4 Mid-Round Fantasy Football Running Backs With Workhorse Potential
Frank Gore, Indianapolis Colts
| Frank Gore | ESPN | Fantasy Pros | My Fantasy League | Composite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average Draft Position | 87 | 74 | 106 | 89 |
Our next running back is basically the opposite of all the other risk-reward options we've covered so far.
Frank Gore has suited up 80 straight regular season games -- with his last missed game coming in 2010. Entering his age-33 season, Gore is far from the flashy pick that some of the previous running backs are, but what he lacks in hypothetical upside, he makes up for with durability and a guaranteed workload in what should be a quality offense.
While Gore rushed for under four yards per carry for the first time in his career last season, he was given 250-plus carries for the fifth-straight season. With Robert Turbin. Jordan Todman, and undrafted rookie Josh Ferguson as his only competition and Rob Chudzinski as his offensive coordinator, Gore should once again be a workhorse for the Colts in 2016.
In the eight games with Chudzinski as the offensive coordinator last season, Gore averaged 17.5 carries per game, up from the 15 per game in the previous eight games. In four previous seasons as an offensive coordinator, Chudzinski's teams averaged 439 rush attempts, 1,999 yards, and 16.5 touchdowns, which would have ranked 11th, 7th, and 6th, respectively, last season.
In addition to not having competition for carries and an offensive coordinator who likes to run the ball, Gore will benefit from an improved offensive line. Indy's unit was average in 2015, grading out as the 15th-best line according to Pro Football Focus, but they made it a priority to improve their line after watching Andrew Luck go down with an injury last season. They spent four picks on offensive lineman, including selecting center Ryan Kelly with the 18th-overall pick and tackle Le'Raven Clark in the third round.
The improved offensive line certainly should help open up running lanes for Gore but, more importantly, should help keep Indy's offensive centerpiece healthy. In nine games without Luck over the past two seasons, Indianapolis has averaged just 19.56 points per game and their running backs have averaged 3.67 red zone looks (rushing attempt or target). In 23 games with Luck during that span, the Colts have averaged 26.74 points and running backs have averaged 4.3 red zone looks.
If you believe Gore can elude Father Time for one more season, everything else seems to be lining up perfectly for a big season for him. After not reaching his goal of 1,000 rushing yards last season, Gore has been open about being motivated to post a better season in 2016 and reach the 1,000 yard mark once again. If he's given over 250 carries again in a much improved offense, 1,000 yards certainly seems attainable. If that comes with a few additional touchdowns, Gore would be a usable fantasy asset and quite the value where he is being drafted.
