The Philadelphia Eagles have a new running back, but his name isn't Frank Gore ... it's Ryan Mathews.
While it looked like Gore was headed to the City of Brotherly Love, his ultimate decision to pass created a hole in the Eagles backfield that has been filled with the addition of Mathews. The Fresno State product never met expectations during his time with the San Diego Chargers, rushing for 1,000-plus yards in just two of his five seasons. Furthermore, Mathews saw action in all 16 games just one time, so his proneness to injuries is worrisome.
Mathews will also see his contributions as a pass catcher limited, as Darren Sproles will remain the first option out of the backfield when the Eagles enter passing situations.
On a positive note, Mathews is entering a system under coach Chip Kelly that has been conducive to success in the stat sheets for running backs. At 27, he doesn't have ton of wear and tear on his body (923 career carries) either. He'll also be playing behind an offensive line that ranked 10th in run blocking last season, according to Pro Football Focus. With that said, there's still a whole lot of risk with this once promising back. If he can stay out of the trainer's room, Mathews could push for No. 2 running back value.
That's a big if, though ...
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
