NFL fullbacks doing 'anything and everything' to remain relevant

Fullbacks like Jed Collins and Marcel Reece are trying 'anything and everything' to remain relevant in modern NFL offenses.

Chris Burke | Aug 8, 2014

NFL fullbacks doing 'anything and everything' to remain relevant /

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Perhaps Mother Nature is a sportswriter.

The Lions' first-team offense is on the field for an 11-on-11 drill late in a Monday morning practice. Reggie Bush takes his place at running back, Calvin Johnson wide left, Golden Tate wide right, Brandon Pettigrew at tight end -- the whole setup a fantasy footballer's dream come to life.

As quarterback Matthew Stafford moves under center, the sun, now threatening to push the mercury from pleasant to warm, catches him. Standing in Stafford's shadow, quite literally, is fullback Jed Collins.

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The imagery is perfect. Collins is an anonymous piece to a star-laden puzzle here, same as he previously was in New Orleans on a depth chart dotted by Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham and others. Certainly, the couple hundred diehard fans playing hooky to take in this particular practice are not watching Collins, but rather waiting on a Megatron catch or a Bush breakaway.

Then, the snap. Collins cuts to his left and fills a hole between center and guard, lowering his shoulder as he plows forward to square up linebacker DeAndre Levy. Bush follows behind him, the ball in tow after a hand-off from Stafford, and bursts through the opening created by the block by Collins.

The scene repeats itself in various fashion, Collins sharing snaps with Montell Owens and Chad Abram, two other rather nondescript teammates. Collins receives no carries. No passes are thrown his direction.

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After practice ends, Collins is stopped for an interview. He begins to walk away when it's over, then turns and calls out to the reporter:

"Hey, thanks. I appreciate you giving the fullbacks some love."

The longest passing play in Washington Huskies history occurred in 2007, when Marcel Reece hauled in a bomb from Jake Locker and raced to the end zone for a 98-yard score. Reece finished that season, his second of two at UW after transferring in from El Camino CC, with eight touchdown receptions and a 19.5 yards-per-catch average. He ran a 4.42 40 and posted a vertical of more than 36 inches at Washington's pro day.

But when the '08 draft rolled around ... nothing.

NFL teams did not know what to make of the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder, despite his fleeting success as a college wide receiver. It was only when Reece eventually landed with the Raiders, after a failed stop in Miami, that a plan began to form.

"I feel like it was [former Raiders owner] Al Davis that was ahead of everyone," Reece told SI via phone from training camp. "A lot of people say I revolutionized the H-back [position], but it was really all Al Davis. The transformation never crossed my mind until I came here, and he told me, 'You're going to be the best fullback in the game. You're going to change the game.'

"That's what Mr. Davis told me. Honestly, it was him that was ahead of the game, I was just the character that played the part."

Reece spent close to two full seasons on the Raiders' practice squad before making his NFL debut as a fullback late in 2009. By 2010, he was a full-time starter; by 2012, a Pro Bowler. Yet, even now, his role remains something of an unsettled enigma. He has proven to be more than solely a blocking back, but how much should he have the ball? Following a 24-7 loss to the Chiefs last season in which Reece finished with one catch and no rushing attempts, Oakland head coach Dennis Allen emphasized the need to get Reece far more involved moving forward. Reece wound up with just nine total touches over the next three games.

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The challenge of creating offensive opportunities for him has remained, as with most athletic fullbacks around the league. Reece does not fit the mold as a pure running back nor as a tight end and he has long left his receiver days behind.

"I never really try to limit or pigeon hole myself. I just say playmaker, any shape or form," Reece said. "Blocking in pass protection, blocking in the run game, also just running the ball or catching the ball. One thing that stuck with me when I first made the transformation from wide receiver to fullback was [then-Raiders head coach] Tom Cable told me a fullback is basically a pseudo guard -- a more athletic, more agile guard. You have to be able to do anything and everything on the field."

The prominence of the H-back position has blurred the line between fullback and tight end more now than arguably ever before. Just two players designated as fullbacks were selected in the 2014 draft, Jay Prosch by Houston and Trey Millard by San Francisco. The latter lined up at several positions for Oklahoma, while Texans head coach Bill O'Brien clearly had a Reece-like role in mind for Prosch when that selection was made.

"When you project ahead to a gameday roster, where you have 46 guys -- that's not a lot of guys -- so I think the more you can do as a player, that's good for the football team," O'Brien said. "We always look for guys who can do more."

2014 Fantasy Football Sleepers

Knile Davis - RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Davis is about as important a handcuff as you’ll find in the league. Davis would impact fantasy standings if Jamaal Charles goes down at any point. Davis picked up 81 yards and two TDs on 27 carries when Charles was resting Week 17 last season.

