Life as an undrafted free agent has no guarantees. You could never get signed by a team. You could blow out a knee and be cut immediately. You could outperform a draftee in camp, but still get let go because the team has money invested in the other guy. The success stories for undrafted players are few and far between. That does not mean we can ignore these players in dynasty football leagues.
Still, every year someone emerges from the rough to become an undrafted diamond – a player the league should have noticed but didn’t until it’s too late. This is the final market inefficiency frontier for fantasy players – specifically dynasty football managers.
That’s one of the reasons I’m here with Fantrax: to help you identify those players before they break out. Here are 10 undrafted running backs from the 2018 class who could hit big in the next few years. Metrics come from my personal prospect database; statistics are courtesy of Sports Reference.
Undrafted RBs to Consider for Dynasty Football Leagues
Near-Term Value
Josh Adams, Philadelphia Eagles
Josh Adams appears to be a similarly-sized back to Eagles’ incumbent lead back Jay Ajayi, but the Notre Dame product is a completely different player. The 6-foot-2, 213-pound thumper has a pounding running style much more reminiscent of LeGarrette Blount than the one-cut Ajayi, a unique skillset on the team which should lead to an early-career role in short-yardage situations.
On 480 college carries, Adams averaged 6.67 yards per attempt with a touchdown rate (touchdowns per carry) of 4.17 percent. His workload increased in his final season as the Irish’s unquestioned bell cow back, and he sustained a high yards-per-attempt average despite suffering an ankle injury midway through the season.
Athletically, Adams holds a 67th percentile Speed Score (weight-adjusted 40 time) among draft-eligible running backs since 1999, 77th percentile Agility Score (weight-adjusted three-cone and short shuttle), and 57th percentile Force Score (weight-adjusted vertical and broad jumps).
Athletic Comp: A poor man’s Todd Gurley
Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens
Those believing in Gus Edwards will not have production to base their love on. The redshirt senior spent most of his collegiate career playing behind fellow 2018 NFL Draft classmate Mark Walton at Miami, never topping 70 touches in a season. He transferred to Rutgers last year and racked up 164 carries, earning a pedestrian 4.35 yards per attempt and a 3.66 percent touchdown rate.
Still, the reason that Edwards intrigues is his athletic profile. Standing 6-foot-1, weighing 229 pounds, Edwards has the kind of balance and power-after-contact profile that could benefit a resilient inside running game. His Speed Score is 86th percentile, his Agility Score is 77th percentile, and his Force Score is 91st percentile.
For the Ravens, who have a paper-thin depth chart at running back, Edmunds presents redundancy for lead back Alex Collins, another strong interior runner with the quicks to bounce outside. If Edwards sticks on the roster, he could push for change-of-pace duties later this season.
Athletic Comp: Basically just D’Onta Foreman
Keep on Your Dynasty Football Radar
Ryan Nall, Chicago Bears
Ryan Nall played a little bit of everything in his time at Oregon State. He was recruited as a tight end, then eventually accrued 312 carries as a power-running tailback over his final two years at school. He averaged 5.64 yards per attempt and 6.73 percent touchdown rate those seasons, with an additional 49 receptions for 454 yards and four scores.
The Bears do not have a true power back on their roster, with one-cut runner Jordan Howard and receiving back Tarik Cohen atop the depth chart. The 6-foot-2, 232-pound Nall may even earn some snaps at tight end, with the situation fairly fluid there outside of Trey Burton.
Nall’s Speed Score places him in the 75th percentile, while his Agility Score is 98th percentile and his Force score is 89th percentile.
Athletic Comp: A slower Ronnie Brown
Phillip Lindsay, Denver Broncos
Small is not typically what fantasy owners want in a running back, but Phillip Lindsay – 5-foot-8 and 190 pounds – makes it work. Lindsay spent his final two seasons at Colorado, averaging 5.00 yards per attempt with a 5.50 percent touchdown rate on 545 carries. Perhaps more impressive, he also totaled 750 receiving yards and two air scores on 76 catches. Despite his diminutive size, Lindsay holds up as an inside runner and blitz protector, and he has the kind of versatile skill set needed to be a third-down back in the NFL.
