It’s the final countdown to the start of the 2021 NFL regular season and this is still a very popular week for fantasy football drafts. A lot of position battles are over at this point, but especially at the RB position, you can never have enough depth and you can find options late. There are a good amount of teams that will utilize multiple running backs thus creating more depth in the RB pool for you to target later on in your drafts.

Risers

Tevin Coleman (Last Week ADP 164.83-Today ADP 158.90): The Jets are one of those teams that will be using multiple running backs at least at the start of the season. Michael Carter needs work and we’ve seen him drop in ADP over the last month. With Carter needing some seasoning, Coleman has become an intriguing late flier. Coleman has barely gotten through a season unharmed throughout his career, but he’s rushed for at least four yards per carry in all but one of his professional seasons. Coleman is also capable of catching passes as well and for rookie QB Zach Wilson, Coleman could be utilized on short passing routes when he gets in trouble. It could work out even better in that regard if Jamison Crowder misses the Jets opener versus Carolina. Coleman should have the first crack having the opportunity to secure the most carries of the Jets RB group. Coleman scored at least seven total touchdowns in four of his last five years. He played in just eight games last season. 

Michael Pittman (Last Week ADP 99.20-Today ADP 93.48): Pittman has seen the jump in ADP because of T.Y. Hilton starting the season on the IR and Carson Wentz looking like he could potentially play in the Colts first game of the season. Besides Pittman, the Colts have Parris Campbell and a bunch of injured WR options. Campbell himself hasn’t been able to stay healthy and sitting there in the eighth round with a high ceiling makes him a strong value option. The Colts do have a few running backs that can catch passes out of the backfield, but Pittman should be the prioritized receiver to start the year. What’s good about Pittman is that he can get open for quick strikes running a few yards out and turning. Quick plays to Pittman will keep the Colts' offense moving swiftly up the field. He’s a big man standing at six feet four inches tall and will be hard to cover. He caught 40 balls on 61 targets last year.

Jonnu Smith (Last Week ADP 130.28-Today ADP 123.54): Even if Hunter Henry is ready to go this weekend, Smith is still in a position to produce. A lot of the Patriots' options moved up draft boards once Mac Jones was named the starting QB. Jones threw 41 TD passes with a passing completion percentage of 77.4. Cam Newton didn’t throw much last season and Jones should be an upgrade to all receiving weapons. Smith caught a career-high eight touchdown passes and 41 receptions last year for the Titans. Both Smith and Henry will get targeted throughout the season as the Patriots will run a lot of plays featuring both of them running routes, especially in the red zone. Smith can block, but the Patriots don’t have a ton of highly talented offensive weapons and that should give us confidence that he will be highly targeted in this offense. 

Fallers

Zack Moss (Last Week ADP 103.20-Today ADP 108.26): We know Moss is talented and ran for 4.3 yards per carry last season and the Bills have a solid offensive line to help him create space, but Devin Singletary being around limits Moss’ ceiling. Singletary received way more targets than Moss last year and that hurts Moss’ value heading into this year. The carries between the two should be more evenly distributed this year with Moss potentially eclipsing Singletary this year, but then there’s the Josh Allen factor. Josh Allen has rushed in at least eight scores in each of his three NFL seasons and that will also hurt Moss’ fantasy value if he’s getting touchdowns taken away from him inside the five-yard line. Last season Moss ran in four touchdowns and caught one as well.

Kareem Hunt (Last Week 60.29-Today ADP 63.30): It’s a minor drop, but Hunt will have an established role in the Browns offense even with Nick Chubb fully healthy. The Browns offensive line will provide protection, but will the rushing attempts be there? Hunt was fed 198 carries and that was with Chubb missing a few games. Hunt investors are going to have to rely heavily on receptions. Hunt scored 11 touchdowns with 5 of them being in the air. He’s caught 37 or more balls in 3 of 4 seasons. The Browns also have Odell Beckham Jr. healthy and back in the mix and that will pose a threat to Hunt’s targets. His production ceiling is just limited and if Chubb is destroying opponents on the ground, the Browns will keep feeding him. Sixth-round value for Hunt in 12-team leagues isn’t bad, especially in PPR leagues. 

Matthew Stafford (Last Week ADP 91.95-Today ADP 95.43): Stafford is a borderline ninth-round pick in 12-team leagues and he has the weapons (unlike last season) to be able to out-perform his value. Stafford threw 26 Touchdowns last year with Kenny Golladay hurt for the most part and now he has Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp to play with. Stafford has thrown for at least 4000 yards when playing 16 games in all but 1 season in his 12-year career. With Cam Akers sidelined, despite having Darrell Henderson and Sony Michel, Stafford should be expected to throw more than originally expected. As far as we know about the health of his Thumb, he hasn’t had any setbacks since he injured it at the beginning of August. His age and inactivity in the preseason could have caused the minor drop in ADP.