2024 Undrafted Gems, Running Backs
Unfortunately, there are always players who throw their names into the NFL Draft, only to watch it go by without hearing their names called. As disappointing or frustrating as it may be, it doesn’t define their careers. There are always undrafted rookies that shine in the NFL, and for running backs, that’s no different. Here are five undrafted gems that could thrive in their current situations.
Frank Gore Jr., Buffalo Bills
Many anticipated Frank Gore Jr., the son of Frank Gore, to be drafted. However, when his name wasn’t called, he immediately became a hot commodity, one that the Buffalo Bills were able to snag. His speed might be underwhelming for now given his frame, yet he’s an elusive runner with a chip on his shoulder to be just as great as his father was in the NFL.
Gore forced 233 missed tackles on 757 total carries at Southern Miss, proving to be a nightmare to tackle in the open field. This equates to a missed tackle rate of 30.7 percent. Blake Corum for example, had a tackle rate of 22.6 percent on fewer attempts, and he was drafted in the third round.
Gore heads to the Buffalo Bills, a high-upside situation where he could make the roster early on. He won’t pass James Cook as the starter, though he could easily usurp other running backs such as Ray Davis and Ty Johnson, assuming he has a strong camp. If he does, then there might be some fantasy relevance there. However, I wouldn’t anticipate fantasy football upside this year, as he’s more of a prospect in a high-scoring offense with backfield help needed.
Blake Watson, Denver Broncos
Blake Watson was snagged after the draft as well. Watson is another high-potential prospect who could get onto an NFL roster straight away. Ahead of the draft, he prided himself on his ability to stay out of trouble, stay out of drama, and remain focused on helping his team win. Something that caught many teams’ eyes.
In each of the last four seasons at Memphis, he’s increased his yards from scrimmage. Last season, he hit his peak with 1,632 yards while also excelling as a pass catcher out of the backfield.
The Denver Broncos swooped in to grab him and instantly gave him one of the highest guaranteed contracts out of the 2024 undrafted rookies. He’s joining a backfield that has had questions the last few years, meaning he’ll get a shot straight away for playing time. New head coach Sean Payton also loves pass-catching backs, and that’s an area Watson thrives.
For fantasy football relevance, there’s a true possibility that he plays early on, or at least makes the official roster for special teams alone. Either way, he feels like he can make a name for himself quickly.
Blake Watson || College Highlights || Denver Broncos RB – YouTube
Cody Schrader, San Francisco 49ers
Cody Schrader isn’t unfamiliar with getting overlooked, just as he was during the NFL Draft. He was under-recruited coming out of Lutheran South High and then played Division II football at Truman State before transferring as a walk-on for Missouri. Fast forward, and he’s a Heisman Trophy candidate for the school.
In the last two years, Schrader broke the single season rushing record while helping the team go 11-2. How has he gotten here? Easy, his work ethic. He’s played through numerous injuries, was quoted working out in the stadium after dark by himself and ran drills on the field on his own because he missed practice for his graduation. He won’t want to miss a snap.
The San Francisco 49ers grabbed him which feels like a bad fit initially. Interestingly, it’s not. This team is known to like running backs based on style of play, grit, and explosiveness rather than draft status, which instantly gives Schrader a shot. Couple that with the team looking at possibly moving veteran Elijah Mitchell, and a backup spot opens up quickly.
For fantasy football relevance, he might not appear on any radars this season. Christian McCaffrey will be the main guy and Mitchell/Jordan Mason will serve as backups for now. If one gets moved and Schrader makes the roster, then he can certainly pop up on radars as soon as this season.
Austin Jones, Washington Commanders
Austin Jones has put the work in, and it’s given him a shot on an NFL roster. Jones spent three years at Stanford before transferring to USC for his final two collegiate seasons. In those two years, he took 220 rushes for 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns. He filled in for starting back Travis Dye when he got hurt and helped USC win 11 games. He’s not scared of the moment and waits for his opportunity.
He joins the Washington Commanders, who have a plethora of new faces in the organization such as offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who was working at USC alongside Jones last season. Kingsbury liked what he saw and could have a plan for him straight away going into camp if all went well.
There’s a chance Jones will make the roster, though this is a future investment. For fantasy football, he doesn’t have much relevance due to the current depth chart. Washington already has two veterans, Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson, plus other names such as Chris Rodriguez. Jones will once again need to wait for his moment.
Austin Jones Highlights (youtube.com)
Elijah Collins, Arizona Cardinals
Elijah Collins is a sleeper when it comes to undrafted running backs, but he lands on this list due to situation and opportunity. Collins was a former Michigan State starter and Oklahoma State transfer, who got a strong $8,000 signing bonus from the Cincinnati Bengals to play for them.
The six-foot running back had over 1,000 yards in 2019 as a freshman starter, but got off track due to injuries, the COVID-19 pandemic, and inconsistency. Luckily, he transferred to Oklahoma State had 4.5 yards per carry despite limited touches, and excelled at the NFL Combine to catch the Bengal’s eye.
He falls with the Cincinnati Bengals, a team with uncertainty in their entire backfield. They lost starter Joe Mixon in the offseason and signed veteran Zack Moss to partner with youngster Chase Brown. However, neither have proven themselves in Cincinnati yet. If Collins explodes straight away, then he could very quickly rise through the depth charts.
Given how much opportunity there is, Collins could be an interesting grab in fantasy football. He might not get much playing time this year, though if Moss isn’t as good as the team hopes, then the need for a full-time starter becomes a must.
Elijah Collins 2022 highlights! Oklahoma St RB from MSU (youtube.com)