Is Knowshon Moreno a Top-50 NFL Fantasy Football Pick?

Knowshon Moreno got a small dose of the NFL last year as Denver limited his carries with five games of 10 or fewer carries. They wanted to make sure they didn’t overwork the rookie.

Despite getting a little over 15 carries per game on the year, Moreno had 1160 yards (947) rushing and nine touchdowns (seven rushing).

In the games he topped 15 carries, he averaged 89.8 total yards (74.8 rushing) with four TDs in nine games. True, he never topped 100 rushing yards in any game on the year, but clearly the potential is there.

I expected him to have a more prominent role in the offense this year as he is their top weapon now that Brandon Marshall is gone, but his hamstring injury has me worried. Depending on how he responds to the injury, his numbers could be dramatically lowered.

However, it happened at the right time and maybe he doesn’t miss much time. Not only could he eventually see more 15-plus carry games once he’s back to full strength, but he could also see an increase in the 28 catches he had last year.

When all is said Moreno has the chance to be a top 15 RB (click to see my 2010 RB rankings ) with 1,450 total yards (1,150 rushing), close to 40 catches, and eight touchdowns.

People are going to be scared off because of his injury. I don’t blame them. His ADP, according to Mock Draft Central, is 32, but that number is going to drop. I will still take a chance on  him though. I just like his upside.

He is a powerful runner that can score touchdowns and catch passes. He’s young, athletic, and didn’t get overworked last year. Without Marshall, the Broncos should be a more run-oriented offense, which could lead to a monster season for the second year back.

What do you expect from Knowshon Moreno?