to outline five RBs that are honestly overrated right now.

Aaron Jones

The Green Bay Packers veteran RB Aaron Jones may be averaging 6.3 YPC, but he has only mustered out two total touchdowns this season. It’s well-noted that the bowling ball AJ Dillon hasn’t been a friendly face to Jones, as well. Dillon has had 63 carries on the season thus far. It doesn’t appear that Jones’s all-around ability can help him return to the Pro Bowl.

Michael Carter

The New York Jets RB group is whole-heartedly led by former Iowa State legend Breece Hall, who set the franchise record for total yards (197) in a game by a Jets rookie last Sunday. Hall Meanwhile, the 2021 fourth-round draft pick Michael Carter hasn’t been a fabulous RB (158 rushing yds, 3.4 YPC, and 2 rushing TDs). Hall has 56 carries, while Carter has 47 so far.

Melvin Gordon

It seemed like the Broncos were in possession of a lethal 1-2 punch at RB after Melvin Gordon re-signed this off-season. Well, father time may be finally catching up to the former Wisconsin legend. Gordon has sadly run for one touchdown on the season and 193 rushing yards (while averaging 3.7 YPC). Javonte Williams will be out for the season, so perhaps Gordon can find a way to be more effective with a larger load.

Najee Harris

It’s hard to ignore the lack of positive direction from Najee Harris right now. He ran for 20 yards on 11 carries last week & he’s also accumulated 222 rushing yds on 69 rushes, too. Furthermore, he’s only notched 1 rushing TD. It doesn’t appear that he will return to being a 1,200+ yard runner & Pro Bowler soon.

Joe Mixon

The star RB for Cincy, Joe Mixon, hasn’t been his usual powerful self this season, to say the least. Mixon has merely run for 302 yards on 96 carries & 1 TD. His offensive line that added Alex Cappa and La’el Collins this prior summer hasn’t been a positive asset to his abilities, too. I hope the continuity between the Bengals OL can improve soon. Dynasty owners of Mixon may want to be bold with him, too.

The post Fantasy: 5 overrated RBs appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Denver Broncos unequivocally have one of the most superb running back tandems in the league w/ Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon. I expect the second-year Broncos RB to have the hot hand in the 2022 season.

Williams garnered 904 rushing yards, averaged 4.4 YPC, and had four rushing touchdowns last season. His best performance last season came against the imposing Micah Parsons-led Dallas Cowboys defense – where he obtained 111 rushing yards (his most rushing yds in a single game). PFF gave Williams a generous 75.9 grade for his 2021 campaign.

Williams is also listed as the Broncos RB1 on the depth chart at this moment.

Williams should have more carries than the former Wisconsin god-like RB, but Gordon will surely be a pivotal part of the offense. Gordon garnered 986 rushing yds and 9 TDs in 2020 — then proceeded to obtain 918 yds and 8 rushing TDs in 2021. He garnered an impressive 77.8 grade via PFF last season. The 29-year-old RB returned to Denver on a one-year deal worth $2.5 million dollars. Per PFT, Gordon sat out of practice yesterday due to a foot injury. It is unclear when he will return, but it seems like the team is being patient with him so he can be ready to shine in Week 1.

The Broncos ranked 13th in rushing yards w/ their prestigious RB duo last season. I fully expect the Broncos to be a Top-10 rushing offense with a more mature Williams. I expect Williams to make his first Pro Bowl next season with more all-around growth and involvement in the Broncos offense. Furthermore, Williams should ultimately be leaned on a lot more when Gordon (eventually) breaks up with the Broncos younger RB.

The post The Broncos running back tandem will shine in 2022 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Denver Broncos wisely brought back the veteran running back and Wisconsin god Melvin Gordon this off-season. Gordon has averaged 952 rushing yards while unveiling 17 rushing TDs in his two seasons in Denver. The 29-year-old returned to his Colorado home on a one-year contract worth $2.5 million dollars.

