Catching up with running backs: Abdullah among 10 PPR targets

While Matt Forte (102 catches) and Le'Veon Bell (83) did some serious work in the passing game last season,  the '14 campaign lacked in "wow" factor at the running back position in Points Per Reception league formats. Only five backs tallied 50 or more catches, the lowest total for an RB class since '05. In PPR setups, Bell and Forte, along with Jamaal Charles, are certainly going to warrant strong consideration from the moment the first owner is on the draft clock. But as the draft drifts into the subsequent rounds, here are 10 more running backs to target that have a good shot at giving the sagging top-shelf PPR numbers a shot in the arm.

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Justin Forsett, Bal (FantasyPros ADP, No. 22 overall) - All you need to know about Forsett is that his new offensive coordinator, Marc Trestman, directed a Chicago offense last season that netted RB Matt Forte 102 catches (and 75 the season before that). While I don't expect Forsett to clock that high a receptions mark this season, it's plausible that he could haul in a career high 60-plus grabs. His price tag as a late Round 2 pick in PPR formats (No. 12 RB off the board) seems more than reasonable considering he finished as the No. 8 fantasy RB in PPR last season without the benefit of Trestman's play calling.

Frank Gore, Ind (ADP 28) - Off the board, on average, right after Forsett among RBs, Gore is going to benefit immensely from an offseason change of scenery. The Colts have been among the top 11 in RB receptions each of the past two seasons, and there's a great chance that Gore will get to dust off his receiving talents after Jim Harbaugh put them in mothballs during his four-year reign as 49ers head coach - in the five seasons prior to Harbaugh, Gore averaged 58.3 catches per 16 games. Under Harbaugh, he averaged 18 catches per 16 games. Alongside Andrew Luck, Gore has a real shot to surpass 50 catches for the first time since '09.

C.J. Spiller, NO (ADP 35) - In average drafts this summer, Spiller is going more than 30 picks higher in PPR formats than he is in standard settings. There's a pretty obvious reason for that. The Saints have led the NFL in RB receptions in seven of the nine years that Sean Payton has been head coach, and they were in the top three the other two seasons. We've seen Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas catch 70-plus passes in his system, and Spiller is expected to handle an even larger role than any of those previous Saints backs. A healthy Spiller could go for 80-plus catches.

Ameer Abdullah, Det (ADP 56) - Abdullah is likely to be one of the most metoric ADP risers of the preseason. Expected to, at least, fill the role vacated by Reggie Bush, Abdullah stands to see plenty of tosses from the arm of Matthew Stafford in Detroit. Blessed with great quickness, agility and instincts, the rookie from Nebraska also is a natural at catching the ball on the run (didn't drop a pass in his final two years at Nebraska). Last season, Joe Lombardi took over as offensive coordinator of the Lions, and the team finished third in RB receptions. Lombardi was previously in New Orleans, where he learned under the king of calling RB pass plays, Sean Payton. With Joique Bell (ankle) still not able to practice, or able to give us a timetable when that might happen, Abdullah is now being prepped for a major role out of the gates in '15, one that will very likely include something north of 50 catches.

Devonta Freeman, Atl (ADP 86) - Freeman had the third-fewest snaps among all running backs that caught at least 30 passes last season (behind Theo Riddick and Travaris Cadet). This season, he's likely to see a sizeable uptick in workload, even if he gets stuck in some kind of committee with rookie Tevin Coleman and veteran Antone Smith. Last season, stuck behind Steven Jackson, Freeman played on a little more than 20 percent of the team's snaps. In a possible platoon situation this season - though Atlanta beat writers all seemed in agreement that Freeman was the frontrunner over Coleman for lead duties before both tweaked their hamstrings - Freeman could still very well see 40-plus percent of snaps. And that could push him into the 50 receptions neighborhood.

Duke Johnson, Cle (ADP 87) - Johnson has been pegged as the next Gio Bernard by many since the Browns drafted him the third round in the NFL Draft, and I'll think he'll live up to that comparison, if not surpass it. Johnson has excellent receiving skills, and will be paired with a QB (be it Josh McCown or Johnny Manziel) that will, given the lack of talent at WR and TE as well as their own downfield aerial issues, likely look to the safety valve screen/dump pass often. I think 50-plus catches is an acheivable number for the Duke of Cleveland.

Danny Woodhead, SD (ADP 99) - Woodhead finished as the No. 12 PPR running back (76 receptions) in his last healthy campaign ('13), and rookie Melvin Gordon has not shown well in pass pro this summer. QB Philip Rivers loves to throw to his RBs (SD has averaged a fourth-place finish in RB receptions over the past eight seasons) and, when those opportunities arise, Woodhead is the one who is going to, once again, be in the position to cash in.

Charles Sims, TB (ADP 117) - I'm not a fan of Sims' ability to run the football, and I fully expect Doug Martin to hold him off for the lead back role. But on passing downs, Sims should be the man in the backfield, as he really is an excellent receiver - he averaged 50.8 catches in his four seasons at West Virginia. And with Dirk Koetter running the offense in Tampa Bay this season - Atlanta finished top seven in RB receptions each of the past three seasons under Koetter - it would hardly be surprising if he reached his college catch average this season.

Roy Helu, Oak (ADP 136) - Oakland was fourth in pass attempts last season, and fifth in receptions by the RB position. By comparison, Washington was 18th and 10th in those two categories, respectively. So, while Helu could handle the same passing-down role in Oakland that he filled in Washington (where he caught 42 passes last season), his receiving numbers could see a nice uptick with the change of venue. Factor in that expected starter Latavius Murray has an upright running style that could make staying healthy an issue, and it seems plausible that Helu could be even more than a "third-down" specialist on occassion in his inaugural season by the Bay.

James White, NE (ADP 193) - White is an easy late-round gamble to make because he's got lottery ticket potential if the whims of Bill Belichick blow in the right direction. At worst, it looks like White will inherit the passing down role that was previoulsy filled by Shane Vereen. White is a good receiver, catching 39 passes at Wisconsin his senior season. And he's also lauded for his pass protection skills, which will likely be what lands him the job over Travaris Cadet. But Belichick was recently quoted as saying that White is a capable three-down back. And given the off-the-field history with LeGarrette Blount, would it really be a major surprise if White ultimately landed more of a headlining role?