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Fantasy Running Back Rankings

Running Backs are the biggest position in fantasy football. If you can lock up two #1 backs to hold down the fort then you will be in a very good position to make the playoffs in your league. If you end up trying to fill in holes in your Running Back slot good, well then good luck getting production from the Tyrone Wheatley's of the world.

1. Shaun Alexander - First 3 Picks - I'll take Shaun Alexander first. Well really this is me talking this second. Honestly, the top three running backs you could easily make a case for being deserved of the #1 selection and some of it depends on your point value setup. But you really can't go wrong. I'd lean towards Alexander due to the fact that you know he's going to score one TD every week.

2. LaDainian Tomlinson - First 3 Picks - Next I'd lean towards LT. He's proven the past years he's the most talented running back in the league. If your league values receptions highly than he jumps up to the #1 spot. Don't worry about Philip Rivers at QB that won't hurt his production in the slightest in fact it may end up getting him more responsibility at the goal line and more dump off receptions.

3. Larry Johnson - First 3 Picks - Out of the three I would take Larry last, only because he's really done it for one season and the loss of Roaf will hurt. In addition I'm probably going to want the Chiefs to suck because Herm is a lieing piece of shit.

Note: If you have a top 3 pick and you do not use it on one of these three guys you deserve to be kicked in the scrotum, if you have one.

4. Tiki Barber - Mid 1st - Tiki put up his best season last year and towards the end of the season he was given almost all of the goal line touches which has been a killer for past Tiki owners. Keep an eye out this preseason on how Brandon Jacobs does during goal line situations, if he is incredibly succesful than move Tiki down on your board a few spots. If this picture makes you uncomfortable you might want tto go ahead and grab somebody else though.

5. Edgerrin James - Mid 1st - I know the Cardinals line is suspect, but their receivers are so darn good that the opposing defenses will have to play soft run defenses which should allow Edge to have similar production to what he has achieved in a Colts uniform.

6. Clinton Portis - Mid 1st - Make sure his shoulder he dislocated in the first game is fine. If it is then you will get a 1300 yd back with probably around 10 tds this season. If it isn't then steer clear and let someone else take the risk.

Note: I highly suggest that if you have a top 6 pick that you take one of the above players, you could grab Peyton but personally I would wait until the last pick of the 1st round or the early 2nd.

7. Steven Jackson - Mid 1st - The new Rams coach vows he's going to run the ball more. Well with more consistant touches Jackson should be able to do some solid damage and easily warrants your first round pick if you have one in the latter half of the round.

8. Cadillac Williams - Late 1st - So much hype is surrounding Ronnie Brown this offseason and how he's going to break out. I like Ronnie I really do, but I just do not see him as having a beter season than the Cadillac. Cadillac was really good last year and barring injury I believe he will have another very good season.

9. Rudi Johnson - Late 1st - Rudi is going to have another solid steady low end #1 running back season. He'll rush for around 1100 yards and score about 10 tds. He's a fine late 1st round pick.

10. Ronnie Brown - Late 1st - Now having said I like Cadillac better, its not as if I dislike Ronnie I think he's going to have a good year especially without

11. Lamont Jordan - Early 2nd - Some people have hyped him up to a top 5 selection, I just don't see it. First off he is not going to put up over 1200 yards secondly the Raiders are probably going to be terrible. With that being said, he has the job for the whole season will put up consistent points and will catch more balls then the average back. With that being said if I had pick 11 or 12 I would really hope that one of the above players mentioned slips to me.

12. Brian Westbrook - Late 2nd - Sure he isn't a between the tackles running back but he is the Eagles most dynamic player and he might be their best receiver.

13. Domanick Davis - Late 2nd - Surely the team that passed up on Reggie Bush knew what they were doing right? He's going to have a big season right?

Note: Davis and Westbrook are big time injury risks, make sure you get a decent third option if you select either.

14. Willis McGahee - Late 2nd - McGahee has more tons of potential and if he was on a good team he would be a top 10 pick but instead he's on the bills and they are miserable so I would not spend more than one of the last picks of the 2nd round on him.

15. Jamal Lewis - Mid 3rd - Alright maybe I'm going too much on past performance but without spending all those months in jail and without the lingering injuries he had last season Jamal Lewis could return to form. If he returns to his old form then you got yourself a steal in round 3 if he doesn't than you're going to need a replacement. His Risk/Reward factor is one of the most intiguing in the league. I wonder if thats his "The Cops are Coming After Me Face".

16. Willie Parker - Mid to Late 3rd - Willie Parker if he can carry the full load for the Steelers will put up incredible TD numbers without the Bus taking them away. For this reason he could be a terrific second running back, if for some reason they start using Duce Staley at the goal line then his value wil shrink mightily.

17. Kevin Jones - Mid to Late 3rd - KJ killed my team last year, absolutely killed my team. So with that ringing endorsement I'd say wait on him til the late 3rd and if he's still there take a gamble, this is a player who could put up numbers close to his rookie season or he could be the bust he was last year. Don't overpay.

