Is Ronnie Brown an Elite Fantasy Running Back?

Ever since Ronnie Brown was selected second overall by the Miami Dolphins in 2005, fantasy owners have waited for him to breakout and become the next great player. But while Ronnie has shown flashes of greatness, he has never really put it all together in one full season.

This offseason there has been a lot of talk about how Ronnie is performing in camp. Management, coaches, and players have noticed that No. 23 is exploding through holes and making defenders miss in the open field.

"Last year I was trying to rehab and make sure by the time camp rolled around I was ready," Brown said. "This year I've participated in the offseason workouts and not worried about any of that other stuff. I feel a whole lot better than I did at this time last year."

This is not surprising to me, as Mr. Brown is now almost two years removed from a torn ACL. It is well known that it takes about a year and a half to come back to full strength.

Take the Money and Run

This year is very important for Ronnie, as his contract will end after this season. There is only part of his game in question, and that is his ability to produce at a high level for a full season.

"So what do I expect? I would expect without hesitation that Ronnie takes the next step in having a super year," head coach Tony Sparano said of Brown.

Everyone around the NFL knows that Brown is a very gifted runner. Fantasy owners noticed this when he was the top fantasy player in the first half of 2007 season.

In the first seven games of that campaign he posted a 5.1 yard per carry, 602 rushing yards, and four rushing touchdowns.

He also displayed good receiving skills with 39 receptions for 389 yards and a touchdown. His per catch average was 10.0, and that is an outstanding statistic in and of itself for a running back.

Ronnie Brown’s Fantasy Value in 2009

In spite of Brown’s problems so far in his career, I’m willing to bet my money on this horse for a solid season in 2009.