| Running
Back Rankings - Dynasty |
| Rk |
Player |
Seasons |
Position
Rank '08 |
Yrs in Top 12
(Since 2000) |
Yrs in Top 24
(Since 2000) |
Projected Top 24
Seasons
(Next 3 Yrs) |
| 1 |
Adrian
Peterson, MIN (24) |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
| Peterson
is the purest runner currently in the NFL. It d be nice
if he could get more involved in the Vikings passing
game, but there s little to complain about. He s a threat
to rush for over 1500 yards and 10-15 touchdowns every
season. |
| 2 |
Matt Forte, CHI (23) |
1 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
| Forte
dazzled as a rookie last season. Playing on a lackluster
Bears offense he still managed to record over 1700 total
yards and score 11 times. His 64 receptions were also
an impressive feat. |
| 3 |
Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC (24) |
3 |
9 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
| With Fred
Taylor s departure this offseason, Jones-Drew finally
gets his chance as Jacksonville s primary ball carrier.
He s totaled over 1100 yards and 9-15 touchdowns in
the past while sharing the load with Taylor. His numbers
are now likely to improve. |
| 4 |
Steve Slaton, HOU (23) |
1 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
| Slaton
s another rookie that impressed last season. He reached
the end zone 10 times, posted 50 receptions, and totaled
over 1600 yards. The Texans decision to not draft a
RB this year can only mean more good things to come
for Slaton. |
| 5 |
DeAngelo Williams, CAR (26) |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
| Some may
consider Williams performance last season that of a
one-year wonder. If you watched him play however, he
looked like the best rusher in the league; aside from
Peterson. Jonathan Stewart will steal carries and some
touchdowns, but the Panthers run a lot and Williams
will be featured often. |
| 6 |
Chris
Johnson, TEN (23) |
1 |
11 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
| Like Forte
and Slaton, Johnson made his mark known as a rookie
last season. His talents were so impressive LenDale
White was pushed into the background. On a team that
runs as much as the Titans, he ll see plenty of touches
with enough scoring opportunities to satisfy his owners
despite many goal line carries going to White. |
| 7 |
Steven Jackson, STL (26) |
5 |
13 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
| When healthy
Jackson is one of the elite fantasy backs in the league.
The problem is he gets banged up too often. At 26 he
should still have some productive seasons left in him,
but he might be a player worth trading before chancing
another injury-shortened season lowering his value. |
| 8 |
Frank Gore, SF (26) |
4 |
14 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
| Gore hasn
t wowed us the past two seasons like he had in 2006,
but he still remains one of the more productive backs
in fantasy. New Head Coach Mike Singletary s run first
approach should bring about more production from Gore
in the years ahead. |
| 9 |
Marion Barber, DAL (26) |
4 |
16 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
| Barber
is a player who s value is somewhat on the bubble. He
s a back that can run up the middle, catch out of the
backfield, and deliver at the goal line. His rushing
style makes for a lot of wear and tear on his body however.
The presence of Felix Jones and Tashard Choice may also
lighten his workload - which may actually prove beneficial
for him long term. |
| 10 |
Michael Turner, ATL (27) |
5 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
| Turner
won t get many receptions out of the backfield, but
he ll see plenty of carries. He ll have a difficult
time topping last years performance, but he should reach
double-digit touchdowns in the years ahead while rushing
for over 1200 yards. Matt Ryan s quick development along
with the addition of Tony Gonzalez will only serve to
benefit Turner. |
| 11 |
Marshawn Lynch, BUF (23) |
2 |
15 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| Lynch
needs to keep his head on straight, and his 3-game suspension
to start the 09 season has his value down a bit at the
moment, but he is still among the more productive backs
in fantasy. At just 23 his more productive years should
still lie ahead of him. |
| 12 |
Knowshon Moreno, DEN (22) |
R |
* |
* |
* |
2 |
| Moreno
was the first back taken in this years draft and landed
in a good spot. He has little competition for the starting
RB position and will likely start early in his career.
