There are fantasy rookie RBs not named Ezekiel Elliott!
The Cowboys selected running back Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft. Elliott will be picked in the first round of most fantasy drafts and seems like a lock to get 1,500 yards from scrimmage, as I detailed in this article. He's a fantasy no-brainer.
There's a chasm between Elliott and his fellow rookie running backs, but some of them are worth drafting this summer.
(Average Draft Positions per FantasyFootballCalculator.com)
Jordan Howard, Bears
The 230-pound Howard will battle Jeremy Langford for touches, and Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has said the rookie will be a "change of pace" back. That could mean short yardage and goal line carries, as Howard didn't display receiving chops in college. Or it could mean more, as Langford (3.6 yards per carry) didn't make too much of an impact in 2015. This situation is likely to be a timeshare, with the touchdowns leaning to Howard. Draft him as an RB4 -- there's upside here.
Derrick Henry, Titans
The Titans made an investment in Henry, grabbing him with the No. 45 pick in the draft. Unfortunately, they also made a minor investment in DeMarco Murray, acquiring him in a trade with the Eagles. The two backs figure to share time on early downs, with Henry -- who isn't especially adept at receiving or pass blocking -- not likely to get many third-down snaps. The rookie is big enough to be a goal-line threat, but as an RB4 without an every-down ceiling, he's unlikely to be on any of my teams.
Kenneth Dixon, Ravens
The Ravens picked Dixon in Round 4, and there's a path to fantasy success here. Sure, the backfield is crowded with Justin Forsett and Buck Allen, but Forsett is a journeyman who was hurt last season, and Allen averaged just 3.8 yards per carry as a rookie. Dixon ran for 4,483 yards and 72 touchdowns in four years at Louisiana Tech and caught 63 passes -- including 13 TDs -- in his junior and senior seasons.
Dixon might start the season as No. 3 in the pecking order, but he could end up as Baltimore's lead back at some point. As a low-end RB4/late-round stash, you could do worse.
C.J. Prosise, Seahawks
Prosise's offseason fantasy buzz has coincided directly with Thomas Rawls' ankle injury. The Seahawks say they expect Rawls to be ready for the season, but Rawls started training camp on the PUP list, so there's still some reason to be concerned about him.
Enter Prosise, who switched from wide receiver to running back before his senior season at Notre Dame. He took to his new position well, running 157 times for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns. If Rawls is healthy to start the season, Prosise's excellent receiving skills figure to make him the Seahawks' third-down back. If Rawls isn't ready, Prosise could be a must-start fantasy option in Week 1. Prosise is carrying a Round 10 ADP in early drafts, so his stock is rising, and he might be getting too expensive - especially now that he'll miss some camp time due to a hamstring injury. Lots of potential, though.
Devontae Booker, Broncos
C.J. Anderson is the Broncos' lead dog, but Booker brings an interesting skill set to the table. In two seasons at Utah, the 212-pound Booker ran for 2,773 yards with 21 touchdowns and added 80 receptions. If he can pick up pass protection -- often a challenge for rookies -- he could play a third-down role with the chance for more. Booker has a 12th-round ADP, which sounds about right for a stash-and-hope RB5.
Paul Perkins, Giants
At 5-foot-10 and 208 pounds, Perkins is a smaller back. But he makes people miss, as the kids like to say. Perkins is part of a crowded Giants' backfield, which could block his path to fantasy production. Or, from a glass-half-full viewpoint, Rashad Jennings isn't anything special, Shane Vereen is more receiver than runner, and Andre Williams hasn't offered much promise since being drafted two seasons ago. There are no immovable objects here.
Perkins ran for more than 2,900 yards over the last two seasons at UCLA. He's a dart throw, but if you're throwing darts late ...
Below are some brief comments on backs that are probably more dynasty-worthy than 2016 options but could help this season if things break just right.
DeAndre Washington, Raiders: Small at 200 pounds, but he can catch the ball (124 receptions at Texas Tech) and is more likely to serve as a complement than a threat to Latavius Murray. The Raiders aren't huge fans of Murray, though.
Keith Marshall, Redskins: Marshall wowed Combine observers by running a 4.31 40-yard dash after an injury-riddled college career. Matt Jones is set to be the Redskins' starter, but he's had fumbling issues, so you never know what could happen.
Wendell Smallwood, Eagles: Smallwood impressed the Eagles at OTAs, but at 201 pounds he's not well-suited for a lead role. However, check Ryan Mathews' injury history before writing off Smallwood.
Alex Collins, Seahawks: More of a power runner than Prosise but apparently has issues with receiving and blocking. Could get a decent early workload if Rawls isn't ready.
Josh Ferguson, Colts: Head coach Chuck Pagano called Ferguson a "mismatch out in space" during a standout performance at OTAs. At 198 pounds, the rookie from Illinois is line for a role as Frank Gore's pass-catching sidekick. Very interesting for PPR leagues.