Terrance West - RB, Cleveland Browns

The rookie will need to beat out veteran Ben Tate for touches, but his upside is enormous. Browns running back coach Wilbert Montgomery recently told reporters, ''He has that Ricky Watters, Walter Payton, lure-you-to-sleep-on-the-sideline move that I can accelerate or play like I’m going to accelerate and come back inside. Those are traits I haven’t seen in a while.''

Dri Archer - RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

It’s possible that the undersized third-round pick is restricted to kick return duty in his rookie year. It’s also possible that Archer emerges as a dynamic RB/WR who could score anytime he touches the ball.

Lache Seastrunk - RB, Washington Redskins

The Baylor product is behind Alfred Morris and Roy Helu on the depth chart and has developed a reputation for having awful hands. He actually dropped 10 balls and only caught nine during his two years in college. That said, Seastrunk’s running ability would make him a fantasy asset if Morris goes down with an injury.

Ka’Deem Carey - RB, Chicago Bears

Carey is an all-around running back who is capable of stepping in and producing for fantasy owners if Matt Forte gets hurt. He’s the type of rookie who would be a hot commodity if he were drafted by a team without an elite running back.

Devonta Freeman - RB, Atlanta Falcons

There is a legitimate chance that Freeman will eventually start over Steven Jackson; the rookie's average draft position will skyrocket with a dominant preseason. The former FSU back should see the field a lot if he can handle pass protection.

Christine Michael - RB, Seattle Seahawks

Michael is an instant stud if Marshawn Lynch goes down. Either way, the Seahawks have hinted at a committee approach and Lynch’s brief holdout may not have helped matters for the veteran running back. Michael has the skill set to provide RB1 numbers if he receives enough carries.

Carlos Hyde - RB, San Francisco 49ers

Anyone who saw Carlos Hyde at Ohio State knew he wouldn’t get buried in San Francisco, even with a crowded backfield. He’s arguably the most talented rookie RB and is one Frank Gore injury away from fantasy stardom.

Tre Mason - RB, St. Louis Rams

Many fantasy owners are high on Zac Stacy entering the season. But ask anyone who drafted Daryl Richardson in 2013 if Jeff Fisher is afraid to make a change at running back. The dynamic rookie Tre Mason is too talented to ride the pine forever and he’d turn into a nice fantasy option if given carries.

Chris Polk - RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Even with Darren Sproles in town, Polk would hold a ton of fantasy value if LeSean McCoy were to miss time at any point. Chip Kelly’s offense turns RBs into fantasy stars and Polk is the clear-cut backup to McCoy.

Charles Sims - RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The rookie from West Virginia is expected to be an immediate handcuff to Doug Martin for fantasy purposes. Smith should contribute in passing situations early, but could steal carries from Martin as the season progresses.

Markus Wheaton - WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Wheaton is expected to inherit a starting gig with Jerricho Cotchery and Emmanuel Sanders gone. The sophomore from Oregon State has big-play ability and could easily emerge as a must-start fantasy option on a weekly basis.

Marqise Lee - WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

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Kenny Stills - WR, New Orleans Saints

Stills has a ton of breakout potential coming off a rookie season in which he posted 641 yards on 32 catches with five TDs. He’s a big-play threat on ever possession and should easily surpass the 46 targets he received last season. He might only need 50 catches to score double-digit TDs.

Kelvin Benjamin - WR, Carolina Panthers

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound, No. 28 overall pick is a perfect red-zone target and he could help the Panthers win games immediately. For fantasy purposes, he’s merely a WR3 or a WR4 until he proves he can be more than just a TD-dependent gamble on a weekly basis.

Tavon Austin - WR, St. Louis Rams

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Justin Hunter - WR, Tennessee Titans

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Jordan Matthews - WR, Philadelphia Eagles

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Eric Ebron - TE, Detroit Lions

The Lions turned heads when they selected Ebron No. 10 overall in May’s Draft. It might take a season or two for the UNC product to reach his potential, but Ebron is an elite fantasy TE in the making. He’s been compared to Jimmy Graham and has the skillset to live up to his lofty expectations.

Ladarius Green - TE, San Diego Chargers

The 6-6, 237-pound Green is an obvious red-zone target and has the tools to be an impact fantasy option if he receives ample targets. Antonio Gates, the incumbent TE in San Diego, is 34 and slowed significantly down the stretch in 2013. Green caught 17 passes for 376 yards and three TDs last season, highlighted by a three-game stretch in which he caught nine balls for 206 yards and two scores.

No teams threw more passes in 2011 or '12 than the Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints, who finished ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in that category both years. The two high-powered offenses landed among the top-five again in 2013 and are primed to air it out again this season.

So how is it that Collins, a 255-pound grinder with fewer than 40 career receptions, became a connection between the two?

