Todd Gurley could have significant fantasy impact in his rookie season
Outside of LeSean McCoy, Jamaal Charles, Matt Forte, Adrian Peterson, Le’Veon Bell, Arian Foster and Marshawn Lynch, RB1s are tough to find. That’s 7 trusted RB1s. For those of us in 10-12-team leagues, that means multiple teams will likely be playing from behind at running back.
Lucky for us, the 2015 NFL draft has more talent at running back than we’ve seen in years.
Todd Gurley
Stats: 510 carries, 3,285 yards, 6.4 yards per carry, 36 touchdowns; 65 catches, 615 yards, 6 receiving touchdowns
Todd Gurley (6’1″, 232) was Georgia’s offensive MVP despite playing in just six games. He has a rare combo of speed and power, and is a decisive runner. Gurley provides late-round fantasy draft value because his ACL rehab may scare off other fantasy owners though history has proven (Adrian Peterson) that coming back as good or better from ACL rehab isn’t a tall order these days. Worth noting, Gurley missed 3 games in 2013 with an ankle injury in addition to his ACL tear the following season, and he was suspended in college for 4 games after accepting money for autographing memorabilia. Injury and character issues aside, the future is bright regardless of where he lands in the NFL. Gurley is just that good.
Comparison: Marshawn Lynch pre-beast mode
Tevin Coleman
Stats: 452 attempts, 3,219 yards, 7.1 per carry, 28 touchdowns, 54 catches for 383 yards
Tevin Coleman is a violent north/south runner, a style NFL coaches love. He became only the 18th player in FBS history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. The 5’11”, 206-pounder played only nine games in ’13 due to an ankle injury, and was limited at the combine coming off foot surgery. Coleman only runs at full speed and lacks patience, so he’ll need some development. But he’s got feature-back potential based on his size and skills.
Comparison: Darren McFadden, before hope was lost in Oakland
Melvin Gordon
Stats: 631 carries, 4,915 yards, 123.8 per game average, 7.8 yards per carry, 45 touchdowns; 22 catches, 228 yards, 4 receiving touchdowns
Melvin Gordon (6’1″, 215), out of Wisconsin set the FBS career rushing average record of 7.79 yards per carry. He was also a consensus All-America first-teamer as well as a Heisman Trophy finalist. An upright runner, using speed over vision to produce, Gordon benefited greatly from a strong offensive line busting open gaping running lanes. Gordon comes with ball security concerns, having fumbled 6 times in his last 5 games. His situation/team and development in preseason will determine his fantasy value in 2015, but major upside remains as he’s got the build of a feature back.
Comparison: Jamaal Charles before he developed into Jamaal Charles
Ameer Abdullah
Stats: 813 attempts, 4,744 yards, 5.6 yards per attempt, 39 touchdowns; 73 receptions for 690 yards and 7 receiving touchdowns
Ameer Abdullah’s (5’9″, 195) 4,588 career yards is 2nd all-time in Nebraska school history. He also beat all RBs at the NFL combine with his broad jump, 3-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle. His character and football IQ are off the charts. He’s a two-time Academic All-Big Ten athlete, and he hasn’t dropped a pass in 2 years. The only knock on Abdullah is size, but he’s a high-value prospect in PPR leagues.
Comparison: Giovanni Bernard in his rookie season or a healthy Andre Ellington
Duke Johnson
Stats: 381 attempts, 2,599 yards, 6.8 yards per carry, 20 rushing touchdowns; 65 catches, 642 yards, 4 receiving touchdowns
Duke Johnson (5’9”, 207) finished his career at Miami with the second-most rushing yards in school history. He was the 2012 ACC Rookie of the Year, and named second-team all-ACC in 2013 when an ankle injury ended his season. He’s got lightning in his feet and he can turn on a dime. A patient runner with burst at the right times, he’s dangerous running outside while his in-between the tackles work, ball security (fumbled 6 times in his last 2 seasons) and pass-blocking skills may hold him back from an every-down role.
Comparison: Best case – LeSean McCoy. Worst case – C.J. Spiller.
Jay Ajayi
Stats: 678 attempts, 3796 yards, 5.6 yards per carry, 50 touchdowns; 73 catches, 771 yards receiving with 5 receiving touchdowns
Jay Ajayi (6’0″, 221) out of Boise State is a former soccer player with quick feet and a well-developed stiff arm that punishes defenders. He became the first player in FBS history to surpass 1,800 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in the same season. He’s said he patterns his game after DeMarco Murray. Ajayi is no stranger to catching out of the backfield, and is considered an every-down back. He has character issues after stealing some sweat pants back in 2011 that landed him in the doghouse with coaches.
Comparison: Chris Ivory with more talent, better hands and less character
Isaac Leicht is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Isaac, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @Fantasy_Dude.
