I picked up Dare Ogunbowale in my dynasty league last week. I drafted him in the 18th round of a redraft league this past week. (Had to search by name to even find him in the database.) He's been battling with Andre Ellington for the No. 3 running back job in Tampa Bay, but I wonder if he can't be more than that.
Peyton Barber is Peyton Barber; a functional starting running back who should be able to run and catch as needed as the Bucs starter. Ronald Jones is a second-round pick who was a disaster as a rookie and -- though he's been talked up all preseason -- hasn't been dramatically better in Year 2. I thought he looked OK on a couple of runs in his preseason debut, but he hasn't really built on that. He's apparently struggled with both catching the ball and in pass protection, which makes it difficult to imagine him getting on the field much in Tampa Bay's offense.
That brings us to Ogunbowale. This is actually his third year in the league, but he's only played special teams his first two seasons. He hasn't moved the needle as a runner in the exhibitions (3.0 yards per carry), but he's caught 5 passes for 73 yards, with another long reception wiped out by a penalty that had Bruce Arians grousing about it. He's also been effective in pass protection. He's likely going to make the team; question is if he can supplant Jones. I think he can.
Barber, of course, is a former undrafted free agent, so no reason to hold that against Ogunbowale. And one of the more successful undrafted running backs in recent year, LeGarrette Blount, also made a name for himself with the Buccaneers. So maybe it will be Ogunbowale's turn.
We track the best of the undrafted rookie running backs in a file. Ogunbowale's not a rookie, but again -- he's yet to carry the ball in an NFL game. Undrafted rookie runners to do anything of note since 2000 are shown below. (2018's best are in bold.)
| UNDRAFTED ROOKIE RUNNING BACKS, 2000-PRESENT | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Att | Yds | No | Rec | Tot | TD |
| 2001 | Dominic Rhodes, Ind. | 233 | 1104 | 34 | 224 | 1328 | 10 |
| 2018 | Phillip Lindsay, Den. | 192 | 1037 | 35 | 241 | 1278 | 10 |
| 2010 | LeGarrette Blount, T.B. | 201 | 1007 | 5 | 14 | 1021 | 6 |
| 2015 | Thomas Rawls, Sea. | 147 | 830 | 9 | 76 | 906 | 5 |
| 2007 | Selvin Young, Den. | 140 | 729 | 35 | 231 | 960 | 1 |
| 2018 | Gus Edwards, Balt. | 137 | 718 | 2 | 20 | 738 | 2 |
| 2016 | Rob Kelley, Wash. | 168 | 704 | 12 | 82 | 786 | 7 |
| 2006 | Mike Bell, Den. | 157 | 677 | 20 | 158 | 835 | 8 |
| 2014 | Isaiah Crowell, Clev. | 148 | 607 | 9 | 87 | 694 | 8 |
| 2014 | Branden Oliver, S.D. | 160 | 582 | 36 | 271 | 853 | 4 |
| 2005 | Samkon Gado, G.B. | 143 | 582 | 10 | 77 | 669 | 7 |
| 2018 | Josh Adams, Phil. | 120 | 511 | 7 | 58 | 569 | 3 |
| 2016 | Jalen Richard, Oak. | 83 | 491 | 29 | 194 | 685 | 3 |
| 2017 | Matt Breida, S.F. | 105 | 465 | 21 | 180 | 645 | 3 |
| 2017 | Corey Clement, Phil. | 74 | 321 | 10 | 123 | 444 | 6 |
| 2008 | BenJarvus Green-Ellis, N.E. | 74 | 275 | 3 | 37 | 312 | 5 |
| 2014 | Juwan Thompson, Den. | 54 | 272 | 4 | 25 | 297 | 3 |
| 2018 | Jeff Wilson, S.F. | 66 | 266 | 12 | 98 | 364 | 0 |
| 2017 | Austin Ekeler, LAC | 47 | 260 | 27 | 279 | 539 | 5 |
| 2009 | Arian Foster, Hou. | 54 | 257 | 8 | 93 | 350 | 3 |
| 2007 | Pierre Thomas, N.O. | 52 | 252 | 17 | 151 | 403 | 2 |
| 2013 | Khiry Robinson, N.O. | 54 | 224 | 0 | 0 | 224 | 1 |
| 2016 | Peyton Barber, T.B. | 55 | 223 | 5 | 28 | 251 | 1 |
| 2016 | Kenneth Farrow, S.D. | 60 | 192 | 13 | 70 | 262 | 0 |
| 2004 | Willie Parker, Pitt. | 32 | 186 | 3 | 16 | 202 | 0 |
| 2014 | Damien Williams, Mia. | 36 | 122 | 21 | 187 | 309 | 1 |
Maybe Ogunbowale doesn't make the roster in Tampa Bay (though I think he will). Maybe he has a limited role at best. But at the cost of an 18th-round pick, I imagine I'll have him on multiple teams this year, just in case his third year in the league turns out to be a significant one.