2009 Fantasy Football Running Back Forecast: AFC East

With the 2009 NFL Draft having come and gone, it is now time to start focusing more on the most important draft of all in football, your Fantasy Football draft…and the Bruno Boys can't think of a better way to get in the mood than to start focusing some attention on the running back position.

Now, we are not saying that the running back position is make or break, because we firmly believe that the best way to ensure success is to not only have an extremely well rounded team, but a deep team as well, but as Bruno Boys Nation already knows, part of my (Bruno Boys Ziza) responsibilities at the Bruno Boys is critiquing the running back position on a weekly basis throughout the season.

So, today I am bringing you a rundown of what is happening in the NFL, that way you are not left scratching your head when August rolls around and you are wondering why Edgerrin James is not a Arizona Cardinal anymore.

During the weeks leading up to the season Bruno Boys Ziza and Bruno Boys Greg will be bringing you periodic updates that will guarantee that you stay one: No, 32 steps ahead of your competition.

 

Today we will be focusing on the teams in the AFC East. Keep on checking back with the Bruno Boys for other divisional running back updates that will help you stomp your way into your leagues Fantasy Football playoffs.

 

Buffalo Bills

Bruno Boy Ziza's Take…the Bills did not draft anyone during the NFL Draft, nor did they really have to. Marshawn Lynch who many consider as a RB1 in deeper leagues leads their running back position.

 

The one thing that you have to remember though is that if you are drafting Lynch you are going to need to ensure that you have at least one extra solid running back on your roster, as he will be suspended up to three weeks to start the season.

 

The suspension will temporarily boost the value of Lynch's backups, Fred Jackson and Dominic Rhodes. Neither one of these running backs will provide week-to-week fantasy starter value though and to be honest, unless Lynch gets severely hurt, neither of these backs will have much value in 2009 as the Bills will be facing the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in weeks one and two.

 

Jackson has upside and showed flashes of breaking out in week 17 of last year, but it will be difficult for him to get a consistent amount of touches once Lynch returns.

Bruno Boy Greg's Take…the Bills took a big hit when they found out their star running back will not be with them for the first three games of the regular season.

 

This news also hurt his stock in fantasy football as he was looking to rebound from a so-so year.  Fred Jackson and newly acquired Dominic Rhodes will man the first three games.

 

Buffalo did not draft a back and instead look to Rhodes to help them get past these first three games of the season. This Bills run game will take a hit though with the loss of both Guard Derrick Dockery and Tackle Jason Peters.

 

With Jackson and Rhodes splitting carries early on, consider them both low-end RB3 options with Jackson getting the bulk of the yardage and Rhodes being a red zone threat.

 

When Lynch returns, downgrade them both to RB4 status and slide Lynch into RB2 category. He is just too special of a player to allow him to be in a true committee backfield.

 

The reason Lynch won’t get to RB1 though is because his offensive line isn’t very strong, although the addition of Terrell Owens should open things up for him.

 

Fantasy depth chart: Marshawn Lynch (Suspended Weeks 1-3), Fred Jackson, Dominic Rhodes.

 

2009 schedule: @ NE (1), TB (2), NO (3), @ MIA (4), CLE (5), @ NYJ (6), @ CAR (7), HOU (8), BYE (9), @ TEN (10), @ JAC (11), MIA (12), NYJ (13), @ KC (14), NE (15), @ ATL (16), IND (17)

Miami Dolphins

Bruno Boy Ziza's Take…the Dolphins run with a pair of running backs in Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.

 

That is a very solid, 1-2, combination for the NFL, but when it comes to fantasy football that is something that you want to try and avoid.

 

Now, I am not saying that you need to steer clear of either back as a healthy Brown is due to get more touches in 2009 than he did in 2008, but you should still keep it in the back of your heads that Williams will steal some carries and touchdowns throughout the year.

 

Their backups, Patrick Cobbs and Lex Hilliard, had a combined twelve carries last season. They are both non-factors.

 

Brown has a legitimate shot at being a RB2 in deeper leagues during most weeks but Williams’s value mostly rests as being a handcuff to Brown or a spot starter from time to time.

Bruno Boy Greg's Take…Miami did not draft a running back over the weekend but did select an interesting player who could steal some carries in West Virginia standout Pat White.

 

While White is going to have a wide receiver label, he will be a slash player who will throw some passes, run a little, and catch some balls.

 

Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, the guys who took most of the carries last year, will man the running back position. Brown will have a little more value though then last year, as he will more then likely begin the year as the starter, which wasn’t the case this last season.

 

Brown should be a RB2 or RB 3 and Williams should go into 2009 as a RB4.

 

Fantasy depth chart: Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams

 

2009 schedule: @ ATL (1), IND (2), @ SD (3), BUF (4), NYJ (5), BYE (6), NO (7), @NYJ (8), @ NE (9), TB (10), @ CAR (11), @ BUF (12), NE (13), @ JAC (14), @ TEN (15), HOU (16), PIT (17)

Want to read about the New England Patriots and New York Jets? Clink the link below:

2009 Fantasy Football Running Back Forecast: AFC East