Dynasty Draftnik

Cowboys, UDFA. Signed by the Cowboys as UDFA but he injured his quadriceps in preseason and was placed on IR. He was one of many small, but quick, running backs in this draft. What sets him apart from many others like him is that he is a pretty solid blocker, so he may be able to step into a third-down back role on the Cowboys or some other team in 2015.

All-Star Games: Shrine Game.

Positives: Adequate hand size. Runs with adequate speed, but above-average quickness and good burst. Above-average track speed and adequate to his size. Shows above-average patience and vision for cutbacks. Has quick feet and is able to change directions well and quickly. Fair balance after contact. Slippery in the open field, and it is hard to get a good hit on him. Agile, with a nice spin move. Not easy to bring down despite his small size. Nimble on the sidelines and can tiptoe down the line and get both feet in on receptions. Is a very willing blocker, and is fairly physical and surprisingly effective at it, with good leverage. Above-average hands and can extend to catch passes away from his frame. Churns through contact. He was also the fullback on the punt team.

Negatives: Short for the position, with below-average bulk. Though his hands are generally reliable, they don’t seem strong enough in wet conditions. Though he churns through contact, he has overall below-average power. Suspect balance making cuts.

Projection: Draft and hope that he can be a big part of a committee approach.

UDFA. Signed by the Packers as a UDFA but was released in August. He is very similar to Zach Bauman of Northern Arizona, a running back who is also in this draft, who I also compared to Steve Slaton. Perkins runs with slightly more power than Bauman, though. Has enough skills to be a big part of a running back by committee approach and a solid contributor in the NFL.

All-Star Games: Shrine Game.

Positives: though his height and weight are low, he has a solid build. Above-average hand size. Runs with adequate speed, above-average burst, and good quickness. Above-average track speed for the position. Above-average upper body strength, and surprisingly good for his size. He has quick feet and changes directions well. Is fairly agile and can make moves in the open field. Runs balanced after contact, and churns his legs well – with good leg drive. Shows very good cutback vision and picks his way through traffic well at the line and on kick returns. Patient and is willing to wait behind the line for a block to develop. Above-average hands and can extend to catch passes away from his frame.

Negatives: Short for the position, with below-average bulk. At times, he seems to be hesitant behind the line, and will dance too much instead of just going up field. Runs a little bit out of control and off-balance.

Projection: Could provide RB3 numbers in the right place and offense, but there’s no need to pick him up unless he’s on another team.

Cardinals, UDFA. On the Cardinals, he’s behind maybe four other guys vying for playing time and roster spots, so his success may not be immediate. But he has the talent to put up RB3 numbers in PPR leagues. Has the running skills to be a part of a running back by committee system and returner. Could be a solid contributor in the NFL. He reminds me a bit of Steve Slaton, who was a pretty effective runner his rookie season until he was injured a few years ago.

All-Star Games: Shrine Game.

Positives: Runs with above-average burst, quickness, and stop-and-start ability. Is very agile and this, combined with his quickness and burst, makes him very difficult to get a hand on in the open field. Behind the line, he runs with above-average cutback vision. Seems to see blocks developing very well, allowing him to burst through the hole suddenly. Has adequate hands. Despite his small size, he doesn’t just fall down with contact. He shows fair balance after contact, and can put his hand down to balance himself and get back up to speed right away. He will also churn his legs through contact in short-yardage situations. Above-average track speed for his position, and adequate to his size.

Negatives: Is short for the position, with below-average bulk and hand size. Though he churns through contact, he is not especially strong at the end of runs. In the open field, he shows inconsistent vision, and will miss opportunities to cutback for extra yards. Shows suspect body control when he has to adjust to catch off-target passes. Hesitant behind the line at times, and tends to dance behind the line rather than going up field.

Projection: Probably no need to draft, but keep an eye on his production.

Packers, UDFA. If he becomes more decisive, that might fix some of his problems with power by giving him more momentum. Regardless, he is not an especially talented running back and will probably not be a consistently successful back in the NFL. Was put on IR in August with a knee injury.

All-Star Games: Medal of Honor Bowl and Shrine Game.

