NFL Draft: Kenneth Walker III would be instant fantasy RB sleeper if Bills draft him
Welcome to the 2022 edition of the Fantasy Football Rookie Snapshot NFL draft series! In this space, fantasy football expert Liz Loza will analyze the incoming class of first-year stars and gauge their impact — be it immediate or latent — on our fake football game.
First up, the running backs. Liz covered Iowa State star, Breece Hall, here. Next up, the Spartans' own Kenneth Walker III.
Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
Size: 5-foot-9 and 211 pounds
Age: 21-years-old (10/20/2000)
Bio: A three-star recruit out of Arlington High School — despite rushing for nearly 3,500 yards and scoring 41 TDs — Walker III only received offers from three FBS programs. He committed to Wake Forest, but after two seasons he transferred to Michigan State. In his first carry as a Spartan, Walker III ripped off a 75-yard touchdown, reviving the East Lansing faithful. He’d go on to find the end zone 18 more times throughout 2021 while also winning the Doak Walker and Walter Camp Player of the Year Awards.
Pros: Contact balance, short-area quickness, top-end long speed (4.38)
[Running Back Snapshots: Hall | Walker | Spiller]
Cons: Slightly undersized, limited experience (not potential) as a pass-catcher, can hesitate at the line of scrimmage
The Big Picture
The Spartan’s superpower is his unpredictability.
Whether it’s hypnotizing defenders with a somewhat frantic — but not frenetic — running style, or inspiring a scratch-and-shrug reaction from coaches and scouts struggling to pigeonhole the enigmatic talent …
Walker III knows how to keep ‘em guessing.
NFL Comp: J.K. Dobbins
The Fantasy Fit
Bringing 110 percent on every play, Walker III never stops moving. Some might argue that his style lacks economy while others will point to the 89 missed tackles he forced in 2021 (the most, per PFF, by a Big 10 back since 2014). That duality — the controlled chaos in his game and ethos — is (in)precisely what makes the 21-year-old such an intriguing talent.
Perhaps the most gifted pure rusher in this year’s class, Walker III is so much more than a straight-line speed guy. His change of direction is dazzling, his short-area quickness has resulted in some of the most creative runs in college history, and his contact balance keeps the whole operation trending forward — always forward.
A consummate Libra, Walker III can be indecisive, however. Sometimes he fidgets before committing to a hole (and, usually, bursting through it) or dances a touch too long and has to race to the edge. That won’t work well in the NFL, especially not at his size. Nor will frying pan hands, which I don’t think he has … but 19 receptions over three years is far from inspiring.
As Nick Chubb has regularly reminded us, however, just because an RB didn’t catch in college doesn't mean he can’t do it at the next level. Still, Walker III is going to need reps, which could slow his immediate ascent.
I’d be thrilled for #BillsMafia to land the Tennessee native. Buffalo was willing to lean on Devin Singletary down the stretch last year, but they also made a play to acquire J.D. McKissic before the Commander had a change of heart last month. While the Bills did sign Duke Johnson to a one-year deal, there’s still room for an RB stud in that backfield, particularly given the team’s fickle approach to the position. Were Walker III to start his career in Orchard Park, he’d command top-25 fantasy attention out of the gate.
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