Fantasy Football Preview: NFC Running Backs

(Above: Adrian Peterson is still the cream of the crop.)

After taking on the task of assessing 2009's quarterbacks situations (AFC/NFC), I began my quest to finish the rest of the offensive positions with the AFC running backs, and continue here with a look to the NFC.

As far as fantasy relevance goes, Adrian Peterson and Michael Turner easily top the list, but there's more than meets the eye.

Both backs are likely to lose some carries with both offenses possibly depending more on the pass—Brett Favre looks to sign with Minnesota, and Atlanta figures to unleash Matt Ryan.

To learn more about Peterson and Turner's situations, as well as the rest of the NFC running backs, continue reading below.

New York Giants—Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw

With Derrick Ward now in Tampa Bay, it's Brandon Jacobs or bust.

This means quite a few more carries for both Jacobs and Bradshaw, and probably means rookie Andre Brown will steal a few as well, providing he seals up the third spot on the depth chart.

Jacobs is a risky bet to finish the season with more than 14 healthy starts, but his production is hard to ignore.

Dallas Cowboys—Marion Barber, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice

So goes Terrell Owens, so goes the Cowboys free-for-all pass attack. Right?

It's anyone's guess, but the early idea is that Dallas is headed toward a beautiful three-headed-monster ground game that will both beat defenses to death and open things up in a big way for Tony Romo.

These aren't guarantees, though—more like wishes.

Still, even if Barber breaks down and Jones gets hurt again, Choice is a heck of a back to have as your third option. Dallas is sitting pretty.

Washington Redskins—Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts

Ladell Betts has reportedly looked great in OTAs and could vie for some extra carries as well as more looks in short yardage situations.

That's what the coaches always say.

If Jim Zorn is smart, he'll actually play Betts more and give Portis a break, but it's difficult to walk away from what works.

Portis still has the speed and natural ability to be an elite back, but he definitely could use less carries to allow his body to stay in top form.

Philadelphia Eagles—Brian Westbrook, LeSean McCoy, Lorenzo Booker

People have been on the fence ever since they heard about Westbrook's ankle woes, and they have every reason to be.

It's bad enough the guy has a history of injuries, but add that he's 30 and has a rookie pushing for his spot, and you've got disaster written all over your fantasy season.

Westbrook should be fine for the season, though, and Philly's offense is probably too complex for McCoy to digest in just under three months.

However, if you own Westbrook, owning McCoy is a must.

Green Bay Packers—Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson

There will always be talk about Brandon Jackson, DeShawn Wynn, and Kregg Lumpkin getting "more" carries, but everyone knows the deal in Green Bay.

Grant got the money, so he's getting the ball.

That is, unless he has another early season riddled with leg nuances, and can't muster an average better than 3.4 yards per carry.

Grant is a solid RB2, but never approached his 2007 form in all of 2008, making him a less than confident selection.

Minnesota Vikings—Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor

Peterson is the consensus number one pick for the second year in a row, while his running mate, Taylor, sits idly by, waiting for five to 10 carries per game.

While Peterson is a shoe-in for over 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns (providing he stays healthy for the third straight year *crosses fingers*), Taylor is still a valuable asset as both a runner and receiver out of the backfield.

If you land Peterson with the top pick, aim for Taylor somewhere between round five to eight, depending on the size of your league.

Detroit Lions—Kevin Smith, Maurice Morris

The Lions started over from top to bottom but held on to key offensive pieces, including Calvin Johnson and Kevin Smith.

They thought so highly of Smith that, despite bringing in Maurice Morris, they have labeled him as the feature back and have even installed special "power running" packages designed strictly for him.

While the Lions offense was regularly a mess, Smith was one of the bright spots down the stretch, racking up at least 99 total yards and a score in three straight games to end the 2008 season.

Considering very few people see this team spending another entire season without at least one victory, those types of performances may become more frequent.

Chicago Bears—Matt Forte, Kevin Jones

I feel almost embarrassed putting Kevin Jones in here, but he's a talented player now a full year removed from any major injuries.

While Forte is undoubtedly the feature back, and very unlikely to rescind any major touches, Jones remains an intriguing late pick-up, providing Forte goes down to an injury.

