NFL Player News

The Colts selected Hull in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 176th overall.

It's going to be interesting to see if Hull's mundane yards-per-carry figures (4.1 on 221 carries last season) was a byproduct of Northwestern's offensive scheme or a slight to the redshirt junior's abilities, but a 4.47 40-yard Dash at the NFL Combine at 5-foot-10, 209 pounds might suggest it's the latter. Hull was the only running back in college football to record 50-plus receptions last season, but he doesn't project to be a consistent blocker, which could hinder his opportunities to be a pass-catching option at the NFL level.

The Giants selected Gray in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 172nd overall.

Gray isn't particularly fast (4.62 40-yard dash at Pro Day), but the 5-foot-10, 207-pounder is a shifty runner and plays behind his pads well. The redshirt senior didn't start until his final season at Oklahoma, but even if he doesn't prove to be an explosive runner at the NFL level, he was a capable receiver whenever he got the opportunity. Given the Giants' current depth behind clear-cut top back Saquon Barkley, Gray could carve out a role as a pass-catching specialist or pass blocker when New York opts to spell its franchise tailback.

The Bengals selected Brown in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 163rd overall.

Brown (5-foot-10, 209 pounds) took mammoth workloads at Illinois but on that frame probably can't take up a workhorse role for more than a few games at a time at the NFL level. He should still emerge as fantasy-relevant at some point in the next couple years, though, because he clearly possesses above-average athleticism and no worse than an average skill set. That Brown's production at Illinois was mostly driven by volume could be an indication that he lacks upside in terms of skill, but he's adept at passing down functions and can credibly compete for a variety of tasks. Throw in a 4.43-second 40, 40-inch vertical and 127-inch broad jump and Brown's broader prospect profile still tilts toward above average sooner than the contrary. As much as Brown won't be challenging Joe Mixon as the Bengals' starting running back, expect him to do well with whatever opportunities he gets, and he could quickly move past Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans on the depth chart.

The Jets selected Abanikanda in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 143rd overall.

Abanikanda (5-foot-10, 216 pounds) is one of the most talented runners in the draft both in the sense of skill and tools, so this is a great pick for the Jets. It's one of the worst landing spots for Abanikanda in terms of playing time opportunities, however, because while former Pittsburgh star projects as an eventual NFL starter he is definitely not on Breece Hall's level as a prospect. Still, Abanikanda has sub-4.5 speed and unique explosiveness on a workhorse-viable frame, and he could pose an immediate threat to Michael Carter as the team's RB2. More likely, though, Abanikanda will start out as the Jets' RB3, especially since he won't turn 21 until October.

Swift was traded by the Lions to the Eagles on Saturday for a 2025 fourth-round pick and additional compensation in the 2023 NFL Draft, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The writing for such a move seemed to be on the wall as soon as the Lions drafted Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday. The third-year running back was dynamic as both a runner and pass-catcher when healthy, but the Lions never really unleashed the 2020 second-round pick either due to concerns regarding his consistent availability or just an organizational philosophy. In Philadelphia, Swift should get ample opportunities to prove his worth even if he ends up splitting time with offseason addition Rashaad Penny, as well as returnees Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott.

The Bears selected Johnson in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 115th overall.

The Bears didn't have an obvious need at running back with Khalil Herbert and D'Onta Foreman atop the depth chart, but Johnson probably offers a better passing down skill set than the two veteran backs and could get his foot into the door on that basis. Johnson (6-feet, 219 pounds) has a three-down frame that's well-suited to blitz pickup, so the Texas product could emerge as the Bears' preferred hurryup and passing down back. Johnson is unlikely to match Herbert or Foreman as pure runners, however, so an unpredictable running back committee could be in store for the Bears offense.

The Jaguars selected Bigsby in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 88th overall.

Bigsby isn't a guarantee to back up Travis Etienne, especially in Week 1, but Bigsby ought to be able to displace JaMycal Hasty, D'Ernest Johnson and Snoop Conner early on in the 2023 season. Whether the Auburn product can amount to much more than that is less clear, but Bigsby was reasonably productive in college (2,903 yards and 25 touchdowns on 540 carries) ,and his athleticism is no worse than average (4.56-second 40 at 6-feet, 210 pounds).

The Dolphins selected Achane in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 84th overall.

Tyreek Hill is the fastest player in the NFL, but Achane is one of the few who might be able to keep up in a race. In the past, Achane has logged 100-meter times similar to what Hill used to run, and the Texas A&M product was reportedly not 100 percent healthy when he ran his 4.32-second 40 at the combine. Achane has workload limitations due to his tiny frame (5-foot-9, 188 pounds), but coach Mike McDaniel might be the brightest offensive play caller in the NFL, and it wouldn't be surprising if he cooks up something impressive with Achane as a big-play specialist.

The Titans selected Spears in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 81st overall.

Spears put himself on the map with an incredible 2022 season highlighted by 1,581 yards and 19 touchdowns on 229 carries. He continued to build momentum with an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl. Things halted a bit when he checked in light at the combine at 5-foot-9 and 201 pounds, and he ran just a 4.52 in the 40 at the Tulane Pro Day. Derrick Henry will continue to be the workhorse as long as he's in Tennessee, and Spears didn't show the pass-catching ability at Tulane to be a lock to force his way into a third-down role, either. Spears can work his way onto the fantasy radar in time, but his rookie-year prospects are less than ideal.

The Saints selected Miller (knee) in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 71st overall.

Miller outlasted fellow 2023 prospect Zach Evans to take over the TCU backfield last year while Evans took his talents to Ole Miss. TCU got plenty of production out of Miller en route to its National Championship appearance, as he produced 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns on 224 carries. Prior to that, Miller had 137 carries for 1,011 yards in two seasons. Miller is unproven as a pass catcher with 29 career receptions for 229 yards, and an MCL injury prevented him from participating at the combine or pro day. The Saints are an interesting landing spot for Miller; if Alvin Kamara plays the whole season, it's tough to see Miller taking on a major role with Jamaal Williams also in the mix. Miller is an interesting speculative prospect in dynasty formats, but his redraft value is murky for the time being.