Fantasy Football: Welcome to Fantasy Relevance Derrick Ward

Sometimes, all it takes for a player to get going is a change of scenery.

And for Derrick Ward, that's exactly what he got.

Ward, (a young 28-years-old), was signed this offseason by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; into a position where he can showcase his talent, (splitting carries; as opposed to being in buried in the depth chart as he was in New York).

Ward was drafted in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, who later cut him. The New York Giants then picked him up and he [Ward] totaled a mere 123 yards in one season

Then, in 2007, Ward was given an opportunity to show what he was made of and made the best of 125 carriers, totaling 602 yards, (4.8 avg.), while also rumbling into the end zone on three separate occasions.

The following year, (last year), while starter Brandon Jacobs was constantly battling injury, Ward was given the most carriers he had ever had: 182, a number that beat out all of his previous seasons combined! 

He made the most of them, and then some, achieving career highs in yards, (1,025), yards per attempt, (5.6), and first downs, (53).

Certainly, what is even more impressive—and what is not shown in the numbers—is the fact that he was splitting then with one other back! (Ahmad Bradshaw). 

Breaking the 1,000 yard barrier is a feat for every NFL running back, and yet while Ward carried the ball about 150 times less than most last season, he still attained that prestigious mark.

Tampa Running Back Coach Steve Logan had this to say about Ward:

"I think Derrick is going to give us a good change of pace from Earnest.(...).  I think Derrick has a little more speed, for lack of a better word, and might give us a little bit more plays outside the tackle. I see a nice complement between those two."

Among all running backs in the NFL last year during the 2008-2009 season, Ward was ranked No. 1 in the entire league in yards per carry at 5.6 yards a pop—ahead of great RB's: Adrian Peterson, (4.8 ypc), DeAngelo Williams, (5.5 ypa), and Matt Forte, (3.9).

The fact that Ward was signed to such a large deal this summer, (four years, $17 million), suggests that he will be used, and used often often, and thus somewhat puts to rest the doubters who say that he will lose considerable amounts of playing time to the other Bucs' Backs. 

Then again, the fact that he will not play every down is not necessarily a bad thing. He will remain fresh, resulting in better played games, (which equates to more fantasy points, the whole goal).

Ward, (in the mock drafts that I have been apart of thus far), has being going around the fourth or fifth round, the same spot in which rookie running backs Chris Wells and Knowshon Moreno have been going. 

I can't speak for you, but I myself would always choose the proven player with upside over the unproven player with upside.

So if during your draft you find yourself scavenging in the middle rounds looking for a good running back, don't sweat it, just chalk up Ward and enjoy the fine season that he's bound to have.

projection:  1,000 plus yards, 8-10 touchdowns

Quote from Tampa Bay Running Back Coach Steve Logan found in article "How will Bucs Rbs share load in '09?" by the St. Petersburg Times