Rookie SWOT: Paul Perkins

Editor’s Note: As our coverage of the 2016 NFL Draft and its impact on fantasy football continues, we bring you our 2016 Rookie SWOT series. These articles will feature video highlights, combine reviews, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, short-term expectations, long-term expectations and rookie draft advice for over 30 of the best dynasty league prospects from this year’s draft. We’ll follow that up with team-by-team draft reviews because, you know, that’s kind of what we live for.

Make sure you’re ready for your dynasty league rookie draft by staying up on all these articles, checking out our rookie draft guide, rookie rankings, rookie draft cheat sheet and mock draft rooms. There are simply no better resources out there for dynasty fantasy football enthusiasts.

Name: Paul Perkins

Position: Running Back

Pro team: New York Giants

College team: UCLA

Draft Status: Round Five, 149th Overall

Video Clip

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Combine Review

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 208

Hands: 9”

Arm Length: 31 5/8”

Bench Press: 19

40 Yard Dash: 4.54

Vertical Jump: 32”

Broad Jump: 124”

Strengths

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• Superb vision and balance as a runner
• Excellent jump cut to set up defenders
• Ability to change to directions and make cuts at full speed
• Explosive and quick with his movements to make people miss
• Great receiver out of the backfield
• Willingness and competitiveness to try and pass protect
• Can run inside and outside
• Excellent zone scheme runner
• Highly productive collegiate player

Weaknesses

• Does not possess elite long speed
• May struggle or be unable to carry full workload due to his size
• Lacks strength to consistently be successful in short yardage and goal line situations
• Needs to refine his technique and become more consistent with his pass protection

Opportunities

Perkins joins a crowded backfield that already has Rashad Jennings, Shane Vereen, Andre Williams and Orleans Darkwa. While their seems to be a log jam in front of Perkins on the depth chart, the truth is there is an opportunity for him to carve out a role at some point this year. Jennings, while solid, has battled injury and durability concerns during his career, and until the final few weeks of the season, struggled with any type of consistency in his running last year. Williams, since he was drafted in the fourth round, just two years ago, has really struggled transitioning into the NFL. Williams is slow hitting the hole, lacks vision and offers no ability in the pass game. Vereen, while one of the better pass catching running backs in the league, does not seem to be a major part of the Giants run game at all. Perkins brings a combination of skills that none of the current backs on the roster offers. Perkins can run inside and outside, offers big play ability and can play on all three downs. If Jennings or Vereen suffer an injury or struggles with production, Perkins could be the one that gets an opportunity to take hold of a major part of the backfield.

Threats

With so many other running backs on the roster, Perkins is behind them all in terms of understanding the playbook, the blitz pickups and his overall responsibilities. With Vereen recognized as one of the top pass receiving backs in the league, a better pass protector and locked in for one or possibly two more years in that role, Perkins may struggle to find immediate playing time on third downs. If Jennings starts off the year similar to how he finished, he could find himself as the lead back in the Giants committee. While Williams has showed little so far in his career, he was a fourth round investment the Giants do not seem ready to completely give up on yet.

Short-term Expectations

As much as I believe in his talent, I think Perkins will struggle to have an immediate impact this year for the Giants and in fantasy football. He will be brought along slowly as he learns the playbook and to become a better pass protector. For this year, provided Vereen stays healthy, I think Perkins will be used exclusively as a change of pace running back on early downs.  To start the season, if he is not a key member of the special teams unit, he may even find himself inactive, if they only dress three running backs on game days. Perkins’ 2016 fantasy value may be directly related to the health of Jennings and Vereen. If one of them was to suffer a significant injury, I do believe Perkins could offer low end RB2 or RB3 value in PPR leagues for a period of games.

Long-term Expectations

While his short term value may be limited, I do believe by as early as next year, Perkins could be a key contributor for the Giants and in the fantasy world. I do not expect Jennings to be back next season with the Giants and it is also possible the Giants move on from Vereen, if they think Perkins is ready to handle third down work. If one or both of those two are gone, I can envision a scenario where Perkins is the lead member of a committee and handles between 60 to 65% of the workload. I think long term Perkins will handle all third down work, be the leading receiver out of the backfield and share early down carries. I think his upside is to provide RB2 value in PPR leagues, similarly to the production Gio Bernard has produced for the Bengals during his career.

NFL Player Comparison

Devonta Freeman

Rookie Draft Advice

Perkins should be a late first to early second round rookie dynasty pick. I think on most draft boards he will be between the third and sixth running back taken. For me, the only running backs I would definitely take over him right now are Ezekiel Elliot, who should be the first pick in all rookie drafts and Derrick Henry. While Elliot is far and away a superior talent, the draft capital the Titans spent on Henry, makes me rank him second on the running back list. I do think Perkins is in the next tier with other rookie running backs such as Kenneth Dixon of the Ravens, Devontae Booker of the Broncos and CJ Prosise of the Seahawks. For me I think both Dixon and Booker have a slightly better chance to offer three down potential, therefore Perkins would be behind them two, but ahead of Prosise in my current rankings.

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