2011 Running Back Fantasy Rankings: Look into the Past to See the Future

With the lockout lifted and the 2011 NFL season officially on, it’s time to start preparing for your upcoming fantasy drafts. 

To give yourself the best chance at winning your league, there are plenty of steps that need to be taken in the weeks leading up to that glorious day, not the least of which is setting your rankings.

Specifically, your RB rankings.

Running backs tend to dominate the first and second rounds of drafts, and they do so for good reason.

Because of the brutality that exists in the NFL today, both owners and coaches alike have decided that their team would be better served if their running backs were guarded from the possibility of injury.

Therefore, using two and sometimes three separate RBs to get the job done not only greatly benefits the squad, but it cuts down on the possibility of the players (and team) being damaged as well.

This is why we, as fantasy players, need to covet those few remaining teams that still believe in using just one running back. 

Plain and simple: The more touches a player gets, the more chances they have to score fantasy points for your team.  Having the right RB1 on your team can really give you a leg up on your competition and, sometimes, just might win you your league.

With that in mind, here are Pyromaniac®com's top-10 running backs for 2011:

10. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers

Once again, despite being a late-first round/early-second round draft pick, Frank Gore managed to disappoint his many fantasy owners in 2010. 

That’s not to say he didn’t have a decent season, because he did, but injuries have plagued this kid for four-years straight now with this last one ending up the worst of them.

So should fantasy owners be down on Frank the Tank?  Absolutely, but get over it, and here's why:

First, the ‘Niners offensive line was completely revamped in 2010 and should be a ton better this season despite the loss of guard David Baas.

Second, and most importantly, the ‘Niners went out and grabbed one of the best up-and-coming coaches in the business to run the team in Jim Harbaugh. 

What makes this move particularly sweet for Gore is that along with Harbaugh also comes the West Coast offense, a system that happens to be perfect for Frank’s style of play. 

In fact, I wouldn’t be overly shocked to see Gore approach 300-plus carries for the first time since 2006 (injuries notwithstanding), which coincidentally was his finest fantasy season to date.

The guy is in the prime of his career and completely recovered from that hip injury he had last season.  The possibility of his missing a couple of games may be larger than most, but he’s a game-changer for your fantasy team when he plays.

For Frank Gore's 2011 pros and cons and the rest of his fantasy outlook, CLICK HERE

Check out the 2011 Pyro® Draft Kit

9. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons

Despite being listed at just 5’10”, Turner tips the scales at a whopping 244 pounds, most of which can be found compacted in his massive lower body. 

For those who don’t know what a centaur is, it’s a mythological beast that possesses the head, arms, and torso of a man, yet stands upon the lower body and legs of a horse.  Take one look at this guy and you’ll see the similarities.

After an injury-plagued 2009 season, it didn’t surprise me in the slightest to see Turner end up ninth in the 2010 fantasy rankings while regaining his spot back inside the top 10.  The guy is a beast, as he showed back in 2008 when put up some monstrous numbers including 1,699 rushing yards on 377 attempts with 17 TDs.  He also ended up second in fantasy points with 276.

I’m a bit nervous about his offseason groin surgery and the 334 rushes he amassed last year, but the talent Atlanta surrounded him with should take some pressure off and keep him healthy through 2011.

  His lack of third-down capabilities is a negative as well, but the guy carries a load with the best of ‘em and can sometimes carry your fantasy team for weeks at a time.  He’s steady, but not spectacular.

For Michael Turner's 2011 pros and cons and the rest of his fantasy outlook, CLICK HERE

Check out the 2011 Pyro® Draft Kit

8. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars

First of all, it needs to be noted that MJD loves his fantasy football.  So much so that he not only plays in leagues during the year, but the addiction is so severe that he even hosted his own weekly fantasy show on Sirius Radio called “Runnin’ with MJD."

Think what you want, but if that’s not a true commitment to his fantasy owners across the country, I don’t know what is.

