Bleacher Report - Ricky Williams

Fantasy Football Week 12 Rankings: Top 35 Running Backs

Eric Stashin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:32:30 -0500

With so many running backs injured or having lost their starting job, the grouping after the Top 12 has some surprising names on it. LeSean McCoy? Jamaal Charles? Ryan Snelling? Let’s take a look at how everyone shakes out for Week 12:

Adrian Peterson - Minnesota Vikings - vs. Chicago
Chris Johnson - Tennessee Titans - vs. Arizona
Ricky Williams - Miami Dolphins - at Buffalo
DeAngelo Williams - Carolina Panthers - at New York Jets
Ray Rice - Baltimore Ravens - vs. Pittsburgh
Maurice Jones-Drew - Jacksonville Jaguars - at San Francisco
Frank Gore - San Francisco 49ers - vs. Jacksonville
Steven Jackson - St. Louis Rams - vs. Seattle
LaDanian Tomlinson - San Diego Chargers - vs. Kansas City
Thomas Jones - New York Jets - vs. Carolina
Marion Barber - Dallas Cowboys - vs. Oakland
Cedric Benson - Cincinnati Bengals - vs. Cleveland
LeSean McCoy - Philadelphia Eagles - vs. Washington
Steve Slaton - Houston Texans - vs. Indianapolis
Joseph Addai - Indianapolis Colts - at Houston
Matt Forte - Chicago Bears - at Minnesota
Jamaal Charles - Kansas City Chiefs - at San Diego
Knowshon Moreno - Denver Broncos - vs. New York Giants
Brandon Jacobs - New York Giants - at Denver
Ryan Grant - Green Bay Packers - at Detroit
Pierre Thomas - New Orleans Saints - vs. New England
Rashard Mendenhall - Pittsburgh Steelers - at Baltimore
Laurence Maroney - New England Patriots - at New Orleans
Jason Snelling - Atlanta Falcons - vs. Tampa Bay
Kevin Smith - Detroit Lions - vs. Green Bay
Marshawn Lynch - Buffalo Bills - vs. Miami
Justin Forsett - Seattle Seahawks - at St. Louis
Mike Bell - New Orleans Saints - vs. New England
Rock Cartwright - Washington Redskins - at Philadelphia
Jamal Lewis - Cleveland Browns - at Cincinnati
Tim Hightower - Arizona Cardinals - at Tennessee
Carnell Williams - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - at Atlanta
Correll Buckhalter - Denver Broncos - vs. New York Giants
Beanie Wells - Arizona Cardinals - at Tennessee
Jonathan Stewart - Carolina Panthers - at New York Jets

Does Adrian Peterson belong in the top spot? With the way Brett Favre is playing right now, I don’t know that it’s a guarantee the team just hands the ball to Peterson and let him do his thing. That’s exactly what makes them such a dangerous offense, but it does knock Peterson down a small notch. Still, he’s the best back in the game and it’s tough not to go with him at No. 1.

I know seeing Ricky Williams so high makes us think this list is outdated by a few years. Just look at his performance in Week 11 and the fact that he gets to take on the Bills, one of the worst ground defenses in the league. He easily could be in store for another big week.

No matter what defense he’s facing, Ray Rice needs to be ranked among the best RB in the league due to his ability in the passing game. He’s going to get his yards one way or another.

There was an outside chance Cedric Benson played in Week 11, so for now I’m going to include him on this list (unlike Michael Turner, who could be out several weeks). Monitor the news all week, however. Bernard Scott, who fell just outside the top 35, would move up significantly should Benson be out of action.

Has Jamaal Charles silenced his doubters yet?

After Rashard Mendenhall put up just 80 yards without scoring against the lowly Chiefs, he gets dropped a few notches, especially taking on the Ravens this week. He’s still usable, of course, so don’t do anything hasty and move him to your bench.

The early word on Brandon Jacobs and Marshawn Lynch is that they will both be fine to play in Week 12. Keep an eye on the news, just in case, but we did not drop them in the rankings.

Clinton Portis is still out and now Ladell Betts may be sidelined for the season. That gives Rock Cartwright a chance to be the main back and should be usable in FLEX formats.

What are your thoughts? Who was left off the list? Who should be higher? Who should be lower?

Other Week 12 Rankings:

Quarterbacks

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

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Ricky Williams Is Smokin': Dolphins Didn't Need Ronnie Brown

Edwin Bear — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:58:30 -0500

Rushing for 122 yards on 22 carries with two touchdowns on the ground and receiving for 19 yards with two receptions and one touchdown through the air proves Ricky isn’t so dumb after all.

