Tag: devin singletary

Six points with David Dorey (2023 RB free agent edition)

Looking at the 2023 free agent running backs

Week 16 is upon us and by most of every fantasy league are out of the playoffs. But the NFL is still on and there are notable changes coming down the road worth thinking about because players changing teams is where a significant amount of fantasy value lies – there’s no way to know just how a player will produce on a new team and the inclination is to undervalue them.

The 2019 draft class proved to be even more RB-rich than expected and most are finishing up their rookie contracts.

Let’s take a quick look at the pending free agents running backs when the NFL’s 2023 season starts on Wednesday, March 15 at 4 p.m. ET. Some will be signed by their own teams, but most likely head on to new teams. Here are my Top-6 running back free agents.

1.) Josh Jacobs (LV) – The Raiders declined his fifth-year option – oops – and the 25-year-old rusher hits the market red-hot. He is currently the leading rusher in the NFL and became a workhorse in a Josh McDaniels offense that historically used committees. The ex-Alabama back spent his first three seasons as good and never great. This season he’s on pace for 2,250 total yards and 13 touchdowns. The Raiders may want to re-sign him but can they afford it? He’ll be the hottest fantasy-related free agent in the spring.

2.) Saquon Barkley (NYG) – The Giants did use their fifth-year option on the star pick in 2018 and now that is up. Barkley’s done himself a giant favor by finally blowing up after two down years marred by injuries. He’s on pace to match his monster rookie season that held 2,028 yards and 15 touchdowns. The players are buying into HC Brian Daboll’s offense, but Barkley is arguably the only weapon there and the team has many other needs. He is only 25 years old and appears to have shaken the injury curse of 2020 and 2021. He’ll command a high price since the durability argument is harder to make now that he is healthy and productive in the middle of a mediocre team.

3.) Miles Sanders (PHI) – Another 2019 draftee finishes up his rookie contract and as a second-rounder, there was no fifth-year option. And like his classmates, he’s saved the best for last.  Sanders never rushed for more than 867 yards or totaled more than 1,327 yards. He’s already rushed for 1,110 and totals 1,182 yards with three games left to play. He’s been solid but stuck in a committee backfield that hasn’t often given him the work of a true full-time back. He’s been busier this year, but still only logged two games with more than 18 carries. He can be a full-time back or fit into a committee elsewhere.

4.) Tony Pollard (DAL) – The fourth-rounder from 2019 supplied the No. 2 role behind Ezekiel Elliott until this year when the Cowboys have the No. 1 fantasy backfield and Pollard is 1B to Elliott’s 1A. Or is that reversed? Elliott is signed through 2026 but 2023 is the first season they have a potential out. Pollard will attract plenty of attention if he reaches free agency but the Cowboys may end up sticking with the younger Pollard and releasing Elliott. The only thing that is certain is that whoever owns him next season will be paying him more than the $797,000 that he cost the Cowboys this year.

5.) David Montgomery (CHI) – The third-rounder from 2019 reaches the end of his rookie contract. He’s ending this year with roughly where he lands  in most seasons – about 1,100 total yards and seven scores. He’s been saddled with arguably the worst offensive line for the last four seasons and he brings receiving skills as well. Montgomery hasn’t played in a stable offense during his time in Chicago, but has shown enough that he’ll draw interest if the Bears elect to let him go. The Bears are perpetually rebuilding and have Khalil Herbert, so they may let him go.

6.) Devin Singletary (BUF) – Another third-rounder from 2019, Singletary has been a member of a committee for all four years and that’s ended with around 750 rushing yards and 250 receiving yards with four or five touchdowns each year. He has remained the primary back, such as it is in Buffalo, but the Bills added James Cook in the second round last April as a younger version of Singletary. The position rarely rates higher than an RB3 but it is a powerful offense and any starter has fantasy value. If Singletary leaves, he’ll join another committee while Cook likely gets a younger No. 2 behind him.

Other 2023 free agent running backs: Kareem Hunt, Jamaal Williams, Raheem Mostert, D’Onta Foreman, Jerick McKinnon, Jeff Wilson,  James Robinson, Damien Harris, Latavius Murray.

Bills’ James Cook wants to take advantage of ‘every opportunity’

#Bills’ James Cook wants to take advantage of ‘every opportunity’

The Buffalo Bills have had a balanced rushing attack in recent weeks which has helped their offense roll.

