Heading into his third year, Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders has the fantasy community divided. Some say to draft him, while others are steering clear. Is he in for a big year? Or will fantasy football managers get their hopes up just to be let down in the end? Taking a deep dive into the numbers and his fantasy outlook, this article will determine whether we should be truthers or deniers.
The Numbers
In 12 games last season, Sanders logged 164 carries for 867 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 28 catches for 197 yards on 52 targets. This equated to 170.4 fantasy points in PPR leagues and was good for the RB23. On the surface, these look like pedestrian numbers, but if we take a closer look we can get a better understanding.
Prorated for an entire 16 game season, the numbers would look much more appealing. We are looking at 219 carries for 1,156 yards and four touchdowns. Plus, 37 receptions for 263 yards on 69 targets. This adds up to 202.9 fantasy points and would have made Sanders the RB13 on the year, right in front of Antonio Gibson.
The Situation
There is this narrative that the Eagles rotate their backfield and feed the hot hand. Well, I beg to differ. In eight of the 12 games played, Sanders had a snap percentage of at least 70%. In fact, his average snap percentage for the season was 71%, which ranked him fifth among running backs. This was ahead of guys like Dalvin Cook, Derrick Henry, and Alvin Kamara. It is clear that the coaching staff wants him on the field.
Coming into the 2021 season, Sanders will be lining up with Jalen Hurts under center. This bodes well for the running back as Hurts is a mobile quarterback. We have seen the benefits a backfield can have when their quarterback has rushing ability. Think Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens or Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals. Both had rushing attacks ranked inside the top-10 last season.
Sanders also has the big play ability fantasy football managers look for when drafting players. We want someone who has the chance to take it to the house on any given play. Sanders is your guy. Since entering the league in 2019, he has rushed for a touchdown of 65 yards, 74 yards, and 82 yards. He also has a receiving touchdown of 32 yards. It is evident that his explosiveness can get him to the next level and into the end zone.
Conclusion
Don’t buy into the false narrative that Sanders is barely on the field. Instead, use this to your advantage and take him in the third round as your running back two. I believe that is his absolute floor. If things go right and Jalen Hurts can open this offense up, Sanders could end up being a high-end running back two. He could maybe even sneak into that low-end running back one group if he gets some decent receiving work. Don’t get caught up in overthinking or fearing the rumors. Draft Sanders confidently.
