Not Boring Veteran RBs

With a Sunday morning hat tip to compadre Ian Hartitz, who yesterday dropped a “great day to be great” analysis on the RB handcuffs we need to keep in mind during draft season, it’s time to get a little boring. As in the veteran RBs who have been around a while, and are still churning out yards and fantasy points. 

Thinking about these players who still are projected to lead their backfields even though they’re creeping closer to that scary age-30 season, I’m reminded of a fantasy baseball term coined by amigo and fantasy analyst Scott Pianowski: Raul Ibañez All-Stars.

Ibanez was a solid player who hit 273 home runs after his 30th birthday. He was never a high pick in fantasy, yet was consistently good for 20-30 home runs in a season and steady production—some of it for Kendall Valenzuela’s hometown Mariners. That made me think of three veteran RBs who your leaguemates may be so familiar with that they might bypass them because of it. Yet savvy fantasy managers can scoop up those players because, well, fantasy points matter regardless who’s scoring them.

3 Key Veteran RBs to Remember on Draft Day

Josh Jacobs | Packers

• Rank: RB14

• ADP: 26.7 

• Projections: 298 touches, 1,389 yards and 12.9 TDs

One thing that will be highlighted so much with these players is how much TDs play in their scoring. Jacobs has scored 30 TDs in 32 games over these past two seasons. He got 92% of the Packers’ inside-the-5 carries last season. Green Bay traded away backup Emanuel Wilson and did not replace him in the draft. The team also had a 58% dropback rate, which was tied for 25th in the league. So we have a player projected near 300 touches in a run-heavy offense where he’s getting almost all of the touches near the goal line. And he’s there in the third round? Sign me up.

Kyren Williams | Rams

• Rank: RB17 

• ADP: 33.9 

• Projections: 219-1,006-9 (rushing) and 28-183-2 (receiving)

I promise, this is not the Ram fan in me coming out. We heard HC Sean McVay say last offseason that Williams was going to get a lighter workload and that Blake Corum was going to get more involved in the offense. What happened? Williams still posted 295 touches, 1,533 scrimmage yards and 13 TDs, his third straight season with TD production in the teens. Corum did have a nice season, with some boom weeks, but Williams is still a heavy favorite to be one of the TD leaders in one of the best offenses in the NFL. He’s 26. He got 59% of the carries inside the 5 and 95% of the touches inside two minutes. Williams remains a main cog in LA’s machine going late in the third round.

David Montgomery | Texans

• Rank: RB21 

• ADP: 48.6 

• Projections: 221-958-8 and 29-214-0.9

What gets me on Knuckles’ ADP is that he’s going after TreVeyon Henderson. Um, did these drafters not see Rhamondre Stevenson dominate carries in the postseason for New England? Montgomery is now in Houston with the goal to fill the role that injury did not allow Joe Mixon to fill last season. Monty’s main competition for touches is going to be Woody Marks, who never surpassed 74 rushing yards nor 5 targets in a game last season. The definition of meh. When a player like Montgomery is projected near 1,200 yards and 9 TDs and is there at the 4-5 turn, no need to think twice before clicking on his name. 

Yes, the names may be well-worn, but like your favorite hoody when fall turns to winter, those fantasy points will be plenty comfortable.