Going hand-in-hand with that is an increased usage of rookie second-round pick James Cook. The first-year pro had an outing of 86 yards against the Cleveland Browns then another strong one just last week against the New England Patriots which featured 105 all-purpose yards.

However, these games were not back-to-back. One week, Cook would play promising but then Devin Singletary might get more carries the following game.

Because of that, Cook acknowledged he would love more playing time consistently. Regardless if that comes or not, he plans to simply take advantage of any chance he gets.

“Felt good, and every time my number’s called I just try to make a play for my team,” the understated Cook said via the Rochester D&C. “I hope [playing time will increase], but if it don’t, every opportunity I get I’m gonna just keep making it better and taking advantage of it.”

While the alternating between Cook and Singletary has been pretty clear, that hasn’t exactly been anything done purposely. That’s what Buffalo offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey wants us to believe.

But Dorsey did acknowledge he’s seen improvement in Cook.

“I think just every week you see him continually get more and more comfortable,” Dorsey said via video conference. “He’s been able to do a lot of different things for us that complete backs need to do in this league. He’s continued to grow if you just kind of see that as the year goes on.”

Looking ahead to Week 14 against the New York Jets (7-5), the Bills (9-3) would be smart to utilize their rushing attack one way or another–Or at least better.

In Buffalo’s 20-17 loss to New York earlier this year, Cook and Singletary combined for only 39 rushing yards.

The Jets put a lot of pressure on quarterback Josh Allen and forced him into mistakes. While there’s plenty of reason to trust the Bills QB, it still would be profitable to have a balanced attack against a top-five defense.

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Bills vs. Jets: 7 things to watch for during Week 14’s game

#Bills vs. #Jets: 7 things to watch for during Week 14’s game:

The Buffalo Bills (9-3) continue their regular season journey at home against the New York Jets (7-5) in Week 14.

Once the battle arrives, there will be a few particular things to keep in mind.

Here are seven things to watch for during Sunday’s Bills-Jets matchup:

Bills offense welcome run game contributions vs. Patriots

#Bills offense welcome run game contributions vs. #Patriots:

Buffalo rookie RB James Cook had a career evening in Foxborough, MA on the way to a 24-10 Bills victory over their AFC East rival, the New England Patriots.

Cook led the team in rush attempts and yardage on the ground, also hauling in six targets that made him second in receptions on the night. In all the first-year pro had 14 carries for 64 yards with 41 yards receiving.

The contest was the third in which he logged double-digit attempts rushing, and marked the best overall performance of his young career.

Much of the Bills ground game has previously been carried on RB Devin Singletary’s shoulder, so what’s led to the increased role on offense? In part, the playcalling has been more balanced, but there are some other things Cook’s head coach noticed as well.

“It was just overall his growth and seeing what he can do,” Sean McDermott said to the press postgame. “Rotating different guys in there. It was just all Motor (Devin Singletary) and I think that’s a good thing there.”

The playcalling was absolutely a factor in giving the running back’s group a chance to gain ground in the offense, and the coach acknowledged how offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey has been reading when to run or pass the football.

“I thought coach (Ken) Dorsey did a really good job of changing it up. When the run is working like it was at times, just being able to stick it–And sometimes it wasn’t–but just being able to stick with it, I thought he was very patient in that regard. I thought the O-line did a very good job up front,” McDermott added.

Cook’s teammates noticed the impact he and Singletary, who added 51 yards on 13 carries with a touchdown, had in the win.

“We got the backs that can make explosive plays. They do a great job,” WR Stefon Diggs said during his media session. “It helps the pass game.”

Diggs went on to praise Cook specifically, adding “He’s a special player… He’s young. He’s growing and he’s growing in the right direction fast.”

“He’s dynamic with the ball in his hands,” QB Josh Allen said about Cook. “The more we can get him going, in the long run, is going to benefit us.”

Veteran center Mitch Morse noticed the overall development as well, speaking favorably as well about how this Bills team is evolving and expanding to be more multi-dimensional in their offensive game plan and attack.

“It felt good to execute in the run game to give ourselves a little bit of a cushion at least to not feel like we had to just drop back and play one-dimensional,” Morse said.

The team will have the opportunity to continue to build on their performance in the coming weeks, as they square off at home against the Jets and Dolphins in back-to-back AFC East matchups on December 11th and 18th.

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