1) LaDainian Tomlinson: LT is still the best fantasy workhorse in the game. He saw his season stats dip a bit last year, but how could he possibly replicate his record-breaking 2006 season?
He really stumbled out of the gate, but hit his stride late and finished with typical LT numbers. How he recovers from the knee injury he suffered in the playoffs will remain to be seen in the pre-season (that's if he even plays this time around).
2) Brian Westbrook: I know that everybody and their grandmother has AP ranked a close second to LT, but not here. Westbrook is one of the most underrated players in the NFL and in fantasy leagues.
If your league is a points per reception league, Westbrook is as valuable as they come. He hauled in a receiver's amount of receptions with 90 catches out of the backfield last year. That is just flat out disgusting.
3) Adrian Peterson: AP drops to No. 3 despite his ridiculous rookie performance. He has that rare combination of speed and power and it doesn't even seem as though he slows down to shift gears.
He is a scary force and will produce big numbers but I'm not quite sure he will be able to greatly improve upon his first year campaign. He might be overhyped, but barring any injuries you have yourself a stud.
4) Steven Jackson: This RB truly let down fantasy owners last year. He was coming off an unreal breakout year where he rushed for 1500-plus yards and caught 90 passes. He did not fall off due to lack of production, but instead was hindered by nagging injuries all year.
Nobody is happier to have a healthy Jackson back than Marc Bulger and the Rams' offense will certainly revolve around their young RB once again. Look for S-Jax to bounce back; if you can snag him in the mid-to-late first round, you have yourself a steal.
5) Frank Gore: Here's another highly-rated RB heading into 2007 that saw a dip in his stats. Gore broke out onto the scene a year earlier with a scary all around game. He was nicked up a bit last year, and it also didn't help that Trent Dilfer was running his offense most of the year.
The Niners added more offensive firepower this offseason and also brought offensive guru Mike Martz aboard to jump-start a punchless offense. The addition of Martz can only mean good things are to come from Gore, who should return to form in 2008.
6) Joseph Addai: Addai has been nothing but solid since he came into the league a couple years ago. He plays in a very solid offense that evenly distributes the ball. With Peyton Manning and the air attack of Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison relieving pressure up front, Addai has plenty of room to work with. He also had the most carries in the red zone last year.
Addai is as close as you come to an every-down back who also holds his own through the air.
7) Marshawn Lynch: Lynch had a very respectable rookie season for the Bills. He was the lone bright spot for an offense that struggled to find an adequate quarterback. The Bills play in inclement weather for most of the season and have notoriously leaned heavily on the ground game.
Lynch is clearly the focal point of the offense; look for him to build upon his rookie numbers, especially in the passing game.
8) Marion Barber: This might be a little too high for him, considering he has never been a featured back for a full season, but the potential is definitely there. He is a workhorse type back and gives maximum effort everytime out. The fact that he gets all of Dallas' goalline carries gives him an added boost.
I also see the addition of Felix Jones as not being as detrimental to Barber's production as many have speculated. Barber is a well- rounded back as he has excellent receiving skills and is a solid pass blocker, so I don't see him losing third down duties. This could be a risky pick for you but, regardless of what numbers he posts, at least you know the TD totals will be there at the end.
9) Clinton Portis: Portis is as consistent as they come. He is in an offense that is very run-oriented, although that may change a little with Joe Gibbs' departure. He is not the only effective ball carrier on the team as Ladell Betts cuts into his workload.
Portis had a nice overall season last year, as he stayed healthy and hauled in a nice amount of passes. He is a safe bet for 300-plus carries and all the goalline duties. If you are looking for consistency, Portis is your man.
11 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete