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The NFL Draft has officially concluded, and we've celebrated and wept as new player values were realized (Myles Gaskin) while others feel as if they've faded into the abyss (James Robinson).
In regards to rookies, a rather underwhelming draft class led to several running backs falling to the much later rounds or going undrafted altogether. While the loss of draft capital certainly hurts players we may have once loved, we would be incorrect in assuming that all hope is lost. Remember, somewhere, somebody loved James Robinson and capitalized on him going undrafted in 2020.
Considering the situation that these rookies face as they head into the season, let's take a look at some FFPC ADPs and identify a few rookie RBs who may have fallen by the wayside on draft day but could boost your best ball team in 2021. ADP from May 1st to May 5th, taken from RotoViz FFPC Exposure and ADP tool.
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Kenny Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles
123.2 ADP, RB41
Whether you call him Kenneth or Kenny, Kenny Gainwell made for an interesting day three selections when the Eagles drafted him in the fifth round. While some may debate whether or not he is the "perfect" back to fill in for Miles Sanders should he ever go down, let's not overlook the man who relegated Antonio Gibson to a backup RB role at Memphis in 2019.
During the 2019 season, Gainwell logged 231 carries for 1,459 yards and 13 touchdowns. He caught another 51 passes for 610 yards and three touchdowns and finished his career with a 35% running back dominator rating per RotoViz's Player Box Score Scout tool.
Gainwell also possesses elite speed, posting a 4.42 40-yard dash during his pro day.
Image courtesy of RotoViz Prospect Workout Explorer
Perhaps most importantly is the running back talent currently behind Gainwell - or lack thereof.
Aside from Sanders and Gainwell, the Eagles' running back depth chart is made up of Jason Huntley, Jordan Howard, Boston Scott, Elijah Holyfield, and some much lesser-known names.
In short, Gainwell's competition for touches behind Sanders is lacking.
Currently going around the early 11th round of FFPC best ball drafts, Gainwell offers significant upside as a dual threat in the backfield. An unexpected injury to Sanders during camp probably propels Gainwell to the seventh or eighth round of drafts - and that might not be high enough.
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
172.8 ADP, RB54
If you thought Mike Davis offered league winning upside in 2020, then boy do I have news for you.
The Panthers drafted Chuba Hubbard in the fourth round of this year's draft, and while he'll be stuck behind Christian McCaffrey for the foreseeable future, upside does exist.
During his time at Oklahoma State, Hubbard rushed for 3,457 yards and 33 touchdowns while averaging 5.9 yards per carry. During the 2019 season, he made his Heisman candidacy bid, as he rushed for 2,094 yards and 21 touchdowns while adding another 23/198/0 through the air.
With a 4.48 40-yard dash and a 70th percentile speed score, Hubbard can turn any run into a long touchdown. His receiving upside is a bit concerning, having only accounted for 6% of his team's receiving market share during his time at OKSU, but he did have back-to-back 20 catch seasons in 2018 and 2019.
Going back to the RotoViz Prospect Workout Explorer, we can see how Hubbard projects over time based on his workout metrics.
Image courtesy of RotoViz Prospect Workout Explorer
Should McCaffrey go down, Hubbard could be in line for significant work. Much like Gainwell's situation in Philadelphia, Hubbard also faces underwhelming competition in terms of the depth chart. With Mike Davis now in Atlanta, Carolina's backfield consists largely of journeymen and unknowns.
Since I'm not going to allow myself to be scared off by the likes of Trenton Cannon and Reggie Bonnafon, I'm happily adding Hubbard in the 15th round if I can get him.
Jaret Patterson, Washington Football Team
323.5 ADP, RB96
When it comes to interesting prospects, none hit the mark quite like Jaret Patterson.
Standing at 5'6" and weighing 195 pounds, Patterson could get lost in some tall grass. Or as it relates to football, he could weasel his way in and around his blockers upfront.
If his name still isn't ringing any bells, perhaps you may remember Patterson's performance in Week 13 of the college football season. In that game against Kent State, Patterson took 36 carries for a whopping 409 yards and eight touchdowns. This after rushing for 31/301/4 the previous week against Bowling Green.
Another interesting note to Patterson's game is that he failed to haul in a single pass in 2020. For his career, he managed only 20 receptions while at the University of Buffalo, including 13 in 2019. But it's safe to say the receiving game isn't his strong suit.
Fortunately for him, they likely won't ask him to catch too many passes in Washington, where he signed after going undrafted. Both Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic should handle most of the backfield targets when healthy.
However, when it comes to pure runners on the roster, Patterson may present the most upside - making him a nice handcuff to Gibson that is free to acquire.
Of the other backs on the depth chart, Peyton Barber will be entering his age 27 season at the start of training camp and saw his touches decline as Gibson rose through the ranks. Additionally, Ron Rivera couldn't try harder to avoid giving McKissic a carry if he tried, and Lamar Miller (yes, that Lamar Miller) offers little to no upside in this offense.
The risk with taking Patterson now is based on the fact that he might not even break camp with the team for Week 1. However, sitting on an underwhelming running back depth chart has to bode well for the cannon ball-sized running back looking to make a name for himself in the league.
He's as free as free gets in FFPC best ball drafts. At his ADP, drafting him can do more good than harm.
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