Fantasy Impact: DeMarco Murray Flies With The Eagles
By Bruce Matson
The Eagles strike again by landing RB DeMarco Murray in free agency by signing him to a 5 year $42 million deal, that includes $21 million guaranteed. Murray has been the most anticipated free agent this offseason and he lands in the one of the best landing spots in the league for a running back. The rivalry between the Eagles and the Cowboys is going to intensify due to Murray’s signing with the Eagles, which will give fans a little more incentive to watch Cowboys-Eagles games next season.
Nov 23, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray (29) carries the ball during the first quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O
DeMarco Murray RB Philadelphia Eagles
Murray had an incredible season last year rushing for 1,845 yards and 13 TDs while hauling in 57 receptions for 416 yards. Murray is a very explosive running back that can turn a 2 yard gain into a 20 yarder very quickly. He’s very decisive when the hole is presented to him, he will hit the rushing lane immediately without hesitation. Murray is a natural runner with great vision, and has the short area quickness to get to the rushing lanes and burst through the second level of defenses. Murray is one of the hardest runners in the league, and is not afraid to initiate contact to gain an extra yard. Murray is one of the better backs when it comes to catching passes out of the backfield in the league, with 110 receptions in the last two years. Murray is lethal in the open field. He has to the ability to bust out a long gain whenever he gets the ball in the open field.
The drawback to Murray is that he has a tendency to get injured. He is an upright runner who doesn’t shy away from contact, so his body will encounter a lot of impact from the way he runs the ball. That makes him more likely to get injured. Murray encountered most of his injuries during the first two years of his career. In 2011, he suffered a fractured right ankle and high ankle sprain during week 14 against the Giants which caused him to miss the rest of the season. In 2012, Murray was bit again by the injury bug by suffering a sprained foot during Week 6 against the Baltimore Ravens, which caused him to miss 6 games. In 2013, Murray had a sprained MCL that he received during week 6 against the Washington Redskins, and he had to miss two games because of it. Murray didn’t miss any games during 2014, but he did play through a broken hand during the end of the season.
Murray is 27 years old, and he’s coming off a season where he had 497 touches. Age 27 is the age where running backs typically start to decline. With the wear and tear that Murray encountered this season, it’s hard to tell what Murray will have in the tank for 2015. Murray showed signs that the heavy workload was affecting him during the end of the season. From weeks 12-16 Murray averaged 3.93 yards per carry compared to his season average of 4.71. If you use his sample size from week 1 to week 11, he rushed for an average of 5.07 yards per carry, which is a big difference. It’s hard to tell if Murray is going to be the same running back next season and going forward after his massive workload. We have seen running backs have great season after a heavy work load (Adrian Peterson), and we have seen running backs go unresponsive after a season with a massive workload (Ray Rice). We will have to see if Murray’s gas tank if affected by the 497 touches he had during 2014.
Live Feed
Hook'em Headlines
Murray is going to be the workhorse running back in the Chip Kelly’s fast paced run heavy offense. Under Kelly’s previous two seasons, the Eagles were ranked 4th (500 attempts) in 2013 and 7th (477 attempts) in 2014. This is a very good indicator that Murray is going to be used heavily in the running game. Murray’s upside for reception totals next year will more than likely be stifled by Darren Sproles, who accounted for 40 receptions out of the backfield on 63 targets. Murray will get enough usage in the passing game for it to not hurt his stock in fantasy. He should average around 1-3 receptions a game, which will be very effective in fantasy.
More from Fantasy
- DraftKings Open Championship picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
- Genesis Scottish Open DraftKings picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
- Rocket Mortgage Classic DraftKings picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
- US Open DraftKings picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
- Top 10 fantasy football dynasty wide receivers heading into 2023
Redraft Value
Murray is going to be a first round pick in redraft leagues this year. He’s a polarizing running back going to an offensive system, where he’s going to be used heavily. Work horse running backs are rare, and Murray is one of the few who will have the opportunity to get 250-300 carries. Without a doubt Murray is worth drafting in the first round of redraft leagues because he’s going to give you a positional advantage at running back.
Dynasty Value
Murray is currently one of the top running backs in dynasty. You could get a lot in return for him on the trade market, like a couple first round draft picks and a prospect. Murray is great for a contending team because he’s going to a lot of touches next year, and he could be that final piece that completes your team. If Murray has a season like he did last year, there’s a good possibility a contending team will have a good shot at winning the championship next season. Murray is an absolute sell for a rebuilding team or for an owner who likes to play the “dynasty stock market”. Good running backs are hard to find in dynasty these days, and running backs like Murray can garner a hefty premium on the trade market in dynasty. With the prospects and drafts picks that you could receive off of Murray, the team that you have as a rebuild could be a contender in a couple years.
Darren Sproles RB Philadelphia Eagles
The signing of Murray isn’t going to affect Sproles’ value. He’s going to have the same role as last year as the pass catching specialist out of the backfield. Last year he had 40 receptions on 63 targets, and he should have comparable statics next year. Sproles is going to be a flex play in fantasy next year who will produce RB2 production on some weeks.
Dallas Cowboys Running Back Situation
The Dallas Cowboys are going to bring in another back, and it’s either going to be through free agency or the draft. I guarantee they are going to going to draft a back this year, and there’s a good chance that they bring in a free agent as well. The running back that can win the job for the Cowboys is going to very useful in fantasy this season, whoever it may be.
Need Help with your dynasty team? Contact me on Twitter @bmatz08 and I will give you the guidance you need to make the best decisions on trades, drafts, and the waiver wire.