NFL

4 Running Backs Ready to Make the Leap to the Next Fantasy Football Tier

Tyler Buecher  —  @TylerBuecher Jul 21st, 2015
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Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers

After waiting for what seems like an eternity, Jonathan Stewart finally has been given the lead dog opportunity in Carolina.

Looking to build off his incredible end-of-season tear -- Stewart finished the last five weeks of the season trailing only DeMarco Murray in rushing yards -- he finally gets the chance to showcase his talent as the lead running back.

A more than capable three-down back, Stewart's only adversary to playing time is his health. Missing 20 games over the past three seasons, there's a reason for his current suppressed price and his RB23 ADP.

If healthy, Stewart looks to have a fairly high floor, as the Panthers have rushed the ball 54.6% of the time over the last three years, trailing only San Francisco. Despite not having a spectacular season from numberFire's metrics, Stewart still put up a healthy 4.6 yards per carry while being able to grind out the tough yards. Out of all backs eclipsing 50 rushing attempts, Stewart's 2.6 rushing yards after contact per attempt tied for the seventh-highest in the league according to Pro Football Focus.

The 28-year-old running back will still have to vie with quarterback Cam Newton and bulldozer Mike Tolbert for red zone carries, as the duo has scored 31 of Carolina's 40 red zone rushing touchdowns over the past three years. However, Stewart should still be a volume maven as numberFire's current projections see him getting about 200 carries. The rest of the running back stable shouldn't be a concern to steal carries from Stewart, as his history and production far outweigh his contemporaries.

Being drafted among several rookies and unproven backs, why not take the undisputed lead rusher on a heavy rushing team?

I think Stewart has a fairly reasonable chance to surpass his ADP value and finish as a high-end RB2. Gambling on Stewart finishing all 16 games is a risky endeavor, but he could return more than optimal value if he makes it through the season unscathed.

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