By: Jake Rajala

The Indianapolis Colts recently moved on from the undrafted legend Phillip Lindsay. The former Denver Broncos RB unleashed 1,037 rushing yards & nine touchdowns in his rookie campaign (which garnered a Pro Bowl berth). In his sophomore season, he ran angry for 1,011 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns.

Lindsay was given a golden ticket to play alongside RB Jonathan Taylor this off-season. Well, he didn’t shine enough to keep a seat in the Colts RB room – as they opted to ride with JT, Nyheim Hines, and Deon Jackson. After Lindsay packed his bags and left Naptown, the question is: what are the best landing spots for the FA ball carrier? Well, I’m going to untwine the 7 best landing spots for him.

Minnesota Vikings

The new-look Minnesota Vikings have a hulk in Dalvin Cook, but he certainly has baggage – also known as injury issues. Cook missed four contests last season, two games the season prior, and two match-ups in the season before that. Furthermore, NBC Sports reported that the Viks are discussing an Alexander Mattison trade. It would be an understatement to say it would be wise for the Viks to ink an available, potent RB face.

Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers also have a cream-of-the-crop RB in Christian McCaffrey with injury issues. CMAC missed 10 games last season and 14 contests in the season prior. CAR could absolutely benefit from another talented face at RB. After bringing in Baker Mayfield, they should make another sharp move to thrive in the NFC South arms race.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Doug Pederson and his squad added countless exciting faces (such as Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, and Zay Jones) to their offense this off-season. Why should they slow down at this point? The Jags RB room would be extremely fun with a healthy Travis Etienne, a bruising RB in James Robinson, and an explosive RB in Lindsay.

Los Angeles Rams

The offensive genius Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams have an explosive player in Cam Akers, yet he has had constant injury issues (16 missed games last season and four missed contests in the season prior). It would undoubtedly be smart for them to look into bringing a healthy face to their RB group.

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins don’t necessarily need a RB, but they have a very creative HC that has been obsessed with adding FA talent. They did try the Sony Michel experiment, but they moved on from him. The Phins could look into signing Lindsay to see what he can bring to the table.

Buffalo Bills

The Billa mafia could bring in Lindsay and showcase a very impressive RB group for the upcoming season. I unequivocally anticipate them to be fighting late in the 2022 post-season, so they should make sure they have proper depth at RB and WR right now. I expect James Cook to dazzle, but it’s unclear if he will be superb all-around the edges in his rookie season. They should sign a veteran face in my opinion.

San Francisco 49ers

Similar to the Miami Dolphins, the San Francisco 49ers may wish to sign a RB after recently releasing a half-back. The 49ers aspire to mow down opponents with their run game, so they should make sure it can fire off on all cylinders in 2022.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Minnesota Vikings finished with a disappointing 8-9 record in the 2021 season. In the Mike Zimmer-less era, the Vikings hope to reach the playoffs next season. The Vikings new head coach Kevin O’Connell and new GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah added more ammunition this off-season and it’s clear the shiny Vikings should hold their heads high heading into the 2022 season.

With that enunciated, I still believe it’s possible that the Vikings add horses from the FA pool. I will untwine three free agents that would be superb fits for Captain Kirk and the Vikings new direction.

• Xavier Rhodes

The Vikings had the 28th ranked pass defense last season and it’s clear that the Vikings needed to improve their CB spot this off-season. They nicely brought back Patrick Peterson and then Andrew Booth slipped into their hands in round two. I still believe Xavier Rhodes would be a nice, physical CB and he may start at CB2 over the shaky Cameron Dantzler. If the Vikings can transform from a porous pass defense to a Top 12 pass defense, they could have a similar outcome in the regular season as the 2021 Dallas Cowboys.

• Phillip Lindsay

The Miami Dolphins weren’t scared to ink RB Sony Michel and I’d like to see the Vikings become creative by inking the underrated Phillip Lindsay right now. Lindsay and Dalvin Cook could truly be like thunder and lightning. The UDFA legend would be the perfect replacement for Cook if the Vikings RB1 continues to have injury issues.

