Archives

2022-2023 Fantasy Football Undervalued Running Backs – Who Should I Draft?

Sports Collectibles

As we are winding our way through the NFL pre-season, everyone only has one thing on their mind– Fantasy Football.

One of the biggest keys to winning your fantasy football leagues every year is to draft stud running backs. They consistently can get a solid workload on a game-to-game basis, helping your team win the week. No matter what round you are in, the best fantasy advice is to look at the board for a good running back that can help you win. Get a leg up on the competition this year with our list of running back studs that you should draft onto your team. Getting more value out of your selection helps teams win and that is what our list is about.

TOP 10 UNDERVALUED FANTASY FOOTBALL RUNNING BACKS

1. The top spot on our list goes the top rookie running back from last year, Alabama‘s Najee Harris. The Pittsburgh Steelers top fantasy option looks to inherit another full season as the 3-down back in the Steel City this year. Along with the tremendous upside he provides with his rushing ability, he also catches passes at an above-average rate, which will push him past other backs in a PPR format. With either Mitch Trubisky or Kenny Pickett throwing him the ball this year he should see plenty of opportunities.

2. The next running back is former Seminole, current Viking, Dalvin Cook who, even coming off a slight injury last year, is looking to regain top spot as a fantasy running back. Like Najee, Dalvin also catches passes at a high rate and in a Minnesota Vikings offense led by Kirk Cousins with two downfield weapons in Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen there will be a lot of space to operate in the underneath routes where Dalvin Cook presents a matchup nightmare 1-on-1 with linebackers. He even has more upside as a runner with high-end breakaway speed. However, with lingering injury risk he is only number 2 in our rankings.

3. In our number three spot we have Cleveland Browns running back, former Georgia Bulldog, Nick Chubb, who is looking to have a very increased workload following the suspension of Deshaun Watson. Having Jacoby Brissett is a nice backup, but the Browns will look to lean much heavier on their amazing offensive line with Chubb running the ball. While Chubb is a Top 5 running back, he doesn’t offer Top 5 receiving skills like some other RB1s do and they will look to take Chubb off of the field in those long 3rd down situations.

4. Our 4th RB is Tennessee Titans monster running back Derrick Henry. Henry is easily one of the biggest and fastest players in the entire league- two qualities that keep him at the top of the game in his 7th season. Always a favorite to rush for over 2,000 yards, he surpassed that mark in only 16 games in 2020. The Titans did trade their best receiver, A.J. Brown, to the Philadelphia Eagles, so that will reduce their passing game but will also cause them to lean upon Henry to help carry the load.

5. The 5th spot belongs to Kansas City Chiefs back Clyde Edwards-Helaire who enters the 2022 season with a lot to prove. After sustaining an injury last season, he looks to rebound with a bounce-back season. The LSU Tigers superstar had a great rookie season but did not impress fantasy managers last year. We are looking for Clyde to have a big third season after losing Tyreek Hill from this dynamic offense. There will be plenty of work to go around and that should help Edwards-Helaire get back on track.

6. The number six spot on our list is Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins, who also is looking to have a rebound season in 2022. He injured his knee last pre-season and missed the entire year. This offense is based heavily on the running backs handing the load to open up the rest of the playbook. Dobbins has been a standout since his college days with the Ohio State Buckeyes, running similar read-option concepts where he had a great deal of success. Dobbins looks healthy coming into camp and has massive upside for fantasy managers.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars second-year RB Travis Etienne Jr. is number seven on our list of undervalued running backs. Etienne, like Dobbins before him, missed out on the entire 2021 season. Unlike Dobbins, Etienne doesn’t have the same track record for fantasy managers to rely upon. Even with the unknown, we love where Etienne fits into this Jaguars offense. James Robinson tore his Achilles last December which has opened the door wide for Etienne to get all of the touches until Robinson can get back to 100%. No one knows any timelines on this injury, so until further news arrives, this bodes extremely well for the value of Travis Etienne on fantasy teams. If Etienne handles the workload well, Robinson could be the odd man out.

