Who can be the next sleeper running back?
For years, the high-end dynasty running backs have been big and athletic. However, the tides might be changing. Two of the star rookies this year have been De’Von Achane and Jahmyr Gibbs. Both backs are small, elusive, and can catch passes. This article will highlight a potential fantasy football Devy sleeper, Devin Neal – a Junior running back at Kansas.
Overview
Devin Neal is 5’11” and 210 lbs. This size gives him a BMI of 29.3, nearly the same as Gibbs, who has a BMI of 29.4. So far this year, Neal has had 173 carries for 1,103 yards with 13 touchdowns and only one fumble. He ranks 13th in the nation in yardage of backs with 100 carries or more. He has also had a factor in the receiving game, having 24 receptions for 214 yards and one touchdown.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Devin Neal is a creator. I have watched countless plays where he has nowhere to go, yet creates positive yardage. Against Illinois, there was an inside zone carry with nowhere for him to go. On the backside of the line, there is an unblocked defender. Most backs would get taken down for a loss of two yards here. Neal plants his foot and cuts, making the defender miss. He cuts upfield for a gain of five yards. Here is a clip of this play:
Neal is more elusive than fast. He can enter the open field but only sometimes reaches the endzone. However, Reel Analytics recorded Neal going 19.6 MPH.
Advanced Stats/Metrics
I charted out the Illinois game I previously spoke about. He had 12.2 YPC against 6-man boxes and 12.0 YPC against 7-man boxes. His overall success rate was 70%. In the previous year’s data, it was rare to see a success rate that high.
Let’s dive into some PFF data. This year, Neal has accounted for 51 forced missed tackles and has a rushing grade of 81.4. Across his career, 42% of his carries were zone and 58% gap. This shows that Neal has a good balance, meaning he could translate into a gap or zone scheme.
Now, let’s look at some Campus2Canton metrics.
With all of this data, we can see that Neal is a sleeper.
NFL & Rookie Draft
At the moment, Neal is accounting for some hype. At Campus2Canton, they rank him as running back three for the 2024 class. However, Tankathon has yet to have Neal within their top 100, and at NFLMockDraftDatabase, he is projected to be a 6th-round pick.
Neal will be a sleeper running back in rookie drafts, most likely in the 2nd-3rd rounds.