• Julio Jones

There are a lot of NFL teams that have excellent WR trios and it may be wise for the Vikings to supply Cousins with as much explosion as possible. Julio has to be thrilled about the combination of one on one matchups and roster talent in Minnesota. The NFC has the LA Rams, TB Buccaneers, Aaron Rodgers, and the Dallas Cowboys, so the Vikings will need to score a lot of points in their potential 2022 NFL playoff gauntlet.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Denver Broncos are rolling the dice with the new sheriff Russell Wilson in town. The Broncos have added Randy Gregory, D.J. Jones, and many other underrated profiles to help the Broncos win their first Super Bowl since 2016. I would love to see the Broncos keep the gas on the pedal in the Tyreek Hill-less AFC West.

With that said, I believe there are a few free agents that could help Denver compete in their frigid division.

• Phillip Lindsay

The Broncos could ink another weapon and RB partner for Javonte Williams in Phillip Lindsay. He would be cheaper than Gordon and he’s still a familiar face. Lindsay is coming off a down season on a Houston team that only had one more victory than the Jacksonville Jaguars. I believe the 27-year-old Lindsay still has that explosive ability and he would be a nice value pickup for DEN.

• Joe Haden

I would love to see Joe Haden chase a SB ring with the mighty Denver Broncos. Haden can nicely replace Kyle Fuller and be a physical CB against imposing weapons like Mike Williams, Kelce, and Waller. It may also seem like Haden could take less money at this stage in his career for the right location. The former AFC North CB had 7 ints from 2019 and 2020 combined.

• Sheldon Richardson

The former Jets first-round pick Sheldon Richardson would be a fine, versatile chess piece for the Broncos defense. Richardson can really win one on one battles and he would be perfect for the Broncos talented defense in non-blitzing situations. He registered 4.5 sacks in 2020 and 2.5 sacks in 2021. He also had 13 QB hits last season (personal best since 2018).

• A.J. McCarron

The Broncos recently signed a backup QB (Josh Johnson) in free agency, but I’d prefer them to sign a more talented QB2. I believe A.J. McCarron would be a fantastic backup QB and he would be able to utilize the fascinating WR trio in Denver better than Johnson in my opinion. The 33-year-old dual-threat QB Wilson missed three games last season and it’s possible that he suffers another minor injury in the gutsy wild AFC west division at some point in the future.

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The Philadelphia Eagles are looking to make the playoffs for the second straight under Nick Sirianni. In 2022, the Eagles haven’t been overly flirtatious in free agency (outside of Haason Reddick). It wouldn’t be an understatement to say Eagles nation expects Howie Roseman to add more juice to the Eagles complex squad this offseason. Well, I believe the Eagles could still add more chess pieces soon. With that said, here are a few faces that the Eagles could ink.

• Phillip Lindsay

It would be very smooth if the Eagles brought in RB Phillip Lindsay to join Hurts, DeVonta Smith, Miles Sanders, and Dallas Goedert. Lindsay is also coming off a down season, so he could be an excellent value signing. I believe Lindsay can still be a 700+ yard RB at 27 years old and an upgrade over Boston Scott as the RB2.

• Tyrann Mathieu

The honey badger would be an amazing, versatile fit for the Eagles defense. Tyrann Mathieu has made the Pro Bowl in each of the past three seasons and he’s made the All-Pro team in two of the past three seasons. He would be quite a partner for Anthony Harris in the Eagles secondary. Mathieu would be the best candidate to receive the golden ticket from Roseman.

• Jerry Hughes

The Eagles wisely brought back pass rusher Derek Barnett, but it’s safe to say that he wasn’t the most reliable player for Philly in 2021. Barnett was often a penalty machine or barely productive. The Eagles should still bring in a cheap, talented pass rusher this offseason. Jerry Hughes has some gas left in the tank and he would be a fine addition to the Eagles DL featuring Cox, Barnett, Brandon Graham, and Reddick.

