Tyjae Spears

Tyjae Spears 2023 Fantasy Football Rookie Profile

Overview

Tyjae Spears is a senior running back prospect from Tulane University. Growing up the youngest of nine children less than an hour north of New Orleans, Spears idolized Reggie Bush as a kid. He was a three-star recruit when he was approached by the in-state private college. He stayed pact when offered a late scholarship from Kansas State University and was rewarded for his loyalty.

Spears saw the field early as a freshman, though it was on a limited basis behind upperclassmen. He carried the ball 32 times for 192 yards and a TD, adding five receptions for 133 and one receiving TD in 2019. Despite the modest workload, Spears showed promise, housing two long touchdowns in a blowout win over Missouri State University.

As a sophomore, Spears rushed for over 100 yards in each of his first two games. However, in Week 3 he suffered the dreaded torn ACL and meniscus following his second TD of the day. Returning from injury, 2021 was a tale of two halves. He saw a 13.5 carries-per-game increase from the first six games to the last six. When it was all said and done, Spears was one of the few highlights in a down 2021 season for the Green Wave. He finished ranking fifth in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) for rushing yards (863) and tied for fourth in rushing TDs (nine).

Spears returned for his senior season, putting Tulane back on the map and himself on NFL teams’ radars. Tulane finished the season 12-2, ranked No. 9 in the country and won the AAC Championship for the first time since the conference was formed in 2015. Spears tied for the most combined touchdowns in College Football (21) and finished fifth in rushing yards (1,581). Despite already declaring his NFL-bound status, Spears played in the Cotton Bowl against No. 12-ranked University of Southern California (USC). Story-book like, Spears put on a clinic against his favorite athlete’s alma mater. To help give Tulane the 46-45 victory, Spears rushed for 205 yards and four touchdowns against the Trojans.

Spears would go on to be a Senior Bowl week standout, drawing eyes from NFL general managers and fantasy football analysts alike. At the NFL Combine, Spears did well in the events he tested in, placing second in the vertical jump, third in the broad jump and sixth in the bench press.

Pros

• Extremely patient runner with outstanding vision
• Twitchy and slippery, creating yards after contact
• Hits second gear quickly, giving him homerun ability
• Sound hands and adequate in pass-blocking, creating a three-down skillset
• Offers a sharp and powerful cutback
• Has a nose for the endzone

Cons

• Not great in short-yardage situations
• Already has had a torn ACL and meniscus (2020)
• Has a narrower build

Tyjae Spears Player Comparison

Elijah Mitchell (RB, San Fransico 49ers) with the vision & hands of Le’Veon Bell (Former RB, Pittsburgh Steelers)

His size was the big question for Spears coming into the College Football postseason. However, he weighed in over the 200-pound mark, easing concerns. At that weight and standing 5 foot-10 inches, Spears is almost identical in size to another Louisiana native, Elijah Mitchell. The two produced at a similar clip in college, although Mitchell didn’t have the senior season at the University of Louisiana that Spears did at Tulane.

Both of these two more-slender RBs excel at yards after contact. Spears himself ranked fifth in the nation in yards after contact in 2022 with 1,052, 66 percent of his total yards. They also both have homerun-hitting speeds, clocking unofficial 4.40 40-yard dashes.

Where they differ is Spears’ vision and ability in the passing game. The way Spears shakes defenders with and without the ball in his hands is reminiscent of a young Le’Veon Bell. He shows similar versatility to Bell, lining up in multiple packages, including out-wide, in the slot and direct snaps in the wildcat.

Tyjae Spears Fantasy Football Projection

The versatility and play-making ability Spears displayed in 2022 could garner him day-two NFL Draft capital. Depending on the landing spot, the best-case scenario is that Spears will be leading a committee come September. At the least, his seventh-ranked pass-blocking grade, per Pro Football Focus (PFF), should get him on the field. His redraft Average Draft Position (ADP) could range from middle to late rounds. Either way, Spears will likely be worth the cost.

He is currently going in the second round of most dynasty rookie drafts, middle of the round in 1QB formats, and late second round in superflex. As of now, if I miss out on Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs and need an RB, I’m waiting to take Spears. He has eventual high-end Points Per Reception (PPR) RB2 upside and at the very least, should return RB4 value as a rookie.

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