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Nicholas Singleton entered Penn State as a five-star recruit with a profile built for fantasy success. He displayed his explosiveness and receiving potential early.

But he never took control of the backfield. Now we need to figure out why and decide how much that matters for his fantasy upside at the next level.

Nicholas Singleton Dynasty Values

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Nicholas Singleton Draft Profile

Nicholas Singleton Combine Results

Five-Star Talent, But There’s a Problem

Singleton flashed his explosive upside at Governor Mifflin (Pa.), running for 2,043 yards and scoring 41 TDs en route to Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year honors in 2021 and five-star recruit status. 

He then took to the college game immediately.

Singleton led Penn State with 1,021 rushing yards and 12 TDs as a true freshman in 2022, flashing that big-play ability. Among FBS RBs with 100+ attempts, he ranked:

• ninth in yards per carry (6.8)
• third in yards after contact per attempt (4.58, according to Pro Football Focus)
• first in breakaway rate (59.9%)

That was the profile: explosive, efficient, and dangerous in space. But from the start, teammate Kaytron Allen, a four-star recruit in the same class, handled more rushing work.

Singleton beat Allen on a per-touch basis, averaging 6.8 yards per carry to Allen’s 5.2 and 6.9 yards per touch to Allen’s 5.8. But Allen handled more carries and caught more passes, 20-11, a workload split that persisted on the ground even as Singleton later took over in the passing game.

Singleton Needs Help to Deliver

Singleton’s rushing profile followed a clear pattern: excellent when the lane was there, inconsistent when it wasn’t.

After his freshman breakout, his efficiency dipped sharply in 2023. Out of 158 FBS RBs with 100+ carries, he ranked:

• tied for 133rd in yards per carry (4.4)
• tied for 125th in YAC per attempt (2.84)
• tied for 140th in breakaway rate (22.4%)
• 150th in PFF elusive rating (33.2)

HC James Franklin pinned Singleton’s struggles on poor downfield blocking and defensive adjustments, but Allen increased his YAC per attempt and breakaway rate vs. his 2022 numbers. 

Singleton’s efficiency dipped when the environment worsened, suggesting he needs space and blocking rather than creating consistently on his own.

He Finds Help, Then Loses Work

Penn State bumped Singleton’s gap-scheme usage from 36.2% of his runs to 51.1% in 2024, giving him more defined downhill lanes that better matched his burst and let him hit top speed quickly.

Singleton rebounded to 6.4 yards per carry and finished just 9 rushing yards behind Allen on 48 fewer attempts. His big-play ability returned, too, matching his freshman total with 18 runs of 15+ yards (albeit on 18 more total carries).

Penn State kept its split backfield through the first six games of 2025, with Allen and Singleton logging 70 carries apiece. Then a 22-21 loss to Northwestern changed everything: QB Drew Allar suffered a season-ending broken ankle, and the school dismissed Franklin.

Terry Smith took over as interim HC, and the backfield shifted immediately. Allen became the feature back. averaging 23.3 carries and 139.3 rushing yards over his final six games. Singleton dropped from 11.7 carries in the first six games to 8.8 after Smith took over. 

Singleton also finished the season with career-low marks in yards after contact per attempt (2.69) and breakaway runs of 15+ yards (three).

Receiving Role Drives Ceiling

Where Singleton separates himself is in the passing game. 

He trailed Allen in catches (20-11) in 2022 but would out-catch his backfield mate throughout the rest of their PSU tenure.

In 2023, Singleton turned 30 targets into 26 catches, 307 yards, and 2 TDs. He ranked top 10 among FBS RBs with 20+ targets in yards per reception (11.8) and QB rating when targeted (131.5), and tied for 15th in yards per route run (1.57).

That showcased Singleton’s potential as a pass catcher, a strength Penn State leaned further into the following season. 

Receiving Role Expanded, Then it All Crashed

As a junior, Singleton’s receiving usage spiked. He tied for 11th among all FBS RBs in targets (52) and catches (41), ranked seventh in receiving yards (375), and finished third in TDs (5). 

He also proved more efficient. Singleton’s 1.62 YPRR was the highest of his career and tied for 22nd among 117 qualifying RBs with 20+ targets. 

The turmoil that impacted Penn State also hit Singleton’s production hard, though. The Nittany Lions dropped from 28.3 passes per game under Franklin to 24.1 under Smith, while Allen’s rushing became the offense’s focal point.

That led Singleton to post his fewest targets (29), receptions (24), and receiving yards (219) since his freshman season.

Here’s the Biggest Concern About His College Production

The Singleton-Allen comparison is unavoidable. But the takeaway isn’t who was “better.” It’s what each player proved.

Singleton outperformed on a per-touch basis early in his career. The big-play ability was clear. But the role remained limited.

Allen out-carried Singleton in all four of their shared seasons, increasing that lead over the past two years, and proved more consistent.

