J.K. Dobbins Fantasy Football Outlook for 2024
It’s fair to wonder if J.K. Dobbins is done as a fantasy producer. It seems every single season we get our hopes up, expecting him to blast off. Sadly, poor health has kept that from happening.
Dobbins has flirted with fantasy glory. He was the RB23 as a rookie, turning just 134 rushing attempts into 805 yards and nine touchdowns.
After that, everyone expected him to erupt, but an ACL injury robbed him of a huge second-year leap. Then last year he ruptured his Achilles. Suddenly, even though he’s just 25 years old, Dobbins looks like a lost cause.
The good news? His cost is cheap and he’s found new scenery to spread his wings. So, should you draft Dobbins in 2024 fantasy football? I think there’s reason to do so. Here are three reasons why:
The Chargers Want to Run the Ball
The Baltimore Ravens let J.K. Dobbins walk, and nobody could blame them. They watched his season end twice due to injury, and he simply couldn’t stay healthy.
He could get new life with the Los Angeles Chargers, however. Jim Harbaugh is taking over, Austin Ekeler is gone to D.C., and new offensive coordinator Greg Roman is known for his elite rushing offenses.
Hell, Dobbins literally ran in this dude’s offense until last year. The system and philosophy won’t be different for Dobbins, and there is a familiarity there. That’s something we can hang our hat on as fantasy owners; the Bolts want to run the ball, and they got a guy who knows exactly how to do what they want to do on the ground.
Gus Edwards is His Only Competition
L.A. also brought in former Ravens running back Gus Edwards, so make that two guys who know Roman’s system. Of course, while Edwards was the healthier of the two between him and Dobbins, he’s still the inferior talent.
Given the fact that the Chargers want to build out a balanced offense that is predicated on running the ball, my guess is Edwards will factor into what they do, no matter what.
However, Dobbins is the more explosive rusher. Romans knows that, and provided Dobbins can actually find a way to finally stay healthy, I don’t see why he wouldn’t eventually carve out the bigger workload.
He is as Explosive as Hell
Dobbins is presently in a pretty good situation. He’s on a “prove it” deal, he’s in a familiar system, his team wants to run the ball, and the only guy stopping him from beasting out is a guy he’s better than.
The best part? I’m not even that worried about him ousting Edwards (for now). Why? Because Dobbins has proven to be extremely explosive and hyper efficient thus far in his career.
Much like Kyle Lindemann, I can’t quit Dobbins. Not yet.
Obviously there has to be some concern that an Achilles injury saps Dobbins of some of his speed and burst. The Chargers saw enough to sign him, however, and based off of what we last saw out of Dobbins, I don’t think it’s crazy to think he can bounce back again.
Should You Draft J.K. Dobbins in 2024?
Ultimately, I love the idea of acquiring J.K. Dobbins in 2024 fantasy football leagues. He’s still young enough (25) to acquire in dynasty formats, too.
The time is now to trade for him in dynasty fantasy football, however. I wouldn’t give up much to land him, but he’s now found a team and their philosophy and his knowledge of the system gives him a better than advertised shot at fulfilling his comeback.
He’s less of a risk in redraft, of course. You can get him for a late round pick, as most everyone is done with him, doesn’t trust him, or would prefer the safety of Gus Edwards.
Dobbins is the high upside late-round flier I will gladly take a shot on, though. Until the price rises, he’s a fun late-round grab and a cheap acquisition via trade.
Writer at Daily Fantasy Fade
DFS Keanu has been covering fantasy sports, DFS, and props for the better part of a decade, all while fighting The Matrix and a litany of assassins.
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