He’s 32 years old but really in running back years he’s 30 because of the two years he didn’t play. Those years off kept Ricky’s legs and body fresh while he did what he wanted. Now that he decided to come back and play he proves he’s still one of the best when he tries.

Ricky said he’ll retire next season. If he does the game will miss yet another mysterious running back that was one of the most talented in history. He adds his name to the list of great running backs (Jim Brown , Barry Sanders , Robert Smith , and Tiki Barber ) that ended their careers early and amongst controversy.

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Three Fantasy Football Answers From Dolphins-Panthers Game

Eric Stashin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:23:05 -0500

Let’s take a look at a few of the fantasy questions stemming from last night’s Dolphins-Panthers game:

Question: How would Ricky Williams fare as the every-down back for the Dolphins?

Answer: It’s impossible to draw any certain conclusions, considering the Panthers are among the worst rushing defenses in the league (allowing 130.7 rushing yards per game). Still, watching him torch them for 119 yards and two TDs, while adding two receptions for 19 yards and a TD, shows you that the skill is clearly there.

Consider that the man at the helm of the offense (Chad Henne threw for just 172 yards) is there to manage the offense, not win the game for them. Consider that the group of wide receivers are lackluster, at best. Consider that the second running back, Lex Hilliard, saw his first carries of the season in last night’s game.

Sum it all up and you realize that Williams is now the one big offensive weapon that the Dolphins have. He showed his ability to shoulder the load and with games against the Bills (173.0 rushing yards/game), Patriots (110.0 rushing yards/game), Jaguars (118.7 rushing yards/game) and Titans (109.3 rushing yards/game) on the schedule the next four weeks, he is a must-use option in all formats.

Question: Is DeAngelo Williams healthy?

Answer: If he isn’t, he certainly showed no ill effects from his knee injury, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry. The team split the carries between him (13 carries for 122 yards) and Jonathan Stewart (12 carries for 43 yards), as well as giving Jake Delhomme 42 passing attempts. Otherwise, how many yards could he have rushed for?

I don’t have as much of a problem with splitting the carries, but when your QB goes 19-for-42 in a game that was not a blowout, you have to ask what they were thinking?

Steve Smith had a solid game (seven catches, 87 yards, one TD), but it is clearly no longer his offense. The team needs to focus on where they dominate, and that is on the ground.

If they had stayed with their strength, this may have been a drastically different game.

Question: Who was the biggest fantasy surprise?

Answer: Panthers kicker John Kasay, which tells you a lot about this game. It was all about the two main running backs, as no one else was particularly impressive.

Kasay, however, went 3-3 on field goals, hitting from 29, 33, and 48 yards. That performance likely brought in double-digit points, depending on your league, and could be the difference between winning and losing.

Need help setting your line-up for the week? Check out our rankings:

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

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NFL Week 11 Fantasy Football Player Breakdowns

kevin roberts — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:58:36 -0500

Every week we take a look at every team's key players and their matchups for fantasy football. Check out some quick analysis on some possible studs, as well as some guys to avoid. Using the five-star rating to get a good idea on who to start and sit, in addition to the comments:

Miami Dolphins @ Carolina Panthers

QB Chad Henne: Miami should run the ball a ton and Carolina pass defense is tops. *
QB Pat White: He should be in the mix more with the loss of Ronnie Brown for the season. **
RB Ricky Williams: Panthers run defense is soft and he should get the rock a ton now. *****
WR Davone Bess: Gets a decent amount of looks, but doesn't do a ton. **
WR Ted Ginn: Started last week and had zero catches. Not much optimism this week. *

QB Jake Delhomme: Carolina will run the ball a lot, but he should be OK against rookie corners. **
RB DeAngelo Williams: Check his status, but if he's active, he's too good to pass up. *****
RB Jonathan Stewart: Value rises if Williams is out. Solid matchup. ****
WR Steve Smith: Definitely has a chance at some success this week. ***
WR Muhsin Muhammad: Had a nice effort last week, and should get a few looks. **

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Kansas City Chiefs

QB Ben Roethlisberger: Chiefs corners are slow, so Big Ben could be in for a big day. *****
RB Rashard Mendenhall: Should be in for a solid bounce-back game. ***
WR Hines Ward: Matchup is great and he has been consistent all season. ****
WR Santonio Holmes: Still looking for that second score of the year, but good matchup. ****
WR Mike Wallace: Always a sneaky play, as he gets solid amount of targets. ***
TE Heath Miller: He's been quiet the past three weeks, so he's due for a solid game. ***

