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Third-round running backs

Odds of rookie impact for Gibson, Vaughn

In the comments of yesterday's draft thread, there was some discussion of rookie running backs, the ones outside the biggest names. So not Clyde Edwards-Helaire or Jonathan Taylor, who will be selected in the first few rounds of every draft, but the ones available a little later. What kind of rookie impact might the guys taken a little later have?

There were five running backs taken in the third round of April's draft. Two of those guys (Lynn Bowden, Darrynton Evans) are definitely no better than No. 2s behind franchise guys, Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry. A third, Zack Moss, will likely be behind Devin Singletary (a third-round pick himself).

But Antonio Gibson (pictured) in Washington and KeShawn Vaughn in Tampa Bay at least have some potential to carve out committee or even larger roles. It's a new coaching staff in Washington that doesn't need to be committed to oft-injured Derrius Guice, and a new offense in Tampa Bay that won't necessarily hand anything to Ronald Jones. So maybe.

There have been some third-rounders who have made an immediate impact, although not many. Of the 56 drafted in the that round since 2000, four (7 percent) have ranked in the top 10 as rookies. Not great odds, but those who gambled and won probably did pretty well in their leagues, led by Alvin Kamara, Kareem Hunt, Steve Slaton or David Johnson. Table shows rookie numbers and PPR rank that season.

THIRD-ROUND RUNNING BACKS, 2000-PRESENT
YearPkPlayerRunRecTotTDRk
201767Alvin Kamara, N.O.7288261554143
201786Kareem Hunt, K.C.13274551782114
200889Steve Slaton, Hou.12823771659107
201586David Johnson, Ariz.5814571038137
200864Kevin Smith, Det.9762861262817
201973David Montgomery, Chi.8891851074724
201577Duke Johnson, Clev.379534913224
200063Travis Prentice, Clev.512191703829
201171DeMarco Murray, Dall.8971831080230
201475Tre Mason, St.L.765148913530
201974Devin Singletary, Buff.775194969433
200180Kevan Barlow, S.F.512247759533
201595Matt Jones, Wash.490304794441
201494Terrance West, Clev.67364737541
200565Frank Gore, S.F.608131739342
200185Travis Minor, Mia.281263544442
200076J.R. Redmond, N.E.406126532342
200284Lamar Gordon, St.L.228278506343
201871Royce Freeman, Den.52172593546
200679Jerious Norwood, Atl.633102735247
201496Jerick McKinnon, Minn.538135673048
200873Jamaal Charles, K.C.357272629154
200165James Jackson, Clev.55456610255
201396Knile Davis, K.C.24275317556
201284Bernard Pierce, Balt.53247579159
2019102Alexander Mattison, Minn.46282544161
200771Lorenzo Booker, Mia.1250125065
200965Shonn Greene, NYJ5400540266
201267Ronnie Hillman, Den.33062392167
201690C.J. Prosise, Sea.172208380168
201173Stevan Ridley, N.E.44113454173
201469Charles Sims, T.B.185190375173
201789D'Onta Foreman, Hou.32783410274
201673Kenyan Drake, Mia.17946225274
200577Ryan Moats, Phil.2787285375
200573Vernand Morency, Hou.18487271276
200974Glen Coffee, S.F.22676302178
201573Tevin Coleman, Atl.39214406179
200869Jacob Hester, S.D.9591186280
200291Brian Westbrook, Phil.19386279082
200393Chris Brown, Tenn.22161282088
200793Garrett Wolfe, Chi.85117202092
201970Darrell Henderson, LAR14737184098
200396Justin Fargas, Oak.20322050103
2017105James Conner, Pitt.14401440113
200377Musa Smith, Balt.310312118
200790Tony Hunt, Phil.160161132
200674Brian Calhoun, Det.1920390133
201987Damien Harris, N.E.120120142
200182Heath Evans, Sea.110110142
201196Alex Green, G.B.116170150
201497Dri Archer, Pitt.4023630155
200385B.J. Askew, NYJ9090157
2005101Maurice Clarett, Den.0000--
200081Reuben Droughns, Det.0000--
200088Doug Chapman, Minn.0000--
202066Antonio Gibson, Wash.?????
202093Darrynton Evans, Tenn.?????
202076KeShawn Vaughn, T.B.?????
202080Lynn Bowden, L.V.?????
202086Zack Moss, Buff.?????

Three other third-rounders (Kevin Smith, Duke Johnson and David Montgomery last year) at least ranked in the top 25 among running backs. Singletary last year made it into the top 35. So if you can select Moss or Gibson in a later round, just maybe you'll wind up with a fantasy starter at a very cheap price.

Gibson was a wide receiver in college, and Ron Rivera compared him to Christian McCaffrey for his receiving ability. Neither Guice nor Adrian Peterson is much of a pass-catcher, so that's a role Gibson could take over right away. He wasn't heavily used at Memphis (77 offensive touches last year) but scored 14 touchdowns. With Moss, who ran for 36 touchdowns the last three seasons at Utah, maybe he can take on goal-line duties. Those are the most intriguing of this group.

--Andy Richardson

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