Fantasy Football's Aging RBs To Avoid in 2009

By Chad Samuels

The following Fantasy Football rankings are not based on a player's talent, value, or importance. These rankings are based only on running backs' age.

If you have played fantasy football for a few seasons, you will notice there are several trends that tend to stay consistent from season to season.

One of the most notable is the decline of a running backs' statistical effectiveness as he reaches 30 years of age and beyond.

You will also see an increased risk of injury, which contributes to that statistical decline. It should affect your strategy on draft day.

In seasonal leagues, you can take a risk on one age 30 or older RB if you are careful to pick the correct one and not take him too high in the draft. You need to balance where you take him with what stats he will give you.

You need to be aware that if you draft this running back to be a starter, then you will need an effective backup to cover him if the injury (which he is more prone to suffer) occurs and he misses a few games or the rest of the season.

Two players come to mind that prove this point.

They are LaDainian Tomlinson and Brian Westbrook.

They are household names and studs people have been relying on for several years. Both are 30 this year, and both have injury history. Both should be experiencing a statistical decline this season.

With their past performance, a person would be tempted to take either player fifth or slightly later. Their age suggests that would be a blunder.

This is because you can get a player who should put up similar or better numbers and have more upside to produce.

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