Fantasy Sleeper Profile: RB Mark Ingram (New Orleans Saints)
The Saints have not had a running back eclipse 1,000 yards since 2006. They’ve had some quality talent at the position, with Reggie Bush, Chris Ivory, Pierre Thomas, and Darren Sproles all leading the Saints in rushing at one point or another in the seasons since 2006, but none were able to fully realize their talent into rushing production and reach that four figure mark.
Mark Ingram, who played third string for the Saints in 2013 behind Thomas and Sproles, appears poised to be the early-down back for New Orleans in 2014. Sproles now plays for the Eagles, and Thomas is effective as a receiver, especially on screen passes, but he doesn’t add much spark as a rusher.
Ingram was a sensation in college. Playing at powerhouse Alabama, he put up a ridiculous 1,658 rushing yards in one season his sophomore season. The next year, he decided to forgo his senior year and he was picked in the first round by the Saints. Despite all this promise and hype, his pro career has been underwhelming so far. As previously stated, he was just third string last year.
But now the tables have turned. The official Saints depth chart lists Ingram as the first string back and Thomas as third string. Ingram has earned his spot at the top of the roster with his excellent work in the offseason: in the Saints’ first few preseason games Ingram has looked quicker than ever before, with 148 yards on 21 carries (an outstanding 7.05 yards per carry) over 3 games. He was also perfect in pass protection and proved to be a receiving weapon with a 23 yard touchdown in the Saints’ second preseason game.
With his electric preseason performance, Ingram’s fantasy draft stock is rising. But you can still pick him up in the later rounds of your fantasy draft. If his offseason is any indication, this Heisman winner could be something special next year.
Leave a Reply