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If there is one thing that every fantasy football fan knows but will never admit it is the fact that every player can become expendable. Although some players are more prone to this notion than others, production is the name of the game and no one is safe from being a benchwarmer if they do not effectively contribute to their team’s success. In particular, the Baltimore Ravens have lacked any type of continuity in their running back hierarchy as three different rushers have been featured as every-down starters. Currently, the Ravens have garnered the most offensive production from a once unknown practice squad player that could become a reliable starter if he continues to display his fearless capabilities in the running game.
Team: Baltimore Ravens
Position: Running Back
Percent Owned On Fantasy Teams: (Yahoo Fantasy): 29%
Fantasy Points Total Thru Week 4 (Half PPR): Projected: 10.66 Actual: 17.60
Before we delve into the facets of Alex Collins’ skill set that make him an intriguing player on the rise, it’s important to acknowledge that the intriguing rusher has ball security issues. In the three games he has played with the Ravens, Collins has fumbled twice and lost both of them to the opposition. While this issue is much more detrimental to the success of the Ravens than to fantasy owners, it could certainly detract from his playing time and therefore his worth in fantasy.
With that out of the way, let’s get into the impressive aspects of what Alex Collins can do when he has the ball in his hands. Looking at Collins’ massive contributions when he is given the opportunity to carry the ball (8.4 yards per rush, third amongst running backs), it becomes clear that the physical rusher can amass huge chunks of yardage in the open field. Even when he has to run into a stacked box, Collins is still an effective rusher as he has averaged 6.3 yards per carry against stacked defensive fronts (third amongst running backs).
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In general, Collins is a violent runner that is as shifty as he his fierce when finding a lane to pursue while making the most of the limited space to go off for big plays (Collins has rushed for 15 or more yards six times, second amongst running backs). While Collins has yet to be featured prominently as a red zone rusher or in the passing game, his natural athletic abilities and vision are ideal for an offense that is heavily reliant on their running game to score points consistently.
While Collins still has a lot to prove to become a reliable flex player in fantasy, his abilities, and utilization by the Ravens thus far point to the running back’s potential of being a consistent starter at some point. Yes, the turnovers are concerning, but when you look at every statistic that Collins is featured in as a pure rusher, it becomes clear that the firey athlete could breakout as a serious fantasy asset in the near future.