"The fullback has to understand his role in the game today," said Collins, sporting the No. 45 jersey worn for three years in Detroit by Jerome Felton, now the lead blocker for Minnesota superstar Adrian Peterson. "This is a pass-happy league, guys get paid a lot of money to put the ball in the air and make big plays and get touchdowns. We [fullbacks] take pride in the short-yardage stuff, we take pride in closing out games.

"As I entered the league, the fullback was a dying breed. I think we're on our upswing again. People appreciate how important ball security and ball control is, time management. ... I think you look at the playoffs and I would say the majority of teams have a good run game, solid fullback. Super Bowl teams of the last few years have had fullbacks. Teams see that."

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Collins, who was a member of five practice squads before landing with the Saints, is no lock to make the Lions' roster (Owens was listed as the first-team fullback for Detroit's preseason opener). Should he fail to claim a spot, an uncertain future would await. Currently, Vonta Leach and Le'Ron McClain -- two fullbacks with 17 seasons and four All-Pro bids between them -- linger as free agents.

The H-back renaissance may have helped versatile players like Reece. It has done no favors for Collins and others who make their livings almost exclusively by paving the way for more talented teammates.

"You can use a tight end to do some of the same things [as a fullback] if he has that skill set," said Lions offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, part of a new staff that was nonetheless adamant about bringing in a fullback this offseason. "Jed, knowing what he can do, it's [helpful with] two things: the run game and play-action passing. Those run plays, those formations do set up a lot of big plays for you."

Collins ran the ball 15 times and caught 14 passes last season, totaling a measly 99 yards. Unlike Reece, Collins will not be asked by Detroit (at least not very often) to motion out of the backfield or sneak up the seam. "He's not going to run corner routes," Lombardi said, smiling. "He'll be the first to tell you he'd be great at it but ... "

A throwback talent with a limited skill set, Collins is well-aware of what the Lions expect from him.

"There are two types of football players: artists and tough guys. I'm a tough guy," he said. "I make room for the artists to do what they do."

What might the future hold for the fullback position?

Is it enough to be just a blocker or short-yardage weapon, as Collins more or less is? Or as the game continues to evolve, as offenses tinker with their creativity, will it take players like Reece to fill that role -- a hybrid option, an H-back?

"You need a fullback," the Giants' Henry Hynoski said at camp, via NJ.com. "If you want to be physical and run the football, you need a fullback. If you want to be committed to the ground game, you need a fullback."

Players like Collins or, say, the Chiefs' Anthony Sherman, who was on the field for 391 snaps last season with two rushing attempts, hope Hynoski's words prove true.

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Ironically, the same fundamental change that has led to an influx of H-back types to the NFL could be helping to keep power fullbacks around. Defenses are lighter and faster these days, in an effort to combat spread offenses and mobile quarterbacks. So players like Collins, Felton or Sherman -- those that make their livings pounding between the tackles -- may be developing an edge simply by staying physical.

"In this game, there are tidal waves of shifts in terms of what's being installed," said Collins. "The last four or five years, it's been a pass-happy league, everyone wants the ball in the air and defenses have shifted. That's why the fullback has come back in, to exploit what the defenses have given."

Of course, how much can be exploited depends on which player we're talking about. Reece is not the same player as Collins; Collins is not a carbon copy of Prosch or San Francisco's Bruce Miller or Green Bay's John Kuhn. This is nothing new for the position, however. Jim Brown played fullback, but so too did Marion Motley, Larry Csonka and Mike Alstott, all different types of players in their own right.

What defines a fullback has become as much about mentality as responsibility.

Seconds before the credits roll on Batman Begins, Commissioner Gordon says to the masked hero, "I never said thank you."

Bruce Wayne responds, in his throaty Christian Bale-ness: "And you'll never have to."

This is how, for the most part, the modern NFL fullback goes about his business: quietly, without much fanfare, borderline unappreciated.

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Following an injury to Miller last season, San Francisco head coach Jim Harbaugh talked about how valuable his fullback is in all facets of the game -- blocking, running, pass-catching. The Raiders sing a similar song about Reece. First and foremost, though, any player assigned to the fullback role is expected to set the table for his teammates.

"If called upon, I can catch the ball or run the ball, but I'm pretty sure we'd rather have Calvin or Golden or Reggie doing those things," Collins said. "You understand your role. My job here is to instill that mentality of closing out games, that thinking if you need one yard, you get that one yard."

The fullback glory days may be in the past. The sun hardly has set on the position as a whole.

"Some people don't even consider me a fullback," he said, "but for me, when someone asks me my position, I'm a fullback. That's what I provide for my team. ... There's always going to be room on any team for a fullback who can block a guy, lead block on any given down."

Published Aug 8, 2014

CHRIS BURKE

Chris Burke covers the NFL for Sports Illustrated and is SI.com’s lead NFL draft expert. He joined SI in 2011 and lives in Ann Arbor, Mich.