Kansas City's Kareem Hunt had a big rookie season, and he's hoping for even bigger things in year two. Most notably, he's working more as a receiver. He caught 53 passes for 455 yards and 3 TDs a year ago, but those are numbers he thinks he can improve on in 2018.

"I’m catching the ball more and running a lot more routes,” he said in a story at the team website. "I like it... It gives me the opportunity to get the ball in open space and make people miss.”

Hunt with more production as a receiver would be a fantasy monster. As it was, he already had the top yardage output by a third-round pick this century.

THIRD-ROUND RUNNING BACKS, 2000-PRESENT
YearPickPlayerRunRecTotalTD
201786Kareem Hunt, K.C.1327455178211
200889Steve Slaton, Hou.1282377165910
201767Alvin Kamara, N.O.728826155414
200864Kevin Smith, Det.97628612628
201171DeMarco Murray, Dall.89718310802
201586David Johnson, Ariz.581457103813
201577Duke Johnson, Clev.3795349132
201475Tre Mason, St.L.7651489135
201595Matt Jones, Wash.4903047944
200180Kevan Barlow, S.F.5122477595
200565Frank Gore, S.F.6081317393
201494Terrance West, Clev.673647375
200679Jerious Norwood, Atl.6331027352
200063Travis Prentice, Clev.5121917038
201496Jerick McKinnon, Minn.5381356730
200873Jamaal Charles, K.C.3572726291
200165James Jackson, Clev.554566102
201284Bernard Pierce, Balt.532475791
200185Travis Minor, Mia.2812635444
200965Shonn Greene, NYJ54005402
200076J.R. Redmond, N.E.4061265323
200284Lamar Gordon, St.L.2282785063
201173Stevan Ridley, N.E.441134541
201789D'Onta Foreman, Hou.327834102
201573Tevin Coleman, Atl.392144061
201267Ronnie Hillman, Den.330623921
201690C.J. Prosise, Sea.1722083801
201469Charles Sims, T.B.1851903751
201396Knile Davis, K.C.242753175
200974Glen Coffee, S.F.226763021
200577Ryan Moats, Phil.27872853
200393Chris Brown, Tenn.221612820
200291Brian Westbrook, Phil.193862790
200573Vernand Morency, Hou.184872712
201673Kenyan Drake, Mia.179462252
200396Justin Fargas, Oak.20322050
200793Garrett Wolfe, Chi.851172020
200869Jacob Hester, S.D.95911862
201594Ty Montgomery, G.B.141361502
2017105James Conner, Pitt.14401440
200771Lorenzo Booker, Mia.12501250
201497Dri Archer, Pitt.4023630
200674Brian Calhoun, Det.1920390
200377Musa Smith, Balt.310312
201196Alex Green, G.B.116170
200790Tony Hunt, Phil.160161
200182Heath Evans, Sea.110110
200385B.J. Askew, NYJ9090
2005101Maurice Clarett, Den.0000
200088Doug Chapman, Minn.0000
200081Rueben Droughns, Det.0000

Table sorted by total yards as rookies. Two of the three most productive third-rounders this century, in fact, came from last year's draft (Hunt and Alvin Kamara). Both should be first-round picks in every fantasy draft this season. Their receiving production will be a large part of the reason why.

--Andy Richardson