When C.J. Spiller signed with the New Orleans Saints, the fantasy community was thrilled for several warranted reasons. With Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills gone, Spiller would seemingly help fill the void with an electric pass-catching skill set and having one of the NFL's best offensive minds in Sean Payton drawing up plays for him.
Fantasy football sleepers 2015: C.J. Spiller is a napping giant in Saints backfield
The New Orleans Saints may have found a devastating weapon in C.J. Spiller during the offseason. We break down the fantasy implications.
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But now, as the regular season looms closer, Spiller has become something of an afterthought in fantasy drafts. Spiller has not made a preseason game appearance, and missing practice time due to a recent knee scope has fantasy owners nervous. If he wasn’t entering a new system, missing practice time wouldn’t be cause for much concern, but that just isn’t the case.
Fantasy Spin: On July 5, Spiller’s average draft position sat in the fourth round, and he can now be had at the end of the sixth. This is a bargain for a player who, if healthy, has serious RB2 upside in PPR leagues.
Payton’s running backs totaled 121 receptions out of the backfield in 2014, and though Spiller certainly won’t catch 121 passes, he is in line to receive the bulk of the targets out of the backfield.
This role has been a mainstay in Payton’s offenses, and if Spiller takes hold of that position, he will be in line for a big season. Fantasy owners looking for a mainstay at their flex position would be wise to consider what Spiller brings to the table.
