Top
15 Fantasy Football Running Backs
 1.
Chris Johnson TEN - Tennessee Titans,
Bye: Week
2. Adrian Peterson MIN - Minnesota Vikings,
Bye: Week
3. Maurice Jones-Drew JAC - Jacksonville Jaguars,
Bye: Week
4. Ray Rice BAL - Baltimore Ravens,
Bye: Week
5. Thomas Jones NYJ - New York Jets,
Bye: Week
6. Frank Gore SF - San Francisco 49ers,
Bye: Week
7. Ronnie Brown MIA - Miami Dolphins,
Bye: Week
8. Ryan Grant GB - Green Bay Packers,
Bye: Week
9. Steven Jackson STL - St. Louis Rams,
Bye: Week
10. Joseph Addai IND - Indianapolis Colts,
Bye: Week
11. Johnathan Stewart CAR - Carolina Panthers,
Bye: Week
12. Jamaal Charles KC - Kansas City Chiefs,
Bye: Week
13. Cedric Benson CIN - Cincinnati Bengals,
Bye: Week
14. DeAngelo Williams CAR - Carolina Panthers,
Bye: Week
15. Rashard Mendenhall PIT - Pittsburgh Steelers,
Bye: Week
What I said in 2008 ...
Premiere Rusher : LaDanian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers
No one has been as consistent as LaDanian Tomlinson in fantasy
football over the last five years. LaDanian Tomlinson is a fantasy
football manager's dream. He is the focal point of a playoff caliber
San Diego Chargers football team and is easily considered it's most
valuable player. Tomlinson is a threat to go the distance from any
position on the field, he routinely posts multiple touchdown games,
and is dangerous catching balls out of the backfield. The San Diego
offense also represents one of the few single back sets in the NFL
that utilizes Tomlinson as an every down back, maximizing his
touches each week. Leading all running backs in the statistical
categories of rushing, receiving, and touchdowns, Tomlinson is a
slam dunk to go number one overall in most fantasy football drafts.
He makes weak fantasy football owners look like gods.
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.
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