NFL Player News

The 49ers selected Guerendo in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 129th overall.

The 49ers traded up in the fourth to acquire Guerendo amid a positional run at running backs. While so many of Guerendo's draft-eligible counterparts saw their value plummet at the combine, the Louisville product posted the fastest 40 time among RBs (4.33) and impressive jumping marks to bolster what was an otherwise incomplete six-year collegiate career. That the 2018 high school recruit was buried behind a number of legitimate NFL caliber running backs at Wisconsin shouldn't scare off fantasy managers, but multiple season-ending soft-tissue injuries should at least raise some red flags. Provided he's able to stay healthy, Guerendo's speed will easily find a way onto the field for San Francisco, even if it's just on a limited basis.

The Bills selected Davis in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 128th overall.

Davis (5-foot-8, 211 pounds) might not look big but he's a rugged runner with a dense build and the correct lean for managing traffic in the teeth of the defense, making him surprisingly difficult to get a hold off between the tackles. Davis was a high-volume runner for all of Temple, Vanderbilt and Kentucky at various points, in each case carrying the offense despite getting little or no help from the team around him. Davis' strong anchor is supplemented by at least average athleticism (4.52-second 40-yard dash), and he has the pass-catching skills necessary to make a positive impact on passing downs, so he makes himself a viable option for nearly any play call. Of course, incumbent starter James Cook is one of the NFL's most productive pass-catching backs, so Davis is unlikely to see much usage in that specific capacity with Buffalo, but Davis is likely a better power runner than Cook and could steal some looks in short-yardage situations. If the Bills don't add any other running backs, Davis could enter 2024 as one of the most valuable insurance running backs.

The Eagles selected Shipley in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 127th overall.

Those hoping for Shipley to make an immediate impact as a rookie may be disappointed with this selection because the Eagles gave Saquon Barkley a big contract this offseason. Still, Shipley profiles as a solid depth option behind Barkley, who has had durability issues. Shipley starred at Clemson for three years after being ranked as a five-star recruit in high school. He topped out with 210 carries for 1,182 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2022 and was more so part of a committee as a junior. Shipley did not test at the combine due to a knee issue but put down a 4.45 in the 40 at Clemson's Pro Day. He may not be built for workhorse functions but can be a rotational rusher with some pass-catching assignments as well given his 69 receptions on 85 targets in his final two seasons in college. Shipley is a better back right now than Kenneth Gainwell, but that hasn't stopped Philadelphia from giving Gainwell the snaps anyway in the past.

The Buccaneers selected Irving in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 125th overall.

Given the muddled nature of the incoming rookie running backs, Irving was presumed to be one of the draft's best options following back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons with Oregon. A historically bad combine performance (4.55 40-yard dash at 192 pounds) saw Irving completely fall out of that conversation, but the landing spot Saturday might afford the 21-year-old an opportunity to play relevant snaps immediately with his new team. Rachaad White absorbed almost 350 touches last season with the team devoid of a true backup option, and while Irving's athletic testing was hardly pristine, the two-year starter was a capable enough runner and talented pass catcher in college that he'll act as a facsimile of sorts for the aforementioned White.

The Dolphins selected Wright in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 120th overall.

It might seem like an annoying landing spot for Wright (5-foot-11, 210 pounds) at a glance, but the former Tennessee speedster could earn more playing time than most third-string runners in Miami due to the limited workload capacities of Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane. Not just that, but Wright's blazing speed (4.38-second 40) is a perfect fit for what coach Mike McDaniel does in the running game. The Dolphins have an interest in managing the workloads of Mostert and Achane so that their rare explosiveness is still intact come playoff time, and Wright gives them a means of doing so at little or no cost to effectiveness. Defenses praying for relief from the Miami speed onslaught will find no such thing when Wright takes the field. Wright probably isn't a truly complete running back and might not ever be a volume candidate himself, but Mostert and Achane have already demonstrated how a speedy runner can do major damage in the Miami offense even with modest workloads.

The Packers selected Lloyd in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 88th overall.

Lloyd had an out-of-control fumbling problem in college at both USC and South Carolina, dropping the ball 11 times on just 291 career touches from scrimmage. If he keeps doing that at the NFL level he quite simply will not play. The good news is that if Lloyd can manage to fix his fumbling problem, then he would have a lot of upside as one of the draft's toolsiest running backs. Lloyd packs memorable explosiveness and anchor onto a dense 5-foot-9, 220-pound frame, and when you pair his 4.46 speed with his low and dense center of gravity, you have a running back who's very difficult to tackle. With Josh Jacobs around there won't be much for Lloyd to do in the near future, but the Packers have an interest in developing Lloyd so that he might hit his upside scenario, even if years down the road.

The Rams selected Corum in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 83rd overall.

This is an interesting pairing as Los Angeles found a diamond in the rough in Kyren Williams in 2022, but Corum was likely the best player available at this stage. Corum had a storied career at Michigan with 3,736 yards on 675 rushes (5.5 YPC) and a whopping 58 scores on the ground, including 27 in his senior season. He's a stout back at a shade under 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds who doesn't have blazing speed but has tremendous vision and runs with exceptional toughness to pick up yards. Pass catching won't be his meal ticket in the NFL, but it doesn't need to be with Williams picking up that part of the offense. Corum is a threat to take carries from Williams right out of the gate, and while this strengthens the Rams backfield significantly, handicapping this backfield will be a headache for fantasy managers.

The Cardinals selected Benson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 66th overall.

Benson (6-0, 216) is the second running back off the board but has a good chance to prove superior to second-round pick Jonathon Brooks of the Panthers. Benson and Brooks have the same height/weight but Benson is significantly faster, boasting a 4.39-second 40-yard dash. Before Benson dominated at Florida State he initially enrolled at Oregon, but he transferred after struggling to return from a late-season ACL, MCL and meniscus tear in 2020. Benson needed the 2021 season to recover and get right again, but he did exactly that and blasted his way to 1,896 yards and 23 touchdowns on just 310 carries over two years with Florida State (6.1 YPC). Benson runs a bit high and durability might always be a concern with him, but there aren't many running backs who combine the power and long-range speed that Benson possesses. He should quickly establish himself as Arizona's primary backup to James Conner.

The Panthers selected Brooks (knee) in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 46th overall.

All indications are that the recovery is going well, but the most pressing question for Brooks (6-feet, 216 pounds) is how soon he might be 100 percent healthy after suffering an ACL tear November 11. Once he's healthy, the Texas standout will likely be favored for playing time at running back for Carolina, though evidence of him having more ability than either Chuba Hubbard or Miles Sanders is a bit scarce in the meantime. Where Brooks might carve out most of his immediate fantasy value is on passing downs, as he definitely has better pass-catching ability than either Hubbard or Sanders. That skill could particularly serve as a path to snaps, considering the Panthers should spend plenty of time trying to catch up in the second halves of games again in 2024.

Elliott's agent will meet with the Cowboys in Dallas on Wednesday, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reports.

The two sides have been connected throughout the offseason, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reported last month that Elliott and the Cowboys had mutual interest in a reunion. The Cowboys lost Tony Pollard to the Titans in free agency and only added end-of-roster types Royce Freeman and Snoop Conner to a running back room that includes Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis. Elliott played in all 17 games for the Patriots last season, carrying 184 times for 642 yards and three touchdowns while adding a 51-313-2 receiving line on 65 targets.