It’s time to kick off the 2021 Fantasy Football Season and Bruno Boys is here to start another season of NFL action with you. It’s fantasy draft season, which means that everywhere you look, there’s a draft going on. Whether it be best ball, dynasty, auction, redraft leagues, keeper drafts, or weekly formats, players need to have some sleepers in their back pocket to navigate the second half of their drafts.
Barring injuries, the first four to six rounds should be money as long as you let the draft come to you (don’t reach). But it’s rounds seven and beyond where you separate yourself from your competitors and build quality depth while keeping your in-season roster modifications to a minimum. Let’s talk about the Running Backs.
The feeding frenzy for the running back position can be dizzying. And with more leagues starting three wide receivers or using super flex positions, fantasy players can find themselves forgetting to build good depth at the running back position, leaving them reaching for players with recognizable who are long in the tooth or don’t have the talent to ever play.
Try filling your roster with players that you see starting at some point in the season, even if you’re stashing them for the second half. Here are 10 sleeper running backs we would target in your fantasy drafts. They might not be starters right away but in the event they do move up the depth chart, you’ll be glad you drafted them.
Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts
Returning from a torn achilles tendon and the arrival of Jonathan Taylor robbed Mack of most of his fantasy stock but he could provide extra juice coming out of the Colts’ backfield. In the first week of training camp, the Colts lost quarterback Carson Wentz and guard Quenton Nelson to foot injuries, both requiring surgery. Wentz could be staging a recovery to return in the first four weeks of the season. Nelson could be out much longer.
Taylor is expecting to be a stud, but Wentz and Nelson’s injuries will deal big blows to the Colts who might struggle to get off to a good start. Taylor will shoulder the majority of the weight needed to carry this offense now and the line is missing arguably the best guard in the league. Because of that I believe that Mack will get more action early on in the season to spell the Colts’ young back and could earn himself 8-10 touches per game.
That said, we need to remind readers that Mack is just 25; he had explosive and elusive speed prior to the injury and still has the size to run at players. He was supposed to be the lead back in 2020 but will need to prove he can return to form. Patient owners who can stash Mack for a few weeks will need to see how the carries and pass-catching duties are spread out. Nyheim Hines is also in the mix on third down too. However, if Mack is able to get back to his old playing shape and earns a regular role, he will be a bargain late round pickup as your RB4 or RB5.
