2006 Fantasy Football Tiered Rankings: Running Backs
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You'll find very little disagreement from one owner to the next on who the top three picks in any draft should be. Opinions vary, however, on exactly which order The Big Three should be selected. Larry Johnson seemed to be the consensus #1 following his spectacular showing in relief of an injured Priest Holmes. In each of LJ's nine starts, he gained at least (at least) 149 total yards and he scored two or more TDs in seven of those games. His low rushing total during that span? A paltry 107 yards. He topped 200 twice and 160 once while also notching two 3-touchdown games. If you've got the first pick this year, it's a no-brainer, right?
Well...maybe not. Mr. MVP, Shaun Alexander, rumbled for a league-high 1,880 rushing yards and topped 140 yards in a game six times while eclipsing the century mark a total of 11 times. Oh, right, and he also set the NFL record with 28 total TDs, marking the fifth-straight year he's scored at least 14 touchdowns. There may not be a steadier fantasy back in football. And then there's LaDainian Tomlinson, 2005's favorite choice with the #1 overall pick. Man, LT really disappointed last season, didn't he? Just 1,832 total yards, 1,462 on the ground, and 20 touchdowns? What a stinkin' bum.
Fact of the matter is, if you wind up anywhere in the top-three of your draft, you're pretty much sittin' pretty because LJ, LT and Alexander are all, barring injury, guaranteed to give you elite production from your RB1 slot all season. Of course, they aren't the only guys you can count on week in and week out. Tiki Barber may be 31 but he looked younger than half the backs in the league last year on his way to a career-best 1,860 yards and 11 total touchdowns, Cliton Portis bounced back from a disappointing first year in Washington to the tune of 1,516 rushing yards and 11 TDs, Lamont Jordan broke out in his first season as a featured back, and Cadillac Williams set the league on fire, in spurts anyway, as a rookie.
The most important thing when drafting your backs is, don't get cute. Get your two workhorses early and don't be afraid to back them up with another good RB a couple rounds later. You can find values at QB and WR in the middle rounds but most of the starting backs will be long gone by then. Don't miss out.
NOTE: Numbers in parentheses represent Average Draft Position (ADP) from AntSports.com for drafts conducted 7/1-7/17. Any player rankings based on AntSports.com's High Performance Scoring system.
THE BIG THREE
Larry Johnson, KC (1.01)
16 games, 1,750 rushing yards, 5.2 yds/carry, 20 TD; 33 rec, 343 rec yards, 1 TD
Finished last season on a tear...his starts over the last two years project to a 2000-yard season...new coach and T Willie Roaf's retirement raise questions. (MORE: BE's athlete profile)
LaDainian Tomlinson, SD (1.02)
16 games, 1,462 rushing yards, 4.3 yds/carry, 18 TD; 51 rec, 370 rec yards, 2 TD
Struggled a bit over the last half of 2005...he's got a new QB, but the news is good so far. (MORE: BE's athlete profile)
Shaun Alexander, SEA (1.02)
16 games, 1,880 rushing yards, 5.1 yds/carry, 27 TD; 15 rec, 78 rec yards, 1 TD
#1 RB last season...lost Steve Hutchinson on the OL, but everyone else is back...probably the safest pick of the top 3, assuming he can conquer the "Madden Curse." (MORE: BE's athlete profile)
STUDS
Tiki Barber, NYG (1.05)
16 games, 1,860 rushing yards, 5.2 yds/carry, 9 TD; 54 rec, 530 rec yards, 2 TD
Starting to get the respect he deserves...#2 RB over the last half of 2005...he's an absolute killer in point-per-reception leagues.
Clinton Portis, WAS (1.04)
16 games, 1,516 yards, 4.3 yds/carry, 11 TD; 30 rec, 216 rec yards, 0 TD
Al Saunders brings the KC offense to Washington, and Portis will benefit...finished strong last season.
Edgerrin James, ARI (1.07)
15 games, 1,506 rushing yards, 4.2 yds/carry, 13 TD; 44 rec, 337 rec yards, 1 TD
O-line is still suspect, but all the other pieces are in place for a dynamic Arizona offense...probably won't score like he did in Indy, but should rack up lots of catches. (MORE: BE's athlete profile)
LaMont Jordan, OAK (1.08)
14 games, 1,025 rushing yards, 3.8 yds/carry, 9 TD; 70 rec, 563 rec yards, 2 TD
Great first year for the Raiders, but he's got a new coach who loves to run the ball...should continue to carry the load, even with Aaron Brooks in town...an even stronger pick in PPR leagues.
