10 RB sleepers to target for fantasy football week 3

3. Samaje Perine

With Rob Kelley still ailing with a rib injury for the matchup between the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders this weekend, there is a massive opportunity for Washington’s fourth round rookie pick to make a name for himself and earn more carries moving forward.

When Kelley went down against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2 with a rib issue, Perine stepped in and took a large bulk of the carries. His 67 yards on 21 carries allowed the Redskins to close out the game, and as fantasy owners we love to see that volume. While Chris Thompson receives all the love for his two-touchdown performance (so he should), he did it on only six touches. Perine is the more likely of the two to be trustworthy as a starter.

While head coach Jay Gruden said early in the year “we don’t forget fumbles” referring to the rookie coughing up the ball in preseason, necessity has forced the team to involve their young back, and he’ll soon prove his top talent. Plug him against Oakland if you need running back help.