Former Utah RB Zack Moss a "sleeper" in most fantasy drafts
Before Zack Moss heard his name called at the NFL draft, nine other running backs got calls ahead of them regarding their future.
But then Moss finally got the call he'd been waiting for — when the Buffalo Bills selected him with the No. 86 overall pick in the third round.
Now the NFL season is less than a week away, and that means that fantasy football is in full swing. And Moss could be a very hot, late-round commodity according to Michael Fabiano of Sports Illustrated.
Fabiano recently listed Moss as one of his top-5 fantasy football sleepers on the season, along with Denver TE Noah Fant, Washington RB Antonio Gibson, Baltimore WR Marquis Brown and Pittsburgh WR Diontae Johnson.
"Moss has done nothing but makes waves during Bills camp, both as a runner and pass-catcher. Reports suggest he's also done well in pass protection, which is important for a rookie back if he wants to play significant snaps. While Devin Singletary is still the favorite to start, we could see a situation that sees Moss carve out a much bigger role than Frank Gore had in Buffalo a season ago. A powerful, downhill runner who can break tackles, Moss could end up being a valuable option near the goal line, too. While a committee scenario is likely to open the season, no one would be shocked if Moss ended up being the better fantasy option in Buffalo's backfield."
Although he's expected to split time with Devin Singletary, there have been rumblings that when the Bills drafted Moss, it was to make him the primary running back. And when combined with the running capabilities of quarterback Josh Allen and added wide receiver Stephon Diggs, Buffalo's offense is looking scary.
“Correct me if I’m wrong but I think [Moss] had zero fumbles [in his college career]. You like the ball security. ... There were a couple guys in this draft that had some really good plays but were issues, we had concerns with the ball security,” general manager Brandon Beane told beat reporters. “I love his physicality. I like that he takes care of the ball. So, you know I think more of the goal line and things like that as we did with Frank last year, you’ll see Zack do."
Clyde Edwards-Helaire was the first running back chosen, and the only to be taken in the first round when the Kansas City Chiefs scooped him up. When paired with the former Super Bowl champs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Edwards-Helaire holds a lot of fantasy value as a guy who can do it all in Kansas City's offense.
Other options include; Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts, D’Andre Swift of the Detroit Lions, Cam Akers of the Los Angeles Rams and J.K. Dobbins of the Baltimore Ravens.
Both Swift and Akers might have some trouble finding their footing as they'll be running behind some offensive lines that have struggled in the past. Also, they're part of offenses that are somewhat one-dimensional and struggling to find an identity so their value could go down.
Taylor will be running behind what could be the best offensive line in the NFL in Indianapolis. And when paired with new quarterback Philip Rivers' ability to throw the ball downfield, Taylor could face a lot of empty boxes.
Dobbins is the wildcard as he's paired with reigning MVP in quarterback Lamar Jackson. With Jackson rewriting the record books when it comes to rushing for quarterbacks, teams may key so much on him and free up Dobbins to do some major damage. But he will be sharing time with engrossed starter Mark Ingram, which could fantasy issues.
With all of that being said, don't be surprised if somehow Moss makes some big time noise among rookie running backs and finishes among the top of them when its all said and done.
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