Before getting all excited about prospects for this year's incoming rookies, drafted over the next few days, a brief glance at last year's group. Specifically the second-rounders, Joe Mixon and Dalvin Cook. Mixon is already being talked up as a breakout candidate. What can we expect from Cook?
Cook tore his ACL in Week 4 a year ago, but initial reports on his recovery and rehab are positive. “Really, Dalvin’s knocked the rehab out of the park,” says Vikings trainer Eric Sugarman. “He’s done a great job. He’s been here every day since the injury occurred post-surgery. The plan is for him, hopefully when he gets to training camp, he’ll be a participant just like everybody else.”
This century, there have been 25 running backs drafted in the second round who did anything at all in their rookie seasons. (I went with at least 400 total yards, to sneak Cook into the group but leave off the likes of Kenny Irons and Eric Shelton, who never made an impact.) Of the other 23, about a quarter (six) had top-10 fantasy finishes in their second seasons, in a scoring system with 1 point for every 10 rushing or receiving yards and 6 points for touchdowns. Eight others at least finished as top-30 fantasy backs; starters or at least close to it in typical leagues.
| 2ND-ROUND RBS, FIRST TWO SEASONS (2000-PRESENT) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Pk | Player | Run(1) | Rec(1) | TD(1) | Run(2) | Rec(2) | TD(2) | Rk(2) |
| 2013 | 48 | LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 860 | 399 | 8 | 1361 | 854 | 11 | 2 |
| 2008 | 55 | Ray Rice, Balt. | 454 | 273 | 0 | 1339 | 702 | 8 | 4 |
| 2002 | 51 | Clinton Portis, Den. | 1508 | 364 | 17 | 1591 | 314 | 14 | 5 |
| 2013 | 61 | Eddie Lacy, G.B. | 1178 | 257 | 11 | 1139 | 427 | 13 | 6 |
| 2009 | 53 | LeSean McCoy, Phil. | 637 | 308 | 4 | 1080 | 592 | 9 | 8 |
| 2001 | 58 | Travis Henry, Buff. | 729 | 179 | 4 | 1438 | 309 | 14 | 8 |
| 2006 | 60 | Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac. | 941 | 436 | 16 | 768 | 407 | 10 | 13 |
| 2013 | 37 | Giovani Bernard, Cin. | 695 | 514 | 8 | 680 | 349 | 7 | 18 |
| 2008 | 44 | Matt Forte, Chi. | 1238 | 477 | 12 | 929 | 471 | 4 | 18 |
| 2014 | 55 | Jeremy Hill, Cin. | 1124 | 215 | 9 | 794 | 79 | 12 | 21 |
| 2004 | 43 | Julius Jones, Dall. | 819 | 107 | 7 | 993 | 218 | 5 | 21 |
| 2004 | 41 | Tatum Bell, Den. | 396 | 80 | 3 | 921 | 104 | 8 | 22 |
| 2016 | 45 | Derrick Henry, Tenn. | 490 | 137 | 5 | 744 | 136 | 6 | 26 |
| 2014 | 57 | Carlos Hyde, S.F. | 333 | 68 | 4 | 470 | 53 | 3 | 27 |
| 2001 | 38 | Anthony Thomas, Chi. | 1183 | 178 | 7 | 721 | 163 | 6 | 33 |
| 2010 | 51 | Toby Gerhart, Minn. | 322 | 167 | 1 | 531 | 190 | 4 | 38 |
| 2015 | 36 | T.J. Yeldon, Jac. | 740 | 279 | 3 | 465 | 312 | 2 | 41 |
| 2011 | 62 | Daniel Thomas, Mia. | 581 | 72 | 1 | 325 | 156 | 4 | 46 |
| 2002 | 56 | Ladell Betts, Wash. | 307 | 154 | 1 | 255 | 167 | 2 | 56 |
| 2014 | 54 | Bishop Sankey, Tenn. | 569 | 133 | 2 | 193 | 139 | 2 | 76 |
| 2013 | 58 | Montee Ball, Den. | 559 | 145 | 4 | 172 | 62 | 1 | 89 |
| 2015 | 54 | Ameer Abdullah, Det. | 597 | 183 | 3 | 101 | 57 | 1 | 91 |
| 2005 | 44 | J.J. Arrington, Ariz. | 370 | 139 | 2 | 19 | 58 | 1 | 99+ |
| 2017 | 48 | Joe Mixon, Cin. | 626 | 287 | 4 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 2017 | 41 | Dalvin Cook, Minn. | 354 | 90 | 2 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
With Cook there's the complication of coming off a torn ACL; he probably won't be the same player, especially early on. But if his recovery is good (and it seems to be so far), no reason he can't be a significant player in fantasy leagues this season.
Note that of the second-rounders who didn't do anything of note in Year 2 -- Sankey, Ball, Thomas, Arrington, Betts -- they quickly washed out of the league for one reason or another. A bad sign for one of the backs on the list who some might still hold out hope for, Ameer Abdullah.
--Andy Richardson