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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.

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The Seattle Seahawks have missed the days of handing the ball to Marshawn Lynch and witnessing him carry defenders on his back. Lynch wasn’t Derrick Henry before Derrick Henry, he was the only RB that has ever unleashed a “beast quake”.

The Seahawks have had a quality rushing attack in moments after Lynch departed, but they haven’t had a consistent, lethal rushing game and running back. The Seahawks were on fire with their run game post-Lynch, as they were first in 2018 and fourth in 2019 in rushing yards per game. Although, they were then 12th in 2020 and 11th in 2021 in rushing yards per game. The outlook could be dimmer for the Seahawks rushing attack, as their veteran RB Chris Carson is coming off neck surgery and likely testing free agency. The aging Russell Wilson also can’t continue to handle a heavy workload in the rushing game. I expect the Seahawks to really target a quality RB to pair with Rashaad Penny given how important their rushing game is in the frigid NFC West.

Here are a few RBs that the Hawks could target in the 2022 free agency period.

J.D. McKissic

The Hawks could get a nice value pickup in J.D. McKissic. He can be a force in the run and pass game for Wilson. He may be looking to improve from his late-career production with the Commanders and join a stud offense like the Seahawks. He ousted 954 total yards in 2020 and 609 total yards in 2021. Washington has Antonio Gibson, Curtis Samuel, Terry McLaurin, so it could be a challenge to please the ascending McKissic.

Brandon Bolden

Brandon Bolden can be a nice RB2 that can break down defenses in the second half of games. He is 32 years old, but he still has gas and power left on his legs. Bolden will likely not return to the Pats in free agency, but he should transition to another quality culture and scheme fit. He is the great value version of Lynch, too. He also is a monster in the pass blocking area.

Phillip Lindsay

Phillip Lindsay could look to join a high-power offense on a prove-it deal and the fit between Seattle and Lindsay would make a ton of sense. It’s worth mentioning that Lindsay is the most underrated RB in free agency. He ousted a 1,000 yard rushing season in 2018 and 2019. He was in Houston, also known as Alcatraz, for 10 games in 2021, so he struggled a bit. He could still attract more money from elsewhere or return to his old home in Denver.

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The New England Patriots beloved running back James White is a free agent in 2022. White has been a hero for the Pats for quite some time. He was the bowling ball half-back that powered his way for the winning touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Many fans believe White should have won the Super Bowl MVP.

White has been an important part of Josh McDaniels offense since he was drafted in the 2014 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and Bob Dylan’s song named “The Times They Are a-Changin” hits home for White and the Pats. It would make sense if they move on from the 30-year-old RB that’s coming off a season-ending injury.

If White isn’t brought back to Belichick’s empire, who could replace him and be productive with Damien Harris (15 rushing touchdowns in 2021)? Well, here are a few fascinating options.

Giovani Bernard

The long-time Cincinnati Bengals RB will have a less popular market than James White, but he is still very athletic and productive in the run and pass game. Bernard was in the shadow of Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones in 2021, but he ousted 771 total yards and six total touchdowns in 2020. We witnessed Darren Sproles be an asset late in his career and I expect Gio to be beneficial to a sharp scheme and culture like the Patriots.

Phillip Lindsay

The former UDFA star for the Denver Broncos could be tempted to join the Pats on a prove-it deal. Lindsay had a down season in Houston (as it did the whole team), but he could look to oust another 700+ yard rushing season in New England. If Lindsay doesn’t fill in the shoes for Melvin Gordon in his old home in Denver, he should come to NE in 2022. Harris and Lindsay would be like “thunder and lightning”.

Justin Jackson

Justin Jackson doesn’t hold the same resume and playoff success as White, but he does have a much higher ceiling than the Pats RB. The 25-year-old unveiled 542 total yards and two touchdowns in 2021 with the LA Chargers. Jackson is also the PFF’s ninth-best RB in the free agency group. He’s been in the shadow of Austin Ekeler, but he would be very involved with Mac Jones’s offense for years to come.