QB Matt Cassel: Chiefs will have to throw the ball, so he'll at least be busy. **
RB Jamaal Charles: Has almost no chance against Steelers run defense, so not a good play. **
WR Chris Chambers: Should see a ton more targets with Bowe out . ****
WR Lance Long: Value also rises with Bowe out. ***

New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

QB Drew Brees: He hasn't had a truly elite game in a while. This is the one. *****
RB Pierre Thomas: Sharing the ball a lot, but bad defense still makes him a RB2. ****
RB Mike Bell: Carries have been inconsistent, and production hasn't been there. **
RB Reggie Bush: Looked very explosive last week, so nice potential this week. ***
WR Marques Colston: Has been quiet, so this could be a nice week to break-out. ****
WR Devery Henderson: Has been losing some deep targets to Meachem, so questionable play. **
WR Robert Meachem: Has scored in two straight games, and Tampa secondary is bad. ***
TE Jeremy Shockey: Has caught at least three balls in every game, so he's active. ***

QB Josh Freeman: His running game will have to get going for him to have a chance. *
RB Carnell Williams: Saints can't stop the run, so not a horrible play this week. ***
RB Derrick Ward: Shares the ball, but has looked OK. Nice matchup this week. **
WR Sammie Stroughter: Saints pass defense is solid, so not a good play. *
WR Antonio Bryant: Should be back this week, but still not a great matchup. **
TE Kellen Winslow: Freeman loves him, and he'll need him in this one. ***

Atlanta Falcons @ New York Giants

QB Matt Ryan: Giants pass defense is so-so and they'll need to pass in this one. ***
RB Jason Snelling: Even if he doesn't start, he'll get a lot of touches. ***
RB Michael Turner: Hasn't ruled himself out yet, but unlikely to play. **
RB Jerious Norwood: Is trying to come back, but not for certain this week. *
WR Roddy White: Should be active all day with a banged-up rush offense. ****
WR Michael Jenkins: Could see more targets than usual with Turner likely out. **
TE Tony Gonzalez: Nice matchup and he had 11 targets last week. Great play. ****

QB Eli Manning: Atlanta's pass defense is weak and Manning looked good last game. ****
RB Brandon Jacobs: Falcons' run defense is atrocious, so he might finally get going . ****
RB Ahmad Bradshaw: Ditto . ***
WR Steve Smith: Looked better last week, and should go as Manning goes. ****
WR Hakeem Nicks: Shares time with Manningham, but is a decent WR3. ***
WR Mario Manningham: Great matchup, so worth a shot. ***
TE Kevin Boss: Has scored in two straight and great matchup. ***

Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: Jaguars can be beat, but probably not by him. *
RB Marshawn Lynch: Is splitting carries, but Bills should try to run early. ***
RB Fred Jackson: Sharing the ball, so it still relevant. **
WR Lee Evans: Fitzpatrick loves him, so not a bad play this week. ***
WR Terrell Owens: Fitzpatrick kills his potential. **

QB David Garrard: Bills are solid against the pass, and Jaguars will run all day. **
RB Maurice Jones-Drew: Always a must-start, especially against this horrid run D. *****
WR Mike Sims-Walker: Jags might not pass a ton, but could still have a good day. ***
WR Torry Holt: Once again, when will this guy finally score a touchdown? **
TE Marcedes Lewis: Not a great matchup and not heavily involved. *

Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens

QB Peyton Manning: Ravens can be passed on, and Manning is on fire as usual. *****
RB Joseph Addai: Will have a tough time, but has been showing up. ***
RB Donald Brown: Role isn't what it used to be, so not a good play. *
WR Reggie Wayne: Best receiver in football should put up nice numbers again. *****
WR Austin Collie: Should be fairly active underneath. ***
WR Pierre Garcon: If he can catch the ball, he can get solid numbers. ***
TE Dallas Clark: Manning loves him, so you have to play him. *****

QB Joe Flacco: Colts' pass defense is beginning to crumble, so not a bad play. ***
RB Ray Rice: Could dominate only so-so Colts run defense. ****
RB Willis McGahee: Won't be used enough to depend on. *
WR Derrick Mason: Could get back into a groove if needed. ***
WR Mark Clayton: Hasn't done anything lately, so don't expect much. **
WR Kelley Washington: Hasn't been active at all, so don't hope for much. *
TE Todd Heap: He's a little banged up this week, but he's been mildly active: **

