Michael Carter Fantasy Outlook Paints Him as a RB Sleeper Pick in 2021

Updated: Sep 10, 5:00pm UTC

Every year there are rookies who come into the NFL and simply dominate right from the start. New York Jets 2021 fourth-round pick Michael Carter may have a chance to be that type of player as he is already running with the first-team offense in training camp.

Carter is a name to keep an eye on from a fantasy football perspective as he could end up as a steal in many drafts this fall. His outlook comes with a lot of upside and he could easily post RB3 numbers.

Michael Carter Fantasy Outlook

Carter may not be the featured back from the get-go, but it is hard to imagine him not carving out a role in this backfield. The only other running backs on the Jets' roster are veteran Tevin Coleman, La’Mical Perine and Ty Johnson. None of those RBs had more than 254 rushing yards in 2020.

Meanwhile, Carter was balling out during his senior season with the UNC Tar Heels. The 22-year-old racked up 1,245 rushing yards on 156 attempts (8.0 average) and scored a total of 11 touchdowns. He also showcased his versatility by posting 267 yards through the air on 25 receptions.

The Jets offense is in desperate need of a spark plug like Carter after averaging a league-low 15.2 points per game last season. With a new starting quarterback in Zach Wilson taking over, expect the offensive scheme to be run-heavy for at least the first few weeks of the regular season.

Carter has an average draft position (ADP) of 88.2 overall and RB31 in PPR leagues, according to FantasyPros. At that price, he is worth taking a chance on with a bench spot.

The Jets rookie checks in as the RB28 in The Duel's 2021 fantasy football rankings.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.