Drafting Joseph Randle Isn’t All Bad, Right?

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Allow me to paint you a picture (or write you one): you’re in the late rounds of your draft and you have yet to pick up a flex. You have narrowed your options down to a fourth-string wide receiver (of course you have), the worst starting tight end (two TE’s, keen) and the Cowboys’ Joseph Randle. Even though you’re a dummy and will take a back-up kicker (please don’t do that, PLEASE) here’s why you should be taking Randle instead.

Alright, so don’t get me wrong, Randle isn’t the best running back in the world. On the contrary, he’s about average for a starter. Randle is a back who has been known to be a fast guy who can hit the holes efficiently but sometimes runs to those holes a little too quickly; none of this means anything in fantasy football unless your league scores based on how fast they ran the 40-yard dash (if they do, don’t slip up and take the broken engine that is Peyton Manning)

Now let’s focus on what matters in fantasy football, which is stats. Last season, Randle would total 343 rushing yards on 51 attempts, which averages out to a whopping 6.7 yards per carry. Sounds like a high total, right? Well it is, but given that Randle was highly used as the change of pace back for DeMarco Murray and when he was thrust into the starting spot, most teams didn’t get a high amount of tape to work with so game planning was more of a pain than the guy watching the Dolphins’ offensive line (Dolphins fan here).

All that will change this season. Following the injury to Darren McFadden, the starting running back job seems to be Randle’s to lose. Before suffering a minor injury recently, Randle was taking reps with the starting team in camp.

Randle has also received some praise from his owner, Jerry Jones. Jones has been reported saying Randle has potential “to be a No.1 back.” This can be taken in many ways, he could either be saying that he’s not ready to be a top back or that his training camp has impressed him and he will actually be the number one back in a backfield that, right now, has less depth than Circuit City.

Either way, there is a case to draft Joseph Randle, whether it is a strong or minor case is up to you. The Cowboys’ offensive line is considered by most to be the most dominant in the NFL, and some even suspect the main reason Murray was able to lead the league in rushing yards in 2014.

Randle isn’t the main receiving back for Dallas, though, making him a difficult choice for PPR leagues. Last season, Randle caught four balls for 23 yards on five targets. This year, you should expect more but not by much. Of course, if Lance Dunbar suffers an injury you should expect Dunbar to take the receiving duties at the halfback position.

Good running backs don’t come in bunches and Randle isn’t one of them so playing him as a number one or number two running back isn’t smart. However, drafting Randle as a flex or back-up in the middle to late rounds isn’t a dummy choice.