Second, another show of his love for football (fantasy or otherwise) was his decision to forgo knee surgery in August of ’10 and instead opt to play out the season with a painfully torn meniscus.  Controversial?  Absolutely, but the surgery necessary to fix his knee would have sidelined him for a considerable chunk of the season, an option the Wrecking Ball would simply not entertain.

The word out of Jones-Drew’s camp is that his surgery went off without a hitch.  If what he’s telling reporters is true, then he’s fine and his leg shouldn’t be a problem this year.

Considering Maurice stays in great shape and is in the prime of his career at just 26-years old, I’m going to buy what he’s selling.  However, I simply cannot ignore the injury risk that must now be attached to him.  That and the fact that the Jaguars have done little to nothing to improve the offense around him has MJD falling out of his normal spot in the top-five RBs all the way down to the eight spot.

For Maurice Jones-Drew's 2011 pros and cons and the rest of his fantasy outlook, CLICK HERE

Check out the 2011 Pyro® Draft Kit

7. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders

McFadden was a guy I was skeptical about heading into 2010, but it looks as if the real Darren McFadden has finally shown up, and none too late for the rabid Raider Nation.

Though originally selected in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft (fourth overall) after Raiders owner Al Davis fell in love with his speed (he ran a 4.33 40 at the combine), Darren’s first two seasons were a huge disappointment.  Not only were his statistics pedestrian at best, but “Run DMC” proved to be both injury-prone (played in only 25 out of 32 games) and extremely soft as a runner (3.77 YPC) as well.

However, Al Davis refused to admit failure.

McFadden would then put up a 2010 season with stats that would nearly match or out-do his numbers from the previous two years combined.  On just 223 carries, Darren gained 1,157 yards (12th in the NFL) on 5.2 yards per carry while catching 47 passes for 507 yards.  On top of that, McFadden also put up 10 total touchdowns (seven rushing, three receiving) and 226.4 total fantasy points (sixth in the league) for a whopping average of 17.4 fantasy points per week (second only to Arian Foster).

If McFadden can somehow stay healthy while continuing this stellar pace of play, fantasy owners will easily be looking at a top-five fantasy back in 2011.  However, there are a lot of “ifs” when it comes to Run DMC, so he slips out of my top five and into the seventh slot because of it.

For Darren McFadden's 2011 pros and cons and the rest of his fantasy outlook, CLICK HERE

Check out the 2011 Pyro® Draft Kit

6. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles

I’ll admit, I wasn’t the slightest bit sold on LeSean McCoy heading into the 2010 season.  However, for as lost as he looked throughout his 2009 rookie campaign, the 22-year-old running back seemed equally as comfortable with his role in the Eagles’ offense in 2010.

Just two weeks into the year, LeSean got my attention as he had already accumulated 210 total yards, nine receptions, four rushing touchdowns, an average of 6.7 yards per carry and 22.5 fantasy points per game. 

After five weeks, those numbers were still going strong with 583 total yards, 28 receptions, five rushing TDs, a 5.4 YPC and 17.7 fantasy points per game.

At this point, I had no choice but to rethink my first impression, but I still needed one question answered:  Could a diminutive 5’10”, 198-pound back withstand the rigors of a full 16-game season?

The reply would turn out to be a resounding ‘Yes’.

LeSean certainly has speed and explosiveness, as well as the receiving skills to keep defenses guessing.  However, what I didn’t figure into the equation was that he also owns a deceptive amount of strength and the tenacity it takes to be an exceptional between-the-tackles runner.

These features, along with his other obvious skills, shoot this fantasy force up into the sixth slot in my rankings.  All signs point up for McCoy in 2011, so don’t fall asleep on him come draft day.

For LeSean McCoy's 2011 pros and cons and the rest of his fantasy outlook, CLICK HERE

Check out the 2011 Pyro® Draft Kit

5. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs

With all the changes that took place in Kansas City before the start of the 2010 season, nobody really knew what to expect or how running back Jamaal “The Ostrich” Charles would fit in.

The answer is, he fit in just fine.