Gordon should continue to be the 1B to the 2021 rookie stud Javonte Williams. The Broncos second-year RB had 203 rushing attempts last season (which was the same amount of carries as Gordon), but he should see an uptick in carries moving forward. Kyle Brandt of GMFB has already expressed his praise for the sophomore RB. Per Denver Broncos, Brandt expressed that a lot of hype was around Russell Wilson, but the old-school RB will be very involved with new opportunities, and he will be a big piece in why the Broncos win the AFC West.

Shawn Chilos from SI Fantasy feels strongly about Williams in fantasy football, as he projects him to have 1,500+ combined yards with double-digit scores and 50+ catches or 260 fantasy points. Williams is pegged as the fifth-best RB in dynasty (PPR) by Fantasy Pros.

The Broncos will unequivocally have one of the NFL’s best 1-2 RB punches, but they also carry Mike Boone and Damarea Crockett. I expect Boone, who ran for three touchdowns in 2019, to be the third RB and potential impact player if an injury to one of the top RBs occurs. Crockett is a 2019 UDFA with three career rushing yards, so he will aim to compete for a roster spot and potentially his season in 2022. It also could be noted that former Phillip Lindsay will also not be returning, as he recently signed with the Indianapolis Colts.

Wilson may not have Marshawn Lynch, but he certainly has a quality RB tandem in his new AFC West home. Also – let’s not forget when the former Wisconsin RB isn’t running over defenders, the Wisconsin alumni at QB can and will hurt defenses with his legs (4,689 career rushing yards).

The post What is the outlook for the Broncos RBs? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Denver Broncos finished with the 12th ranked rushing offense in 2021, but their veteran running back Melvin Gordon is a soon-to-be free agent. There is mutual interest between Gordon and John Elway to ink another contract in Denver.

Nonetheless, the Broncos have a future star in Javonte Williams and it’s possible that a team is more desperate to sign Gordon. If the Broncos lose their beloved Gordon, I expect Nathaniel Hackett to want an RB that can nicely fill in the shoes for Gordon if he departs. Although, I don’t expect him to break the bank for a RB not named Melvin Gordon because Williams will clearly be the lead bell-cow in 2022 and beyond. So, who could the aggressive Broncos look to sign? Here are a few cheaper, halfbacks that can complement Williams.

• Chase Edmonds

The Arizona Cardinals RB recorded a career-high rushing yard tally (592) and total yards (903) in 12 games last season. Edmonds is the perfect all-purpose RB that Denver needs Edmonds is ready to blossom at 25 years old. It might be hard for him to take his next step with the Cardinals.

James Conner and Edmonds are both free-agent RBs on the Cardinals. I unequivocally expect the Cardinals to prioritize Conner (15 touchdowns in 2021) and it will be a challenge to retain Edmonds, as well.

• Phillip Lindsay

Phillip Lindsay has the experience, relationships, and success with the Denver Broncos. He ousted a 1,000+ rushing yard season in 2018 and 2019. If the Broncos lose Gordon, they can call their ex-RB in Lindsay.

Lindsay might have struggled in Houston, also known as Alcatraz, but he has plenty of juice at this stage in his career. I expect the talented RB to seek out a prove-it deal, so he could opt to come home. The question is: will he want to return to Denver?

• Matt Breida

The former 49ers speed RB has been injury-riddled (12 missed games in the past two seasons) and buried on the depth chart in the past two seasons, but he still has the dust that Kyle Shanahan saw when he was an x-factor on the 49ers early in his career. In 2018, he clocked 814 yards and he can certainly be a nice backup to Javonte. Breida and Javonte can the “thunder and lightning”.

Breida has the potential to be one of the best “good value signings”, as he will likely have to sign a cheaper deal to prove himself. He has to love the idea of playing in Denver.

The post Free agent running back targets for the Denver Broncos appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The undrafted running back Phillip Lindsay enters free agency at an interesting point in his career. Lindsay is 27 years old and coming off a career-low season in rushing yards (249). Lindsay will likely not have the opportunity to cash in on a new home in free agency, but It also isn’t expected that the 2015 Pro Bowl RB will be jumping up and down to reunite with the familiar Texans squad.

