10) Ryan Grant: Ryan Grant was the biggest breakout fantasy player last year for sure. He burst onto the scene after being acquired from the Giants for a late-round pick early in the season. As a Giant fan I always liked Grant when I watched him in the preseason for the last couple of years and wondered why he never got a chance for more carries. He got his chance last year and made the most of it.
He emerged as a very solid option in a mediocre backfield for the Pack. While many think Grant will fall off this year and not be able to regain the success he enjoyed last year, I see him as sustaining that level of play. Don't reach too early for Grant, but he is certainly a high-end option at the No. 2 running back position.
11) Willis McGahee: Here's a guy who seemed to be rejuvenated once he made it out of the miserable Buffalo offense. He ran with more determination and had one of his most productive seasons yet. The lack of a solid QB option has forced the Ravens to run more often than letting it fly.
Baltimore's O-line took a hit when Jonathan Ogden announced his retirement, but McGahee shouldn't be affected too much by this news. He is a true primary back and might be the last solid primary back on the board at this point. It was also good to see him actually make an impact in the receiving game as he equaled his career numbers with 43 receptions in 2007.
12) Maurice Jones-Drew: MoJo was very hyped heading into last year. He sparkled as a rookie and was a do-it-all type back. He suffered what could be considered a sophmore slump, but I feel it was more in part due to the fact that Fred Taylor had a great season. His role didn't change, as he retained the same amount of carries and receptions, but his production lagged.
He really sputtered in the early-going but was able to get back into the swing of things as the season progressed. He is a frustrating player to have on your team, as he is the typical all-or-nothing producer. However, if Fred Taylor ever were to get hurt, Jones-Drew would immediately become a fantasy stud.
13) Jamal Lewis: I was not very high on this guy going into last year's draft, but he proved me and many others wrong. He revived his career in Cleveland and their offensive attack emerged as one of the best up-and-coming acts in the NFL. He was re-signed for two years and the back-ups were not upgraded, so that is a vote of confidence for how much the Browns will be feeding him the ball.
He looked a lot quicker on his feet, as he looked like the Jamal Lewis of old. With that being said, he could also revert to his late Ravens career form but I wouldn't count on it just yet, at least not this season.
14) Brandon Jacobs: Everyone believes the Giants backfield will be ruled by committee, but that will not happen. Ahmad Bradshaw is a very good change of pace back, but that's as far as he goes right now. Jacobs is the most talented runner on the team and for the Giants to get the most out of his talents they need to feed him the ball about 20 times a game so he can wear down the defense.
It also helps to know that Jacobs will be getting the call in all short-yardage situations. Jacobs might slip in drafts with people high on Bradshaw, but when Jacobs was healthy he produced. Now it's just a matter of staying healthy.
15) Ronnie Brown: He would have been higher on this list he hadn't suffered a torn ACL in 2007. Brown was enjoying what would have been a career year and was the top-ranked fantasy back when he went down with the injury. He is recovering well from surgery and should be back at full-strength in 2008.
Many are scared off by the return of everybody's favorite pothead Ricky Williams, but don't buy into the idea that Ricky will make as big of an impact as many indicate. Ricky has always found a way to mess things up, but in this case Brown is the better back and the back of the future. Even if a time share were applied, Brown will be more valuable becauses off his versatility.
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