8. The eighth spot goes to Najee Harris’ older brother, New England Patriots running back Damien Harris. Harris was the 2021 fantasy breakout, scoring 15 touchdowns for the Mac Jones-led Patriots. The Patriots have had a committee approach at the running back position for quite some time and this type of approach usually gives fantasy managers huge headaches. However, Damien Harris looks to have an edge over fellow committee members Rhamondre Stevenson, Ty Montgomery and Pierre Strong Jr. Harris might not get back to 15 touchdowns, but he will be scoring plenty with Bill Belichick consistently trying to pound the ball into the end zone while in the red zone.

9. Super Bowl LVI Champion Cam Akers will be our number nine running back who is undervalued. Akers, in his third year out of FSU, will be the Los Angeles Rams starting running back Week One, even with the injury last season. Darrell Henderson is a solid backup but shouldn’t eat too much into the workload for Akers, who showed that he could be a running back that this high-powered offense can lean on. Akers is the complete package and can be a threat in the pass game as well. He is being drafted in fantasy leagues far too low and could help win some leagues this season.

10. Our final spot belongs to Georgia Bulldogs National Champion, Buffalo Bills rookie James Cook. Cook, who is Dalvin’s younger brother, is finding himself in a very favorable situation, similar to his sibling. Devin Singletary may be the starting running back for the Bills, but James Cook looks to be the favored third down back for Josh Allen to check down to, getting the easy first downs after Allen’s playmaking ability creates additional time in the pocket. James Cook is getting drafted fairly low in most drafts this year and can provide Top 20 running back value in PPR formats.

—

We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of Undervalued Fantasy Running Backs for the 2022-2023 season. Stay tuned next week for our next installment of The Fantasy Football Draft Diaries – brought to you by SportsCollectibles.com! Start every morning with a healthy dose of SportsCollectibles.com! But seriously, find all of your fantasy faves autographed jerseys, autographed helmets, autographed footballs and more when you SHOP NOW. Save an EXTRA 10%* on your order with today’s exclusive blog discount code RBFFBLOG22. Plus, Free US Shipping on all orders over $100.* Start your collection or add to it today!

This post brought to you by Sports Collectibles Blog Dog Fantasy Fur-tball Expert, Barkley!


-Barkley is the ultimate NFL Fantasy Football Superstar. Sadly, as a Chicago Bears SuperFan, his Fantasy wins are really all that he has to look forward to this season. But he’s already thinking about his Mock Drafts for next year! Stay tuned for more Fantasy excitement from Barkley, our office Fantasy Commissioner, throughout the season.

*Only one promo/coupon code permitted per order. Not valid on restricted items listed HERE or on previous purchases. Expires 08/31/22. Free Shipping applicable on orders over $100 before tax to domestic US addresses. Some size restrictions may apply.

Double Play – Sports Superstar Siblings

Sports Collectibles

Seeing a set of siblings in the sports world is nothing new. No matter what sport it is, you’ll find family. We have seen families such as the DiMaggios with Joe, Vince and Dom tearing up professional baseball dating back to the 1950s, all the way to the Klitschko brothers collecting heavyweight title belts in the boxing world. Countless families have made their mark in the sports realm and with Serena Williams announcing her retirement, let’s take a look at some of our favorite Superstar Siblings.

1) Serena and Venus Williams
When one thinks of siblings dominating their sport, it’s impossible not to immediately think of Serena and Venus. The Williams sisters are widely referred to as the greatest female tennis players of all time, being referred to as the “Picasso and Monet” of women’s tennis for their skill. Both sisters have a plethora of accomplishments including both holding the title of number one in the world in singles at different points. Venus held this accomplishment for 11 weeks in 2002 while Serena held the accomplishment for a staggering 316 weeks. That is 72.7 months or 6.05 years. The sisters have dominated the doubles circuit together throughout their careers as well. Together, they have won 22 titles and even have 3 Olympic gold medals to their resume. The Williams sisters are without a doubt the greatest sister duo to grace the tennis court but are also viewed as one of the greatest sibling duos of all time, any sport.

