| Advertisement |
July 10 (UPI) -- Philadelphia Eagles rookie Miles Sanders said the team won't have a "star running back" leading the backfield in 2019. Sanders made the comment during an appearance Tuesday on NFL Network. The news is somewhat significant after the team traded a sixth round pick to the Chicago Bears in March in exchange for 2016 Pro Bowl running back Jordan Howard.
Advertisement
Philadelphia went on to selected Sanders out of Penn State with a second round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Sanders played behind New York Giants star Saquon Barkley for two seasons while with the Nittany Lions.
"It's definitely going to be competitive," Sanders said. "That's what I like about [running backs] rooms likes this. It was like this at Penn State. It was a very talented running back room. But I'm just used to that stuff: competing and making each other better.
"Nobody's really going to be the star running back, I think. I think the ball's going to be spread out a lot, and that's what I kind of like, too."
The Eagles also have running backs Wendell Smallwood, Corey Clement, Josh Adams, Donnel Pumphrey and Boston Scott on the roster entering training camp. Adams led the team with 511 yards on 120 carries in 14 games last season. Smallwood led the Eagles' backfield in yards from scrimmage (594) and touchdowns (5) in 2018.
Howard, 24, had 925 yards and nine touchdowns in 16 games last season for the Bears. He had a career-high 1,611 yards from scrimmage during his rookie season. He has eclipsed 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his three NFL campaigns.
Eagles offensive coordinator Mike Groh praised Sanders for his versatility during during off-season OTAs.
"We think he's really good between the tackles and has the ability to make somebody miss in the hole and obviously create more than what might have been there," Groh told reporters. "And obviously his ability out in space, again, to make guys miss. We think he's a versatile player and that he has very good ball skills and can catch the ball out of the backfield. We're excited to add him to the team."
In fantasy football terms, this job looks split between Howard and Sanders entering training camp, with Adams and Smallwood fighting to remain on the roster. Howard and Sanders will not cost you a high pick on draft day, so you can roll the dice on either back in the later rounds for bench depth. You should not go into the 2019 fantasy football season with an Eagles running back in a starting running back slot, unless you are in an extremely deep league.
The Eagles running back situation has training camp battle written all over it as Sanders missed every off-season practice due to a hamstring injury.
