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A true fantasy sleeper is a player available after pick No. 100 or outside the starter-level ranks. The Omarion Hamptons of the world don't qualify. Digging deep, our resident (expletive) shoveler Brad Evans attempts to unearth draft diamonds in the rough.
Today’s Rip Van Winkle: Tank Bigsby, RB, Jaguars
In DUVAL, an armored weapon of war barrels its way over the spongy Florida earth.
Equipped with ideal NFL size (6’0”, 210 pounds) and a thick exterior, Jacksonville’s Tank is a tackle-breaking machine. Fire off a pick on him in the double-digit rounds of your fantasy draft (ADP: 138.17, RB43) and you might just steamroll league opponents.
Coming off an under-publicized step forward in Year 2, Bigsby has substantial odds of rumbling into the RB2 ranks in the followup.
Last year, the former Auburn Tiger roared in multiple attention-grabbing categories. On only 43.3% of the team’s opportunity share, he ranked RB23 in yards created per touch (3.59), RB3 in yards after contact per attempt (3.74) and RB14 in explosive rating (104.1). Most impressively, he recorded those achievements running behind a turnstile Jags offensive line that finished second to last in run-blocking efficiency according to Pro Football Focus. Admirable.
Admittedly, Bigsby’s minimal contributions in the pass game are a cold-water plunge. In 2024, he sprinted out on a route only 4.9 times per game, catching a miserable 58.3% of his intended targets. His tag-team partner Travis Etienne will undoubtedly supplant him in passing situations, limiting his value in PPR formats.
Still, if the upstart secures the primary early-down and goal-line gigs, he has a chance of being Jacksonville's version of Bucky Irving. Recall last season, the Bucs' rookie thrived under then Tampa offensive coordinator and now Jags head coach Liam Coen. The comp is both convenient and viable.
Already earning rave reviews from beat writers and the Jags’ coaching staff in training camp, the defender-flattening rusher is hurtling toward a substantial per game volume. It would be no surprise if Coen leaned on him at least 11-13 times per game starting Week 1 versus crushable Carolina.
Pitching one last point, the Jags enter the 2025 season with the 11th-easiest projected fantasy RB strength of schedule.
Some pundits will preach Etienne. Others will stump for rookie Bhyashul Tuten.
However, the savvy gamer should bank on Tank.