Top 15 Fantasy Football Running Backs

Another tough Rushing Touchdown

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10 Yards - Fantasy Football

Most Overrated Running Back: Reggie Bush, New Orleans Saints
I don't like Reggie Bush, you can see it in my comments from last year ... and I was right. Last year Reggie Bush posted 581 yards rushing, 417 yards receiving, and only four touchdowns. He may have shoe ads and all types of endorsements, but Reggie Bush is a nitch player. He's great change of pace back, the type of guy that can spark your team to a win, but he's not an every down back and is most successful in a supportive role. He's also not a durable running back, spending four weeks on the sidelines recovering from a knee injury. With Duce McAllister still in the fold in New Orleans, I look for both of these guys to be sharing touches, which will ultimately hurt Bush's production. Do yourself a favor an leave him alone on Draft Day.

2008 Fantasy Sleeper: Rudi Johnson, Cincinnati Bengals
Rudi Johnson had a very disappointing, injury plagued, 2007 season and the Cincinnati Bengals offense struggled as a result. Last year Rudi posted 497 yards rushing and three touchdowns, but I expect him to bounce back in 2008. Johnson is a great between the tackles runner and is an every down back capable of punching it into the end zone. Without much competition in the Bengals backfield, Carson Palmer and Co. will rely heavily on Rudi to provide the strong ground attack that was severely lacking in 2007.

Sure to Disappoint: Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons
Call me crazy, but I'm predicting that Michael "the burner" Turner will be a huge bust in Atlanta. There is a reason that backup running backs in the National Football League are relegated to the bench ... and it's not that they're being held back by the talents of another. Rarely does a backup running back leave via free agency to become a stud in another city. In most of the cases where a solid backup leaves to become the starter for another team, he remains mediocre in fantasy football circles. Think about it, do the names Chester Taylor, LaMont Jordan, Derrick Blaylock, Jesse Chatman, or Kevan Barlow strike you as fantasy studs? Michael Turner will be another in a long line of promising backup running backs that simply couldn't get it done when called upon to be the focal point of an offense.

The Next Great Fantasy RB: Earnest Graham, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs were smart to lock this guy up in a multi-year contract because in Earnest Graham, John Gruden finally has the workhorse every-down back he has been missing in Tampa. Cadillac Williams had a fantastic rookie campaign, but as predicted on draft day, he is injury prone. The release of Michael Pittman and acquisition of Warrick Dunn, coupled with the placement of Cadillac Williams on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list paves the way for Earnest Graham to lock down the starting running back position in Tampa. At 5'9" 225 lbs, Graham is the battering ram John Gruden will use to open things up in the passing game for the Bucs. He will build upon his surprising 2007 campaign in which he posted 898 yards on the ground, 324 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in eleven games as the starter. This guy is a stud.


What I said in 2007 ...
Premiere Rusher : LaDanian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers
LaDanian Tomlinson is the engine that drives the San Diego Chargers offense and should be the engine that drives your fantasy football team.  Since his entry into the National Football League, Tomlinson has dominated opposing defenses and amassed an awesome statistical resume that has made champions of the weakest fantasy football owners.  Tomlinson is the essence of the complete back.  He runs hard, blocks, catches balls out of the backfield, and scores touchdowns ... lots of touchdowns.  Tomlinson dropped 31 touchdowns on NFL opponents last year to set the single season touchdown mark.  With Norv Turner returning to the San Diego Chargers, we can expect a solid dose of LaDanian Tomlinson on a weekly basis.  

Most Overrated Running Back: Reggie Bush, New Orleans Saints
A lot of people will disagree with me because the NFL is so enamored with the unique talents of Reggie Bush, but the fact of the matter is that although versatile, Reggie Bush is still sharing the Saints backfield with Deuce McAllister.  I realize that the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears popularized the running back by committee approach on their way to the Super Bowl last year, and however successful it may be in the National Football League, that success does not translate to Fantasy Football.   As long as Deuce in healthy and in New Orleans, downgrade Reggie Bush on your fantasy football cheat sheets.

2007 Fantasy Sleeper: Travis Henry, Denver Broncos
I don't know how much of a sleeper Travis Henry is, but anyone that has watched this guy play football understands how well his running style will mesh with the Denver Broncos zone blocking scheme.  Travis is a one-cut, bruising back that has one of the best stiff arms I have ever seen on the National Football League.   Travis is powerful, he plays hurt, he doesn't miss games, and he's a team player.  The Broncos will enjoy having him in the locker room and fantasy football owners will thoroughly enjoy the extreme yardage and touchdowns Travis adds to their bottom line now that he has joined the premiere rushing system in the NFL.

Sure to Disappoint: Lawrence Maroney, New England Patriots
Lawrence Maroney had a breakout season for the New England Patriots last year, but I'm predicting the sophomore slump for 2007.  The Patriots cut Corey Dillon who was their goal-line back this year and this would indicate a confidence in Maroney, but I believe this will be the Tom Brady show in New England.  With the weapons that Tom has at his disposal, touchdowns through the air will be at an all-time high in New England.  the fact that Maroney has spent the entire training camp in a red no-contact jersey as he recovers from off-season shoulder surgery concerns me greatly.  Something is not right in New England ...

The Next Great Fantasy RB: Marshawn Lynch, Buffalo Bills
It may not be this year, but Marshawn Lynch will blossom at the running back position in Buffalo.  Lynch is a dual threat rusher, able to catch the ball out of the backfield and run the ball effectively between the tackles.  Nothing stands in his way in Buffalo, which has a roster and a system suited to making Lynch a star.  The starting running back position for the Buffalo Bills is his job to lose and the city of Buffalo is looking to embrace another rising star at the running back position after the Willis McGahee debacle.   Marshawn Lynch will prove to be that star.