Devin Singletary

At 5-8, 203, with a 4.66 40 time, Singletary never had the conventional profile of an NFL running back -- not even a backup. That he stuck as long as he did as a starter in Buffalo, which is to say most of the last four years, is in itself a testament to Singletary's mettle. His relentless motor allows him to catch defenders off guard, getting under their pads and knocking them backward despite his weight disadvantage. Over a long sample, though, Singletary's lack of speed and brute strength eventually shows up, leading to the conclusion that he might be best suited as a backup. Signed by the Texans in March to a one-year deal, Singletary should be an effective firecracker off the bench after starter Dameon Pierce tenderizes the defense, and he might even have more ability as a pass catcher than what he showed in Buffalo. Singletary struggled as a receiver with the Bills, but so did James Cook and Zack Moss, both plus pass-catchers in college. The Houston system might improve Singletary's pass-catching efficiency to somewhat offset his playing time decrease.

Last season was a wild ride for Singletary. The Florida Atlantic product entered camp as a likely 1B in the Buffalo backfield behind Zack Moss, who was a surprise inactive Week 1. Moss returned the next week and scored two touchdowns, kicking off a six-game streak with eight or more carries. But as the season wore on, Moss's role faded and Singletary eventually dominated backfield work. Including the playoffs, Singletary scored a TD in six straight games to close out the campaign, racking up 541 scrimmage yards and nine total TDs over that stretch while playing more than two-thirds of snaps every week. Singletary also had a strong finish to his rookie season back in 2019, and he's averaged at least 4.4 YPC each year in the NFL despite lacking prototypical size (5-7, 203) and speed (4.66 40). He's been less successful as a pass catcher, averaging 5.4 YPT or worse each season, and that could cost him playing time this year after the Bills spent a second-round pick on James Cook, who caught 27 passes for 284 yards and four TDs as the lightning to Zamir White's thunder for the 2021 Georgia Bulldogs. The Bills also still have Moss and 28-year-old Duke Johnson as backfield options, but Singletary remains the favorite to start and take the most carries in the fourth and final season of his rookie contract.

The Bills' decision to use a second consecutive third-round pick on a running back (Zack Moss) didn't bode well for Singletary's prospects last summer, and indeed the Florida Atlantic product ran for fewer yards than he did as a rookie despite playing four more games. Singletary did make up some of the difference with more production in the passing game, but it was still a disappointing showing after his big finish to 2019. He has the vision to find soft spots in a defense and the burst to punch through them, but a lack of straight-line speed or size prevents him from being a true big-play threat. Moss, a more physical runner, can also handle snaps on all three downs, giving the Bills more flexibility but also making it tougher for either RB to take advantage of specific matchups. Josh Allen also takes goal-line touches away from both backs, and offseason addition Matt Breida could further flatten the carry distribution. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll should still find some kind of role for Singletary, but it isn't likely to yield much fantasy value unless Moss misses more time.

A third-round pick in 2019, Singletary looked good early but then missed three games with a hamstring injury, effectively setting him back to square one in the Buffalo offense. He seized the starting job in the second half, however, averaging 92.4 total yards over his final eight games before piling up 134 yards in a wild-card loss to the Texans. While the Florida Atlantic product isn't an impressive physical specimen at 5-7, 203, and doesn't wow anyone with his speed in the open field (4.66 40), he has excellent vision and burst, traits that offensive coordinator Brian Daboll exploited for maximum effectiveness last season, as no back in the league saw eight-man fronts less often than Singletary. He also got better as a receiver as the season wore on, though there's room for further improvement. Buffalo boosted its passing game by trading for Stefon Diggs in the offseason, later adding third-round pick Zack Moss to potentially keep Singletary in a committee, rather than anointing him the Bills' new bell cow. Given Singletary's smaller stature and useful but not exactly elite skill set, that might be the best decision for the team from a football perspective, but it could put a ceiling on his workload and fantasy upside.

Singletary is a hard back to pin down, both for defenders and for analysts. He's slightly undersized, and his 4.66 time in the 40-yard dash at the combine ranked as one of the weekend's bigger disappointments, but he did have 54 rushing TDs for Florida Atlantic the last two seasons. Singletary shows tremendous vision and balance, allowing him to exploit small creases and emerge from pileups, and his burst and low center of gravity eventually could make him a short-yardage weapon. With LeSean McCoy being cut in late August, Singletary seems positioned as the heir apparent, even if Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon also stand between the rookie and touches in the short term.