2) John and Jim Harbaugh
This nod may seem off to people as the brothers are currently coaches, but coaches are just as pivotal in sports as the players so these two deserve the spot. John, currently the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, bounced around coaching jobs after his playing days. He had stints with programs such as the Pitt Panthers, Morehead State, University of Cincinnati Bearcats, and Indiana University Hoosiers. John made the leap to coaching in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1998 as a special teams coach where he stayed for ten seasons before landing the head gig in Baltimore where he would capture a Super Bowl victory. Jim took a little more direct route to coaching in the League. Jim spent 15 seasons in the NFL playing for countless teams. While playing in the league, he assisted his father in scouting and recruiting. After retirement, Jim was brought to the Oakland Raiders where he coached Rich Gannon in 2002, the year Gannon won NFL MVP. Jim went on to coach the San Francisco 49ers, giving us that highly anticipated brother-vs-brother Super Bowl XLVII matchup. Jim Harbaugh is now the well-known head coach of the Michigan Wolverines football team with a record of 61-24. The brothers have solidified their place on this list by becoming the first two brothers in NFL history to coach against each other for a championship.

3) J.J., T.J. and Derek Watt
Any modern-day NFL fan knows the Watt name. J.J. Watt was the first brother in the League and immediately made a name for the family by racking up five tackles and a fumble recovery in his very first game with the Houston Texans. J.J. has built a Hall of Fame worthy career for himself, the man is a 3x NFL Defensive Player of the Year award winner, led the league is sacks twice, tackles for a loss three times and even led the league in forced fumbles AND defensive touchdowns in separate seasons. Youngest brother T.J. is proving to be just as much of a monster. T.J. was an NFL Defensive Player of the Year finalist in 2019 and 2020 before capturing the award in 2021 as he tied the NFL record for sacks in a year with 22.5 in a season. T.J. also led the league in tackles for a loss, quarterback hits, and sacks (obviously) the past two seasons, a clear powerhouse that is only getting started. Middle brother Derek also is signed onto an NFL roster. Derek was drafted in 2016 by the then San Diego Chargers and now plays alongside T.J. with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The odds of a college athlete making it to the professional level are listed at 1.6% while the odds of a child in youth football making it to the Big Time is as little as 0.2%. The Watt family has defied those odds immensely.

4) Joey and Nick Bosa
Oddly enough, our next set of Superior Siblings in Sports are also defensive monsters in the NFL. Joey Bosa and Nick Bosa both hail from THE Ohio State University and were both highly touted coming out of college after playing for the Buckeyes. Joey was selected third overall by the then-San Diego Chargers. Joey has been a problem for opposing offenses since entering the league, having double-digit sack seasons in four out of his first six. Joey also found himself having a career year last season once again, tallying 7 forced fumbles on the year- good for the number two spot in the league. A contract with the Los Angeles Chargers that will add up to $135,000,000 through 2025 isn’t a bad career achievement either. Nick, Joey’s younger brother by three years, has quickly made a household name for himself as well. Chosen as the number 2 overall pick in the 2019 Draft, Nick has already led the league in a statistical category when he racked up 21 Tackles for Loss in 2021. Nick is still on his rookie contract, with the San Francisco 49ers picking up the fifth-year option, but expect a contract similar to his brother’s very soon.

5) Dalvin Cook and James Cook III
Rushing their way into the Running Back Realm of our Superstar Siblings List, this will be the first season that brothers Dalvin Cook and James Cook will be playing on the professional level together. Dalvin, a Florida State Seminoles standout who attended the same high school as Devonta Freeman, another former Seminoles star, played at FSU from 2014 through 2016 under Coach Jimbo Fisher. Dalvin dazzled on the field for the Noles becoming 2014 ACC Championship MVP and bookending his time in Tallahassee with a win over Michigan in the 2016 Orange Bowl. That year he also broke Warrick Dunn‘s Single Season Career Rushing Record of 3,959 yards. After the Orange Bowl win, Cook announced that he was going to forgo his senior season with the Seminoles to join the 2017 NFL Draft. He was selected in the second round by the Minnesota Vikings and has remained with the team for the past 5 seasons. Dalvin’s younger brother James Cook III was initially committed, after his FRESHMAN year of high school, to follow in his brother’s footsteps and become a Florida State Seminole. He later decommitted the summer before his senior year and decided to land in Athens, Georgia with the University of Georgia Bulldogs, charting a course into the history books. As a senior for the Dawgs in 2021, he rushed for 728 yards and 7 TDs plus caught 27 passes for 284 yds and 4 touchdowns- culminating with a National Championship win in Indianapolis over the Alabama Crimson Tide. Declaring for the NFL Draft in 2022, James was drafted also in the 2nd round but by the Buffalo Bills. During Week 10 of the 2022 NFL Season, the Cook brothers will be running against each other in Buffalo and we can’t wait to see how the National Champion Cook will fare this season against his Fantasy Football Favorite brother.

