DeAndre Washington (left) has a legitimate chance at stealing significant carries away from Latavius Murray

There’s no doubt that fantasy football is back with training camps up and running and player rankings changing by the day. This offseason there’s been a lot of talk about wide receivers being the prize picks early in drafts. Whether or not you believe in the zero running back strategy, you still will want to try and find value regardless of what position you’re picking in.

So if you’re planning to strike gold with a back after the second round, our featured experts below have named who they believe could blow past their current average draft position (ADP) value.

Nail your draft strategy with our Free Draft Simulator

Q1. What RB with an ADP outside the top 25 has the best shot of putting up RB1 numbers?

Charles Sims (RB – TB)
“I doubt this will be an uncommon answer, but Charles Sims. Overall, he was one of the most efficient backs in all of fantasy, averaging 1.16 FP/touch in PPR last year. The great thing about Sims is that there’s no reason to think his role will decrease even with Doug Martin back – Sims played 41.7% of the snaps last year, certainly a significant number, which helped him hold down flex value. He’s a better receiver than Martin, and if Martin goes down, Sims could be a legitimate top-5 back. I’ll take that floor/ceiling combo on every single team I draft.”
– Joseph Dolan (Fantasy Guru)

Melvin Gordon (RB – SD)
“Nothing went right last season for Melvin Gordon. He struggled with fumbles, ran behind an offensive line that dealt with a historic number of injuries, including going through five starting centers (FIVE!!!), watched as passing-down back Danny Woodhead become the trusted option in the red zone, and had his season end early with a knee injury. There is, however, plenty of hope for a bounce-back season in Gordon’s second year. He remains the unquestioned early-down back in what is expected to be one of the league’s top offenses, comes into camp fully healthy (as does his offensive line) and proved to be a reliable receiver out of the backfield, securing 33 of 37 targets in 2015. If he could cut down on the fumbles and earn the trust of the coaching staff at the goal line, Gordon, who could approach 275 carries, would provide his owners with high-end production at a 7th round price.”
– Matthew Hill (DataForce Fantasy Football)

Rashad Jennings (RB – NYG)
“The Giants’ backfield is crowded, but no one stands out as a legitimate threat to Jennings, assuming he stays healthy. While Shane Vereen looms in the passing game, I like Jennings to carry the overall load for the Giants. His current ADP leaves him with plenty of value to be had in this offense, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him eclipse the 1,000 yard mark for the first time in his career.”
– Adam Sutton (DraftStars)

Q2. Who is one backup RB you like that could eventually jump into a starting role this year? How early should fantasy players target him?

DeAndre Washington (RB – OAK)
“The Oakland Raiders have stated that they intend to keep Latavius Murray fresh, but I think the extra looks for DeAndre Washington will only further his case to be the lead back. Washington brings a solid combination of speed and power to the table while possessing pass catching skills out of the backfield. Behind the massive Oakland offensive line, Washington should find plenty of room to operate. Think Doug Martin (when healthy).”
– Adam Sutton (DraftStars)

“Latavius Murray simply wasn’t as good as the numbers may suggest he was last year; Oakland just didn’t have anyone to challenge him. In comes DeAndre Washington who is versatile and tough as nails. His stock will continue to rise, but I’m OK targeting him as early as the 9th/10th round in competitive leagues.”
– Joseph Dolan (Fantasy Guru)

Paul Perkins (RB – NYG)
“Ignoring backs that sit second on depth charts but really are co-starters in shared backfields, a true backup that I’m targeting late in my drafts is criminally-undervalued Giants rookie, Paul Perkins. Perkins, who had the top FBS running back elusive rating (per Fantasy Football Focus), will begin the season behind Rashad Jennings. I don’t anticipate the 31-year-old Jennings, who has never rushed for more than 863 yards in a season, to keep the job for the entire year. Perkins, a legitimate three-down back with 80 career receptions at UCLA, would excel in New York’s offense if given the opportunity. I see him getting his chance at some point this season and will pay dividends for owners who targeted him around the 14th round and patiently reserved a roster spot for the shifty rookie.”
– Matthew Hill (DataForce Fantasy Football)

—

Thank you to the experts for naming their high upside running backs. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter and leave your thoughts below in the comments section.

Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud | RSS