R.C. Fischer discusses deep sleeper candidate D.J. Foster of the Patriots.

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Original report (6/7/16): Very Deep Sleepers: D.J. Foster (Patriots)

September 2016 update…

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D.J. Foster is the only rookie I included in our ‘Very Deep Sleepers’ series. I planned on not including any rookies in this series, because we all love rookies and we tend to think they are all ‘hot sleepers’ for fantasy. “Oh, the possibilities…” There are plenty of ‘sleeper’ labels chucked around on low-level rookies. I didn’t feel the world needed any more of them. However, I made an exception for Foster.

Foster was a very gifted, well-respected college talent, who committed the unpardonable NFL Draft sin – he had a bad showing/timing in some of the drills at the NFL Combine. He dropped from ‘draftable’ to becoming an undrafted free agent. Was he a running back? Was he a wide receiver? He played both, impressively, at Arizona State. What do you do with a ‘too slow,’ ‘too small’ running back or wide receiver prospect? You make him ‘both’…a RB/WR hybrid.

The home of the most innovative use of the RB/WR hybrid role was turned in by Bill Belichick last year, when he reached up his sleeve and pulled out sudden NFL/fantasy star Dion Lewis. Once Lewis went down, he further amazed the crowd by making James White into something. Belichick was using these smaller running backs as mismatch, five-wide spread alignment, quasi-wide receivers…and Belichick/Brady utilized it better than anyone had to date.

After I scouted Foster, and then thought about him on the Patriots, it all made sense. Foster signed on in the one place where his skill set would be appreciated, utilized. If Belichick could make lemonade out of multi-passed-over Dion Lewis, and nearly-to-be-cut James White, what might he do with a guy who starred in a major college conference for his catching and running skills out of the backfield, and as a pure wide receiver?

Two weeks ago, it was still a cute idea. Foster hadn’t played in the preseason, and no one cared. Last week, everything changed. Dion Lewis was announced to go on the PUP list, and is in question for all of 2016. Foster debuted in Week 3, and played well catching passes out of the backfield…but then was a machine in Week 4 of the preseason – catching 9 passes on 10 targets, as a running back, and the only missed target was a pass batted down at the line of scrimmage. Foster caught screens, swings, slants, and a deep wheel route from Tom Terrific.

Foster has gone from wondering whether he’d make the 53-man roster to now a near lock to do so. I think he’s gone from ‘Very Deep Sleeper’ to a guy who might steal the job from James White within three games this season. If Foster does make the Patriots’ roster – it’s coming sooner rather than later. If he winds up on the practice squad…it will happen, just ‘later.’

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