Usually, first-round rookie RBs are well positioned to lead their team's backfield. Here's why Jadarian Price is deceptively risky in fantasy.
Price's average draft position (ADP) two months ago was RB26. It's still RB26 today. The fantasy market believes that he'll be no worse than a weekly streamer and (in deeper leagues) a fringe weekly starter. For context, Quinshon Judkins was last season's RB26 in total points and in points per game.
Price isn't a typical rookie. For at least the past 30 years, no first-round RB draft pick has had fewer college touches. Price clocks in at 295, which is a yellow flag for managers seeking RBs who can help lead them to a championship, or even the playoffs.
His highest season total in college was 124 touches. Only two other first-rounders since 1996 have had fewer than 185 touches as their college career high. In fact, the average career-high touch count for college RBs taken in the first round is 288.
Price is contending not only with a sparse collegiate workload, but also with a backfield that he might not lead once Zach Charbonnet is healthy. In the short term, Emanuel Wilson and perhaps George Holani will mix in. But Charbonnet was highly utilized near the goal line last season, and it's quite possible he'll poach plenty of touchdowns, just like he did to Kenneth Walker.
Price has a narrow window to become Seattle's season-long 1A running back, and he also must defy history by managing workloads much larger than he's accustomed to. The odds are against him.
For a deeper dive into the fantasy risks of drafting Jadarian Price, listen to this recent podcast episode.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: The fantasy risks of drafting Jadarian Price