Phil Mafah

Phil Mafah is poised to reprise his role as a complementary piece in the Clemson backfield to lead dog Will Shipley. Mafah managed 5.3 yards per carry and four touchdowns last season on 98 carries but hasn’t been much of a use in the Tigers’ passing game, catching just nine balls. Mafah is a 6-foot-1, 230-pound load capable of being a featured back, making him a terrific handcuff if that’s a path you’re willing to go down. New Tiger OC Garrett Riley loosely supported a second back last year, with Emari Demercado going for 681 yards and 121 carries, and Riley’s offense also afforded TCU QB Max Duggan 137 attempts, a number Tiger QB Cade Klubnik likely isn’t going to sniff despite being a capable runner. It still seems unlikely Mafah can carve out his own fantasy value without an unfortunate incident occurring to Shipley, but there does appear to be a slight path for an uptick in workload.

Mafah will almost certainly be receiving an improved role on the Tigers’ offense this upcoming season, and only time will tell if he is up for the challenge. In his first year with Clemson, Mafah rushed for 292 yards and three touchdowns, and played his role well behind Will Shipley and Kobe Pace. These two players were Clemson’s leading rushers last season and although they are returning to the team, neither are completely healthy at the moment. Both Shipley and Pace have been battling foot injuries and while neither is expected to be out the entire season, their return date is unclear. This has provided Mafah with the opportunity to be the Tigers’ top running back in the spring and an impressive performance would certainly earn him more playing time throughout the season.