6) Peyton and Eli Manning
These two may be retired from playing but with a heavy New York Giants bias and the two hosting their own Monday Night Football analysis, they’re still getting the final nod on my list. Peyton Manning, hailing from the University of Tennessee Volunteers played with the Indianapolis Colts for the majority of his illustrious career, ending his time on the field with the Denver Broncos, leading them to victory in Super Bowl 50 making him the first starting quarterback to win the Super Bowl with more than one NFL team. He will go down as one of the best to ever do it, there is no NFL fan who is not aware of him. A host to multiple NFL records, two-time Super Bowl champion, five-time NFL MVP, two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, fourteen-time Pro Bowler, seven-time First-Team All-Pro, and of course 2007 Super Bowl XLI MVP. Peyton Manning has a better career accolade list than your created Madden NFL player does- he was THAT good. Eli, the New York Giants legend, may not have had the blockbuster career of his older brother, but he wasn’t a slouch. Eli holds the Giants franchise record book slots for passing yards, touchdown passes and completions. Eli also proved to be an ironman player, currently holding the third-longest consecutive starts streak by an NFL quarterback. Ranked 8th in NFL history for passing yards and 9th in touchdowns, a two-time champion over Tom Brady and the NFL record for passing yards in a singular postseason, Eli was still that dude.

Who are your top picks for Dynamic Duos or Trios of Super Siblings? Let us know in the comments below.

Shop for all of your favorite sports memorabilia and collectibles – whether they’re related or not – at SportsCollectibles.com.

Save an extra 10%* today (for up to 45% off* of most items) on our website with code SIBLINGSBLOG at checkout and always Free US Shipping on all orders over $100.* Start your collection or add to it now!

This post brought to you by Sports Collectibles Blog Dog Superstar, Tucker!


-Tucker, a Military Brat pup hailing from CT – and considered by some to be the 4th Manning brother – loves going for relaxing walks, ear rubs, scratching rugs, and eating entire bowls of chicken enchilada meat before his family can eat it! A HUGE fan of the Yankees, GIANTS and most things New York (with the exception of a borderline-unhealthy obsession with LeBron James), TuckTuck is so excited to get to blog about his favorite thing – SPORTS.

*Only one promo/coupon code permitted per order. Not valid on restricted items listed HERE or on previous purchases. Expires 12/31/22. Free Shipping applicable on orders over $100 before tax to domestic US addresses. Some size restrictions may apply.

Saban = GOAT

Sports Collectibles

Unless you live under a rock, you know who Nick Saban is. How you feel about him though, may differ depending on who you ask. Nick Saban is widely viewed as not only one of the greatest coaches of his generation, but of all time as well. Boasting a collegiate record of 274-67-1 (.803), it is no surprise as to why. How did Saban go from a boy in Fairmont, West Virginia to the king of the NCAA?
Saban’s first title was almost 60 years ago, he quarterbacked his high school to a West Virginia state title in 1968. From there, Saban continued his playing career at Kent State University, home of the Golden Flashes, where he was a defensive back. Saban was known to seek contact and always looked to make a big hit. It was the choice of being a Golden Flash that helped start his coaching career. After his degree in 1973, Saban joined the program as a graduate assistant and later joined the staff. Here, he would learn under Don James, a coach Saban still holds in high esteem.

