Fantasy Football Rankings 2011: 8 Players Who Require Backup

As fantasy football seasons get ready to kickoff, here are eight players who may require some help if they are on your roster.

There is nothing worse than drafting a RB who loses touchdowns at the goal line or drafting a top flight QB who will miss several games with an injury.

If you own one of the following eight players, it would be wise to also draft their backups.

RB Tim Hightower

Tim Hightower is currently listed as the starting running back for the Washington Redskins. However, Hightower proved in Arizona that he can't always be relied upon to be a consistent fantasy producer. He has been prone to fumbling and Washington has several other options at the position.

If he can stay healthy, Ryan Torain may emerge as the starting running back if Hightower falters. It is also possible that rookie Roy Helu could steal some goal line carries due to his size.

If you own Hightower in your fantasy league this season, it would be wise to keep either Torain or Helu on your bench as insurance in case of a shakeup in the nation's capital.

RB Beanie Wells

With the departure of Tim Hightower, Beanie Wells is finally poised to be the starting RB for the Arizona Cardinals. Wells has been a big disappointment so far in his career and there is no reason to expect that to change very much this season.

Do to Wells' inconsistency, it would be a good idea to keep the newly signed Chester Taylor on your fantasy bench. If Wells fails to get in the end zone on a regular basis, it is a real possibility that Taylor will take the bulk of the goal line carries.

Protect yourself from more disappointment from Wells, and keep Taylor on your bench this season.

RB Knowshon Moreno

Knowshon Moreno is poised to have a solid season for the Denver Broncos in 2011. However, it is important to note that he has been injury prone in the past.

Moreno only had five touchdowns in 13 games last season. In the offseason the Broncos added RB Willis McGahee.

It is a real possibility that McGahee will get the bulk of the goal line carries and he may even lead Denver in total touchdowns.

If you own Moreno, it would be a very wise decision to stow McGahee on your bench.

RB Joseph Addai

Durability is the main reason that Joseph Addai made this list. After several seasons of missing numerous games due to injury, Addai just cannot be relied upon to start every game. In fact, he has not started a full season since his rookie year.

Due to his durability issues, it may be wise to also draft Donald Brown. However, ever if Addai gets injured and Brown takes over, there is no guarantee that he will be much of an improvement. Brown only had one 100 yard game after he took over for Addai last season.

If you drafted Addai as your second or third running back, you might want to be on the safe side and keep Brown on your bench as a back-up.

RB DeAngelo Williams

After a lost season in 2010, DeAngelo Williams is looking to have a bounce back campaign in 2011. He certainly has the talent to do so and with a young quarterback, the Carolina Panthers might lean on their running game more heavily than in years past.

That being said, it is still important to remember that the injury that took Williams out last season was to his foot. A foot injury is one of the worst injuries for a running back to have. If he injures his foot this season, you will be glad that you have have a backup RB.

If you drafted Williams this season, make sure you try and keep Jonathon Stewart on your bench. In case of a Williams injury or lack of performance, Stewart could step in as Carolina's starter and be quite successful as well.

RB Ryan Mathews

It is likely that the San Diego Chargers will begin the 2011 season with Ryan Mathews as their starting RB. However, due to his running style, fullback Mike Tolbert could once again see most of the goal line carries.

If he can stay healthy and prove that he can get into the end zone consistently, it is possible that Mathews will be a great fantasy producer this season.

However, if he gets hurt or if he struggles to score, Tolbert could once again be a major factor in the Chargers' running game. If you are a Mathews owner in your fantasy league, do what you can to keep Tolbert on your bench.

RB Ahmad Bradshaw

Last season, New York Giants' RB Ahmad Bradshaw proved to be a pleasant surprise to many fantasy owners. He rushed for 1,235 yards and had eight touchdowns last season. He got the bulk of carries on the team as Brandon Jacobs seemed to be in the doghouse.

However, later in the season, Jacobs once again showed his talent and rebounded to average 5.6 yards per carry and nine touchdowns. Jacobs has also so far looked better than Bradshaw this preseason.

Another important fact to note is that Bradshaw had six fumbles last season while Jacobs only had two. It is possible that Bradshaw proves to be the better fantasy option in 2011, but having Jacobs on your bench is a great idea. Jacobs could even emerge to be the type of runner he was in 2009 when he rushed for over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns.

QB Peyton Manning

For the past several seasons, Peyton Manning has been a true star at the QB position for fantasy owners. He is usually one of the first QBs taken in fantasy drafts and has never failed to be a consistent point producer.

However, this season might be different. Manning is coming off neck surgery he had in the offseason and is unlikely to play in week one. It is also a possibility that he misses more time then that.

If you took a risk and drafted Manning this year, it would be a very wise decision to make sure you have Kerry Collins on your bench. The Colts have enough talent on their team that Collins should be capable of putting up decent points in place of Manning.

If there are more talented quarterbacks available in your league, then you may consider using one of them in place of Manning. However, Collins will be a good fill-in until Manning returns later this season.