Lindsay may have not have evolved into the Broncos Hall of Fame RB Terrell Davis, but he can still hang his hat on two productive seasons in 2018 (1,037 rushing yds, 9 rushing tds) and 2019 (1,011 rushing yds, 7 rushing tds) in Mile High City. Lindsay was also on pace for a 1,000+ yard rushing season in 2020, as he obtained 502 yards in 8 games. He still has a few years left in the tank, as he’s only played four years in the big league.

I fully expect the inspirational story of Lindsay is far from finished and it will end on a good note. The question is: where will Lindsay land in his next chapter? Well, here are the most likely landing spots for the Texans quick RB.

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills have Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, the ascending Gabriel Davis, and Dawson Knox. Yet, they still have a mediocre rushing attack led by Devin Singletary. The Bills third-year RB had a career season with 870 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns. It’s still imminent that the Bills add more juice at the RB position.

The combination of Lindsay and Singletary would help the Bills offense really open and allow them to yield their will on opposing teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bills were dominant in time of possession last year (fifth in NFL), but there’s room for improvement in big moments. Another quality RB for the Bills mafia would help Allen’s workload become lighter and have a lesser risk of facing injury. Allen had 122 rushing attempts in 2021, which was more than Russell Wilson’s career-high rushing attempts in a season (118). Lindsay could help Allen in numerous ways and he would be chasing a Lombardi trophy immediately in Buffalo.

Denver Broncos

Lindsay could be listening to “roots” by Imagine Dragons leading up to the free agency period. He may be fascinated about going back to his home in Denver. There’s a need for Lindsay’s talent in Denver, too. The Broncos starting RB Melvin Gordon is a free agent in 2022 and it doesn’t look like they will bring the Wisconsin product.

They will be on the lookout for a RB to join Javonte Williams (903 yards, 4 touchdowns) in 2022. It wouldn’t only be poetic for Denver to Lindsay, but he’s arguably the best RB on the board for them in free agency. Lindsay may look to reunite with his ex-team on a prove-it deal and then look to cash in on a big deal during the 2023 offseason.

The Broncos and their new head coach Nathaniel Hackett (former Packers Offensive Coordinator) have been attempting to acquire Aaron Rodgers. They clearly appear to be very aggressive for another Super Bowl victory in the near future, too. If they are trying to recreate the offense they once held with Peyton Manning, they will look to add as much ammunition as possible and come out guns blazing in 2022.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers have lots of moolah (second-most in cap space) and Justin Herbert (5,014 passing yards), but they could use more explosion at their RB position. The Herbert-led Chargers offense was 21st in rushing YPG last season. They need more ammunition if they want to ground and pound their way against Patrick Mahomes twice a season for the next decade.

Austin Ekeler is a special player in the run and pass game (20 total touchdowns in 2021), but they need an upgrade behind their lead ball carrier. Justin Jackson only knocked out 364 rushing yards and two touchdowns in LA.

The Chargers could dream and afford to pair Ekeler and Lindsay together. The Chargers need a spark to get over the hump and Lindsay could certainly bring that extra spice. Herbert would have to take a big step forward with Lindsay and Ekeler, as the top RBs would easily formulate the top rushing tandem in the NFL.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals could look to add some swag this offseason, as they are AFC Champions and the NFL team with the fourth most cap space. They were 23rd in rushing yards last season and it’s clear Joe Mixon doesn’t want to be a one-man-band. The Bengals could be a very attractive destination for Lindsay. They have Joe Burrow, Mixon, and the 2021 Offensive Player of The Year Ja’Marr Chase. They certainly don’t need any WR help outside of Chase (Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd), but the running back talent behind Mixon could be improved. Samaje Perine registered 246 yards and 1 touchdown for the AFC victors last season. He will also be a free agent, so it appears that they won’t be jumping up and down to bring him back. They could happily aim to slot Lindsay in as the second RB.

