Hidden Gems: Running Backs In A PPR League

Over the years many people have won their fantasy football leagues by getting lucky on the waiver wire or taking advantage of other teams not drafting very well or they find a few diamonds in the rough towards the end of the draft that help carry their team to fantasy prominence. Here are a few running backs that you should be able to get in the middle to later rounds of the draft that should help you in a ppr league.

Rashad Jennings

Jennings was signed as a free agent out of Oakland in the off-season. Jennings filled in well for the injured Darren McFadden last year for Oakland and he did a serviceable job. 733 yards rushing with 6 TDs on the ground and 36 receptions and 292 yards through the air, Jennings should be able to excel as the feature back in the New York Giants offense. Tom Coughlin loves to run the ball and Jennings will be able to do that for him. With Peyton Hillis and rookie running back Andre Williams on the roster, both of whom don’t catch the ball all too well out of the backfield, barring injury, Rashad Jennings will be the go to guy in the Giants backfield

Pierre Thomas

With the trade of Darren Sproles to the Eagles, Pierre Thomas will be the primary running back that will be thrown to coming out of the backfield in New Orleans. Thomas had 39 receptions last year even with sharing time with Darren Sproles. 2^nd year running back Khiry Robinson will also make some splashes but Sean Peyton loves a guy that will catch the ball out of the backfield and Thomas has proven that he will do that. If the Saints turn to a more traditional running game it will favor Robinson and Mark Ingram more, but they haven’t really used a traditional run game since Peyton has been there and with a top 3 quarterback calling the plays I see the Saints to continue throwing the ball around the yard. That makes Thomas a great flex play in PPR leagues