Fantasy Football 2014: Updated Top 5 RB Sleepers

Sophomore slumps don't get any worse than what Trent Richardson experienced in 2013, but 2014 is a new year. With Donald Brown out of his way, Richardson still faces competition from Ahmad Bradshaw if his performance dips. He's the clear No. 1 RB for the Indianapolis Colts right now. For Richardson to thrive, he must catch 50-plus passes like he did in his rookie season and I'm sure Andrew Luck will get him involved more this year.

Sleep on this guy and you'll be sorry, especially if you're in a PPR league. Danny Woodhead caught more passes than Keenan Allen, Jason Witten and Wes Welker last year on a limited snap count. Woodhead scored eight TDs for the San Diego Chargers in 2013 and he also returned kicks. Ryan Matthews is the undisputed starter for the Chargers, but Woodhead will definitely get his touches, so you better get your hands on him in the later rounds.

There might be a RB controversy in Detroit after Joique Bell showed us just how expendable Reggie Bush is with his astounding numbers as a backup. Bell scored eight TDs while racking up over 1,000 all-purpose yards, which would make him a starter on most teams. With Bush's known injury history, Bell could slide in as a starter at some point this season, but don't disregard him as a backup. Expect him to get more touches in 2014.

As he steps out of Adrian Peterson's shadow, Toby Gerhart is looking to make a name for himself as the Jacksonville Jaguars' No.1 RB. Gerhart will be the workhorse on the ground much like how former Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew was, but he's not really known for his hands. The Jags don't really have the most potent air-attack in the league, so they'll try to revive their running game with Gerhart. Look for his usage rate to be high this year.

When Arian Foster went down last season, Ben Tate stepped up to help the pathetic Houston Texans offense look respectable. Now he's wearing a Cleveland Browns jersey like Johnny Manziel, but unlike Manziel, Tate has no competition for his job. The Browns' running game had no identity last season so Tate will be expected to handle the load with his all-around style of play, and if Manziel starts, look for Tate to be one of his release valves.