Trey Benson Scouting Report and Fantasy Football Outlook

Trey Benson Scouting Report

• Underdog ADP: 120.4 overall (RB35)
• Rookie Ranking: 11 (RB2)

Summary

Trey Benson spent two years at Oregon before transferring to Florida State, where he led their rushing attack for the past two seasons. He didn’t have a huge workload in college but has the size to handle more touches in the NFL.

With good burst and the ability to break tackles, Benson is a threat to create yards on his own, which makes him a fun watch as well as a player capable of providing big fantasy performances.

Although he didn’t get a ton of looks as a receiver in college, Benson was fairly efficient with the targets he saw. He posted a yards-per-route-run (YPRR) rate above 1.0 during both of his seasons at FSU, which gives me hope that there could be some untapped potential in the passing game for him.

While Benson is far from a complete prospect, he has one of the best upside cases in what's widely considered a weak 2024 RB class. He should be one of the top RBs selected in dynasty rookie drafts but won’t cost you as much draft capital as it does most years. 

Pros and Cons of Trey Benson

Pros

Athleticism

Benson brings a really exciting blend of size and speed. He measured in at 6’0, 216 lbs. and ran a 4.39 40-yard dash with a solid broad jump to boot. These results solidified his status as one of the top RBs in this rookie class and backed up what he put on tape at Florida State.

If you’re a fan of Relative Athletic Score (RAS), it’s hard not to be impressed by Benson’s 9.78 score, which ranked 40th out of 1,745 RBs in the database. This places him among the best athletes at the RB position in the NFL, not just in this rookie class. Athleticism isn’t everything, but it sure helps raise his fantasy ceiling if Benson can land in a situation where he sees consistent touches.

Yards after contact

During the 2022 season, Benson’s 4.76 yards after contact per attempt (8th) and 77 missed tackles forced (6th) ranked among the very best in college football.

Those metrics dipped a bit in 2023, but he was still above average. Benson's size and physicality make him a good candidate to receive work at the goal line at the next level, and TDs are critical to RBs hitting their fantasy ceiling.

Florida State Seminoles running back Trey Benson (3) rushes with the ball while Florida Gators linebacker Mannie Nunnery (34) attempts to tackle during the first half at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 25, 2023. Photo Credit: Matt Pendleton / Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

I like that Benson displayed the ability to beat defenders with agility or physicality depending on the situation and matchup. He should be able to function in multiple-run schemes and could be a regular big-play threat if he ends up on a team with a well-designed rushing attack.

Benson walks the line between a power and speed back, so he can play a complementary role even if he were to land somewhere with an entrenched starter. However, he also can be the feature guy if given the opportunity.

Cons

Vision

My biggest complaint with Benson’s game is his inconsistent vision and questionable decision-making. He's willing to be patient and wait for holes to develop but isn’t the most reliable at identifying them.

When he does find a hole, Benson has the burst to get to the second level in a hurry and punish a defense, but he currently profiles as more of a boom-or-bust runner.

Dec 2, 2023; Charlotte, NC, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Trey Benson (3) runs the ball against the Louisville Cardinals during the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

That isn’t necessarily a bad thing for fantasy, but it could limit his snaps in the NFL if Benson ends up playing for a coaching staff that doesn’t value that skillset.

At 21 years old and with a limited number of touches under his belt, Benson could develop into a more consistent runner as he gains experience, but that isn’t a requirement for him to be successful at the next level.

Workload

Benson only handled 310 carries across his two seasons, averaging just under 12 carries per game. His size suggests that he can handle more rushing volume, but it's a bit concerning that Benson wasn’t given more work in college. We know that college coaches often don’t use their stars correctly, and that may be the case here, but it's still a potential red flag worth noting.

We should get a good idea of Benson's potential workload based on the landing spot, draft capital, and his competition for touches in Year 1. If a team indicates that they plan to use him as their primary ball carrier, I’ll be willing to buy in because of his physical traits.

If Benson manages to seize the lead role in an NFL backfield, we may look back on his relatively light college workload as a positive since he didn’t take a ton of hits before entering the league.

Fantasy Football Outlook for Trey Benson

Benson looks like a pretty good bet to be drafted on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft, which should in turn make him one of the top three or four RBs off the board in rookie drafts. His current ADP as the No. 2 rookie RB makes sense to me, but I wouldn’t fault anyone for moving him up or down a spot or two.

Like most rookie RBs, his fantasy impact as a rookie will largely come down to landing spot and the amount of touches available to him. Benson isn't an elite talent but has the right physical traits to be a reliable three-down back if he can continue to develop as a pass-catcher.

While he isn’t my favorite RB in this class, I still like Benson at his current cost in best ball and dynasty rookie drafts. As long as there are no surprises on draft day, I expect Benson to be somewhere between my No. 2 to No. 4 RB come rookie draft season. Check out our Fantasy Life staff's full rookie rankings here.

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