Running Back Sleepers 2013

Unless you have been living in a cave the last few months, you are probably aware the running back position is extremely thin in fantasy this year. Most analysts will advise you to draft two, maybe even three running backs in the first three rounds. For those of you that cannot resist the temptation of Aaron Rodgers and Calvin Johnson, here is a list of guys that could fill the RB2/RB3 void you’ll probably be dealing with on draft day.

Note: Rounds are based on current ADP from Fantasy Football Calculator.

Darren Sproles (Round 4)

New Orleans Saints

I am classifying Sproles as a sleeper under the assumption we’re looking at non-PPR leagues. Had PPR been in play, Sproles would’ve been gobbled up long before this. But don’t overlook Sproles in standard scoring formats either. Darren was the 21st ranked back in such leagues last season, even after missing three games due to injury. With Sean Payton back in town, the NOLA offense stands to operate like a well-oiled machine once again. Sproles may do most of his dirty work in the passing game, but nobody said your running back points needed to come on the ground. He’s a pretty solid RB2 any way you slice it.

Ryan Mathews (Round 5)

San Diego Chargers

Hard to believe Mathews was heralded as a first round pick just three years ago. After two disappointing, injury-plagued seasons, it’s safe to say Ryan Mathews will never reach the bar his predecessor (Tomlinson) set. But as bad as Mathews has been, there still might be value in drafting him. He’s fallen all the way to the fifth round of most drafts. If healthy, and keep in mind that’s a big “if”, Mathews will see a good share of carries in San Diego. He’s also looked strong in the preseason thus far, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. The Chargers need to establish some semblance of a running game if they want to compete. If you miss the early push for an RB2, grabbing Mathews might not be a bad move.

Giovani Bernard (Round 5)

Cincinnati Bengals

Bernard is turning heads at training camp in Cincinnati. Jay Gruden seems to have big plans for Gio in the Bengals upgraded offense. He may not have an immediate impact, but drafting him could pay huge dividends down the road in fantasy. Expect Bernard to see the field a lot on third down and be very involved in the passing game. Don’t be surprised to see him vulture some carries away from Green-Ellis as the season progresses and Bernard’s pass protection improves.

Shane Vereen (Round 6)

New England Patriots

Vereen should be heavily involved in New England’s passing game. We saw his ceiling in the AFC Divisional Round (124 yards, 3 TDs against the Texans). Games like that will be possible this year. Brady is looking for guys to step up in the passing game. Even at running back, Vereen could be that guy. Expect Tom to find him in space and watch Shane do the rest. He may not be great every week, but he should be pretty damn good on a consistent basis.

Daryl Richardson (Round 6)

St. Louis Rams

Richardson has emerged as the starter in St. Louis, which makes him an intriguing mid round pick-up for an RB2/RB3 role. The Rams boast a lot of young offensive weapons. All of them are raw, but each stands to be a difficult matchup for any defense. If the Rams can stretch the field vertically with Chris Givens and Brian Quick, and get the ball to Tavon Austin with space to run, the chains will keep moving in St. Louis. The better these young receivers play, the better Richardson will be. Adding Jake Long to that offensive line should really help Richardson’s production as well.

Andre Brown (Round 7)

New York Giants

Expect the Giants to use a mix of both Wilson and Brown at running back this year. Coughlin is notorious for sticking with the “hot” back, which means Brown could see more carries than some might expect on a game-to-game basis. It’s also likely Brown will handle the majority of goal line carries, as he demonstrated great efficiency there in 2012. Wilson may have greater upside, but Brown seems to be more consistent. Coughlin won’t hesitate to give Brown a heavy workload if Wilson struggles.

Mark Ingram (Round 8)

New Orleans Saints

Adding Mark Ingram to this list means the Saints have two sleepers in one backfield. Sean Payton is committed to incorporating the run more. Ingram will be the featured back in the Saints rushing attack. Expect him to take advantage of goal line opportunities and emerge as a decent RB3 or flex option.

Danny Woodhead (Round 10)

San Diego Chargers

San Diego’s offense hasn’t been the same since Darren Sproles departed in 2011. In his last three seasons with the Chargers, Sproles averaged close to 800 yards and 5 TDs (excluding return statistics). He also tallied 44 receptions per season over that span. Woodhead could be a solid flex spot start in PPR formats with the right matchup and a little luck in that role. He also could be serviceable in a pinch in standard scoring leagues. Two other things to consider: 1) Ryan Mathews hasn’t had the best of luck with injuries and 2) the Chargers may be playing from behind a lot this year. Woodhead could be a lot more valuable than advertised.

Fred Jackson, Knile Davis, Lance Dunbar/Joseph Randle (Late Fliers)

All backups/handcuffs to consider. Buffalo might run the ball 40 times a game this year – a workload C.J. Spiller can’t take on alone. Jamaal Charles has already shown signs he might be lacking durability. Davis is next in line. As for Murray, his injury concerns are well-documented. All of these backups could produce if given the opportunity.

Check out our 2013 projections for these running back sleepers