Fantasy outlook: Miles Sanders is in no danger of a sophomore slump

Can Miles Sanders equal what he did for Fantasy owners in 2019 this season?

In 2019, Philadelphia Eagles rookie running back Miles Sanders emerged as one of the top young players in the entire NFL, both in real football and in Fantasy. He got off to a slow start, mostly because Jordan Howard was Philly’s starter, but once he took off, he never looked back.

’26’ ran for 818 yards and three touchdowns. He proved to be a great receiving threat as well, snagging 50 receptions for 509 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

With so many injuries plaguing the Birds’ receiving corps, it’s no question why the Penn State product was targeted as much as he was. His instant impact shows why Carson Wentz looked to him as often as he did.

Year 2 of the Miles Sanders era is upon us.

We have all established that you can’t ask for much more from Sanders than we got in Year 1, but what about this season? We’ve seen sophomore slumps before, but that won’t be a concern for ’26’, will it? The answer to that one is easy. No, it won’t.

These so-called ‘slumps’ are, oftentimes, due to there being a lack of opportunities for the player. Experience brings with it game film for opposing teams and them implementing ways to limit any threats opportunities, especially a young one. It can also come down to game planning.

There shouldn’t be much of a reason to worry about that with Eagles head coach Doug Pederson and his staff. Last season, Sanders was part of a crowded backfield, one that he shared, at various points of the season, with Jordan Howard, Corey Clement, and Boston Scott.

With Clement out early due to injury and with Scott being non-existent early on, Pederson looked to Howard and Sanders. Howard dealt with injuries towards the end of 2019 and this past offseason, he left Philly for Miami. This season, Sanders is the guy and is expected to share the workload with Scott and Clement.

If you can pick Miles Sanders up, do so quickly.

The latter has dealt with two years worth of injuries. The former is more of a third-down guy. He’s reliable and will definitely be utilized in goal-line situations, but if you are looking for a solid second option or an RB2 for your Fantasy team, Sanders is your guy. Scott could serve as a nice ‘flex’. Both will put up a ton of points in 2020 and in your Fantasy leagues. The only real concern involving both during last season, from a fantasy perspective, was scoring.

Sanders did well in terms of yardage but didn’t reach the end zone as often as some would like, making him someone you couldn’t really count on for PPR (points per reception). All hope isn’t lost though. There are times where, in some leagues, yards can supplement one’s inability to score touchdowns, so, even if Sanders does not find the end zone much this season, a healthier workload could lead to some heavy yardage for the youngster.

Considering what he did during his rookie season, his new starting role, and his ability as a receiver, it’s safe to assume that a sophomore slump won’t be an issue for ’26’. Sanders could be in store for another big year in 2020, in both Fantasy leagues and the one we watch on Sunday every season.