Fantasy Football Preview 2013: Top Sleeper Running Backs

4 of 11

8. LaMichael James – San Francisco 49ers

Jan 20, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back LaMichael James (23) runs with the ball against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game at the Georgia Dome. The 49ers won 28-24. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /

James may be the one true sleeper in all of fantasy football. He generated video game numbers in college only to be dismissed by most draft pundits due to doubts about size and, my personal favorite, esoteric concerns regarding “wiggle.” He was snapped up by one of the NFL’s most sophisticated organizations only to make little impact as a rookie. On the surface, the skeptics seem right. You know who seemed right at this point last season? The skeptics of Colin Kaepernick.

Bread crumbs continue to drop everywhere about James’ breakout potential, but drafters are yet to spot the pattern. Vernon Davis and Anquan Boldin are the names bandied about as potential replacements for Michael Crabtree, but we know what those guys are. Plus, they’re going to be expensive. It’s just as likely the 49ers scheme to get their runners more involved in the passing game. James would project as the primary beneficiary. San Francisco wants a three-headed monster at running back, and the leader may not be the incumbent. Frank Gore is a prime candidate for a Michael Turner-like disappearance, while Kendall Hunter is trying to return from significant injury.

Home/Arizona Cardinals