Photo Credit: WVUPros.com
Before fracturing his ankle, I thought rookie Charles Sims would finish as a top-20 running back in the 2014 fantasy football season. While he doesn’t have enough games to make that a reality, he will make a big impact on the roster of any fantasy football player going forward.
I was never a believer of Doug Martin, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ brass wouldn’t spend a third-round pick on Sims for no reason. From his pass-catching ability to his strong rushing style, Sims is capable of being a one-man offensive show.
Here are the rookie’s rushing and receiving stats through college:
Photo Credit: ESPN
Since the fantasy playoffs are quickly approaching us, finding key talent on the waiver wire for depth is crucial. The right circumstances have to be present, however, for you to not only add a player to your roster at this point, but to even consider starting him.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offense currently ranks 28th in passing, and 29th in rushing. Martin is currently in a walking boot, and while explosive at times, Bobby Rainey is not able to carry a full workload. This means that Sims is not only entering an offense desperate for a playmaker, but he also has little competition to land the lead role. Sims should also see plenty of opportunities to touch the ball moving forward, as head coach Lovie Smith is very excited about implementing the rookie into the offense.
Even if Sims sees a limited amount of touches in his first week back, he can still help the Buccaneers’ rushing attack average more than its current 86.4 yards per game. Remember when I said the right circumstances need to be present for a player to find success? If Sims is a go on Sunday, he will face the 30th ranked pass defense of the Cleveland Browns, which is currently allowing 143.4 rushing yards per game. The following week, the rookie running back will meet the Atlanta Falcons‘ defense that Rainey racked up a 105 total yards against.
Sims has drawn comparisons to Matt Forte because of his vision and dual-threat abilities, and I have a feeling that he will quickly become Mike Glennon‘s new best friend. Greg Auman, writer for Tampa Bay Times, responded to a question of Sims’ workload on Twitter, and stated that Sims could see around 10 touches.
Granted, starting a rookie running back who is returning from an ankle injury and who is also only projected to touch the ball 10 times is risky. Even if his first game is a little choppy, this shouldn’t restrict you from picking up Sims now, who is currently only owned in 1.7% of ESPN standard scoring leagues.
You will hear some experts say that everything around Sims is just hype, but as a West Virginia University alumni who has watched Sims play, I can tell you that he is the real deal. With a limited amount of touches, I can’t put my full recommendation behind starting Sims in Week 9, however. I still won’t be shocked if he has a nice receiving total at the end of the game, and I won’t be shocked if he finds the endzone once or twice.
To review:
1. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ rushing attack currently averages 86.4 rushing yards per game, ranking 29th in the NFL
2. Doug Martin has only played in five games this season, and he has largely been ineffective
3. In his first game back, Sims will face the 30th ranked rush defense of the Cleveland Browns
4. Facing constant pressure, Glennon now has a strong dual-threat back to throw dump off passes to
Winning a fantasy football championship is all about being a visionary, and making room for Sims now will put you one step closer in bringing home the gold. Don’t get lazy now; Keep building a winning roster!
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