There s a good chance he ll go over 1000 yards as a
rookie. |
| 13 |
LaDainian Tomlinson, SD (30) |
8 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
2 |
| Tomlinson
will likely rank among the top 10 backs yet again this
season, but at 30 years of age his reign as the best
back in fantasy is coming to an end. If your team is
built to win now, keep him. Otherwise it may be best
to trade him to the highest bidder. |
| 14 |
Clinton Portis, WAS (28) |
7 |
8 |
6 |
6 |
2 |
| Most people
don t envision Portis as an elite back anymore, but
he still plugs away for over 1500 total yards and about
10 touchdowns per season. His bottom will fall out sooner
or later, but he should still have another 2-3 productive
years left in him. |
| 15 |
Ryan Grant, GB (26) |
3 |
22 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| Grant
was a surprise performer for the Packers in 07 before
slugging his way through a mediocre campaign a year
ago. Beginning the season with a lingering hamstring
strain didn t help his cause any however. The year ahead
will go a long way in determining Grant s true value. |
| 16 |
Ronnie Brown, MIA (27) |
4 |
17 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| Brown
has never really met the expectations placed upon him
since being drafted second overall in 2005. Nonetheless
talk of a breakout season always seems to surround him.
He hasn t been a bad performer, he just hasn t been
a stellar one. |
| 17 |
Pierre Thomas, NO (24) |
2 |
21 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| Thomas
went undrafted in 07 before then beating out fourth
round pick Antonio Pittman to make the Saints roster.
He made a good impression as a rookie and led the Saints
in rushing last year. He ll be used in tandem with Reggie
Bush, but is likely to be New Orleans primary ball carrier
the next few seasons. |
| 18 |
Kevin Smith, DET (22) |
1 |
18 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| Smith
had a solid debut as a rookie last year, but some feel
he isn t the best fit for new Offensive Coordinator
Scott Linehan s system in Detroit. Smith has a one year
trial to show he can make it work, but at the moment
it s important not to overvalue him. |
| 19 |
Jonathan
Stewart, CAR (22) |
1 |
24 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
| It was
thought Stewart would become the primary ball carrier
in Carolina after being selected thirteenth overall
in the 2008 draft. DeAngelo Williams got first crack
at the starting job however and made the most of it.
The Panthers run the ball so often though that it wouldn
t be out of the question for them to have two backs
post 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns each at some point
within the next few years. |
| 20 |
Reggie Bush, NO (24) |
3 |
35 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| In comparison
to what was expected of Bush in the NFL, it seems safe
to label him a bust. He does record a lot of receptions
out of the Saints backfield however, making him a valuable
asset in PPR leagues. He ll also provide you with about
500-600 rushing yards and 6-8 touchdowns per season. |
| 21 |
Brandon Jacobs, NYG (27) |
4 |
12 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| Jacobs
is a beast on the field, but tends to get banged up
too often to put together any monster like seasons.
He s averaged over five yards per carry the last two
years, but has been limited to roughly 210 carries per
season. When healthy he tends to deliver the goods. |
| 22 |
Brian Westbrook, PHI (30) |
7 |
10 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
| Unfortunately
it appears age is beginning to catch up to Brian Westbrook.
He ll be 30 at the start of the 09 season and will begin
losing touches to LeSean McCoy either this year or next.
His recent ankle surgery also has his value down at
the moment. He may squeak out another year or two of
worthwhile productivity, but the end is near for the
Eagles franchise back. |
| 23 |
Darren McFadden, OAK (22) |
1 |
43 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| A turf
toe injury kept McFadden from proving his true worth
as a rookie, but he should be good to go at the start
of 2009. Justin Fargas and/or Michael Bush will eat
into his touches, but Oakland is a run first offense
that will find a way to keep McFadden involved provided
he s healthy. |
| 24 |
Joseph Addai, IND (26) |
3 |
37 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| Addai
s value took a huge hit last season. His performance
was horrendous. The Colts use of a first round pick
on Donald Brown won t comfort Addai owners any either.
