Niner Noise
FanSided

Top 10 fantasy football running back sleepers for 2017

By Jay Marsdale

SAN DIEGO, CA - DECEMBER 04: Doug Martin #22 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers carries the ball while being pursued by Denzel Perryman #52 of the San Diego Chargers in the third quarter at Qualcomm Stadium on December 4, 2016 in San Diego, California. The Buccaneers defeated the Chargers 28-21. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - DECEMBER 04: Doug Martin #22 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers carries the ball while being pursued by Denzel Perryman #52 of the San Diego Chargers in the third quarter at Qualcomm Stadium on December 4, 2016 in San Diego, California. The Buccaneers defeated the Chargers 28-21. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – AUGUST 28: Anthony Barr #55 of the Minnesota Vikings pushes Danny Woodhead #39 of the San Diego Chargers out of bounds during the second quarter of the game on August 28, 2016 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – AUGUST 28: Anthony Barr #55 of the Minnesota Vikings pushes Danny Woodhead #39 of the San Diego Chargers out of bounds during the second quarter of the game on August 28, 2016 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

9. Danny Woodhead (BAL)

That’s right, all 5-foot-8 of Danny Woodhead is our next sleeper choice at running back in 2017.

One of the smallest professional athletes has a chance to make a big impact for his new team, the Baltimore Ravens.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

It’s no surprise that Woodhead is being overlooked by fantasy players because it has been happening his whole career. However, there is no reason why Woodhead can not take the job in Baltimore and, all puns intended, run with it.

Woodhead’s 2016 season was cut short when, in Week 2, he torn his ACL. Thankfully, he is healthy and back on the field with his new team to start 2017. I do not understand why he is being drafted below players like Robert Kelley and Frank Gore.

I’ve heard some arguments about the fact that he is thirty-two years old, but before the injury, he was playing the best football of his entire career in San Diego.

Taking control of a running back group headed by Terrance West isn’t going to be hard for Woodhead.

In his first season with the Chargers in 2013 he ran for over 400 yards while catching 76 passes for 605 yards out of the backfield. Joe Flacco doesn’t have the gluttony of options to throw to like he once did. This equals big-time production from one of the best receiving backs in the league in 2017.