Seattle Seahawks @ Minnesota Vikings

QB Matt Hasselbeck: He'll have to pass all day, so numbers could be there. ***
RB Justin Forsett: The Williams Wall should be feared, but he could go all "Ray Rice " on them. **
WR Nate Burleson: Had zero catches last week, so should bounce back against former team. ***
WR TJ Housh: Has been decent, and should be active this week. ***
TE John Carlson: Scored last week and Minnesota struggles against tight ends. ***

QB Brett Favre: Seahawks don't do anything special, and he's playing great football. ****
RB Adrian Peterson: Seattle couldn't stop Hightower and Wells, so do the math. *****
WR Sidney Rice: Has had one weak game in his last four, and the matchup bodes well. ****
WR Bernard Berrian: Has been slowed by injuries all season but potential is still there. **
WR Percy Harvin: Stays involved on offense and is a monster in return leagues. ***
TE Visanthe Shiancoe: Seattle is getting killed by tight ends, so there's a chance. ***

Cleveland Browns @ Detroit Lions

QB Brady Quinn: Detroit can't stop the pass, so believe it or not, there's hope. ***
RB Jamal Lewis: Should be fairly active against weak overall defense. ***
WR Mohamed Massaquoi: Isn't reliable, but matchup could work. **
WR Mike Furrey: Was very active last week, and faces former team. **
WR Josh Cribbs: A little banged up, but should be ready for nice matchup. **

QB Matthew Stafford: Lions are likely to pound it with the run, but not a bad matchup. ***
RB Kevin Smith: Could be in for a huge workload against awful run defense *****
WR Calvin Johnson: Should see a couple targets deep. ****
WR Bryant Johnson: As long as he stays active, he's not a horrible play this week. **
TE Brandon Pettigrew: Hasn't done jack lately, but the matchup is nice. ***

For the final eight match-ups with fantasy analysis, go here .

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Ronnie Brown Officially Out for Season, Ricky Williams Stock To Rise

kevin roberts — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:37:07 -0500

ESPN's Adam Schefter and many other sources have reported that Miami star running back Ronnie Brown's 2009 season is officially over .

NFL Soup was among the first to report the possibility of Brown's season coming to an end, based off of ProFootballTalk.com 's original speculation, and now the terrible news for Miami fans has come true.

Further reporting from Miami beat writer Jeff Darlington via Twitter said that Brown had a Lisfranc fracture. Despite negative connotations that go with Lisfranc injuries, immediate diagnosis apparently does not suggest that this is a career-threatening injury, not does it suggest Brown won't be able to make a full recovery for the 2010 NFL season.

Fantasy Perspective: As assumed in previous reports, this type of blow to Miami's offense will likely force Chad Henne and the passing attack to take on far more responsibility, while adding a solid boost to option (Wildcat) quarterback Pat White's value.

Regardless, the man who should reap all the benefits is Brown's former back-up and Miami's new starter, Ricky Williams . The former Texas product was already getting 10+ touches per game and producing at a high level, but should put up even bigger numbers as the lead back in a running back friendly system.

To paint an even better picture for Williams' owners, his next three games come against the Panthers, Bills, and Patriots, the first two being horrible run defenses, while New England isn't exactly a beast against the run, either.

Needless to say, if you have Brown it's time to cut him loose and pick up the best replacement possible, that is of course, if you're not in a Keeper league. Next stop, the waiver wire .

Williams, meanwhile, should see his status and role take a tremendous leap from a solid RB2 status to an elite RB1 option. He should be a must-start in all fantasy formats going forward.

For all breaking NFL news and fantasy information, go to NFLSoup.com

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Liver's 2009 NFL Week 11 Thursday Night Pick

Adnan Tezer — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:17:33 -0500

At least this should be a better game then last Thursday’s 10-6 dud between the 49ers and Bears.

Of course it goes without saying that the following pick AGAINST THE SPREAD is for RECREATIONAL USE ONLY . Only Rick Pitino, LeGarrette Blount, Donte’ Stallworth, Braylon Edwards, Bob Griese, Miguel Cabrera, Tila Tequila, Steve Phillips, Travis Henry, Serena Williams, Michael Jordan, Tony Romo, Elizabeth Lambert, Richard Heene (a.k.a. Balloon Boy’s father), the Liver’s biological father (a.k.a. The Most Interesting Man in the World) and all Somali Pirates would be drunk enough to question the Esteemed Liver's pick.

