Fabiano’s Fantasy Focus: 2018 Off-Season, Volume I

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Every week during the season NFL Network and NFL.com Senior Fantasy Analyst Michael Fabiano joins Sports360AZ.com’s Brad Cesmat to share his insight on building and developing your fantasy team for success.

Here are some hi-lights from our most recent conversation (May 7th) with the Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association Hall of Famer.

What are your first fantasy impressions from this draft class? “I can promise you one thing, there are going to be a lot of rookie running backs picked in the top 60 overall selections in the 2018 class. As a guy who loves running backs, that’s very exciting for me. That position is back.”

You mention the running back position is back. Why is that in your opinion? “We’ve been talking about this. This is something I predicted a couple years ago because you just saw the young talent in the position around the league. It was right around the time Ezekiel Elliott was drafted. It was right around the time David Johnson sort of busted out. Todd Gurley was one of the most talented running backs to come out of the draft in a long time. He had a very good rookie season. It just sort of snowballed. Last year we saw Kareem Hunt put up a monster season. We saw Alvin Kamara come in and surprise everyone with the impact he made.”

Who’s one rookie running back, maybe under-the-radar, that fantasy owners need to keep close tabs on this summer? “Maybe my favorite lesser named running back which is going to change and probably already has changed, is Royce Freeman. If there’s a Kareem Hunt in this class it’s Royce Freeman. He’s a potential three-down back and he’s built to be an NFL runner and a guy who can give you 250 touches plus as a rookie. I believe Freeman is going to be the guy in [Denver’s] backfield.” 

Here in Arizona, do you see Larry Fitzgerald slowing down at all? “Larry Fitzgerald doesn’t seem to age. In fact, in the mock draft I’m in, it’s a PPR league and I believe he was my fourth-round pick as my number two wide receiver. I will take that all day long and I don’t care who’s throwing him the ball. Blaine Gabbert was throwing him the ball last year. It doesn’t matter. Larry Fitzgerald is going to get his.”

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