2023 Dynasty Rookie Prospect: Eric Gray
Welcome To Our 2023 Rookie Prospect Profile Series!
We’re kicking off this year at Fantasy In Frames with our 2023 NFL Rookie Prospect Profile series, where each fantasy analyst will provide you with a 5-10 video breakdown of each prospect’s overall metrics from college, their strengths and weaknesses, and overall fantasy assessment heading to Combine and NFL Draft season. Once you’re done viewing this article’s comprehensive breakdown, head to our YouTube channel by clicking here and subscribing for more great fantasy football content. Here is our breakdown of 2023 Dynasty Rookie Prospect: Eric Gray!
Player Overview
Eric Gray is a 5’10 Senior running back from the University of Oklahoma. Before transferring to Oklahoma, Gray played for his home state at the University of Tennessee. Hailing from Memphis, Gray was the first high school player to win the Tennessee Mr. Football award three years in a row. It takes consistency to win an award back-to-back-to-back, and that is one quality you love to see in a running back.
The Sooners’ starter for the 2022 season racked up over 1300 yards and 11 touchdowns. Not only did Gray become very familiar with the endzone, but he also had fantastic ball security, with only one fumble all season. Gray finished the year with 33 catches leading to 229 receiving yards. He brings the potential to be a dual threat back with him to the draft. While Gray will turn 24 years old during the season, his age isn’t a knock against him. With age brings experience and more patience to see the field and where lanes will open up for him.
Player Summary
Not many things are certain in professional sports, but one thing that you can take the to the bank is that Gray is not being drafted by NFL teams to be a starter right off the bat. He’ll be playing a supporting role in any offense. And that isn’t a bad thing because as we all know there will come a time in the season when the backup, second backup, or even the third backup gets their shot due to injuries. This is where Gray should find his time to shine.
Fantasy Summary
All good fantasy players know making smart moves with your bench players and picking up the right guys off waivers makes all the difference. When that injury bug hits, and it seems to happen to the running back position more often than to others, if you’ve stashed a guy like Eric Gray on your bench or snatched him up off waivers, you might have found yourself a winner.
Gray can expect to be drafted in dynasty drafts in the second round and beyond. His skill set and college production make him similar to other backs, such as Sean Tucker, Israel Abanikanda, and Mohammed Ibrahim. He’ll likely be drafted among this group as well. These players may not show as much production right from the start but remember patience is a virtue, and you can expect to be rewarded in the long run when drafting Gray and players like him on your dynasty team.