ON THE VERGE
Steven Jackson, STL (1.07)
15 games, 1,046 rushing yards, 4.1 yds/carry, 8 TD; 43 rec, 320 rec yards, 2 TD
Mike Martz is gone, but so is Marshall Faulk...the only concerns are durability and his weak finish last season.
Brian Westbrook, PHI (2.02)
12 games, 617 rushing yards, 4.0 yds/carry, 3 TD; 61 rec, 616 rec yards, 4 TD
Dearth of talent on offense means that he'll carry the load...Andy Reid will have to be creative to keep him fresh...a great receiver for a RB, but can he pound the ball?...value heightened in PPR leagues.
Rudi Johnson, CIN (1.10)
16 games, 1,458 rushing yards, 4.3 yds/carry, 12 TD; 23 rec, 90 rec yards, 0 TD
Was the #6 RB over the last half of 2005...has proved he can handle the load in one of the league's best offenses, but his QB is coming off a serious injury and Johnson himself is recovering from offseason knee surgery.
Ronnie Brown, MIA (1.09)
15 games, 907 rushing yards, 4.4 yds/carry, 4 TD; 32 rec, 232 rec yards, 1 TD
With Ricky gone, he should shine...the Dolphins are up and coming offensively, and added Daunte Culpepper to the mix...still unproven.
Cadillac Williams, TB (1.11)
14 games, 1,178 rushing yards, 4.1 yds/carry, 6 TD; 20 rec, 81 rec yards, 0 TD
Played better as the season went on...should benefit from the development of Chris Simms...considering durability concerns, Gruden needs to be careful not to wear him out.
BIG QUESTIONS
Kevin Jones, DET (2.10)
13 games, 664 rushing yards, 3.6 yds/carry, 5 TD; 20 rec, 109 rec yards, 0 TD
Regarded as one of the most talented backs in the league, but was a big bust last season...worked on pass-catching in the offseason and should be on the field on third down...will new OC Mike Martz make him the next Faulk?
Willis McGahee, BUF (2.06)
16 games, 1,247 rushing yards, 3.8 yds/carry, 5 TD; 28 rec, 178 rec yards, 0 TD
Decent in the first half, but struggled down the stretch...suffers from anemic passing game...will the knee continue to hold up?
Julius Jones, DAL (2.10)
13 games, 993 rushing yards, 3.9 yds/carry, 5 TD; 35 rec, 218 rec yards, 0 TD
Would be higher if not for the presence of Parcells' favorite Marion Barber III...might end up splitting carries, which would kill his value...needs to stay healthy.
Domanick Davis, HOU (2.02)
11 games, 976 rushing yards, 4.2 yds/carry, 2 TD; 39 rec, 337 rec yards, 4 TD
Breathed a sigh of relief when the Texans passed on Reggie Bush...one of the best in the game when healthy, but lingering knee injury may limit his effectiveness...if he's unable to go, the Texans will continue to hear the Bush grumbling all year...Vernand Morency is a must-handcuff.
Jamal Lewis, BAL (3.06)
15 games, 906 rushing yards, 3.4 yds/carry, 3 TD; 32 rec, 191 rec yards, 1 TD
Was his stint in prison the reason for the down year?...should benefit from the arrival of Steve McNair and a decent passing game...Mike Anderson's presence is a worry, but the job is his and he could prove to be a slight bargain.
Reggie Bush, NO (3.10)
No Stats
Probably won't see a ton of carries with the presence of Deuce McAllister, but he should be very involved in the passing game making him that much more valuable in PPR leagues. (MORE: BE's athlete profile)
SOLID #2's
Corey Dillon, NE (4.09)
12 games, 773 rushing yards, 3.5 yds/carry, 12 TD; 22 rec, 181 rec yards, 1 TD
Won't give up his spot yet...was great over his last six games in 2005...if he stays healthy, he'll outperform this draft position, but rookie Laurence Maroney looms.
Willie Parker, PIT (3.01)
15 games, 1,202 rushing yards, 4.7 yds/carry, 4 TD; 18 rec, 218 rec yards, 1 TD
Boom or bust over the first half of 2005, developed into solid contributor in the last half...Bettis vultured TDs last season, looks like Staley will do the same thing this season...can he be a #1 back?
