DJ Giddens Dynasty Value: Can He Emerge in a Crowded Class?

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Some RB prospects only boast excellent college production.

Some only dazzle at the NFL Combine. 

But when production and athleticism collide, we have a greater chance for a sustainable dynasty asset. That’s especially true for a well-built RB.

Kansas State RB DJ Giddens -- at 6'0, 212 pounds -- checks all three boxes. 

Let’s review his complete dynasty value and see the college star in action …

DJ Giddens Dynasty Values

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DJ Giddens Draft Profile

DJ Giddens Combine Results

DJ Giddens College Stats

His Career Almost Ended After High School

Giddens’ football journey began as a high school junior. His production didn’t take off until his senior year, limiting the attention from college recruiters.

Giddens also overcame academic struggles, telling The Wichita Eagle last August that “Kansas State was my only option.”

Here’s some insight from his high school coach, Randall Zimmerman.

Giddens took advantage of the opportunity.

Giddens Works Behind Future Pro Initially

Giddens took a redshirt in 2021.

That year, sophomore (and current Cowboy) Deuce Vaughn handled lead back work. Vaughn’s workload spiked in 2022 with a 76.3% share of the RB carries.

Giddens, though, earned the RB2 role. He flashed with 5.8 yards per carry and a powerful 3.88 yards after contact per attempt. 

Vaughn left for the NFL in 2023. Giddens took over and quickly grabbed the attention of NFL scouts.

'You Have All the Ability in the World'

Giddens announced his presence with a 15-carry, 128-yard outing in Week 1.

Three weeks later, he ripped off 207 yards and 4 TDs on 30 carries.

Giddens received a pregame vote of confidence before that contest ...

"We challenged DJ," HC Chris Klieman said after the win, via The Topeka Capital-Journal. "We said, 'We're going to give you the football. You need to step up. You have all the ability in the world. We've got to believe in you and we're going to keep giving it to you and keep giving it to you.' "

Klieman continued leaning on Giddens, especially late in the year. The RB averaged 24.5 carries and 120.5 rush yards per game over his final four.

Giddens’ advanced metrics weren’t as rosy. Among 73 RBs with 150+ carries, he ranked 43rd in yards after contact per attempt, 31st in Pro Football Focus elusive rating, and 25th in PFF rushing grade.

But we'd see his inexperience give way to a more complete final year.

New Backfield Competition, No Problem

RB Dylan Edwards transferred in from Colorado for 2024. The former top-25 RB recruit caught 36 balls as a true freshman in 2023.

But Giddens continued to control the Kansas State backfield.

In fact, he got even better ...

If you're wondering about the dip in rushing grade, here's one factor: Giddens fumbled twice in 2024. He posted zero fumbles in 2023.

On balance, last season represented a massive step forward. Giddens' efficiency improved across categories. And his consistency improved: 85+ rushing yards in nine of 12 games.

It's no wonder he was named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, given annually to college football's best rusher.

Next, let's see what clues we can gather from his tape ...

DJ Giddens Highlights

Games watched: Tulane (2024), Arizona (2024), Iowa State (2024), Oklahoma State (2024), UCF (2023)

Giddens tallied three runs of 50+ yards in 2024. So he can supply explosives, and we’ll see some of that below.

But I’d argue his best traits are what you can’t measure: patience and vision.

Giddens Brings Le'Veon Bell-Type Patience

In this first clip, Giddens waits behind his lead blocker, finds the hole, and finishes forward for extra yardage.

Here’s another example of Giddens maximizing yardage, this time with a nice blend of vision and sharp cuts. 

Take note of the crowded boxes above. They were commonplace, as Kansas State didn’t offer much of a passing game. Only one pass catcher topped 400 yards in 2024.

Kansas State at least supplied a functional run-blocking unit. They ranked 40th in the nation in PFF run blocking grade last season; 20th in 2023.

Good Luck Tackling This RB in Space

Giddens showed the ability to make defenders miss in space. Here’s a third-and-1 run that led to a TD …

This next clip shows another example of Giddens’ open-field elusiveness and burst. In 2024, he ranked third in the country (among 82 qualifiers) in breakaway percentage – the percentage of yardage on gains of 15+.

Is His Receiving Production Misleading?

At first, you might come away impressed by Giddens’ receiving stats. The guy notched 11.1 YPC (on 29 catches) in 2023 and 12.3 YPC (on 21 catches) in 2024. 

Giddens took 11.5% of his passing snaps in the slot or out wide, although I didn't observe that usage translating to targets. His production largely came via swing passes and screens.

This final highlight shows an exception. You see him track the ball well on a wheel route -- and then secure a clean catch for a long TD in a win over Tulane...

Like most rookie RBs, Giddens needs work in pass protection. He also needs to shore up the drops that surfaced in 2024.

Among 51 RBs with 30+ targets, Giddens ranked last in drop rate (20%) and PFF receiving grade (33.6).

DJ Giddens Team Fit: Los Angeles Chargers

Sure, the Chargers signed Najee Harris in free agency. But note that the agreement was only for one season.

For now, their RB depth looks uninspiring behind Harris:

• Kimani Vidal
• Hassan Haskins
• Jaret Patterson

That group has combined for 3.6 YPC on 187 attempts.

So Giddens could win the RB2 role in 2025 – and then make a play for more work come 2026. 

As a bonus: Giddens brings experience in a gap scheme, one that matches OC Greg Roman’s preference.

Dynasty Value Conclusion: Late Bloomer with Room to Grow

Giddens sits tied for sixth in our rookie RB rankings. He’s a distant tier below TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins, and Kaleb Johnson.

There’s a shot at Day 2 draft capital, which would boost the chance of 2025 impact.

Just remember that he was a late bloomer in high school and then started for only two seasons at Kansas State -- so he's probably not a finished product. Case in point: Giddens will need to improve on passing downs to maximize his dynasty value.

Overall, I think a team will be intrigued by a 212-pounder with plus speed, patience, and vision. He's a sleeper to star on your fantasy football cheatsheet.

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