2011 Fantasy Football Tug-of-War: Matt Forte vs. Ahmad Bradshaw

A commenter recently made a suggestion that Ahmad Bradshaw should be in my top 15 2011 fantasy football running back rankings over Matt Forte.

By no means would I dismiss the notion as I think it’s a valid assessment. So I decided to dig a little deeper into their production.

Last year Forte was statistically the better back.

He combined for 1,616 yards (1,069 rushing, 547 receiving) and 10 touchdowns (seven rushing, three receiving). Ahmad Bradshaw had more rushing yards (1,235) and nearly as many total yards (1,549), but had two fewer touchdowns.

Bradshaw comes with a little more uncertainty because we don’t know exactly where he’ll be playing next year. The New York Giants are expected to retain his services, but one never truly knows, especially in what is expected to be a crazy free agency period.

Bradshaw has also had issues with his ankles and feet, which is a little concerning for a speed runner. He is healthy now, but can he hold up to another heavy workload like last year when he had 323 touches (276 carries, 47 receptions)? Prior to last year, he combined for just 253 carries and 28 receptions in three years.

Meanwhile, Forte has been a workhorse.

He has averaged 270.3 carries and 57 receptions in his three years without missing a game. His carries and receptions have dipped in each of the past two years, but that isn’t unusual considering his decline coincided with Jay Cutler’s arrival. A running back with 288 touches, like Forte had last year, can't complain about his workload. His fantasy owners could have some beef, but it’s hard to argue with his results.

Bradshaw has scored seven and eight touchdowns in his two years while playing a key role for the Giants. Forte has reached double-digit combined touchdowns in two of his three years in the league.  Though I give Forte a slight edge in the touchdown department, it's not by much.

Value won’t come into play with these two as they are currently 14th and 15th in ADP among running backs according to MockDraftCentral.

It’s going to come down to preference when deciding between these two gifted running back. I prefer Forte, but completely understanding those in the Bradshaw camp.

Which running back do you prefer?

Also check out:

• 2011 Early Fantasy Football QB Rankings
• 2011 Early Fantasy Football WR Rankings
• 2011 Early Fantasy Football TE Rankings