James White, RB New England Patriots Rookie Fantasy Spotlight
Byron Lambert, Rosterwatch.com

Nobody could block LB Chris Borland at the Senior Bowl in pass protection drills … Except for his former Wisconsin teammate James White.

You’d imagine toughness and pass protection aren’t too far down the list of qualities Bill Belichick looks for in a running back. James White was a sneaky effective player during the week of the Senior Bowl, however, he was certainly far from a standout player. The Patriots selection of White in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft was a mild surprise to many. Draftniks considered it at least a bit of a “reach” in terms of talent, but there had been a run on running backs at that point in the draft.

As usual the Patriots had a targeted approach, this time with Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley in the final year of their rookie contracts. We’ve always wondered why the Patriots let Danny Woodhead walk. Maybe Belichick has wondered, too.

Reports from training camp indicate an immediate role for James White. Recent estimates are that he will play approximately 20% of offensive snaps. Anything can happen in the Patriots backfield. We believe a Danny Woodhead-type role is on the horizon for White – and our Patriots Insider, Mike Loyko, has agreed as such.

That makes White a nice late-round flier in redraft leagues as an RB5. White is a solid add in Round 3 of traditional dynasty league rookie drafts.