Ty Montgomery

Montgomery, who signed with the Patriots this past March, is a candidate to see added opportunities in the offense after running back James White announced his retirement from the NFL in August. Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson currently top the team's running back depth chart and are in line handle the bulk of the early-down work this season, but with White no longer in the mix though, there will be change-of-pace/pass-catching snaps and touches available and the versatile Montgomery has a chance to claim a share of them. Meanwhile, rookie fourth-rounder Pierre Strong is another player who could factor in on that front, with 2022 sixth-rounder Kevin Harris and returnee J.J. Taylor also competing for depth slotting in New England's backfield.

When Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray and Dwayne Washington were placed on the COVID-19 list ahead of the regular-season finale last season, Montgomery handled 18 carries en route to the second 100-yard rushing game of his career. However, each of those players is back for another season while Montgomery is now 28 years old and leaving his prime. Unless the Saints have another virus outbreak in the running back room, Montgomery seems unlikely to reclaim fantasy relevance.

Two years removed from his mildly productive stint in Green Bay, Montgomery finds himself in the midst of a crowded and talented backfield in New Orleans. He saw limited work behind Le'Veon Bell in New York last season and will join the Saints as the third-string running back behind Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray. A former receiver, Montgomery is a quality pass catcher out of the backfield, but so are the guys ahead of him on the depth chart. He'll need at least one injury to see any meaningful playing time, and he shouldn't be viewed as more than a last-ditch handcuff in very deep leagues.

Montgomery played seven games last year for the Packers before being shipped out at the trade deadline and finishing the season with the Ravens, doing little to impress at either stop. Heading into his fifth NFL season, he still looks and runs like a converted wide receiver, lacking the vision and instincts to let holes develop and follow his blocks, though occasionally gaining chunk yards if he gets the ball in open space. Montgomery joins a remade backfield headlined by Le'Veon Bell but lacking an established No. 2 RB. Bell probably won't get the massive workload he did in Pittsburgh, and there are questions after he sat out all 2018, but Montgomery will need a strong training camp to establish himself as the team's top backup.

The converted wide receiver opened 2017 as the Packers' lead back, but that role doesn't appear to be in Montgomery's future after a lackluster season that included a mark of 3.0 YPC through three games before he suffered cracked ribs Week 4. He returned from the injury but never regained his lead role, eventually landing on IR in December and having wrist surgery shortly thereafter. In his absence, rookies Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones both showed better skill as runners, and their blitz pickup abilities in particular likely will be prioritized by a franchise concerned with keeping Aaron Rodgers upright. Montgomery still has some potential as a gadget player who can line up all over the field, and he has the quickness and elusiveness to make defenders miss while his size and balance allow him to pick up yards after contact, but without the assurance of a defined role in the offense, consistent touches could be hard to come by once Jones returns from a two-game suspension.

Beginning the year buried on the depth chart at wide receiver, Montgomery was shifted into the backfield as a passing-down back after Eddie Lacy and James Starks couldn't stay healthy. As the season progressed, however, Montgomery began receiving carries as well as targets, culminating in a Week 15 game in Chicago in which he turned 16 totes into 162 yards and two TDs. Montgomery finished the campaign with a strong mark of 5.9 YPC and actually led all running backs with 2.8 yards after contact per touch. At 6-0, 216, he has the size to handle a starter's workload and the punishment that comes with running between the tackles, but he's still a work in progress at the position and his skill set reflects his receiving background. That rawness as a running back gives him some untapped upside, though, and the Packers showed confidence in Montgomery's ability to adapt by letting Lacy walk as a free agent and not drafting a back until the fourth round, although they ended up using three Day 3 picks on the position. With Aaron Rodgers delivering him the ball, Montgomery will remain an enticing PPR option, and don't underestimate his potential in standard formats.

Montgomery is a compact and versatile player capable of making his presence felt both in the slot and out of the backfield, but he especially shines on special teams with a knack for returning kickoffs. Unfortunately, a devastating high ankle sprain in Week 6 prematurely ended his 2015 campaign, and his attempts to return to help his team make a playoff push ultimately landed him on injured reserve come December. Looking ahead to 2016, Montgomery's first task will be to make the final 53-man roster. Should he succeed, he could then take aim at securing the third receiver role behind Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. No matter where he ends up in the pecking order, at the very least, expect Montgomery to be heavily involved on special teams.

The Packers' top trio of receivers is arguably the best in the league, but the team still decided to address the position in this year's draft, selecting Montgomery in the third round. While it will be a stretch for Montgomery to make much of an impact in the Packers' offense as a rookie, he could serve on special teams after averaging over 25 yards per kickoff return and over 18 yards per punt return in his senior season at Stanford. After finishing 31st in yards per kickoff return a season ago,the Packers could certainly use his services in that department.