The statistics Charles was able to accumulate over the course of the 2010 season are simply staggering.

First off, he gained 1,467 rushing yards on just 230 carries for a 6.38 YPC.  That’s right, 6.38 yards per carry!!!!!  This is not a number to be taken lightly, folks.  Only one other player in the history of the league (minimum 150-plus carries) put up a higher YPC (Jim Brown in 1963 had a 6.40 YPC).  That, my friends, is unbelievable.

But, of course, the numbers don’t end there.

Charles also collected 1,935 total yards on just 275 touches, 468 receiving yards, 45 receptions, eight TDs (five rushing, three receiving) and, most importantly, 241.5 fantasy points, good for fourth among running backs in 2010.

By the end of the season, I was reminded that when it comes to fantasy football, you really can’t judge a book by its cover because, more often than not, talent wins out in the end.

Yes, the Chiefs drafting WR Jonathan Baldwin in the first round and picking up WR Steve Breaston scares me a bit as they might turn to the pass more this season than last (the Chiefs finished first in the NFL in rushing attempts and yards in 2010).  And yes, I’m a little nervous that Thomas Jones is still around to take away carries and possible goal-line opportunities.  But like I said, talent usually wins out in the end, and I simply can’t slot Charles lower than fifth on my list because of it.

For Jamaal Charles' 2011 pros and cons and the rest of his fantasy outlook, CLICK HERE

Check out the 2011 Pyro® Draft Kit

4. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens

I have to admit, I wasn’t incredibly high on the 5’8”, 212-pound Rice going into this offseason… but things have changed a bit in Baltimore since then.

During the past couple of seasons, Rice was in a constant fight for goal-line touches with the bigger Willis McGahee, a battle he not often won.  Now, however, he’ll have a chance to jump into the double-digit TD range as the Ravens decided to let McGahee sign with the Broncos.  Nothing could be huger for a guy with Ray’s fantasy potential than to suddenly be told he may never come out of the game…

Or could it?

Baltimore, in all its wisdom, found a way to make Rice’s job even easier.

Their 2010 fullback, LeRon McClain, was asking for more carries this upcoming season and since the Ravens didn’t really want that to happen, they let him go.  Bad call?  Maybe, especially since McClain was such a good lead-blocker.

Unless, of course, you go out and sign the best lead-blocker in the business to replace him.

Fullback Vonta Leach is known as one of the best in the game at leading the way for his running back.  Last season in Houston, Leach led Arian Foster, a former undrafted RB who had started just one game in his career, to both an NFL rushing title and fantasy points title.

Honestly, I don’t think the Ravens could have done any better in boosting Ray Rice’s fantasy value for 2011.  Well, except maybe when they decided to open up the passing game and stretch the defense when they drafted speedster Torrey Smith in the second round and the dynamic Tandon Doss in the fourth.

I’m telling you, the force is strong with R2 this year.

For Ray Rice's 2011 pros and cons and the rest of his fantasy outlook, CLICK HERE

Check out the 2011 Pyro® Draft Kit

3. Arian Foster, Houston Texans

Not only was Arian Foster the first non-QB to win the fantasy points scoring title since 2006 (LaDainian Tomlinson), but he was probably one of the most unexpected players to win the title since fantasy football first began.  Wherever he was snatched up last season, I have no doubt he was the steal of the draft. 

With eight 100-yard rushing efforts, seven multi-TD games, 66 receptions and just two games where he put up less than double-digit fantasy points (Weeks 5 and 15), Arian took both the real and fantasy football world by surprise and should have easily ran away with your league’s MVP award (Michael Vick included).

Of course, as there always are, a couple of other players (such as Brandon Lloyd and Peyton Hillis) shocked the fantasy world as well.  But for as good as they were, neither of them were able to sustain their tyranny over the league the way Foster did.

In fact, Arian’s three highest -scoring weeks in 2010 were his first game (41.8 fantasy points), his eighth game (31.7 fantasy points), and his 16th game (31.0 fantasy points).  That’s consistency, folks.

