Table of Contents
  1. DeWayne McBride
  2. Pros
  3. Cons
  4. Fantasy Impact

DeWayne McBride

Fantasy Outlook

DeWayne McBride needs multiple things to happen for him to get on fantasy radars in '23.

First, the Vikings need to move on from Dalvin Cook. There was plenty of pre-draft speculation about the team needing financial flexibility, but using a seventh-round pick and expecting a replacement (or even a complement to Alexander Mattison) appears short-sighted by Minnesota's analytically-inclined front office.

But Mattison also stands in front of McBride. Cook's current backup averaged 27 touches over four starts during the 2021 season. 

Until we get clarity into the depth chart, and maybe a season past that, McBride shouldn't touch our fantasy rosters.

Way-too-early 2023 redraft rank: Waiver wire target

Summary

McBride was a three-star recruit for UAB, averaging 117 yards rushing per game—the highest mark in the 2023 class. He ranks inside the top three in career explosive rush rate (20%), missed tackles forced rate (26%), and average yards after contact (4.93), per PFF data. 

The third-year junior dominated against lower-level competition, with only two career games against Power Five opponents. The 215-pound back has the size NFL teams covet, but he must prove his high-end efficiency translates to the next level.

Pros

Hard to bring down

McBride demonstrated the ability to layer multiple moves together, leading to an 88th-percentile missed tackles forced (26%) dating back to the 2017 class. 

DeWayne McBride

Nov 13, 2021; Huntington, West Virginia, USA; UAB Blazers running back DeWayne McBride (22) celebrates after running for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

Lance Zierlein has McBride as his No. 9 back, calling out his “good blend of shiftiness and power,” which lines up 100% with the data. No RB in the 2023 class averaged more yards after contact over their career than McBride’s 86th-percentile mark of 4.93 yards.

Explosive playmaker

The former Blazer was unable to run at the NFL combine due to a hamstring injury, which has some analysts concerned about his big-play upside. However, McBride translated 96 (20%) of his career rushing attempts (484) into plays of 10-plus yards. He doesn’t have elite long speed, but he still has the upside to deliver consistent chunk plays in the NFL.

Cons

Receiving profile

The UAB coaching staff severely limited McBride’s utilization in the passing game, with a 22% career route participation—bottom three in the class. Furthermore, when he was in a route, things didn’t improve—his 6% TPRR and 0.16 YPRR ranked dead last. 

There is a chance McBride could develop into a functional check-down option at the next level, but the chances of him turning into a plus-value asset in the passing attack aren’t high.

Ball security

McBride put the ball on the ground 10 times on his 489 touches at UAB, which could be a concern for NFL executives. His 2% fumble rate was double the typical 1% rate on rushing plays by non-quarterbacks since 2014.

Fantasy Impact

McBride would have graded out in Tier 3 of the Rookie RB Super Model if he had posted the same data points against Power Five competition. However, he is still a solid Tier 4 prospect after adjusting for his level of competition. 

We have seen 63% of RBs with a Super Model score between 70 and 79 deliver at least one top-24 finish in their first two to three seasons, and 37% have managed a top-12 finish.

He has limitations in the passing game, but McBride could develop into a solid early-down back at the next level. If he lands on a good offense that wants to pound the rock, that could give him upside in the TD department. His closest comps in the RB Super Model are A.J. Dillon and Trey Sermon.

If that piques your interest, you can start drafting him TODAY on Underdog Fantasy! Get a 100% deposit match of up to $100 by signing up below and start drafting today!

Dynasty Rookie Profile
Dwain McFarland
Dwain McFarland
Dwain is the Lead Fantasy Analyst and Director of Analytics of Fantasy Life. He is best known for the Utilization Report, which led to his first full-time role in the industry at Pro Football Focus. Dwain’s experience and background have helped him craft a unique voice in the fantasy football community. He has placed highly in multiple national season-long contests, including three top-five finishes at the FFPC. Before beginning his fantasy career in 2018, Dwain led product strategy and data and analytics teams for one of the largest healthcare improvement companies in the nation.
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