High-end NFL Player Comp(s):
Cam Akers Low-end NFL Player Comp(s):
Zonovan Knight
Best Scheme Fit: Universal,
although his vision and one-cut ability would likely fit better
in a zone-running scheme. He is probably best suited to work as
the early-down option in a committee to begin his career until
he proves is more adept as a receiver.
Best Team Fit(s): Dolphins, Chargers, Buccaneers,
Cardinals
Non-bolded times - Good examples of attribute Bolded times - Average/poor examples of attribute
* - How well does his skill set carry over
to the fantasy game? For running backs, a player needs to be a
three-down option as well as a realistic threat for 1,000 rushing
yards and 500 receiving yards to be a candidate for a perfect
grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of
the equation.
Positives
True to his nickname (Tank), Cartavious Bigsby can be a north-south
runner who will not go down easy and displays a fair amount of power
in his game. Although he does not possess a lot of thump in short-yardage
situations, he usually falls forward after contact and gets his
money's worth on those opportunities. With that said, his overall
game relies much more on patience, tempo, vision and instincts while
operating on the first and second levels of the defense. (Each of
these traits certainly played a role in him averaging 4.2 yards
after contact per attempt despite playing behind the third-lowest-graded
run-blocking line in the SEC - per Pro Football Focus - in 2022.)
Bigsby does an excellent job of processing the information the defense
gives him in real-time. He has the uncommon ability to make defenders
miss in between the tackles without appearing as if he is trying
hard to do it. The Georgia native makes sharp cuts when he needs
them, but he is more of a slippery and controlled runner than anything
else, consistently using subtle jump cuts to dodge incoming tackle
attempts. Bigsby also showed a tendency to make something out of
nothing on plays where the offensive line failed him. This big-play
ability was part of the reason why he led the SEC with eight carries
of 30-plus yards in 2022.
Negatives
Even though Bigsby possesses near-ideal weight for a man playing
his position, he lacks the kind of thick and dense frame that lead
or featured backs usually have in the NFL. He will probably need
to put some more work into his lower body in the weight room if
he hopes to be a team's primary early-down/goal-line option in the
NFL. For as much of a strength as Bigsby's vision typically is,
he does miss opportunities to cut back. Bigsby flashes a nice dead
leg in the open field but also displays a tendency to fall over
himself after making such a move. Despite his track background (not
to mention the examples of long speed above), he did not break a
ton of long runs in college (one run of more than 50 yards on 540
career attempts and only six that covered at least 40 - four of
which occurred in 2022). While his 30 receptions last year would
suggest otherwise, the 2020 co-SEC Freshman of the Year may need
to concentrate most of his offseason work on becoming a better receiver.
There are too many times when his instinct is to catch the ball
with his body and other times when does not look the ball into his
hands.
Bottom Line
Bigsby has many traits that evaluators want in running backs,
but it is hard to pinpoint one that makes him stand out from the
rest of his draft classmates. On the plus side, the ability to
generate yards after contact in college - especially in the SEC
- tends to carry over well to the pro game. The ability to change
tempo instinctually also usually comes in handy in the NFL. With
Bigsby, the inability to find a second gear and some of his adventures
as a receiver sometimes makes it hard to remember how much he
does well. In his defense, countless running backs have overcome
the speed limitation over the years. Another feather in his hat
is how much Auburn trusted him as a pass-catcher; his 30 catches
led the Tigers. His 18.9 reception share is also very high for
a running back.
One of the most concerning things regarding Bigsby is how inconsistent
his production was throughout his college career. While it could
have been a product of a deteriorating offensive line and questionable
coaching, the inconsistent production was still an issue when
the Tigers were decent in his freshman year. The lack of true
game-breaking runs is also troubling. As such, Bigsby profiles
as a potentially good pro but not one that is going to make an
average run game good or a good running game great. He has three-down
upside, but he desperately needs to become more of a sure thing
as a receiver.
Doug Orth has written for FF Today since 2006 and been featured
in USA TODAY's Fantasy Football Preview magazine since 2010. He
is also a high-stakes player who often appears as a guest analyst
on a number of national sports radio shows, such as Sirius XM’s
“Fantasy Drive." Doug is also a member of the Fantasy
Sports Writers Association.