On a lighter note, draft Forte without question if he's available past the first five picks in the first round.

Atlanta Falcons—Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood, Jason Snelling

We know what Turner can do (1,699 yards, 17 TD), but we also know that lighting doesn't strike twice. Well, at least not usually.

You can expect Turner to have another big year, but keeping the expectations around 1,400 yards and 12 TD would be a little more realistic.

With Matt Ryan progressing, as well as the addition of Tony Gonzalez, the offense is sure to expand, allowing the passing game to open up and get more complex.

This, combined with more carries handed out to Jerious Norwood to spell Turner more often, should make for an extremely potent offense, as well as a well-balanced attack.

Jason Snelling probably won't live up to his OTA hype, but could vie for some short yardage duties down the road, if needed.

Carolina Panthers—DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart

There are two misguided thoughts about the Panthers' 2009 rush offense. The first thought is that DeAngelo Williams will lose more carries to Jonathan Stewart.

The second thought is that he won't.

The truth is, it's an unpredictable thought, and that's how Jon Fox likes it.

Williams is clearly capable of busting out another 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns. However, Stewart is too valuable to not use.

In an ideal world, both running backs eclipse 1,000 yards and end up in the end zone at least 10 times each.

Considering Jake Delhomme is the quarterback and he threw only 15 scores last season, "an ideal world" is a place this Carolina offense just might find themselves in.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers—Derrick Ward, Earnest Graham, Carnell Williams

Derrick Ward wasn't brought in to be a change-of-pace guy for Earnest Graham. It's the other way around.

While Graham has a great mix of finesse and physical running, he's almost 30, and probably better suited for blocking and goal-line duty.

And that's probably exactly what will happen.

Derrick Ward, also not short in the tooth, will look to pick up where he left off with his 1,000-yard season in New York, while the forgotten man, "Cadillac" Williams, will continue to be forgotten.

New Orleans Saints—Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush

Remember that 10-6 Saints team that had a solid one-two punch with Deuce McCalister and Reggie Bush? Yeah, it's back—only better.

Pierre Thomas packs a punch and hits the hole hard, but is far more athletic than McCalister ever was, and is a more finesse runner.

While Bush may never be the running back scouts thought he could be, he's still an unbelievably dynamic threat and an extremely underrated weapon.

Both players will prove to be worthy of a RB1 label before season's end, and probably while they assist Drew Brees and company in getting back to the playoffs.

San Francisco 49ers—Frank Gore, Glen Coffee, Michael Robinson

The new offense in Frisco suits Gore's style and should give him less carries, which could keep him fresher for the stretch run.

The goal is to get Gore 20 touches a game, but also keep him involved in the passing game.

Glen Coffee and Michael Robinson are merely afterthoughts who will only become worthy of starting if Gore goes down.

Arizona Cardinals—Tim Hightower, Chris Wells

Hightower is still the listed starter, but that can't last for long.

He's not much more than a short yardage back at this point, and he doesn't have the athleticism or speed that Wells does.

It'd be a huge surprise if Wells wasn't starting by mid-season, and even a slight upset if he didn't take the first carry of the season.

St. Louis Rams—Steven Jackson

Once Brian Leonard was shipped to Cincinnati, Steven Jackson was officially on his own.

That's not to say Leonard was doing anything of any significance, but it doesn't say a whole lot for the depth behind Jackson currently, either.

The Rams will only go as far as Jackson can take them, so a career high in carries, yards, and touchdowns is very possible.

That is, if he can manage to stay on the field.

Seattle Seahawks—Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, Justin Forsett

Julius Jones gets another crack at being "the guy" for Seattle, and now that Maurice Morris is donning a Lions uniform, we'll get to truly see what he's made of.

Sadly, it quite possibly will be a whole lot of nothing.

Jones is a risky pick, and shouldn't be taken until after the middle rounds. T.J. Duckett, on the other hand, could provide some solid scoring for the second straight year, while offering next to nothing by the way of yardage.

Little man Justin Forsett is unlikely to carve any kind of role in Seattle's new offense, but if Jones gets hurt or is plain old awful, he could be someone to keep an eye on.