Lindsay most likely wouldn’t start in Cincy, but he could be a big contributor as fresh legs in Zac Taylor’s offense. If the Bengals can improve their rushing attack then Joe Burrow should be getting teed off on a lot less. The Bengals gave up more sacks than all 31 teams last season. It’s also safe to say that an improved running game against the Rams would have helped them protect Burrow better, who was sacked by Von Miller twice and Aaron Donald twice.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have seen the rise of Rashaad Penny (749 yards, 6 tds in 2021) but their backup running back Chris Carson is coming off neck surgery and a 2022 free agent. They could seek an upgrade with Lindsay in 2022. The Seahawks were Top 3 in rushing attempts in 2017 and 2018, but they have been outside of the Top 20 in rushing attempts in each of the last two seasons.

They may not have Marshawn Lynch performing beast quakes, but they can certainly aim to get back to mowing down defenses and helping Wilson with a more balanced effort. Wilson wasn’t necessarily running an insane amount of times when they were running the ball down every team’s throats in 2017 and 2018 (67 attempts in 2018/second-lowest in career). They don’t need their 33-year-old QB to carry their rushing attack on his legs, as well.

The Hawks need more talent on offense and they could get creative with adding a speed demon in Lindsay. Pete Carroll will have to get creative with offseason targets at RB/WR, as looking at pricey WRs is not on the table. Cordarralle Patterson would also be an interesting value target, as he can play RB and WR. The Seahawks had a down year in 2021, as they were last in the wild NFC West. The cap-strapped Seahawks need to figure out a way to get over the hump while retaining their future Hall of Fame QB.

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By Chris Moore (Twitter: @fantasy_moore)

We are now two weeks into the NFL season, and there have already been fantasy disappointments. Two games out of the fantasy season may be a small sample size. Reacting to how a player performs in their offense is the best way to find success in fantasy football. In this article, we are going to be going over some of the most underperforming fantasy running backs this season and why I think you should be selling them.

Melvin Gordon (RB ”“ DEN)

There will only be a couple of more weeks before Melvin Gordon becomes irrelevant in the fantasy world. Gordon is currently the RB14 in PPR leagues, but his stats from the past two weeks show the Gordon show is coming to an end soon in Denver. If it wasn’t for his 70-yard touchdown in Week 1, Gordon doesn’t even make this list. It’s only a matter of weeks before rookie Javonte Williams takes over the backfield from Gordon in Denver. Williams has already outperformed Gordon. Last week averaging 4.9 yards per carry against the Jaguars compared to Gordon’s 2.38. Sell Gordon while his name and stats over the past two games still hold value. It’s only a matter of time before we see the Javonte Williams show in Denver. Gordon has a lofty resume and an overrated start to the season – now is the time.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB ”“ KC)

Man, this one hurts. As someone very high on Clyde Edwards-Helaire ever since he entered the league, it stings to put him on this list. Yet the truth is, CEH isn’t the fantasy running back managers thought he would be when the Chiefs drafted him. CEH is currently the RB46 in PPR leagues, through two weeks. CEH has struggled so far to start the year, averaging 3.29 yards per carry on 27 attempts. The Chiefs talked about expanding CEH’s role in the passing game this season. But so far, through two games, that hasn’t been the case. CEH has only seen three targets in two games, which is only two targets more than backup running back Jerick McKinnon. Edwards-Helaire isn’t putting up the box score fantasy managers thought he would weekly, and now is the time to get out while his name still holds value.

James Robinson (RB ”“ JAC)

While it was encouraging to see his snap share raise significantly in Week 2, it doesn’t look like we are getting the same fantasy production out of James Robinson this year like we did last year. The Jaguars are an awful team. They have struggled to look competent on offense so far this season. It’s hard to trust Robinson in your lineup if the Jaguars are playing from behind every week. Over the past two week’s that has been the case. Carlos Hyde remains a favorite of Head coach Urban Meyer, and this is just a situation I don’t want any shares. Robinson is currently the RB40 in PPR leagues, and there are better options out there at this point.

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