4.04 Detroit Vipers - RB Kenjon Barner

In the real world: Barner averaged over 6 yards a carry at Oregon, and had an eye-opening 321-yard, 5-TD game against USC last year, although it's not clear if those stats were a "product of the system" or not. In any case, KC Joyner says he's "just as skilled as LaMichael James" and called him one of two sleeper rookie RBs towards the end of this video. The Carolina Panthers drafted in him in Round 6. One of his weaknesses is a tendency to bounce to the outside to try to get extra yards; maybe the Panthers' coaching staff can get him to stop doing that. His path to meaningful work is presently blocked by two veterans, Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, but the former is injury-prone and the latter just turned 30.

In the TUFF world: The Vipers add a little depth to their RB corps here. He may have to wait behind Stewart and Williams for a couple years, and he may not be more than a complementary back, but all I can say is, I'll just have to wait until training camp to find out what I have.