In a world of polarizing viewpoints, the universally loved, Charles Sims, brings people together. Well other than Doug Martin owners. Someone tell them about zero RB. Too soon?. Ok, just sing with me, “What the world needs now is Sims, sweet, Sims. He’s the only thing there’s just too little of. What the world needs now is Sims, sweet, Sims. Not just for some, but for everyone.”
Other than terrible song rewrites, Sims has garnered appreciation in fantasy football circles for his standalone production and potential upside given more opportunity. While Doug Martin is injured, as RotoUnderworld’s Drew Ryan previously suggested, Sims sits squarely in the fantasy RB1 conversation. Sims recently delivered impressive production against the Los Angeles Kroenkes providing 124 all purpose yards and a touchdown.
Within the RotoUnderworld Team list of 10 players to add across all fantasy football formats, one of the players looks like the next Charles Sims. A back that produces in a phases of the game and a daily reminder of the meaning of life. Join me on an expedition where we can all be best friends and…maybe just maybe we can find the next Sims.
Note: The following waiver targets were selected from a group of players owned in less than 50-percent of MFL redraft leagues.
Orleans Darkwa, RB, New York Giants
Orleans Darkwa has an objectively fantastic name. Like top 10 in the NFL fantastic. As a fantasy asset, Darka offers a rare opportunity to add an imitation Charles Sims to your fantasy bench. Similar to Sims, Darkwa owned a productive 32.3-percent (68th-percentile) College Dominator Rating and captured a strong portion of the passing game given his 10.4-percent (76th-percentile) College Target Share. Rashad Jennings appears close to return to action, but the season ending injury suffered by Shane Vereen opens up a running back touch void in New York. Perched above Paul Perkins on the depth chart, Darkwa possesses both a markedly superior athleticism and the desirable background as an all purpose back. This makes Darkwa the preferred add. Darkwa could be looking at 40% split of carries and may get some love through the air. If Rashad Jennings cannot stay healthy, Darkwa could emerge as a top 15 running back.
Orleans Darkwa Advanced Stats & Metrics Profile
Dwayne Washington, RB, Detroit Lions
Listen, Dwayne Washington‘s athleticism is as undeniable as the day is long. From Washington’s 105.9 (77th-percentile) Height Adjusted Speed Score (HaSS) to his 127.3 (87th-percentile) Burst Score, he checks all the athleticism boxes necessary to be a productive NFL running back. I have heard great tales linking the athleticism and skill of Washington to the David Johnson emergence in 2015. Pardon me, as I clear the vomit off my shoes. Washington is not in the same class from an athletic standpoint or more importantly as a college producer. Allow me to list college rushing totals by game for Washington: 52, 2, 51, 11, 0, -4, 22, 57, 141, 0, 38, 35, 58, 56, 7, 53, -8, 33, 148, 100, 135, 42, 14, 13, 2, 109, 15, -3, 77, 55. This is not a particularly inspiring string of consistency at the college level.
However, Washington does not have to possess a history of elite college production to be relevant to your fantasy team. Opportunity has been awarded in Detroit, with Washington appearing to own the goal line carries and a large percentage of the rushing workload. If Washington was already picked up in your league he may become available this week as a backlash to the over-hype hysteria from last week. Temper the expectations, but if opportunity and explosiveness mix correctly for Washington, he could have some boom weeks this season.
Dwayne Washington Advanced Stats & Metrics Profile
Kenneth Dixon, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Justin Forsett and Terrance West have provided mediocre production through the first three games of the year. Meanwhile, Javorious Allen has not yet worn a Baltimore jersey on game day. As an unknown commodity, Kenneth Dixon holds the last hope for fantasy points from the Baltimore backfield and Dixon should soon return from a preseason MCL sprain. Rewinding the tape to look at player baseline profiles, Dixon appears superior to his counterparts through the lenses of Breakout Age, College Dominator Rating and SPARQ-x.
Ravens RB Depth Chart Metrics
Remarkably, in one college season, Dixon tallied 27 touchdowns leading all of college football. This super productive season also happened to be his freshman year at Louisiana Tech. In addition, Dixon’s 18.6 year old Breakout Age (95th-percentile) lays claim to the earliest breakout age within the Baltimore backfield, showing his precocious football presence. The intoxicating allure of the unknown and the historical production make Dixon an interesting bet to take over the Baltimore backfield as the season progresses.
Waiver Priority Ranks
As the top red zone target for Kirk Cousins in Washington, Jamison Crowder has developed surprising upside. Crowder has received five red-zone targets this season and twenty-five targets overall through three games. Adam Humphries has been a target vacuum for Jameis Winston with Vincent Jackson looking like less of a factor week by week. Last week, Humphries hauled in 9 catches on 12 targets for 100 yards against Los Angeles. With Dez Bryant‘s health status in question, Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley could have increases in volume by necessity. Feast your eyes on Bobby Rainey‘s 48.2-percent (97th-percentile) College Dominator Rating and 16.3-percent (95th-percentile) College Target Share. Rainey has the skills and electric athleticism to breakout in the New York passing game.
Below is the order I would claim players in a vacuum not taking into account individual team needs.
