Fantasy Upside
Javorius Allen, nicknamed “Buck,” took over as the primary ball carrier last year after starter Justin Forsett broke his arm in Week 11. During the six games where he was the main back, he showed exactly the kind of versatility the Ravens were expecting from him, catching 32 passes that span, including a 12-catch, 107-yard performance against Miami in Week 13.
Fantasy Downside
Allen was uneven running the ball and he was benched twice for fumbling against Seattle and Kansas City. He averaged just 3.8 yards per carry on the season and he only scored one touchdown on the ground, despite leading the team with 20 carries inside the red zone. Allen will also have to fight even harder to earn his job this year, with Forsett coming back as the presumed starter, Terrance West fighting in camp, and rookie Kenneth Dixon out of Louisiana Tech joining the mix.
2016 Bottom Line
Allen is a nice boom-bust pick in most leagues, with some extra value in PPR formats due to his natural receiving skills. Even if Forsett or Dixon ends up getting the bulk of the carries, Allen may be an active part of the passing game. He’s going very late in most drafts and offers a lot more potential than several of the other backs around his 18th-20th round ADP, which makes him a nice buy-low option as an end-of-the-bench running back with upside. He’s one of the few late round picks with a real shot at getting a full workload at some point this season.
Update:
With Forsett now off the roster, Allen is the most accomplished receiving back on the roster. He should still be a later round option, but he has a little more upside now, especially in PPR leagues.