There is no question D’Andre Swift is a good NFL running back. But fantasy football is not the NFL, and in that realm, the Detroit Lions top RB is not as great of a prospect.
Despite getting some first-round run in fantasy drafts and an average draft position of the first pick of the second round, at least one outlet finds that value too rich for Swift in the fantasy world.
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Pro Football Focus tabbed Swift as the most overrated prospect in the second round, and it also makes Swift the most overrated running back. The reasons cited highlight the difference between value in fantasy football and value in actual football.
Sharing the Detroit backfield with Jamaal Williams is a big issue in fantasy, where volume matters.
Volume remains king in fantasy football, and it wouldn’t matter too much if Swift is a below average runner if he sees a lot of volume. But he might not see enough volume to make him a top-10 fantasy back. He had 33 carries in one overtime game against the Eagles last season while Jamaal Williams was injured, but that was his only game with 15 or more carries. The two appear set to split carries again this season.
Then there’s the matter of Swift being too easy to tackle, going down on first contact too often. It’s something that has statistical backing; Swift had the worst yards per carry between the tackles of any RB in the league in 2021. PFF sees that as a clear impediment to fantasy success,
The problem is that Swift hasn’t played well as a runner so far in his career and might not see the volume most expect. His PFF rush grade was the lowest among players with at least 150 carries last season. He doesn’t gain many yards after contact, and there is no guarantee any of the other players in the bottom five in that category will be on an NFL roster a month from now.
Swift makes up for some of the rushing deficiencies as a receiver, but it’s not enough to save him from earning the overhyped or over-drafted labels in fantasy circles.
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