Positives: Good height. Adequate bulk and hand size. Runs with adequate speed and burst. Has above-average cutback vision, and is quick enough to bounce runs outside and change directions. Okay ball security technique, and protects the ball well through the line. Gives good effort after contact, and churns his legs for extra yards. Has adequate hands and fair concentration on off-target passes. Shows pretty good field sense, and knows when to give the extra effort for a 1st down. Good vertical leap.

Negatives: Despite his effort and his ability to churn through contact, he doesn’t actually generate all that much power. Seems unusually hesitant before he makes any move – either on kick returns or as a running back.

Projection: Might be worth sticking on your bench in deep leagues, but don’t expect much.

All-Star Games: NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

Positives: Adequate height and hand size. Has a reputation for protecting the ball – only fumbled once through 2012. Okay hands and can extend to catch passes away from his body. Adequate speed. Above-average quickness, burst  and change-of-direction ability. Churns well through contact and isn’t easy to bring down. Above-average cutback vision and lateral movement to bounce from hole to hole behind the line.

Negatives: Slightly below-average bulk. Character red flag – suspended three games in 2012 for DUI. Below-average concentration on easy passes, and will try to turn upfield before securing the ball. Needs to be more decisive behind the line.

Projection: UDFA. Physically talented enough to earn a spot in the NFL, so keep an eye on where he lands. Has enough of an all-around game to be a solid contributor.

Rams, UDFA. Reminds me most of a Bernard Scott. He will likely find a spot on an NFL roster or practice squad because of his return experience, quickness, and hands. May also find a spot in a running-back-by-committee approach. On the Rams, he could be a solid contributor as a third-down back once he establishes himself.

All-Star Games: NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

Positives: Adequate hand size. Above-average speed. Good vision and agility for yards after the catch. Very quick feet and very agile with some nice jump cuts and good lateral movement. Good burst. Very good change-of-direction ability. Will usually falls forward for extra yards. Runs with high knees, and keeps his legs moving strong through contact and will break arm tackles. Is also patient, and will pick his way through traffic. Runs with pretty good ball security technique through the line. Adequate hands.

Negatives: Below-average height for the position, with slightly below-average bulk. Slight build – built more like a small wide receiver than a running back. Consistently below-average punt return fielding hands and fielding decisions. Below-average strength and isn’t strong enough to push the pile as an inside runner. Below-average run blocking ability. Suspect vision on kick returns and will push too far upfield before looking for cutback lanes. Though he seems to use good ball security technique, he will fumble at times – small hands or lack of strength? Poor track speed at Pro Day.

Projection: Worth a flier in dynasty leagues.

UDFA. Signed by the Cardinals as UDFA in May but released and signed by Texans in July and released in August. His combination of size and quickness will probably find him a spot in the NFL. He may have the skills to be part of a running-back-by-committee approach.

All-Star Games: Was invited to the NFLPA Game, but was not on final roster and didn’t play in the game.

Positives: Great height for the position. Adequate hand size. Adequate speed. Above-average track speed for his size and for the position. Above-average vision, quickness and burst, and moves well laterally. Is quick enough to bounce runs outside when necessary. Pretty good balance after contact. Above-average hands and can extend to grab passes away from his frame. Very patient in short-yardage situations.

Negatives: Slightly below-average bulk for his height. His patience borders on hesitation in short-yardage situations. Below-average power. In short-yardage situations, he is easily pushed back at the line – running too upright and leaning against contact instead of churning his legs through contact.

Projection: Keep an eye on him in fantasy and watch where he lands.

Seahawks, Round 7. His prospects on the Seahawks are much better as a fullback than a running back. Especially since they already have Marshawn Lynch, Robert Turbin, and Christine Michael. But the fact that he can play both running back and fullback (and linebacker) should help him stick. But he’s probably not more than a deep bench player and special teamer in the NFL.

All-Star Games: NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

Positives: Great bulk for even a fullback. Can pick his way through traffic at the line. Above-average power with strong legs and can churn through his contact. Above-average hands. Versatile, and can play running back, fullback, and was also the backup linebacker in college. Fair run blocker who steps up to meet defenders.

Negatives: Short for a running back, and way too short for a fullback. Is also probably too bulky and slow to play running back in the NFL. Below-average speed and quickness. Poor track speed. Runs too upright behind the line and in short yardage situations. Isn’t an overpowering blocker. Had foot surgery in Sept. 2012 and missed the rest of the season, redshirting.

Projection: No need to draft in fantasy.