Fantasy Football: 2011 AFC South Running Back Situations

The AFC South features three of the top running backs in the league.

Arian Foster is arguably the top-ranked fantasy player in the league. The furthest I could see him tumble, at least at this point, is to three.

He racked up 1,616 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2010. As good as those numbers are, he also caught 66 passes for 604 yards and two more scores. Week in and week out, he was one of the top fantasy players in the league. Ben Tate and Derrick Ward will get some carries, but neither will truly threaten the stud running back.

One of the players (along with Adrian Peterson) who could conceivably go before Foster is Chris Johnson, who was generally the No. 1 pick in last year’s fantasy drafts.

Johnson’s “down year” would look like a career year for anybody else.

He had 1,609 total yards (1,364 rushing, 245 receiving) and 12 touchdowns (11 rushing, one receiving). The Titans are going to be more creative next year to get him the ball in space, so CJ2K should be particularly effective in PPR leagues. He doesn’t really have a threat for carries and is a likely top-three pick.

Maurice Jones-Drew keeps turning out big years as well. There were concerns about his knee heading into last season, but he responded with 1,641 total yards (1,324 rushing, 317 receiving) and seven touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving). 

Rashard Jennings will get some carries, but he won’t be a big week-to-week threat. MoJo will probably be a top-five to -eight pick depending on format. Personally, I prefer some of the younger guys like Rahsard Mendenhall and LeSean McCoy.

Indianapolis is the only sticky situation because Joseph Addai is a free agent. He is expected to return to the Colts, though, and his knowledge of the system and ability to pick up the blitz will likely keep him as the main back. Donald Brown and rookie Delone Carter will also vie for touches.

Also, check out:

• AFC East Running Back Situations
  
• AFC North Running Back Situations