Last week’s record: 10-5

2009 record against the spread: 91-52-1 (.632)

Thursday, November 19

Miami at Carolina (-3)
Carolina looks like a different team compared to the one that started out 0-3 with Jake Delhomme throwing picks coming off the team bus. Despite both being questionable for the game, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have found their ground game after a slow start. Unfortunately for Miami, their leading rusher, and wild cat instigator, Ronnie Brown is out for the rest of the season with a right foot injury. That means A LOT of Ricky Williams for the Dolphins in this game. Both teams should have beaten New Orleans in their respective games and are very similar right now in regards to their rushing attack. Carolina, however, has found their air attack of late. Miami has won only once on the road this year and is not good having to play from behind. Pick: Carolina

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Miami Dolphins Lose RB Ronnie Brown for Remainder of 2009 Season

Chris J. Nelson — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:41:55 -0500

The Miami Dolphins were able to come away with a victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10, but it was not without a steep price.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Dolphins have placed starting running back Ronnie Brown on season-ending injured reserve, just three days after the Pro Bowler suffered a foot injury in the third quarter against he Buccaneers.

Brown finishes the 2009 season 648 yards and eight touchdowns on a 4.4 average in nine starts.

Brown joins Patrick Cobbs, who suffered a torn ACL in early October, as one of two Dolphins running backs in injured reserve.

With the injury, Ricky Williams will see an increase workload and will become the feature back in Miami. Second-year man Lex Hilliard should see extended playing time as well, while October signing Kory Sheets could see his first playing time as a Dolphin.

To take Brown's room on the roster, the Dolphins promoted safety Nate Ness from the practice squad.

An undrafted rookie out of Arizona, Ness signed with the Dolphins on Oct. 28 after spending time with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Seattle Seahawks in the offseason and preseason.

You can find out more about Ness, who will wear No. 31 and likely play special teams for the Dolphins, in my article on his initial signing here.

Analysis

With all due respect to Chad Pennington, this is about the toughest blow the Dolphins could have suffered this season.

The second overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, Brown was having another impressive year, not only as the ever-hyped wildcat quarterback but also as simply one of the best all-around running backs in the NFL.

With Brown now finished on the field in 2009, it's worth taking a closer look at his somewhat complex contract situation.

Essentially, if a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached, Brown will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

However, if there is no new CBA and the league goes into an uncapped year, Brown will have a $5 million contract in 2010 and will then become an unrestricted free agent in the 2011 offseason.

(This benefits Brown anyway, because with no new CBA, a player will need six years of NFL service to qualify for unrestricted free agency. If Brown's contract were to expire after 2009 with no new CBA in place, he'd only be a restricted free agent with five years of service.)

Regardless of whether Brown hits the market this year or next, the Dolphins would be wise to retain him assuming the price is reasonable. His injuries to date have been more of the fluke variety rather than the result of a lack of durability, and there is no question Brown is a rare complete back that is not easily replaced.

In the mean time, the Dolphins should still be able to put together a productive running game with Ricky Williams taking over and a strong group of run-blockers up front.

One thing that remains to be seen, however, is how the Dolphins will utilize the wildcat offense in Brown's absence. Williams has looked uncomfortable and slow in accelerating when he's taken snaps out of formation.

There have also been reports that 2008 sixth-round pick Lex Hilliard could take snaps out of the wildcat, though Hilliard's a questionable talent at best and will struggle to produce anything close to what Brown could no matter what formation the team is in.

More Pat White is yet another possibility, but I'm still not behind that draft pick and I don't believe the spread option can be a productive offensive strategy in the NFL. I also question whether White has the body to take the kind of pounding—especially at the NFL level—he would in that role.

There is no question the Dolphins will certainly miss Brown, and at 4-5 the team can ill-afford to lose a star player. It was the reliable running game (for the most part, anyway) that had eased second-year quarterback Chad Henne's transition from backup to NFL starter.

Youth movement coming?

With a climb out of the cellar and into the playoffs highly unlikely even before Brown's injury, I expect to see a handful of younger players get extended looks in the second half of the 2009 season.

I'm not saying the team should mail it in the rest of the way, but I also don't see the harm in taking a look at some younger prospects over players that are declining and unlikely to be around much longer after the season.

Brown's situation opens the door for Lex Hilliard and Kory Sheets, while Joey Haynos and Kory Sperry could continue to phase out Anthony Fasano. We also should get an extended look at third-round pick Patrick Turner at some point in the near future.

On defense, Paul Soliai will likely spell Jason Ferguson often when he's healthy again; Cameron Wake will cut into Joey Porter's playing time at outside linebacker; and Chris Clemons should continue to push free agent bust Gibril Wilson at free safety.

The Dolphins certainly have some holes after the season, and they will do their due diligence in seeing if any young players already on the team are potential long-term answers.

Chris J. Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight , and can be followed on Twitter here .

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