Saban did not stumble into the Alabama job he holds today. The legendary coach had to endure years of paying his dues and learning from other opportunities. Saban would act as an assistant coach at programs such as Syracuse, West Virginia, Ohio State, Navy, Michigan State and even the Houston Oilers of the NFL before he got his first look as a head coach. That look would come from the University of Toledo in 1989. Saban came in and made an immediate impact, boosting their record by 3 wins with a 9-2 inaugural season record.

Saban’s time at Toledo was short lived, the next season he found himself two hours East in Cleveland as the Browns‘ defensive coordinator where he spent four years and refers to them as the “worst of my life”.
Saban pivoted back into the realm of college football taking over at Michigan State in 1995. The first three seasons were improvements from the three-season predating the Saban era, but not by much. In 1998 the Spartans did upset #1 ranked Ohio State in the Buckeyes stadium, the biggest bright spot of his time there. Saban led the 1999 team to a 9-2 regular season record and resigned before the team could play their Bowl game.

Saban ended his time at Michigan State to take over the LSU Tigers program in November of 1999, leading them to two SEC Championships as well as a BCS National Championship in 2003 with a win over the #1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners. Saban’s success at LSU caught the eye of the NFL and Saban found himself as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2004.

The Miami job would start out hot with a 9-7 opening season but the 2006 season would bring trouble. With Daunte Culpepper not panning out in Miami and a rollercoaster of a schedule, Saban found himself with his first losing season ever as a head coach at 6-10. That would be the last of Nick Saban and Miami.

January 3rd, 2007. A date that will go down in Alabama football history. Coach Nick Saban announces he will accept the head coaching offer from the University of Alabama. While there, Alabama has won eight SEC championships and six national championships. More impressive, they have won seven SEC titles and four national championships in the last ten seasons with a record of 128-13 (.908). We will just have to wait and see how many the King of the NCAA retires with.

Shop our Nick Saban Alabama Crimson Tide autographed jerseys, footballs, helmets and more HERE now! Don’t forget we offer custom framing options for jerseys and photos to make your fan cave EPIC!

SC.com Blog Dog:


-Tucker, a Military Brat pup hailing from Connecticut, loves going for relaxing walks, ear rubs, scratching rugs, and eating entire bowls of chicken enchilada meat before his family can eat it! A HUGE fan of the Yankees, Giants and most things New York (with the exception of a borderline-unhealthy obsession with LeBron James), TuckTuck is so excited to get to blog about his favorite thing – SPORTS.

Midwest Sports Spectacular Quite the Spectacle

Derek Dye

Buckeyes fan flocked to the 3rd Annual Midwest Sports Spectacular this past weekend in Columbus.  Saturday & Sunday’s attendance set records for not only the MWSS show, but also rivaled any United States autograph signing in recent memory!  The true strength of Buckeye Nation was clear as they got to bid farewell to some of the greats from the 2014 Championship Team.  Fan favorite, Ezekiel Elliott was blown away by the over 800 fans who lined up to wish him good luck and reminisce on the magical times they shared at Ohio State.  Zeke went on to tweet, “#BuckeyeNation showing me much luv today! You honor me and I luv you! #GoBucks!”.  Potential 1st pick in the NFL Draft, Joey Bosa was astonished by the support and tweeted, “Thanks everyone for coming out today! Best damn fans in the land!”.  Over 3,000 people visited the show and can take home awesome memories from a truly special weekend.  Many of the athletes were humbled by the turn out and the stories of fans making the trek through Winter Storm Jonas in order to meet their heroes.  We would like to thank all of the athletes for being so engaging to their loyal fans.  And thank you to all who made it out to the 3rd Annual Midwest Sports Spectacular!2

Customer Reviews:

“The show was phenomenal. They staff did the best they could with what they had. The ticket office had three people doing will call tickets at all times. 2 people were doing walk ups. (Btw the people in the ticket office worked exrtemly hard for 8 hrs with no breaks of any kind to accomadate all the fans) Some people ordered hundreds of tickets and they had to do an inventory of what that person bought to make sure the customer got what he paid for. The signings were very organized, the vendors were awesome and the merchandise at the ticket office was some of the cheapest I have ever seen at a signing. The photos were also official licensed OSU photos. Great job guys! I will be back next year. Bosa signed for 800 people and they had to turn away 600 people (because there jist wasn’t enough time to sign anymore). It was not the shows fault that OSU fans are the best fans around and wanted to show their support. AND to Bosa s credit he was extremely sick and was going to cancel but he didn’t want to dissapointhis fans. Great job everyone! First class people. One of the best attended shows ever in Ohio!!!”

