Fantasy Football Flotsam: The Free Agent Running Backs

Where's the love for ex-Denver Bronco back Travis Henry?

Henry spreads the love around—he has nine different kids with nine different women, but no NFL team wants to tangle with Travis?

Mike Shanahan said no mas. No team, not even the running back barren Bears, want to roll the bones on the randy running back.

Maybe he'll garner some interest after a few training camp injuries, but for now it seems the back's baggage has left few teams interested.

His agent says Henry is broke and badly needs money to pay back support.

But one more failed drug test and its bye-bye for a year. Thanks for the signing bonus, sucker.

Despite leading the league in rushing after the first four games Henry looks to be shunned by the NFL.

Another productive back with off  the field baggage is  Najeh "The Dump Truck" Davenport.

Davenport is known as "The Dump Truck" because he once defecated in a coed's clothing basket after she spurned his advances, which is a felony even in Florida.

Actually its not, but the burglary and the breaking and entering to take a big basket crap at Barry University was.

But nasty Najeh danced away from the felonies and even mocked the court with a question to a reporter about why the District Attorney failed to produce the turd to prove the crime.

Davenport again proved adapt at dodging DA's when dashed away from a domestic violence and child endangerment charge last year.

The big back with the bad borborygmus keeps bouncing by.

Davenport has said he wants to be Detroit Lion. Motor City mamas' better watch their clothes baskets if Najeh's in the house.

Ex-Detroit Lion Kevin Jones is jonesing for a home.

Somebody always drafts Jones in fantasy land but all they seem to get is an often injured back who occasionally shows flashes of being a good back.

But bad feet are hard on a big back. A Lisfranc injury is not a lucky thing.

Jones is only 26 and had a one thousand yard season as a rookie so some team will scoop him up, but don't expect much.

He might be a one week wonder but which week will it be?

His back up in Motown Town, TJ Duckett is the same type of plugger.

Someone always takes dull Duckett praying for plunges and plentiful points but usually getting single digits on the fantasy scoreboard.

Duckett has wandered into Seattle Seahawk land as the Seabirds big back.

The Seabirds said so long to Shaun Alexander, once a fantasy stud.

But after that last big contract, he's a big fantasy dud.

Shaun turned into the Seattle slug after snagging the biggest payoff for a back in league history—62 million benjamins.

Just say no to the Seattle slug if he lands on Bourbon Street or goes Rocky Mountain high with the Broncos.

When backs lose their desire and their dash after collecting a pile of cold cash, all that's left is the crash and the counting of the stash.

Alexander is done:he doesn't desire it anymore. He took the money and didn't run.

On a bad offensive team like the Bears, the battering he'd receive would render him useless.

Speaking of wandering Bears what about Cedric Benson?

Is the ex-Bear beer buzzed and wickedly whiskey sloshed and trying to fly an airplane for the Fourth of July?

A chance to land that rare trifecta of D.U.I.'s—by land, air, and sea?

Either way the burst-less Benson, who longs to return to Texas as a Texan or a Cowboy, doesn't seem cut out for NFL success.

It's not just the cuddled man-child Texas school boy superstar thing,but he lacks the ability to make defenders miss and has no home run speed.

The big boy doesn't like blocking and catching isn't his thing. So even a running back desperate team like the Texans, with Paul Hornung's old back mate, ancient Ahman Green, will pass on the Texas two-stepper.

Maybe the Cowboys will take a shot. Cedric meet Mister Jones.

The police reports, at least, will be fast and furious.

If a team wants a big back with a lack of foot speed Ron Dayne surely sits at a buffet somewhere patiently waiting for his cell phone to sing.

The Great Dayne has been a great disappointment since leaving the Big Ten for the big leagues. And he is not getting any faster or slimmer  as he ages and eats.

Lamont Jordan is bouncing around and some team might grab him but his fantasy value is nil and has been for a few years. Another Al Davis free agent failure.

Mike Anderson and Antony Thomas want jobs but their chances of carrying the pigskin for productive yards are slim.

Tough but never fast when youthful, now both these fellas are past their prime.

The list of free agent backs for running back desperate teams is slim.

So if a team is signing one of these guys make a note of their desperation and consider avoiding any backs from that club.

The best hope for these anemic back clubs is for a rookie to rise to the challenge or for a free agent to run for the money.

Desperation is said to inspire occasional greatness. A desperate back will run with the reckless abandon that drives NFL offenses.

After a guy lands a multi-million contract desperation for draws and dives disappears.

So fantasy owners, and the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, and Seattle Seahawks should all avoid diving into this dry free agent pool.