Fantasy Football 2018: 10 RB sleepers to target for Week 12

BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 18: Running Back Gus Edwards #35 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates with a teammate after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium on November 18, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

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GLENDALE, AZ – NOVEMBER 18: Jalen Richard #30 of the Oakland Raiders carries in the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 18, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

2. Jalen Richard, Oakland Raiders at Baltimore Ravens

Recently, Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden compared Jalen Richard to Charlie Garner, who is an old favorite of Gruden’s after playing under the coach in Oakland and Tampa Bay. Richard’s work in the passing game has earned these plaudits, and he’s been arguably the Raiders most important player over the past couple of weeks, which is honestly more of a testament to how far this team has fallen in a complete rebuild year under their new, high-priced head coach (and lead decision-maker).

Last week, Richard had by far his biggest game on the ground, carrying the ball more than five times in a single game for the first time in 2018. Richard turned those 11 carries into 61 yards against a below-average Arizona Cardinals run defense, and he chipped in three receptions for 32 yards.

By Richard’s standards, that was a quiet day in the passing game, considering he’s averaged 43.2 receiving yards per game and hadn’t dipped under 45 receiving yards since Week 4. Still, the uptick in usage and overall productivity on the ground bodes well for Richard, who may be usurping veteran Doug Martin for the lead back role in Oakland.

Richard gets a tough matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12, but his increased usage makes him worth keeping in mind as a fantasy sleeper, especially in PPR leagues.

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