“This was first time attending this event, but it won’t be the last! All the staff were super friendly and helpful bothbefore the event when I called to ask questions and during the event. I thought it was very well organized and the lines moved pretty quickly. I had a problem with one of the signings I purchased- the time changed for cardale and I was unable to make it, but the staff was very helpful and offered a refund or to have my item signed for me. I opted to have the item signed for me and unfortunately it got missed, but the staff made sure I got one of the signed pictures they had done in exchange and made sure I got exactly what I wanted- which I did. I don’t think they could have handled my little snafu any better-They really understandcustomer service and genuinely wanted to make sure everyone was happy. Thank you for everything and we will be back!”

“This was my first time attending this event, and I loved every minute of it! Every staff member I spoke with was extremely kind and helpful. I had some questions before the event occurred and one of the staff was so quick to respond and I was very appreciative of their time to help. During the event the staff were also very helpful and always willing to take a moment to point people in the right direction or answer any questions about merchandise or tickets. I loved meeting all the players and thought that the lines all moved very quickly and were well organized. I hope next year there are more vendors and more space in general, but the event was so fun and so well organized. Thanks!”

5

3

Midwest Sports Spectacular

Derek Dye

PRE-ORDER TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR SALE CAN BE FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

We are pleased to present the 2016 Midwest Sports Spectacular! Presented by Ohio Sports Marketing, 4th and Goal, Sports Collectibles, and Byers Auto.

The show features many great sports card and memorabilia dealers from as far away as St Louis, Michigan, Pennsylvania and, of course, all over Ohio. This year will be bigger and better! With 15,000 square feet of national vendors, authentication, and even more autograph guests, we are planning for our best show yet!

This year the show will be held at the Crowne Plaza Columbus North 6500 Double Tree Ave, Columbus OH 43229.

We are proud to announce that both PSA/DNA Authentication and JSA Authentication will be authenticating at the 2016 Midwest Sports Spectacular!For info about booking a table please contact Chris: (330) 948-3816.
For info about booking a hotel room please call the hotel: (614) 885-1885.

JSA will be attending for the entire weekend.

PSA/DNA will be attending Saturday ONLY from 10 am – 5 pm.
PSA/DNA autograph experts will be available to authenticate your previously signed autographs up to 5 pm. Turnaround varies with demand. Letters of Authenticity will be issued by mail within two weeks. Note: Items submitted for grading and/or encapsulation must be mailed directly to PSA/DNA, please visit www.psacard.com/submissions for details on how to submit.

Another new thing this year will be admission.

Friday: Free
Sat & Sun: $10 total for the entire weekend & this includes a $5 voucher to use at any of the vendor tables in the dealer room, so it works out to just $5 for the entire weekend.
Kids 15 and under Free all weekend.

Admission, autograph tickets, and product for autographs can be pre-ordered at theOSUstore.com. All pre-ordered items will be available for pick up at will-call on the days of the show.

2016 Midwest Sports Spectacular Schedule
January 22-24

Friday, January 22
-6:00 – Buster Douglas / Andy Katzenmoyer / Terrelle Pryor / Cornelius Greene

Saturday, January 23
-Time TBD – Le’veon Bell (Presented by Total Sports Enterprises)
-12:00 – Bobby Hull1:00 – Archie Griffin / Troy Smith
-2:00 – Chris Spielman / Jim Kelly

Sunday, January 24
-11:00 – Rocky Bleier
-12:00 – Earle Bruce1928703_574579326043519_7916378502662536424_n