2011 NFL Predictions: Arian Foster and 6 Running Backs Who Will Be Run into the Ground in 2011

The NFL is slowly becoming a two running back league where teams divide their carries among a duo of runners who can shoulder the load.

Last season, the Chiefs were the perfect model (even though Jamaal Charles should have been getting more carries) of a two running back offense as Charles and Thomas Jones shared carries and were both effective (Charles always effective, Jones effective at times).

Many other teams such as the Panthers, Raiders, Seahawks, Patriots and Giants have all implemented units of two or more running backs to carry the load.

While those teams have all done a good job of sharing their carries and keeping their players as fresh as possible, other teams are still giving the bulk of their hand-offs to one runner. 

Some running backs have been getting the bulk of the carries for multiple seasons now, and some of those runners may start to wear down as early as this season.

Here is a look at seven running backs that could get run into the ground this season.

1. Arian Foster

Foster had a coming out party in 2010, as he led the league in rushing with 1,616 yards and 16 touchdowns.

All of those yards came on a lot of carries as he ran the ball 327 times, third most in the league last season. While Foster should find some relief from Ben Tate, the team's second-round pick last season, I still expect him to get over 300 carries once again this year.

This will be a telling year for Foster, who will be trying to prove that he is not a one-year wonder (I don't think he is, but he's also not a top-three back in the league) and that he can handle the load once again.

2. Michael Turner

I think the Falcons could make a major push to the Super Bowl this season (remember they did go 13-3 in the regular season last year), but a lot of that will hinge on the health of Michael Turner.

Turner carried the ball a league-leading 334 times last season and in 2008, he carried the ball a ridiculous 376 times. Turner is not getting any younger as he is now 29-years-old and entering the twilight years of his running back career.

I would not be surprised to see Turner have a disappointing 2011 season, as all of the carries will finally take a toll on the veteran back.

3. Jonathan Stewart

I have always been a huge fan of Stewart having gone to high school just 15 miles away from his high school, and while he had a very good 2009 season, he has yet to establish himself among the league's top backs.

Stewart may get that chance this season as DeAngelo Williams may leave once free agency begins, and the Panthers will turn to the former Oregon Duck to carry the load.

The Panthers would be smart to pass the ball no more than 10 times per game this year so Stewart should see his fair share of carries and that could lead to a wore-down running back.

Mike Goodson also showed that he could run the ball as well last season, but I think Stewart will finally be the go-to-guy getting most of the hand-offs.

4. Chris Johnson

Johnson has carried the ball a lot in his young career (925 times in 47 games), and I would expect that trend to continue this year as the Titans look to ease Jake Locker into the starting quarterback role.

Last season the Titans star faced eight and even nine-man fronts for much of the year as Tennessee did not have what you would exactly term a solid passing game.

All of the carries and the wear and tear from being the marked man on the Titans offense could catch up to Johnson this season, as he will likely see another 300-plus carry season.

5. Peyton Hillis

If there was ever a running back who was built to shoulder the load it would be Peyton Hillis, however, I'm not sure even Hillis can take the beating of a 300-plus carry season.

Hillis fumbled the ball a league-leading eight times last season and while he had a very good year, he did not have a great year. Despite finishing 11th in the league in rushing for one of the league's weaker teams, Hillis was voted onto the cover of Madden 2012 by the game's fans.

A combination of the Madden curse and a 300-carry season could spell doom for the Browns and Hillis.

6. Maurice Jones-Drew

Jones-Drew is one the league's top backs and he very well could stay near the top during this season, but he could also fall off after carrying the ball nearly 300 times in each of the last two seasons (312 times in 2009 and 299 times in 2010).

MJD is built like a ton of bricks and he is still just 26-years-old, so he likely has a few good years left in the tank, but all of these carries could come back to haunt the Jags this year if they don't find a viable No. 2 option.

7. Steven Jackson

After watching Steven Jackson run the football last year, I would have sworn he was 40-years-old.

Jackson was painfully slow at times last season, but he miraculously managed a 42-yard run against the Redskins in Week 3. Jackson averaged just 3.8 yards per carry during the 2010 season, an indication that he may be entering the end of his career.

At just 27 years of age, Jackson should still have a few good years left in the tank, but that's before you consider the fact that he has carried the ball 1,878 times during his seven-year NFL career.

The Rams failed to draft any help for their veteran runner and at this point, it appears that he will be asked to once again see the majority of the carries in St. Louis this season.