RADIO
One of the true joys of fantasy football is the ability to find an undervalued asset from the depths of a league's draft pool or waiver wire that ends up becoming an absolute gem. These under-the-radar options usually have tantalizing upside and are only an injury or poor performance away from taking over a certain position in the team's offense.
It is often the case that sleepers emerge from the running back position, where players often end up in the doghouse for fumbling issues or are more susceptible to injury. With committee approaches more common each year, players get more opportunities to demonstrate their ability at the top level.
One player who has the potential to provide substantial value in fantasy drafts this season is Latavius Murray, the running back from the Minnesota Vikings. Despite playing behind Dalvin Cook, there is plenty of reason to believe that Murray could end up being a fantasy sleeper in 2018.
Editor's Note: Identify fantasy football draft busts, overvalued ADPs, and key players to avoid so you can draft with confidence this season.
2018 Sleeper - Latavius Murray
Before arriving at the Minnesota Vikings in 2017, Murray was the starting running back for the Oakland Raiders. With a Pro Bowl appearance in 2015 and fourteen total touchdowns in 2016, Murray proved to be a valuable red-zone asset worthy of the starting running back role for the team. However, after not signing a deal when his contract expired, Murray was signed by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2017 offseason and had a surgery performed as well. He looked locked-in as the team's starting running back before the Vikings selected Dalvin Cook in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. With Murray missing the majority of the offseason and being eased back into action, Cook was able to play as the undisputed workhorse for the first four weeks of the season and looked like a top player. However, Cook suffered an ACL tear after four weeks and would miss the rest of the season, paving the way for Murray to take control of the backfield.
Nevertheless, rather than take over the running back job, Murray originally shared it with fellow teammate Jerick McKinnon, as the Vikings offense ended up sustaining two top running backs for the rest of the season. As the season wore on, Murray was able to steal more and more carries, eventually becoming the starter without any question. Murray finished the 2017 season with 842 yards on 216 rushing attempts as well as 103 receiving yards on 15 receptions. With eight trips to the end zone, Murray once again proved his red zone capabilities and demonstrated his value to the organization to the point where they let go of Jerick McKinnon in free agency.
With Dalvin Cook returning from his injury for the 2018 season, it seems as if Murray will be relegated to a backup role to start the year. However, if the Vikings don't want Cook, who has significant injury concerns, to sustain another long-term injury, it may be wise to rotate Murray and Cook throughout the season. Last year, the Vikings showed that they could support two viable running backs. Although it would be unrealistic to say that Cook and Murray will split reps equally, Murray's performances last year have guaranteed that he sees at least some of the backfield work in the upcoming season.
With the high-powered nature of the Vikings offense, expect to see plenty of their rushing game in 2018. At the very least, Murray should siphon off some red zone looks from Dalvin Cook due to their differences in size - Latavius is 6'3'' and 230 pounds while Cook is 6'0 and 209 pounds. Don't be too quick to pull the trigger on Murray, however - this is definitely Dalvin Cook's backfield once again. The draft capital that the Vikings used to acquire Cook's services and his performances before his injury has demonstrated that he deserves to be the lead tailback for the team.
Should Cook get injured, however, Latavius Murray will automatically step into a workhorse role with the Vikings offense. With McKinnon at the 49ers, the backfield pretty much consists solely of Cook and Murray. Therefore, if an injury were to befall Cook, Murray would soak up at least 20-25 carries and have a huge role in the team's red zone offense.
For now, Murray is a low-end flex option with touchdown upside. However, if Murray is able to become the team's lead back, he would have a virtually unchallenged hold on the team's ground game and should be considered a locked-in RB1 for the rest of the season. With a 14th round ADP, the upside is too much to ignore. Murray is an elite handcuff and a bona fide fantasy sleeper in 2018 - get him while you can.
