:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67120110/1197538416.jpg.0.jpg)
Update September 3: Singletary’s fumbling issue has The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia writing that Zach Moss “could take over as the lead back” if the issue persists. He added that Moss has looked good and is “the likelier option for goal line touches.”
Update August 31: Singletary has coughed up a pair of fumbles in his seven padded practices, which is cause for concern. Moss has continued to put his quality pass catching skills on display and has also done well in pass protection. If Singletary’s ball security issues continue, we could see a lot more of Moss on the field than we anticipated. His versatility could be valuable on a Bills team that’s looking to be less predictable.
Update August 24: Moss has been showcasing his full skill set at camp. His impressive pass catching paired with his ability to break tackles could help him become part of a formidable one-two punch with Singletary. He might not win a full-time starting job from Singletary, but he could get a significant number of touches.
In this series we will look at the most important fantasy football position battles for each NFL team. Opportunity is king in fantasy, as you can’t produce fantasy statistics without getting on the field. So, the first step when looking for value plays is to project, correctly, which players will win training camp battles.
The Buffalo Bills were a pleasant surprise last season. They become a playoff team thanks to sturdy defense, the improvement of Josh Allen, and an upgraded receiving corps. While Frank Gore led the team in carries, the emergence of rookie running back Devin Singletary helped maximize the team’s offensive potential. The Bills have another running back who could compete with him for touches in Zack Moss though.
Singletary barely cracked the top 32 among fantasy running backs in standard leagues and was 32nd in PPR leagues. He finished his rookie year with 151 carries for 775 yards and two scores. He also caught 29 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns. These are solid numbers considering he split carries down the middle with Gore and only played in 12 games. Moss is used to being a workhorse though and will likely get his fair share of touches this upcoming season.
Moss racked up 235 carries for 1,416 yards and 15 scores in his final season at Utah. He caught 28 passes for 388 yards and two scores. His build is similar to Singletary’s, but he’s a little bigger and could be a more power red zone threat because of his power.
Verdict
Singletary has a leg up on the competition as the incumbent, but don’t expect either player to be dominate the touches. This could shape up to be a by-committee situation without a true star in the backfield.