NFL Player News

The Jaguars selected Robinson in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 167th overall.

Robinson never got his chance to shine as a running back in college whether it was at Alabama or Texas, as he was stuck behind the likes of Najee Harris, Bijan Robinson or Jonathon Brooks. He had just 82 career carries for 542 yards and six touchdowns to go with 35 grabs for 332 yards and three scores on 43 targets. That's solid efficiency, but there's no proof that it will hold up over a bigger sample. Where Robinson shines is in the return game, and that will likely be his meal ticket in Jacksonville, especially with the new return rules. Robinson ran a kick back for a touchdown in 2023 and was clocked with a 4.42 in the 40 at the combine. He's unlikely to be much of a fantasy factor barring significant attrition in the Jags' backfield. And the addition of Devin Duvernay this offseason complicates his path to being used in the return game.

The Ravens selected Ali (biceps) in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 165th overall.

Ali is an intriguing prospect, as he had multiple 1,000-yard seasons with Marshall including freshman All-American honors back in 2021 following a season in which he compiled 1,742 total yards and 24 touchdowns. Sandwiched between the 1,000-yard campaigns, Ali missed 10 games after injuring his MCL during the 2022 campaign and also injured his biceps during the Senior Bowl, thus forcing him to miss all the subsequent pre-draft testing. It's hard to compile the type of numbers Ali did even in a lesser competitive landscape as a "poor" athlete, which means the Ravens might have struck gold yet again on an electric backfield option in the later rounds.

The Broncos selected Estime in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 147th overall.

Estime is a load to bring down at 5-foot-11 and 221 pounds with a powerful anchor and physical running style. He played sparingly as a freshman before having his role expand in 2022 with 156 carries for 920 yards (5.9 YPC) and 11 scores. Estime truly took off as the starter in 2023 though, racking up 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns on 210 carries (6.4 YPC). He was still available at this stage after posting a 4.71 in the 40 at the combine, but Estime has the skill and power to be an asset in the Broncos backfield eventually. Javonte Williams is still the starter and Estime is a bit redundant to him in terms of play style, plus the rookie lacks the pass-catching chops to carve out an alternative type of role. Samaje Perine is still on the roster for now and Jaleel McLaughlin impressed as a rookie, so while Estime is a nice addition for Denver, the Notre Dame product's fantasy projection is murky for 2024.

The Jets selected Allen in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 134th overall.

Allen followed in the footsteps of Jonathan Taylor as a prolific rusher at Wisconsin. He totaled 3,494 yards on the ground across 35 games with the Badgers, but he didn't show much ability as a pass catcher with just 49 catches over three seasons, which was part of the reason he lasted until Round 4. The Jets will hope that Allen doesn't see much work in his rookie campaign, but he should have the chance to compete with Israel Abanikanda to back up Breece Hall.

The Lions selected Vaki in the fourth round of 2024 NFL Draft, 132nd overall.

Vaki (5-foot-11, 210 pounds) was a do-everything standout at Utah, where he thrived as both a safety and to a lesser extent at running back. Curiously, the Lions listed Vaki as a running back in the pick selection, but the presences of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery would seemingly indicate that there is little or no playing time up for grabs at running back. It might make sense for Detroit to therefore use Vaki as a two-way player the exact same way Utah did and basically call upon him in whichever capacity the situation might call for. If Vaki can earn playing time, there's reason to think he can produce on either offense or defense, though in terms of the depth chart he is probably far away from meaningful playing time in the short term.

The 49ers selected Guerendo in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 129th overall.

The 49ers traded up in the fourth to acquire Guerendo amid a positional run at running backs. While so many of Guerendo's draft-eligible counterparts saw their value plummet at the combine, the Louisville product posted the fastest 40 time among RBs (4.33) and impressive jumping marks to bolster what was an otherwise incomplete six-year collegiate career. That the 2018 high school recruit was buried behind a number of legitimate NFL caliber running backs at Wisconsin shouldn't scare off fantasy managers, but multiple season-ending soft-tissue injuries should at least raise some red flags. Provided he's able to stay healthy, Guerendo's speed will easily find a way onto the field for San Francisco, even if it's just on a limited basis.

The Bills selected Davis in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 128th overall.

Davis (5-foot-8, 211 pounds) might not look big but he's a rugged runner with a dense build and the correct lean for managing traffic in the teeth of the defense, making him surprisingly difficult to get a hold off between the tackles. Davis was a high-volume runner for all of Temple, Vanderbilt and Kentucky at various points, in each case carrying the offense despite getting little or no help from the team around him. Davis' strong anchor is supplemented by at least average athleticism (4.52-second 40-yard dash), and he has the pass-catching skills necessary to make a positive impact on passing downs, so he makes himself a viable option for nearly any play call. Of course, incumbent starter James Cook is one of the NFL's most productive pass-catching backs, so Davis is unlikely to see much usage in that specific capacity with Buffalo, but Davis is likely a better power runner than Cook and could steal some looks in short-yardage situations. If the Bills don't add any other running backs, Davis could enter 2024 as one of the most valuable insurance running backs.

The Eagles selected Shipley in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 127th overall.

Those hoping for Shipley to make an immediate impact as a rookie may be disappointed with this selection because the Eagles gave Saquon Barkley a big contract this offseason. Still, Shipley profiles as a solid depth option behind Barkley, who has had durability issues. Shipley starred at Clemson for three years after being ranked as a five-star recruit in high school. He topped out with 210 carries for 1,182 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2022 and was more so part of a committee as a junior. Shipley did not test at the combine due to a knee issue but put down a 4.45 in the 40 at Clemson's Pro Day. He may not be built for workhorse functions but can be a rotational rusher with some pass-catching assignments as well given his 69 receptions on 85 targets in his final two seasons in college. Shipley is a better back right now than Kenneth Gainwell, but that hasn't stopped Philadelphia from giving Gainwell the snaps anyway in the past.

The Buccaneers selected Irving in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 125th overall.

Given the muddled nature of the incoming rookie running backs, Irving was presumed to be one of the draft's best options following back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons with Oregon. A historically bad combine performance (4.55 40-yard dash at 192 pounds) saw Irving completely fall out of that conversation, but the landing spot Saturday might afford the 21-year-old an opportunity to play relevant snaps immediately with his new team. Rachaad White absorbed almost 350 touches last season with the team devoid of a true backup option, and while Irving's athletic testing was hardly pristine, the two-year starter was a capable enough runner and talented pass catcher in college that he'll act as a facsimile of sorts for the aforementioned White.

The Dolphins selected Wright in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 120th overall.

It might seem like an annoying landing spot for Wright (5-foot-11, 210 pounds) at a glance, but the former Tennessee speedster could earn more playing time than most third-string runners in Miami due to the limited workload capacities of Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane. Not just that, but Wright's blazing speed (4.38-second 40) is a perfect fit for what coach Mike McDaniel does in the running game. The Dolphins have an interest in managing the workloads of Mostert and Achane so that their rare explosiveness is still intact come playoff time, and Wright gives them a means of doing so at little or no cost to effectiveness. Defenses praying for relief from the Miami speed onslaught will find no such thing when Wright takes the field. Wright probably isn't a truly complete running back and might not ever be a volume candidate himself, but Mostert and Achane have already demonstrated how a speedy runner can do major damage in the Miami offense even with modest workloads.