Cons: He is past his prime. Maybe last year was not just a down year. It could be the beginning of a downhill descent. He likely will not be the top back at the end of the season, and other players have more upside. His prospects are just not as exciting as some of the other players' prospects for this fantasy year. If you want pure upside, or if you like taking risks, maybe you would like Adrian Peterson instead.

2. Adrian Peterson

Pros: Talent, Talent, Talent. This kid is amazing. His skills are jaw-dropping. His talent is absolutely stunning. If you saw what he did to the Chargers and Bears, you know how special this player is. He has excellent work ethic, and plays so well on the field. Combine extremely rare talent, raw skills, and hard work and practice, you have a recipe for an unstoppable back. The sky is the limit for this player. He has the potential to make history. In fact, I think he is the best running back in the league, based on talent and not on stats. He has been working hard in the preseason to prepare for defensive schemes that put eight men in the box. No matter how hard defenses try, they can't take away talent. Last year, Peterson had an incredible 5.6 yard per carry. With the opportunities the Vikings will give to him, and with his skill, don't be surprised if he makes history this year. If you are willing to take a risk, Peterson could produce fantasy numbers you could only dream of.

Cons: I was tempted to put Brian Westbrook ahead of Adrian Peterson. Teams will focus solely on him, and try to shut him down completely. When teams started doing that last year, Peterson's fantasy numbers plummeted. Teams put eight men in the box, and Peterson struggled a lot. Even if the Vikings pass offense does improve, this will not stop opponents' defenses from focusing on Peterson. They just cannot afford 296 yard games. He is also injury prone. One of the main reasons teams shied away from Peterson in the 2007 NFL draft was because he was injury prone. Peterson getting injured last year should worry you even more. The prospect that Peterson will stay healthy is not something you can sleep well on. Also, the Vikings will use Peterson less this year, and try a more balanced offense. Finally, Peterson will be sharing many valuable carries with Chester Taylor, who is doing a lot of work in the first team offense. When a team has two starting running backs, it doesn't deem well for fantasy owners.

3. Brian Westbrook

Pros: Brian Westbrook is the Eagle's offense. And the Eagle's offense is good. When a running back has the same amount of receptions as many good wide receivers, you know they are something special. When they back that up by being an excellent running back in their own right, you have someone amazing. And Brian Westbrook is definitely amazing. If you are in a points per reception league, Westbrook is fantasy gold. In fact, I would even consider him for the first or second pick in that case. Westbrook is quite reliable also. He has never been the top running back heading into fantasy drafts. He is never the new guy on the block, never the risky choice. He is always just there. But Westbrook is more than just reliable, he can have huge games too. If you are in a points per reception league or want a pretty reliable back that will have some huge games, then Brian Westbrook could be a good pick.

Cons: There is a reason Brian Westbrook has never been the top guy. First of all, he just ends up with lower numbers. Yes, he can have good games. However, he just does not produce some of the huge numbers other backs produce. He makes up for this in points per reception leagues. However, if you aren't in a points per reception league, Brian Westbrook isn't necessarily going to be a stellar back. Don't get me wrong, he is a great fantasy producer. He just isn't quite in the league of LaDainian Tomlinson or Adrian Peterson. Also, Westbrook is injury prone. This is never good, and could bring your team down.

4. Steven Jackson

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