🗃️ This Team Can't Stop Collecting RBs

Do not believe anything you hear from Patriots training camp…

In today’s Fantasy Life Newsletter presented by Money:

Can someone let the Jets know that they have Breece Hall?

You know, the guy who finished the final five weeks of the 2023 season with four Top 3 RB weeks in PPR…

The guy who hauled in 90 targets (second only to CMC) despite not receiving a full workload until after the team’s Week 7 bye…

The guy who is a consensus Top 8 pick in every fantasy draft…

Ya, that dude.

Because the Jets have been collecting RBs this offseason like they don’t know about Hall (or Izzy Abanikanda, a solid Year 2 back they selected in last year’s draft).

First, they selected two intriguing prospects in the 2024 Draft—Braelon Allen (Round 4) and Isaiah Davis (Round 5).

And then yesterday, they also signed free agent RB Tarik Cohen to a one-year deal.

Coach Robert Saleh admitted that Cohen, who hasn’t played since 2020 after an ACL tear, was signed primarily to handle kickoff returns.

Still, the team has spent an oddly large amount of resources on a position where they absolutely do not have a need.

Hall has the talent (and the environment with the return of Aaron Rodgers) to deliver a legendary fantasy season, but he’ll need to see CMC-level snaps (966) to do so.

If any of these pesky additions carve out a role, that ceiling outcome will come into question.

💵 A Gold IRA can diversify your portfolio and safeguard your retirement

Safeguarding your retirement with a Gold IRA can help you shield your wealth from market shifts, economic uncertainty, and inflation. And with gold’s value projected to increase in 2024, now is a good time to invest. Planning for retirement involves more than saving, so fortify your portfolio with gold today and plan for a better tomorrow.

See our list of Best Gold IRA Companies to start planning a better retirement.

🦁 How loud will the Lions roar in 2024? Let’s dive in.

🐃 Who will be the Bills top pass catchers? A local beat weighs in.

🧓 Wait, how long has Aaron Rodgers been in the league? Lol.

🚀 The back to draft in Pittsburgh? This is an exciting report.

🤔 The Niners extended a WR. What does this mean for Deebo and Aiyuk?

🐕️ Garrett Wilson on Malachi Corley. That’s a new one.

👀 New contests coming soon to Underdog. Niiiice.

👋 I will not fall for this again. I will not fall for this again.

The board is packed with late-round RBs this year. Today, Jonathan shares some of his favorite Zero RB targets…

I've been a proponent of Zero RB drafting for years, and 2024 sets up well for the strategy with how the draft landscape has shifted. After the top 11 players at the position, RBs as a whole have been pushed down the draft board. This makes it easier than ever to wait on the RB position and has largely eliminated the dreaded 'RB dead zone' with just a few exceptions.

Of course, structural drafting is only part of the story, we still need to make the right picks within those teams. Not all RBs are created equal, and some are better fits for certain roster types than others. With that in mind, I'm going to dive into some of my favorite selections when drafting Zero RB teams on Underdog Fantasy so far this year. 

⚔ Middle Rounds (7-12) 

🦁 David Montgomery (ADP: 73.8)

Last season, David Montgomery finished as the RB8 in half PPR scoring (through Week 17), but he is currently being drafted as the RB19 in the early seventh round of best ball drafts. His team situation may have even improved as Detroit invested heavily in their defense and still has an elite offensive line. An improved defense should help keep the Lions in positive game scripts, creating plenty of work for both Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.

Detroit averaged the third-most points per game in 2023 and is bringing back all of their key offensive pieces. Montgomery had 17 carries inside the five-yard line last season, tied for fourth most in the NFL. As long as he retains that role, he has a pretty high fantasy floor. And if Gibbs ever misses time, he could step into a workhorse role in one of the best offenses in the NFL.

Drafting four or five WRs along with an elite QB or TE (or both) through the first six rounds and then grabbing Montgomery in the seventh is my favorite way to start a Zero RB build. Montgomery provides a great floor/ceiling combo to make him the ideal building block when you don't invest early draft capital in the RB position.

🧐 Late Rounds (13+)

☠️ Bucky Irving (ADP: 174.8)

It was an up-and-down offseason for Bucky Irving as he was a popular prospect heading into the draft cycle but then bombed the NFL Combine and fell to the fourth round. Despite this, he landed in one of the best possible situations for early career production for a fourth-round pick. Irving will slot in behind Rachaad White, who has been one of the least efficient rushers since he entered the NFL.

Irving may not have tested as a good athlete, but he was ultra-productive in college and showed a well-rounded game on film. In 2023, White's 78% snap share was second only to Christian McCaffrey among RBs, and his 62% rush attempt share ranked third. This is partly due to the fact that White stayed relatively healthy and played in all 17 games, but it is still a larger workload than his talent would suggest he should earn.

Tampa Bay also has a new offensive coordinator who has spoken highly of both RBs, which creates the potential for different usage patterns. I want to bet against White suddenly becoming an efficient rusher, and Irving is most likely to be the beneficiary if the Bucs decide to scale back his role as a rusher. Of course, as with all of these backs, there is also the contingent upside if White misses time this season.