Fantasy football is often about nailing mid to late round picks that produce at higher value. Of course drafting LeSean McCoy early on and having him play well is ideal, but sometimes you whiff or injury strikes. That's when your later picks come into play.
Or sometimes, you draft right early on and then your later picks transform you into a dominant wrecking machine. Either way, grabbing undervalued assets is a plus. Here are five running backs able to provide that in a format that rewards receiving ability-PPR. That's point per reception for newbies, and it's self-explanatory. For every catch, it's a point. Even if your guy catches a screen pass and gets knocked back five yards it equals a point.
With that said these aren't pure "sleeper" rankings. Rather, they're just players who are getting drafted underneath where they could produce in PPR.
Shane Vereen, New England Patriots (ADP: 38)
Vereen's not going to be the featured back, but his receiving ability is off the chart. He's currently the 18th back off the board, behind guys like Zac Stacy and Alfred Morris. While they might be workhorses, they can't catch it like Vereen who can even serve as a wide receiver at times.
Vereen averaged six receptions per game in eight games last season, which was marred by a hand injury. If he can last all season, judging off his average from 2013 he may challenge the 100-catch barrier. If it's a full point per reception, he's pretty much a No. 1 option.
Chris Johnson, New York Jets (ADP: 61)
While Johnson is a long way from his 2,000-yard season form, he remains one of the NFL's more consistent backs. He's never rushed for fewer than 1,000 yards, nor has he ever caught fewer than 36 passes in a season.
The Jets upgraded their offensive line in the offseason, and last I checked Geno Smith is still the type of player who must make use of dump off passes. Last season Johnson had four receiving touchdowns, and he had almost three catches per game. New team, new offense, but his skills haven't changed. He's being underdrafted.
Pierre Thomas, New Orleans Saints (ADP: 53)
I declared love for Vereen already, but why is Thomas being drafted so far behind him? Last year Thomas caught 4.8 passes per game; he's the clear starter and even though the Saints backfield has many contributors so does New England's.
Thomas is capable of 1,000 yards from scrimmage, and there's always the possibility of his receiving touchdowns going up with how often Drew Brees throws near the end zone. If you miss out on Vereen, Thomas is a perfectly viable No. 2 RB in PPR leagues. If he winds up as your FLEX, you're golden.
Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills (ADP: 95)
Jackson may be 33 years old, but last season he proved he has plenty left in the tank. I'm a fan of C.J. Spiller, but he's not a proven commodity in the NFL yet-and Jackson is. If Spiller went down and Jackson became the workhorse again, he's a must-start every week.
On top of that, he's averaged 3.4 and 2.9 catches per game over the past two seasons. Regardless of Spiller healthy, Jackson will get his touches week to week and with such a young receiving corps the running backs will get some work with EJ Manuel under center.
Roy Helu, Washington Redskins (ADP: 183)
With Robert Griffin III feeling healthier than last season, any running back in the same backfield stands to benefit. New offensive coordinator Jay Gruden loves to throw, and he'll throw to all the weapons he's got. Morris is still the No. 1 back in D.C., but there's a chance for Helu to slot in as a Giovani Bernard-type and get enough touches per week to be a consistent contributor.
He's proven receiving chops-as a rookie he caught 49 passes for 379 yards while cracking 1,000 yards from scrimmage. I see his versatility allowing him to thrive this season and surprise many owners.
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