Sunday Morning Attrition: Fantasy Football Position Battles That Will Drive Owners Nuts

Everyone is curious about who will be the man in New York City.

Last year, the Jets were not comfortable starting Clemens, and they opted for the media spectacle that was Brett Favre in a Jets jersey. This offseason, the team moved up in the draft so they could select Sanchez—another sign they have little faith in Clemens.

But is it best to start a rookie on a team with playoff hopes?

First-year head coach Rex Ryan was the defensive coordinator on a Ravens team that did just that last year. With a strong running game, ball control, and a top-notch defense, a rookie QB can have success in the form of wins.

Whoever starts for the Jets should not be considered a serious fantasy option in most fantasy leagues, but I would rate Sanchez higher than Clemens. However, if you are in a 16-team league or a two-quarterback league, they will come into play.

Expectations: Sanchez should win the starting job in camp but has limited fantasy potential.

After his third season in the NFL, it's obvious that Addai is not built to handle a full load. He's had a diminishing YPC every year in the league, and last season he finally broke down.

If you think the Colts drafted Brown as an insurance policy, you are dead wrong.

Indy expects to win a title this year, and instead of opting to address defensive needs with their first round pick, the Colts drafted the dual threat back out of UConn.

This season we will see a truly shared backfield in Indianapolis. While Addai should start, the Colts' running game will be much improved over last season.

Expectations: Brown and Addai should have similar numbers, making one a potential steal and the other a potential bust.

The Patriots have made a living off the running back-by-committee ideology, and there is no reason for them to switch to a one-back system now.

Even recent signee Fred Taylor is coming from a shared backfield, and he knows he is most effective when splitting carries.

It's not a matter of if it will happen, but rather, if any of these guys will be fantasy relevant on a week-to-week basis.

Expectations: Maroney and Taylor split the bulk of the carries, with Faulk and Morris being used in passing situations. Taylor and Maroney are good as fourth or fifth RBs, and if Maroney goes down again, Taylor's value will rise significantly.

The Giants are moving on in life without Plaxico Burress, and it's apparent after seeing them draft Nicks and Barden early in the draft.

Hixon and Smith feel most entitled to the starting wide receiver spots, but their potential is limited, and they did not shine after Burress' incident last year.

I anticipate Barden taking a Vincent Jackson path into the NFL. He will need to work on some of the game's finer things before he's ready for a starting role.

Nicks played like he was NFL-ready in college, and if he can quickly develop a rapport with Eli Manning, the decision makers will develop that relationship ASAP.

Expectations: Smith should earn one starting spot, and if Nicks cannot beat Hixon out in camp, it won't be long before he is the team's other starter. Nicks is a good sleeper WR, and Smith should have consistent numbers. Hixon will get looks but may not be roster-worthy.

With Williams' explosion last season, some people seem to forget that there is a shared backfield in Carolina.

Others fail to acknowledge that the Panthers (and the rest of the NFC South) faced one of the best schedules for running the football that we've seen in a long time.

Last season Williams posted what will be career highs, and by a wide margin.

Stewart has a better chance of surprising defenses with his change of pace style, but the competition will still be better this year than last.

Expectations: Drafting Williams in the first round may leave you feeling robbed, especially if the Panthers try to develop Stewart more this season. Even Stewart may have trouble reaching 1,000 yards with split carries.

Some fantasy experts and owners seem convinced that Pierre Thomas is destined for a huge fantasy football season.

Thomas could out-gain his 625 rushing yards from last year, but there is no guarantee he will beat nine touchdowns again.

The Saints play a tougher schedule to run the ball against this year, and there is always the chance that Reggie Bush won't get hurt again.

Speaking of Bush, anyone drafting him is assuming the risk that he might not remain healthy—but when he is, Bush is one of the top scoring players in the game.

Expectations: Bush will remain the focal point of the Saints' short attack and will have a few key punt return TDs this season. Thomas will handle more carries than Bush, but review his game log and future matchups before you call him a lock.

Sorry Tim Hightower, but you may never get the chance you think you deserve to be a starting running back. At least not while playing in Arizona.

Hightower provides the Cards with a nice receiving option, but if Wells can convince the team that he is flexible enough to catch the ball out the backfield, Hightower's situation may be more of a second-stringer than shared time.

Expectations: Wells will be given the chance to be the man in Arizona, and he should start from Day One. It will take failure from Wells for Hightower to get a legitimate shot.

Maybe the toughest backfield to predict in the NFL.

We have an aging stud, a rushing fullback, and an up-and-comer trying to find his niche. All deserve carries this year.

After watching how John Harbaugh likes to manage his backfield last season, I think we will see a healthy mix of all three backs, even though McGahee carries a significant injury concern.

Expectations: McClain will be used on short yardage and goal line situations; expect fewer yards, but 10 TDs is not out of line. Ray Rice should be used between the 20s for his receiving abilities. The Ravens will baby McGahee, making sure they only run him when it counts.

I would rank them McClain, McGahee, and Rice, in that order.

This should be the fiercest training camp battle in the NFL.

Quinn and Anderson have gone back and forth for some time now, and they have both had their chance in the fire that is the Cleveland Browns offense.

Coach Eric Mangini hasn't shown favoritism toward either QB, which doesn't favor the younger Quinn. Mangini is a defensive coach, and he should base his decision on who will give the Browns the best chance to win.

Expectations: With Anderson being unpredictable under center, Quinn should get the starting nod by a hair, although preseason games will be very important. The Browns might be in a lot of passing situations, so either guy will be a potential No. 2 QB on your roster.

With a broken collarbone, Mendenhall didn't do much last season, and I question if he was even healthy entering the year.

Parker has had injury concerns of his own, and we should see a shared backfield in Pittsburgh.

Parker still has the speed to get around the edge, and while he's not as good as Mewelde Moore, he is a decent receiver. Mendenhall should be one of the fastest players on the field, and with his size (15 pounds heavier than Parker), he is built to go up the middle.

Expectations: Parker will remain the starter for the defending champs, but Mendenhall will get a healthy dose of carries and catches. Do not draft Parker thinking he will be around 90 rushing yards per game.

What happened to the days when Larry Johnson was the most punishing RB in the NFL?

While Johnson has lost some of his luster, he still provides a thunder that few backs pack. He's a very good constant to Charles' lightning.

Charles, a former Big 12 100-meter champ, had few opportunities to shine but broke the century mark in his only double-digit carry performance of the season. He can be a very dangerous receiver because it only takes one missed tackle and he's up the sideline for a score.

Expectations: Johnson will be the primary back in the offense, and he will want to impress the new regime in K.C. This gives him better than expected fantasy potential. Charles will be used in a similar fashion as Jerious Norwood in Atlanta, making him a potential late-round pick or waiver wire guy.

The only thing for certain in Oakland is that nothing's for certain.

The future of the Raiders' rushing attack is McFadden, and if healthy, he seems poised to break out.

Fargas isn't the most dynamic back in the NFL, but he can be trusted to get solid yardage with limited risk.

Bush has potential to be an All-Pro player in the NFL with his size and dual-threat ability.

Expectations: McFadden will have the primary role in the offense, making him a good pick as your third RB, even second if you are confident. Bush has extreme sleeper ability, but it's not guaranteed he will get more carries than Fargas.

Don't be surprised if you see these guys interacting in a Wildcat look this year.

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