Fantasy Football Week 9: LeGarrette Blount Vs. Cadillac Williams, Who Wins?
Fantasy football's Week 9 features one of the more fascinating position battles of the season in Tampa Bay.
Longtime starting running back Cadillac Williams appears to have been upstaged by rookie LeGarrette Blount, as the youngster got the majority of the carries in Week 8's win over the Arizona Cardinals.
But Williams has been in this situation before in Tampa, and he's come out on top every time. Will this one be any different? Let's break it down.
Cadillac's History
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Williams was a highly regarded running back prospect out of Auburn when the Bucs selected him fifth overall in 2005. In his rookie season, Cadillac ran like a finely tuned automobile, racking up 1,178 yards and 6 touchdowns, ranking him in the top 20 among fantasy runners.
However, the ensuing five seasons have not come close to matching Williams' production in his rookie year. Cadillac has battled injuries almost non-stop in his career, which seem to have sapped his speed and some of his power. This season, he's averaging just 2.5 yards per carry which is positively dreadful.
Still, he's the veteran and he's shown promise in previous years, most recently during last year's 823 yard, 4 touchdown campaign.
Blount's History
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Blount is a bruising rookie running back out of the University of Oregon. He was undrafted out of Oregon because of character concerns after he was suspended for a large portion of his senior season for punching out an opposing player.
He was signed to a contract in Tennessee, but was subsequently cut before the season started. He landed in Tampa and has impressed since the moment he arrived. Blount has averaged 5.2 yards per carry in 2010, and became one of the most coveted waiver wire commodities in fantasy football after his Week 8 performance against the Cardinals. He blasted Arizona for 120 yards and two touchdowns, and looked every bit the part of the starting running back.
Why Cadillac's The Pick
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Williams has faced stiff competition in the past from backs like Derrick Ward, Earnest Graham and an aging (but still very effective) Warrick Dunn.
He's a veteran back who gained some press last season by turning himself into a reliable receiving option in Tampa. He's got another 187 yards through the air this season.
Williams' resiliency and versatility in the passing game are his biggest strengths in trying to keep his job.
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Why Blount's The Guy
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Blount is the younger back, and in 2010, he has been by far the more dynamic of the pair. Despite getting roughly half the carries Williams has received, LeGarrette is his team's leading rusher. He's got a good mix of power and speed, making him an explosive runner, particularly in space.
Teams tend to favor younger running backs as they have more tread left on the tires, and given Blount's college workload—he was never the only back in Oregon's backfield—it makes him the logical choice.
Who Wins?
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Blount should be the back of choice in the Tampa Bay backfield from this point forward. He's running better and for more yards than Cadillac managed in his best statistical season.
LeGarrette has higher upside and seems to have put his character issues in his past, and should have some excellent value moving forward in 2010. If he's still available, go get him, and if you already have him, roll him with confidence.
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