Singleton offers more explosion and receiving upside. He’s the type of back who can generate chunk plays and survive on lower touch volume. 

That profile will appeal to NFL teams looking for a space player, change-of-pace option, or passing-down weapon -- particularly offenses that lean on screens, outside runs, and creating mismatches.

Nicholas Singleton Highlights

Film breakdown by Shane Hallam

Games Watched: Illinois (2024), Ohio State (2024), Oregon (2024), Notre Dame (2024), Oregon (2025), Iowa (2025), Ohio State (2025), Indiana (2025), Nebraska (2025), Rutgers (2025)

One Crease and He’s Gone

Singleton’s explosion and speed make him a threat to score on any carry because once he hits an open hole, he almost immediately reaches top speed and outruns the defense.

On this play, Singleton outruns Indiana’s defense until CB D’Angelo Ponds catches him. Ponds, a 5’9, 182-pounder, ran a 4.31-second 40 at his pro day. That he almost didn’t catch the 219-pound Singleton shows you the RB’s speed.

Give Singleton a crease, and he can turn it into a long run because he reaches full speed fast enough to erase pursuit angles. One play like that can rescue an otherwise quiet fantasy day.

When Lane's Clear, He Finishes

The toss play in this clip gets Singleton into space with a clear lane, and he bursts through it untouched for a TD. His scoring often comes when the design creates the opening, rather than when he has to create it himself.

Singleton showed some growth on film as his vision improved over his college career. By 2025, he did a better job of finding the open hole and converting that into positive yardage. 

He still struggles to find tighter creases, however, which is a real concern because NFL holes will generally prove smaller than those he found at Penn State.

Still, Singleton could be a consistent fantasy presence if his vision keeps improving. His athleticism can’t be taught, and even slightly above-average vision would make him impactful. 

His Best Path Runs Through the Air

Penn State featured Singleton heavily in the passing game throughout his career, as shown by his 102 catches.

In 2025, he posted his highest route rate (78%) and PFF receiving grade (75.6), signaling he can stay on the field on passing downs and deliver fantasy-relevant production through the air.

Singleton motions out wide for a WR screen on this play, and his athleticism does the rest as he gets upfield smoothly. Singleton bursts through the hole to pick up the available yardage.   

Even when tackled, Singleton’s forward momentum at that size lets him carry the defender for extra yardage. 

Although Allen outperformed Singleton on the ground in 2025, Singleton’s receiving still sets him apart as a weapon.

Singleton’s fantasy upside starts with his receiving ability: His clean catch technique and athleticism in space can make him a consistent target at the next level.

This is Where the Bust Case Lives

The biggest issue for Singleton is evading defenders when the blocking breaks down. 

As DT Kayden McDonald sheds a block at the line on this play, Singleton reacts too late to avoid contact and gets tackled quickly.

Singleton’s size helps him fight through smaller defenders, but defensive fronts too often swallow him up. Without short-area evasion, he struggles between the tackles unless the blocking is strong.

Singleton’s minus-1.6 yards over expected in 2025 ranked dead last among 21 RBs at the NFL Combine, aligning with tape that shows him struggling to avoid early contact and create when blocking breaks down. 

If Singleton proves ineffective as a runner, he won’t stay on the field.

Nicholas Singleton Team Fit: Dallas Cowboys

Dallas re-signed Javonte Williams in February after he delivered strong rushing efficiency in 2025: a career-high 4.8 yards per carry while ranking top-10 among RBs with 100+ carries in YAC per attempt (3.56), missed tackles forced (54), and elusive rating (75.6).

But he’s more limited as a receiver. Among 52 RBs with 20+ targets, Williams ranked:

• 49th in PFF receiving grade (45.7)
• 50th in yards after catch per reception (5.8)
• 52nd in yards per route (0.40)

The depth behind him doesn’t offer much help. Malik Davis, Jaydon Blue, and Phil Mafah combined to average just 5.5 carries per game and totaled only 5 receptions.

Singleton’s big-play ability and receiving production would give Dallas a true change-of-pace option who could carve out passing-down work early and grow into more if Williams misses time or loses efficiency.

Singleton broke his foot practicing for the Senior Bowl, which prevented him from participating in the Combine. That could suppress his draft cost. 

The NFL Mock Draft Database consensus big board finds Singleton at 143 overall as of this writing, which would put him at the top of Round 5.

Dynasty Conclusion: Traits Worth Chasing, But Don't Ignore the Risks

Singleton’s value comes down to your appetite for risk versus upside.

He brings NFL size, big-play ability, and proven receiving production. That skill set gives him a path to early contributions. 

The tape and metrics point to inconsistent vision and a limited ability to create yards independent of blocking. He also ceded rushing volume to Allen, which raises questions about his ability to command work at the next level.

Singleton's early rookie-draft ADP sits in the top half of Round 2 but could slide if he falls well into Day 3.

He’d be a more attractive target in the second half of Round 2, where it’s easier to chase the upside and downplay the risk.

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