18. Julius Jones - Mid to Late 3rd - The other Jones pulled the same trick as Kevin last season the only difference his Julius has a more viable backup than Kevin does (Marion Barber). So there are a ton of question marks surrounding him.

19. Warrick Dunn - Mid 4th - Dunn had a very good season last year and his numbers will be that much better if the Falcons trade away TJ Duckett, but if they don't then Dunn isn't going to score enough TDs to be an incredibly valuable running back.

20. Duece McAllister - Early 5th - Don't worry about Reggie Bush being on the team Duece will still get a bunch of carries and will still rush for close to 1000 yards in addition to getting the bulk of goal line carries. He's no longer an option at the #1 fantasy back but not bad for #2.

21. Reggie Bush - Early 5th - I have him just behind Duece because he probably won't score as many TDs but Bush will be the most electric player on the football field for a Saints team that should score a large amount of points. Expect Bush to gain around 1300 total yards this season with a little more than a handful of touchdowns.

22. Rueben Droughns - Mid 5th - Ya, I am not a believer in Droughns, partially because I am not a believer in the Browns offense. The Browns have even more questionmarks than the Jets do which is amazing. They have Edwards who is coming back from a torn ACL, the Soldier Winslow coming back from his accident and Charlie Frye at QB, this team might not score any points.

23. Cedric Benson - Mid 6th - Benson was sandwiched in between Ronnie and Cadillac and if he can win the starting job, which it looks like, and put up numbers similar to them its a steal. But him starting isn't a lock, and backup running backs are the killers to fantasy squads.

24. Ahman Green - Late 6th - At this point in time in the draft you're not going to get anything thats automatic. So hopefully this will be your 3rd running back, but if this is your second running back then start splooging your picks on running backs so that come week 8 you still have 2 reliable RBs. Ahman was a at one point in time a solid first round pick, but he fell off the map the last two seasons. Basically, he's Jamal Lewis with a little less potential and the same risk. The man does fumble a lot though.

25. Chester Taylor - Early 7th - Never been a full time running back, never deserved to be one, still really doesn't unless he slips a lot faller than I think he will I won't be grabbing him. I'll watch someone overpay for a classic backup thrown into starters role on a team with minimal offensive weapons. The Vikings have never had a back that deserved to be started in fantasy, the trend continues.

26. Corey Dillon - Early 7th - Corey still has the job and I don't see Maroney taking away too many carries from him. Corey should still get around 18 to 20 carries a game and gain around 80 yards a game with maybe a td. If he gets hurt though and allows Maroney to gain moment than see you later to his job.

27. Fred Taylor - Mid 7th - Freddy would be an all-time elite fantasy back if he could ever stay healthy. If you draft Fred, just make sure you draft DeAngelo just so that you have something viable to go back to when he gets hurt mid season, cause if you don't have fun searching for a RB to start midseason.

28. Deshaun Foster - Late 7th - Basically he's turned into Fred Taylor in that he gets hurt every season but he's never put up the seasons Taylor has, basically I hope I'm not stuck drafting him as my 3rd RB. I just don't trust him.

29. Frank Gore - Late 7th - He's probably going to win the 49ers job, which really doesn't say that much, but Kevan Barlow is terrible and Gore did have some solid games last season. But you really just want him as a backup and not necessarily in your lineup on a consistent basis.

30. LenDale White - Early 8th - I truly believe that within a few weeks of the seasons start LenDale will win this position thus eliminating any value for Chris Brown and giving LenDale solid status it just may take up to the midway point of the season for this to happen.

31. Joseph Addai - Early 8th - This is also questionable if he will every constistently be the starting running back but if he is watch out, its the Colts and that equals large sums of points for every offensive player.

32. Denver Broncos Running Back - Late Night - Alright its anyones guess who will be the starter week 1 week 2. This could be a platoon, Shanahan could actually consistently give the ball to Mike Bell. Basically don't jump on any Bronco RB until really late cause they are too unpredictable.

33. Jets Starting Running Back - Late Night - Yeah if its a healthy Curtis bump this pick up a good amount. If its not then the Jets pick is certainly a low end substitute. Certainly isn't going to be Suggs after he failed a physical.

Rookie Parade

One rookie always breaks through and has a very good season.
1. Reggie Bush - He doesn't need to be an every down back to make a huge impact.
2. LenDale White - Chris Brown is a bitch, LenDale should win this job.
3. Joseph Addai - If he can beat out Rhodes he'll be stellar.
4. Lawrence Maroney - If he can crack the rotation at running back or Dillon can get injured Maroney will put up yards and receptions for the Pats.
5. DeAngelo Williams - Watch out for the inevitable Fred Taylor injury.

Comments

Anonymous said…
It's all about Reggie Bush! Totally! Anyway, I read that www.BonanzaSports.com is giving away 5K in Fantasy Football this year. You can read about it at www.bonanzasports.com/fantasy-football.php

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