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With the 2024 NFL season approaching, so are dynasty fantasy football drafts. That means a new crop of rookies will be welcomed into fantasy leagues, with each young talent full of promise. It also means that a flurry of trades is incoming as managers attempt to shape their rosters according to their plans for the upcoming season. Thus, this is a crucial time to identify sleepers who hold more value than one may assume at first glance.
In this article, five young running backs will be presented as sleeper options for dynasty managers ahead of the 2024 season. Due to the importance of rookie drafts, the majority of players featured in this article are indeed first-year prospects. However, non-rookie trade targets should not be overlooked either, which is why one second-year back is included in the conversation as well.
If you are interested in finding more sleepers after finishing this article, do not miss out on this article's WR counterpart, Top Fantasy Football Dynasty Sleepers Heading into 2024 - Wide Receivers.
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Jaylen Wright (Miami Dolphins)
The Miami Dolphins selected running back Jaylen Wright in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, making him the fifth tailback to come off the board this year. The dynamic Wright perfectly meets the profile of a Miami offensive weapon; he ran an explosive 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and his Speed Score and Burst Score are both at the 95th percentile for RBs.
During his collegiate career with the Tennessee Volunteers, Wright did not see the massive volume many eventual pros do. Indeed, his College Dominator of 15.5 percent stands at just the 20th percentile. However, he was incredibly efficient. In 2023, Wright turned 137 rushing attempts into 1,013 yards, good for an average of 7.4 yards per carry. While he scored only four touchdowns a year ago, he found the end zone 10 times as a sophomore in 2022.
ONE SNAP.
ONE PLAY.
TOUCHDOWN @VOL_FOOTBALL. pic.twitter.com/SRREQmbxHF— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) November 18, 2023
The Dolphins already have De'Von Achane and Raheem Mostert in the backfield, meaning Wright does not have the clearest path to a large workload among this year's draft class. However, Achane dealt with numerous injuries a season ago, raising questions about his durability. Additionally, Mostert is now 32 years old; despite his great showings last year, it's unlikely he can sustain such success for much longer. Wright has sleeper status; a path to a large role is more likely to materialize than it may seem.
Will Shipley (Philadelphia Eagles)
Seven selections after the Dolphins scooped up Wright, the Philadelphia Eagles took running back Will Shipley with the 127th overall pick. At 5-foot-11 and 206 pounds, Shipley is not the biggest back out there, but he is athletic and skilled. Shipley ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at Clemson's pro day, and he impressed scouts with his acceleration and agility throughout his college career.
Shipley was fairly productive at Clemson. His best season was as a sophomore in 2022; that year, Shipley rushed for 1,182 yards and 15 touchdowns on 210 attempts. He earned first-team All-ACC honors for his efforts that season. The following year, Shipley picked up 827 yards and five touchdowns on the ground in 12 games. He showed his receiving ability, too, catching 38 and 31 passes in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
WILL SHIPLEY HURDLES A MAN 😳@ClemsonFB | #ACCFootball
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/1rOeJHBwyZ
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) November 12, 2022
Shipley joins an Eagles squad that just added star Saquon Barkley to be their starting running back. Barring injury, this will hinder his ability to truly emerge in the short term. Nonetheless, Shipley is a fantasy football sleeper prospect due to his versatility. He should be able to carve out a role of his own regardless of Barkley's success at the top of the RB hierarchy in Philadelphia.
Audric Estime (Denver Broncos)
With the 12th pick of the fifth round, the Denver Broncos selected former Notre Dame running back Audric Estime. Estime first had a sizable role in college in 2022 when he totaled 1,055 yards and 12 touchdowns on 165 touches. He upped his numbers last year to 1,483 total yards and 18 touchdowns in just 12 games. Estime averaged a solid 6.4 yards per carry a year ago, a testament to his ability to shed tacklers with ease.
A hat trick for Audric Estime! 😤 pic.twitter.com/mjo3A5Fqzq
— Notre Dame on NBC (@NDonNBC) October 28, 2023
Estime is not fast by NFL standards, as his 40-yard dash time of 4.71 seconds is entirely lackluster. Fortunately, Estime's play style is not speed-based. At 5-foot-11 and 226 pounds, Estime pairs size with strength to overpower defenders. This is how he set a program record for rushing touchdowns with the Fighting Irish last season. Estime is excellent at picking up yards after contact, but his lack of burst prevented him from being drafted earlier.
The Broncos will welcome Estime to their backfield in 2024. He will have to compete with Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin for touches. McLaughlin was an undrafted rookie a year ago who showed efficiency, but he has a small build and never saw a large workload. Williams, on the other hand, got a lot of volume last season, but his efficiency was poor after returning from a 2022 knee injury. The door could be open for Estime establishing a real role for himself in Denver.
Isaiah Davis (New York Jets)
In the fourth round of this year's draft, the New York Jets took running back Braelon Allen. Just one round later, the team selected another RB, South Dakota State's Isaiah Davis. Davis was incredibly productive as a Jackrabbit; after totaling 1,532 rushing yards in his first two collegiate seasons, he rushed for 1,478 yards in 2022 and 1,578 more in 2023. Davis had an elite average of 7.6 yards per carry as a senior, and he totaled 44 touchdowns during his college years.
We love playmakers.
Welcome to NY, @z4days!!
📰 https://t.co/ps2kAr7Q9q pic.twitter.com/s3TFW14a97
— New York Jets (@nyjets) April 27, 2024
Davis made a name for himself as a powerful runner who is capable of breaking tackles to gain extra yardage. He also earned recognition from scouts for his patience and vision, plus he is a capable receiver (44 receptions over his final two seasons). However, Davis does not stand out athletically, and there are questions surrounding the difficulty of his competition at the FCS level. Still, the Jets found themselves a running back who could be a diamond in the rough.
Davis's new team already has a lead back in Breece Hall, but there will be competition for touches behind him. The other players who will be vying for volume are the aforementioned Allen and Israel Abanikanda. Considering Allen is a fellow Day 3 rookie and Abanikanda failed to make an impact in limited action last season, Davis will have an opportunity to earn a decent role in New York.
Eric Gray (New York Giants)
Eric Gray is the lone non-rookie featured in this article. His first year in the NFL was last year, although it was rather uneventful. Gray totaled just 70 scrimmage yards on 23 touches during the season. His most notable showing was in Week 5 while then-teammate Saquon Barkley was injured. That week, Gray led the team in carries, but he gained just 25 yards on them. He did show a few flashes, though.
On 2nd & 9, Eric Gray 8-yd rush#NYGiants 0 #Dolphins 7 1st pic.twitter.com/2vHd9yddit
— Sᴘᴏʀᴛs 24/7 (@Sports_24x7_) October 8, 2023
Gray was a fifth-round draft choice by the Giants out of Oklahoma, where he finally broke out in 2022. Gray rushed for 1,366 yards and 11 touchdowns that season on 213 carries. He also demonstrated his ability as a receiver, making 33 catches for 229 yards. Gray is not a particularly noteworthy athlete, but he does possess some burst that can help him break through a defense.
Now, Gray finds himself in his second season. The difference this time around is that Barkley is in Philadelphia now. The Giants did add Devin Singletary, who is coming off of a solid season in Houston, in free agency, and they also drafted running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the fifth round this year. Still, with the unsettled nature of the backfield, there is an opportunity for Gray to forge a role, making him a deep sleeper.
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