Rookie SWOT: Kareem Hunt

Jeff Miller Posted On May 22, 2017

Editor’s Note: As our coverage of the 2017 NFL Draft and its impact on fantasy football continues, we bring you our 2017 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 mix them in 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 post-draft mocks. There are simply no better resources out there for dynasty fantasy football enthusiasts.

Name: Kareem Hunt

Born: August 6, 1995

Position: Running Back

Pro Team: Kansas City Chiefs

College Team: Toledo

Draft Status: Round 3, 86th Overall

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Combine Review

Height: 5’10”
Weight: 216
Hand Size: 9 5/8”
40 Time: 4.62
Bench Press: 18 reps
Vertical Jump: 36.5”
Broad Jump: 119”

Video Clip

Strengths

Exceptional short area quickness
Top-tier vision
Hips and feet work in concert, playing a beautiful symphony
Equally elusive in tight quarters and space
NFL ready receiving game
Rarely makes poor decisions
Fumbles less often than I skip dessert
Has a high floor

Weaknesses

Average burst
Can lose speed during cuts, especially at the second level
Doesn’t run to contact enough for his size
Lacks top-end speed
If you are looking for elite upside at running back, trade up, or draft Alvin Kamara

Opportunities

A lot of folks expect Hunt to come in and wrest the job away from incumbent Spencer Ware, but I don’t know that it will be that easy. Hunt is a better-rounded player and he carries a large draft capital advantage, but Ware has become a good NFL player in his own right. Despite a second half slide last season, Ware has piled up 1325 rushing yards on 286 attempts, an average of 4.63 per, in his two year Chiefs career.

The more likely scenario is a split, with Ware handling the dirty work, and Hunt seeing lots of action in passing situations. Fortunately for the rookie, Andy Reid likes to chuck the ball around the yard. Also fortunate is his quarterback, Alex Smith, who loves nothing more than to dump the ball off close to the line of scrimmage.

Threats

If Ware starts off as hot as he did last year when he averaged 4.97 YPC over his first eight games, it will be difficult for Hunt to be anything more than a change of pace/pass down compliment.

Short-term Expectations

Hunt should find his way into immediate playing time, pushing 150-200 touches as a rookie. There isn’t an overly realistic non-injury to Ware scenario where he sees much more action than that. While that sort of a work load isn’t exciting to many owners, Bilal Powell, who is my favorite comp for Hunt, turned 189 touches, 58 of them receptions, into a RB16 finish last year.

Long-term Expectations

There is a real opportunity for Hunt to carve out a long, fruitful career as the more fantasy relevant half of a committee in an NFL backfield. His greatest assets are his ability to see holes, create at the line of scrimmage, and contribute in the passing game. Those three things, plus the fact he fumbled only once in 722 touches the past three seasons, make Hunt a coach’s dream.

It is also possible Hunt comes in and is so fundamentally strong/good in every aspect of the position, he never looks back. If that does happen, don’t expect elite production, but Hunt with 250+ touches is an instant mid-range RB1.

NFL Player Comparison

The aforementioned Bilal Powell is a pretty good comp in terms of size, athleticism, and play style. It took Powell a few years to get going, but with Reid calling the shots, I wouldn’t expect the same for Hunt. Another comp I really like is C.J. Anderson, except bigger and less physical. Both players win with a high football IQ and short area quickness rather than pure athleticism or brute force.

Rookie Draft Advice

Hunt should be in play as early as 1.07 in your rookie draft. I’ve seen him fall into the early second round, but his stock has risen sharply post-NFL draft. For my part, in a quest for upside, I passed on him at 1.09 in favor of John Ross in a salary cap league. I somewhat regret the decision in hindsight.

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Jeff Miller

Honorary Contributor at Dynasty League Football

A video game dealer by day, fantasy author by night, and super handsome guy all the time, Jeff is here to answer the questions nobody asked. Also: dated pop culture references and the misuse of uncommon words.