Fantasy Football: 6 Sleeper Running Backs to Target in 2018

James White, New England Patriots

ADP: 9.01 (RB42)

With the regular season quickly approaching, both first-round draft pick Sony Michel and fellow incumbent Rex Burkhead have had some injury flags pop up. Michel required fluid to be drained from his knee due to a meniscus issue, and Burkhead apparently has a "slight tear in his knee," after missing six games a year ago.

Even when those two are healthy, James White's role as the main pass catching threat in this backfield is locked in, but if those two miss any time, he could see a bigger workload.

Over the last three seasons, White has averaged 77 targets and 57 receptions for 505 yards per 16 games played (via ProFootballReference). Last year alone, with his pass-catching-powered PPR floor, he was a weekly RB36 (RB3/flex) or better in 9 out of his 14 games, per Fantasy Pros, making him a viable flex play more often than not. With the Patriots missing 256 targets from 2017 due to the departures of Dion Lewis and Brandin Cooks -- in addition to Julian Edelman's four-game ban -- White could be in line for even more passing-game volume in 2018.

His ADP has been on the rise recently, but he still sits in the early part of the 9th round. Even though his ceiling isn't super high, White can be a solid player who will bail out fantasy owners from injuries and bye weeks this season. -- Kent Weyrauch