A couple of rookies offer up tremendous value as fantasy football RB sleepers including Miles Sanders (Philadelphia Eagles), Justice Hill (Baltimore Ravens), and Devin Singletary (Buffalo Bills). At the same time, Derrius Guice (Washington Redskins) is almost a rookie after he missed last season recovering from a torn ACL.
If you have a large fantasy football league, then you know it’s difficult to find a decent RB after the first dozen are gone. There’s plenty of average running backs out there, but everyone is looking for the next big thing or a breakout year.
To quote the Grateful Dead, “Sometimes you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it just right.”
TOP FANTASY FOOTBALL RB SLEEPERS:
Miles Sanders (Philadelphia)
Derrius Guice (Washington)
Devin Singletary (Buffalo)
Justice Hill (Baltimore)
Justin Jackson (San Diego)
Rookies are always good sleepers because they’re legit unknowns. They’re also huge risks as well, but if you can find one that’s ready to roll from Week 1, then you hit the fantasy football RB jackpot.
Everyone was high on Derrius Guice last season before he blew out his knee. He’s recovered from a torn ACL, but worthy of a flier.
Rubes: Sanders, Hill and Singletary
Everyone is looking for the next Saquon Barkley right now. That’s Miles Sanders with the Eagles. That’s a lot of pressure to throw onto a rookie right away, but if anyone can pull off a sick season like Barkley, it’s Sanders. The Eagles drafted Sanders in the second round out of Penn State. Last season, he rushed for 9 touchdowns and averaged 5.8 yards per carry.
While Lamar Jackson made waves and garnered the majority of attention in Baltimore last season, Justice Hill is this year’s rookie that is supposed to turn head. The Ravens selected him in the fourth round out of Oklahoma State. After the combine, a lot of scouts pegged him as a Darren Sproles type of back.
Devin Singletary is a rookie out of Florida Atlantic that could get a chance to shine. He might be small at 5-foot-7, but Singletary packs a punch. FAU used him as a primary rushers, but the Bills found out he can catch out of the backfield. Singletary has to fight with Frank Gore and LeSean McCoy for the starting job. But those are older RB and it’s a long season.
The Bills Mafia are very high on “Motor” Singletary, then again, if you’ve ever been to a Bills game in Orchard Park, then you know those folks party like it’s 1999.
JJ and Guice
Justin Jackson was just an unknown rookie last season. It took several weeks before Philip Rivers even knew his name, but once he stepped into the mix, it was hard not to forget Justin Jackson after a couple of impressive performances coming off the bench. Jackson scored two touchdowns but averaged 4.1 yards per carry.
Jackson put up sensational numbers at Northwestern. He’s currently third on the depth chart, but if Melvin Gordon pulls a Le’Veon Bell and sits out the rest of the season, then he’ll move up a spot. Current backup Austin Eckler is also worth a flier if Bell is out.
Derrius Guice might make you snicker, especially if you have a low opinion with the Washington Redskins. They team is in deep trouble trying to figure out their QB situation. It looks like Case Keenum will be starting because Colt McCoy is not ready yet (after returning from a leg injury). Rookie Dwayne Haskins is currently the backup. With a QB situation in flux, Jon Gruden will be relying more on Guice.
The Skins drafted him in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of LSU. Guice set an SEC record with three games with 250+ rushing yards. He ran for over 3K yards in three seasons in Baton Rogue. Guice blew out his knee in the first preseason game last year. He missed his entire rookie season, but now he’s back and ready to show the NFL what he can do.
Do not forget to check out other 2019 fantasy football coverage including the Top 10 RBs, Top QBs, Best QB Sleepers, QB Busts, Top WRs, and Best WR Sleepers.