Needless to say, the explosion young Mr. Foster put forth in 2010 was for real folks.  He may not win the scoring title again in 2011, but he’ll definitely be in the hunt.

The Texans offense stayed relatively intact through the offseason, and even though his lead blocker (Vonta Leach) moved on to go block for Ray Rice and the Ravens, he should still be able to put up some pretty grand numbers this season. 

I’m a little worried about the possibility of injury seeing that he played all of 2010 with a torn meniscus, but not enough to rank him lower than this.

For Arian Foster's 2011 pros and cons and the rest of his fantasy outlook, CLICK HERE

Check out the 2011 Pyro® Draft Kit

2. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

There wasn’t a lot of faith in Purple Jesus heading into the 2010 season, and there doesn’t seem to be a lot of talk about him heading into this one either.  Granted, his final 2010 statistics might have been a bit low for his standards (1,298 rushing yards, 13 total TDs), but he was still the lone bright spot in a Vikings offense that struggled the whole year through.

The fact is, his overall numbers put him in the top-three in total fantasy points by the end of the season and though it may have been the lowest rushing output of his career, by no means should Peterson take the blame for it himself.

The overall offensive game-plan employed by former Vikings head coach Brad Childress could at best be considered ridiculous.  Brad had his head stuck so far up Brett Favre’s ass that he wound up using Purple Jesus only sparingly in some games while never quite committing to the run at all.

It’s tough to be a running back in the NFL when your head-coach’s idol happens to be the quarterback running his team.

Enter new head coach Leslie Frazier, who has already gone on record as saying he plans on rededicating the Vikings to a run-first attack next year.

The addition of Donovan McNabb will also help as it might have been hell on wheels for Adrian if rookie QB Christian Ponder had taken over from Day 1.  Losing Sidney Rice may hurt, but the guy barely played last year anyway, so who cares.

The Vikings also have one of the easiest schedules against the run this year, so...

So when you wipe away all the empty talk and gibberish, theory and blather, what ifs, claptrap and all the other sorts of hocus-pocus mumbo-jumbo, what makes the biggest difference is which guy has the most talent out on the field.  When you remember that, Adrian Peterson pretty much stands alone.

For Adrian Peterson's 2011 pros and cons and the rest of his fantasy outlook, CLICK HERE

Check out the 2011 Pyro® Draft Kit

1. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

Considering the helter-skelter season Chris Johnson just had in what might be seen as a “down-year," it may seem a bit odd that I’m listing him as fantasy’s No. 1 running back heading into 2011.  Despite his current holdout, I’m here to explain why it’s not.

Back in 1984, at the age of 24, first ballot Hall-of-Fame running back, Eric Dickerson, ran for an NFL record 2,105 yards on 379 carries with 14 TDs.  As could be expected, his statistics the following season (1985) plummeted to a “measly” 1,234 yards, 292 carries and 12 TDs.

In 1973, at age 26, O.J. Simpson became the first man to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season (2,003 to be exact) and did so on 332 carries.  He also added 12 TDs and mind you, this was when the NFL played just 14 games.  Of course, as it was with Dickerson, Simpson’s stats fell the next year, dropping to a mere 1,125 yards on 270 carries (along with only three TDs).

My point here is this:  Both Dickerson and O.J. returned to the field after their incredible 2,000-yard seasons with not only a lot of mileage on their legs from the year before, but also with a bulls-eye on their backs for opposing defenses to take aim at.  As was expected, those two factors took their tolls and held each of them to what would decidedly be considered “down years” in their following seasons.

The same exact thing happened to Chris Johnson.  EXACTLY the same thing.

However, there’s a kicker to all of this…

In the seasons following those “down years” for both Dickerson and O.J., care to take a guess at how they fared?

To find out the answer to this question and the reasoning behind Chris Johnson being ranked the No. 1 running back heading into the 2011 season, CLICK HERE

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Check out the 2011 Pyro® Draft Kit