Fantasy Football: 5 Late-Round Running Backs With Early-Season Roles
Jacquizz Rodgers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jacquizz Rodgers may be a bit more expensive than our previous three targets as the 42nd running back off the board, and his role may last just three weeks, but those three weeks could be pure bliss.
With teammate Doug Martin set to miss the first three games due to a suspension, Rodgers is in line to handle the team's featured-back duties, working ahead of Charles Sims in the preseason.
#Buccaneers started Doug Martin, but Jacquizz Rodgers worked in with 1st-team offense. Charles Sims was 3rd back in the game.
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) August 12, 2017
And the Buccaneers' faith in Rodgers makes sense. Of 54 running backs who logged at least 80 carries last year, Rodgers ranked eighth in Success Rate, a numberFire statistic that measures the percentage of plays on which a player increases the team's Net Expected Points for the drive. Martin, meanwhile, ranked a paltry 47th in that stat.
Despite the poor showing in 2016, Martin still figures to handle the lead-back duties upon his return. That's not to say that it's a forgone conclusion. Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht told ESPN that Martin was not guaranteed a starting spot after his suspension ended. That opens the door for Rodgers to have longer-term value should he impress early on, making that increased cost a bit easier to swallow.