He may bounce back with a solid season in 09, but any
thoughts of him being an elite back in fantasy leagues
has quickly diminished. |
| 25 |
Ray Rice, BAL (22) |
1 |
UR |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| Ray Rice
had a fair outing with the playing time he got as a
rookie last season and is now running with the Ravens
first team offense while Willis McGahee recovers from
arthroscopic knee surgery. He ll likely split carries
with McGahee and Le Ron McClain during the year, but
the opportunity is there for Rice to emerge as the Ravens
featured back. |
| 26 |
Chris Wells, ARI (21) |
R |
* |
* |
* |
2 |
| Wells
was considered the best running back prospect in this
years draft before a foot injury lowered his value.
He ended up going to the Cardinals with the 31st overall
selection. He s likely to start right away in Arizona,
but he alone won t be able to turn around the teams
rushing woes overnight. |
| 27 |
Willie Parker, PIT (28) |
5 |
39 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
| Parker
remains the starter in Pittsburgh, but sooner or later
he s bound to give way to the younger RaShard Mendenhall.
He may have another year or two left in him as the primary
ball carrier before being pushed to the background. |
| 28 |
Donald
Brown, IND (22) |
R |
* |
* |
* |
1 |
| Brown
s an intriguing prospect for the simple fact he landed
on a team with a high scoring offense. Joseph Addai
will likely remain the starter, but expect Brown to
get worked into the rotation. With Addai s growing reputation
for being soft, Brown could become the primary ball
carrier sooner rather than later in Indianapolis. |
| 29 |
LeSean
McCoy, PHI (21) |
R |
* |
* |
* |
1 |
| The only
knock on McCoy is that he needs to become a better blocker
in order to earn prolonged playing time on the field.
He s expected to make a great compliment to Brian Westbrook
in Philadelphia. He may get worthwhile playing time
as a rookie, but over the next two years he should really
blossom. |
| 30 |
Rashard
Mendenhall, PIT (22) |
1 |
UR |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Mendenhall
s rookie campaign was cut short after just four games
thanks to a broken shoulder blade. His recovery is reported
to be well ahead of schedule however and he is back
practicing with the team in preparation for the 09 season.
He ll take over as the featured back in Pittsburgh sooner
or later, it s just a matter of when. |
| 31 |
LenDale White, TEN (24) |
3 |
20 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
| White
lost his role as the featured back in Tennessee thanks
to the emergence of Chris Johnson last year. He still
gets a fair amount carries however, and that along with
his ability to punch it in from the goal line makes
him a valuable #3 RB in fantasy leagues. |
| 32 |
Larry Johnson, KC (29) |
6 |
32 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
| Johnson
s best days are clearly behind him, but he may be able
to crank out another 1000-yard season in the next year
or two. His value is clearly on the decline though,
and there s a chance Jamaal Charles will begin taking
touches from Johnson if he under performs. |
| 33 |
Derrick Ward, TB (29) |
5 |
23 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Ward had
a career year for himself last season before signing
with the Buccaneers as a free agent. He ll be used in
tandem with Earnest Graham, but should provide good
value as a #3 RB or borderline #2 over the next year
or two. |
| 34 |
Cedric Benson, CIN (26) |
4 |
41 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| After
being released by the Bears during the offseason, Benson
managed to latch on with the Bengals last year and earn
a second chance in the NFL. It s hard to fathom he ll
be a long term solution for the Bengals at running back,
but it seems he ll be their primary ball carrier for
another year or two. |
| 35 |
Shonn Greene, NYJ (24) |
R |
* |
* |
* |
1 |
| The first
pick in the third round of this years draft, Greene
will likely get the chance to start for the Jets within
the next year or two. Thomas Jones is the current starter,
but at 31 his career is nearing it s end. Leon Washington
will likely remain in his role as a change of pace back
rather than an every down player at the postion. |
| 36 |
Julius Jones, SEA (28) |
5 |
49 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| It doesn
t seem right, but somehow Julius Jones is still clinging
to a starting job in the NFL. He s as mediocre as they
get, but as a starter, he holds value in fantasy leagues.