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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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Marcel Boudreau (@Marcel_BFF)

With 32 teams in the NFL, and typically only one running back (RB) on the field at a time, it’s important to strike value on later-round running backs that other league mates are undervaluing. It would be easy to write an article on the known commodities with known upsides like the Gus Edwards, Jamaal Williams, and AJ Dillon’s of the fantasy world. The goal of this article is to highlight RBs going outside of the top 48 RBs (as per 4for4.com ADP), that have a chance of finishing as a valuable fantasy asset and are worth stashing in your drafts.

Phillip Lindsay (RB50 ”“ 165 overall)

Lindsay is the easiest player to talk about in this section, especially with the release of the Houston Texans unofficial depth chart. Lindsay was “co-starter” with Mark Ingram, both ahead of last season’s RB21 overall and 2017’s consensus fantasy first overall pick, David Johnson. Lindsay has career yards per carry of 4.78, which is a very impressive mark. His reputation was stained last season when he failed to score touchdowns as Melvin Gordon was brought into Denver and took the goal-line role. This should not alter how we see Lindsay, as the two years before he averaged 8 touchdowns per season, and caught 35 passes per year, to lead him to 19th and 13th overall finishes. It is also key to note that the Denver offense has struggled over the last three seasons, limiting Lindsay’s scoring attempts and positive game script carries. Other than his smaller frame, there are not many reasons we cannot see Lindsay take over as the RB1 in this offense, and finish as a top 30 RB. 

Kenneth Gainwell (RB62 ”“ 224 overall)

Gainwell slipped much further in the 2021 draft than most expected. This may have been due to a lack of RB need across the league, his smaller body size, or his decision to opt-out of the 2020 college season for COVID reasons. Regardless, Gainwell is an extremely talented pass-catching RB, and many ranked him top 3 in this draft class as a pass-catcher. Why is this relevant? Philadelphia Eagles starting RB, Miles Sanders, struggled mightily in the passing game last season. This Philly team brought in Nick Sirianni as the head coach, who comes from the Frank Reich tree of coaching, who produced the RB15, Nyheim Hines, along with the RB6, Jonathan Taylor just last season (both in PPR scoring). The Philly backfield duo will not produce these finishes, but it comes to show the usage in this running back by committee approach. If Gainwell is lucky enough to see near the passing work that Hines had, Gainwell could produce high floor PPR weeks, with a decent ceiling due to his break-away ability. On top of this, Sanders missed 4 games last season, which could open the door for Gainwell to have top-20 weeks if Sanders misses more time next season. 

Rashaad Penny (RB52 ”“ 181 overall)

Yes, we’re doing it again. When on the field, and on a per touch basis, Rashaad Penny has been very good. In fact, in his five career games with 10+ attempts, Penny has put up four top-14 weekly finishes. Why is he not being drafted higher? A combination of his horrendous injury history and splitting the backfield with Chris Carson. The Seahawks have been rumored all off-season to want to run the ball more, and because of this, there’s a world where both these backs can co-exist, while both being relevant fantasy options. To add, Chris Carson has yet to play a full season in the NFL, and if he were to miss any time, Penny would be an auto-start top-20 RB with weekly top-10 upside. Penny is a player you want to stash at the end of drafts to see his role in the offense in week 1. He has shed some weight and is reported to be looking a lot more explosive in camp, which is a scary thought, for a player who has a lot to prove after being a former first-round pick and potentially entering free agency following the season. 

To conclude, these are not the only guys that have the potential to outproduce ADP at the end of the draft, but these are backs who have could have sneaky weekly upside. Other honorable mentions: Darrynton Evans, Xavier Jones, Gerrid Doaks. I hope this article helps you prepare to go into re-draft season! Thanks for reading.

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