On the Broncos, he has the chance to snag this role with things fairly open on the depth chart. The team selected Royce Freeman in the third round of the draft, but they cut veteran C.J. Anderson; Lindsay could move up quickly.
Among the 62 running backs since 1999 to enter the league at 195 pounds or fewer, Lindsay’s Speed Score is fifth-highest, his Agility Score is 46th, and his Force Score is 15th.
Athletic Comp: A thicker Tarik Cohen
Akrum Wadley, Tennessee Titans
Former Iowa back Akrum Wadley stands 5-foot-8, weighing in at 194 pounds, but he is electric in his contributions on the field; his light and quick feet help him with cuts on a dime. In his final two years in college, he produced 5.21 yards per attempt and a 4.76 percent touchdown rate on 420 carries, with 668 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 64 catches.
For the Titans, Wadley presents an immediate returner option, as well as depth for receiving complementary back Dion Lewis. With just three other backs on the roster, Wadley’s position appears pretty secure, though his ceiling is capped.
Among the 62 running backs since 1999 to enter the league at 195 pounds or fewer, Wadley’s Speed Score ranks 41st, his Agility Score is 42nd, and his Force Score is 35th.
Athletic Comp: A taller Dion Lewis
Need a Change of Scenery
Darrel Williams, Kansas City Chiefs
Darrel Williams is trapped behind young superstar Kareem Hunt and steady veteran Spencer Ware, but he has a solid physical profile. Williams stands 6-foot-0, 225 pounds and holds a 71st percentile Agility Score.
He never got a chance to lead the LSU Tigers in college until last year, where he racked up 145 carries for 820 yards (5.66 average) and nine touchdowns (6.21 percent). He also added 23 catches for 331 yards. Williams could be a solid fantasy back, given the right workload.
Athletic Comp: Mike Bell 2.0
Kamryn Pettway and Mike Boone, Minnesota Vikings
I combined these two in this section because only one (if even) of Kamryn Pettway and Mike Boone are likely to remain by final cuts. Both have high-end Force Scores (80th and 96th percentile, respectively), but Boone has more straight-line speed (77th percentile Speed Score), while Pettway shows much more cutback athleticism (91st percentile Agility Score).
Dalvin Cook is the unquestioned lead back for the Vikings, but they could cut Latavius Murray and/or fullback C.J. Ham for one of these two. It’s more likely they get a chance elsewhere, however.
Athletic Comp: A quicker Shonn Greene (Pettway), and a more explosive Samaje Perine (Boone)
Jarvion Franklin, Pittsburgh Steelers
Similar to the Vikings’ situation, no one is getting on the field at the expense of Le’Veon Bell in the next few years. That said, the 5-foot-11, 239-pound Jarvion Franklin has the kind of profile to stick as his long-term backup. Over his four years as Western Michigan’s lead back, Franklin averaged 5.17 yards per attempt and 5.52 percent touchdown rate across 942 attempts.
There’s a lack of explosiveness in Franklin’s skillset that is concerning, but he has a 70th percentile Speed Score and 99th percentile Agility Score. If he can slim down a bit in the pros, there’s a chance he earns a two-down role and keeps it.
Athletic Comp: A faster Malcolm Brown
Chris Warren, Free Agent
There’s no reason why teams shouldn’t take a flier on Chris Warren III out of Texas, yet he remains unsigned at the time of this article’s publication. Warren had an odd journey through college ball, stuck behind D’Onta Foreman for much of his time at UT, and then was forced to move to H-back/tight end in his final season. Due to this, he never produced much on the ground and was highly unsatisfied with his role on the team.
Despite any seeming concerns about a disgruntled player, teams should sit up and take note of a 6-foot-2, 247-pound running back who can also catch, and runs a 4.69 forty-yard dash. Yes, that’s the same size as Derrick Henry and just a hair behind his forty time. Warren’s Agility Score is the best among all draft-eligible backs since 1999, and his Force Score is a whopping 98th percentile. He’s worth a look.
Athletic Comp: A less explosive, more agile Derrick Henry