His value will take a big drop once he s replaced in
Seattle though. |
| 37 |
Jerious Norwood, ATL (26) |
3 |
44 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| It d be
nice if Norwood could get more playing time in Atlanta,
but playing behind Michael Turner it s unlikely that
will happen anytime soon. Expect him to continue putting
up the same type of numbers he has been over the next
few years. |
| 38 |
Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG (23) |
2 |
UR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| With the
departure of Derrick Ward, Bradshaw will be given the
opportunity to fill his shoes. He should produce a fair
level of success, but he ll face competition for playing
time from fourth round pick Andre Brown if he fails
to perform as expected. |
| 39 |
Felix
Jones, DAL (22) |
1 |
UR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Felix
Jones looked good with the few touches he had last season,
but a hamstring injury caused him to miss four games
before toe surgery then forced him to miss the remainder
of the season. He s expected to factor into the offense
much more this year, but it s hard to truly determine
his value while Marion Barber stands in his way. |
| 40 |
Leon
Washington, NYJ (27) |
3 |
29 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Washington
s value lies along the same lines as that of Jerious
Norwood. He s a year older though and playing on a team
that is being rebuilt, so he ll likely struggle a bit
more. He makes for a solid #3 option in most leagues. |
| 41 |
Michael
Bush, OAK (25) |
2 |
UR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Michael
Bush could be considered a fair sleeper option, but
at the moment there are no guarantees he ll eat into
either Fargas or McFadden s touches. McFadden will get
his, so it s dependant on whether Bush can overtake
Fargas role in the offense. If he does Oakland runs
the ball enough that Bush would be a worthwhile third
option at running back. |
| 42 |
Jamaal
Charles, KC (22) |
1 |
UR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Jamaal
Charles was a third round pick of the Chiefs a year
ago. If Larry Johnson faulters he ll get a crack at
the starting job, but he has a lot to prove before holding
much value at the moment. |
| 43 |
Earnest
Graham, TB (29) |
5 |
45 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Graham
had his moment in the sun a couple years ago, but at
29 he isn t a long term solution to anyone’s need
at RB. The addition of Derrick Ward doesn t help his
value any either. |
| 44 |
Laurence Maroney, NE (24) |
3 |
UR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Maroney
s young enough that he still has a chance to get his
career going, but he s been a disappointment so far.
Injuries have kept him off the field too often and the
myriad of backs used in New England prevents him from
being a candidate for a breakout season. |
| 45 |
Jamal Lewis, CLE (30) |
9 |
25 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
| Jamal
Lewis continues to plug away for a 1000 yards a season,
but sooner or later that run will come to an end. At
the age of 30 come the opener, it s hard count on Lewis
producing like he has in the past beyond this year. |
| 46 |
Thomas
Jones, NYJ (31) |
9 |
5 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
| Jones
is coming off a career year for himself, but like Lewis
it s hard to envision him playing at a high level much
longer. He ll be 31 at the start of the year and his
future beyond this season is questionable. |
| 47 |
Justin
Fargas, OAK (29) |
6 |
46 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Fargas
has given the Raiders fair production the last two seasons,
but at this point they may be the best he ll have in
his career. Darren McFadden is going to be pushed as
the featured back and Michael Bush may soon become the
other man as part of the tandem in Oakland. |
| 48 |
Chester Taylor, MIN (29) |
7 |
38 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| Taylor
s never going to be a featured back again at this point
in his career, but between his touchdowns, total yardage,
and number of receptions he ll be a worthwhile third
or fourth option in leagues for another year or two. |
| 49 |
Willis
McGahee, BAL (27) |
6 |
31 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
| McGahee
will hang around the league for a while, but at the
moment it seems he s headed to more of a back up role
in Baltimore. If Ray Rice shines with the opportunities
he ll get this season, McGahee won t be any better than
a #3 RB in fantasy leagues the next few years. |
| 50 |
Glen
Coffee, SF (22) |
R |
* |
* |
* |
0 |
| Coffee
was an early third round pick of the 49ers this season.
He ll serve as the back-up to Frank Gore, but dependent
upon just how much Singletary desires to run the ball
- and how heavy a workload Gore can handle - Coffee
may get an early opportunity to be worked into San Francisco
s offense. |
