10 RB sleepers to target for fantasy football Week 1

Ty’Son Williams, Baltimore Ravens

Next man up, right? That’s the philosophy the Baltimore Ravens have to take this season. They haven’t played a game yet, but somehow they lost JK Dobbins, Justice Hill, and now Gus Edwards for a long time, and more than likely the season. That leaves them with fourth-string running back Ty’Son Williams as the starter in Week 1. Here’s to chaos!

Williams is a player everyone in the Ravens’ locker room seems to like, so they will take an extra rooting interest in his success. Williams had a strange college career, starting with North Carolina then transferring to South Carolina before finally finishing his career with BYU. He tore his ACL in the final year, so he basically had a redshirt year in the NFL last season. Now, he’s upgraded to the starter. The Ravens’ offense is extremely run-heavy, so he is going to have a ton of reps next to Lamar Jackson.

Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos

The fantasy world is obsessed with Javonte Williams, and there’s good reason for it. He is one of the most talented players at his position in the draft, and he went to a really good situation to get carries. Melvin Gordon won’t hold the position for long, but for now, he’s still the top guy on the depth chart. People are taking Williams way ahead of Gordon, and the fact that Gordon has been an afterthought has to be motivating for him.

The Broncos named Teddy Bridgewater the starter this season. He likes to get the running backs involved quickly if something doesn’t materialize downfield. Gordon struggled to get yards after the catch, but he did get a few catches per game. That’s still important in PPR leagues. He is also prone to the big game, as he had three games with multiple touchdowns last season.

Gordon is the guy in Week 1. People will still start Williams, and maybe he takes over at some point, but the Broncos kept Gordon’s inflated salary on the roster for a reason. They will use him, and Williams can ease into his NFL career.