Warrick Dunn, ATL (3.11)
16 games, 1,416 rushing yards, 5.1 yds/carry, 3 TD; 29 rec, 220 rec yards, 1 TD
Mr. Consistency just keeps on rolling...a good bet to miss the top 10, but a great bet to make the top 25, especially in PPR leagues.
Reuben Droughns, CLE (3.07)
16 games, 1,232 rushing yards, 4.0 yds/carry, 2 TD; 39 rec, 369 rec yards, 0 TD
Isn't going to set the world on fire, but he's a consistent contributor...he's got a new quarterback, but should benefit from the return of Kellen Winslow, Jr....loss of C LeCharles Bentley will limit scoring.
ALMOST FAMOUS
Chester Taylor, MIN (3.09)
15 games, 487 rushing yards, 4.2 yds/carry, 2 TD; 41 rec, 292 rec yards, 1 TD
He's been a quality backup in Baltimore and now he gets his chance in Minnesota...could he be this year's LaMont Jordan?...whoever runs the ball for the Vikings should be good, but Mewelde Moore's presence is worrisome...HC Brad Childress said Taylor will open the season as his starter, so stock is rising.
Cedric Benson, CHI (5.09)
9 games, 272 rushing yards, 4.1 yds/carry, 0 TD; 1 rec, 3 rec yards, 0 TD
The team appears to be dedicated to developing the sophomore back, despite Thomas Jones' stellar play...a Jones trade would help Benson as well.
Joseph Addai, IND (5.06)
No Stats
Probably the rookie back with the best chance to contribute...will have to pick up blitz protections quickly if he hopes to be on the field with Peyton Manning...Colts want him to be The Man, but it'll likely be Dominic Rhodes' job initially.
Tatum Bell, DEN (4.04)
15 games, 921 rushing yards, 5.3 yds/carry, 8 TD; 18 rec, 104 rec yards, 0 TD
Seems like he should be the guy in Denver, but Shanny doesn't appear to be sold on him...Ron Dayne ran with the first team in the minicamps, and Mike Bell and Cedric Cobbs are darkhorses.
DeShaun Foster, CAR (4.05)
15 games, 879 rushing yards, 4.3 yds/carry, 2 TD; 34 rec, 372 rec yards, 1 TD
Great when he's healthy...#14 RB over the last half of 2005...the injury question will follow him around for the rest of his career...the presence of DeAngelo Williams doesn't help either.
Dominic Rhodes, IND (6.07)
13 games, 188 rushing yards, 3.0 yds/carry, 4 TD; 13 rec, 88 rec yards, 0 TD
Served as James' backup for the last few years, but now has to contend with rookie Joseph Addai for the starting spot...neither guy will be very valuable if they split carries, though Rhodes could be useful early in the season.
BIGGER QUESTIONS
Thomas Jones, CHI (5.10)
15 games, 1,335 rushing yards, 4.3 yds/carry, 9 TD; 26 rec, 143 rec yards, 0 TD
Performed admirably as the starter, but may be a backup this season...if that's the case, a trade would do wonders.
Curtis Martin, NYJ (7.02)
12 games, 735 rushing yards, 3.3 yds/carry, 5 TD; 24 rec, 118 rec yards, 0 TD
Word out of New York is that they are going to cut back Martin's workload...this could make him more effective, but C-Mart is in the twilight of his career...early reports on his recovery from knee surgery haven't been encouraging.
Ahman Green, GB (6.06)
5 games, 225 rushing yards, 3.3 yds/carry, 0 TD; 19 rec, 147 rec yards, 0 TD
How quickly they fall...a few years ago, he was a top-five pick, and now he's fighting for a job...Sam Gado outperformed him behind the same line.
Deuce McAllister, NO (5.06)
5 games, 335 rushing yards, 3.6 yds/carry, 3 TD; 5 rec, 117 rec yards, 0 TD
The presence of Reggie Bush is going to hurt McAllister...he probably won't catch the ball much and will mainly run between the tackles since the team will want to utilize Bush's speed on the edge.
Fred Taylor, JAX (6.02)
11 games, 787 rushing yards, 4.1 yds/carry, 3 TD; 13 rec, 83 rec yards, 0 TD
Lots of good news about Taylor's offseason, but it's hard to get excited about a guy with his injury history...Greg Jones should see some action in the red zone and could again steal carries between the 20s.
Chris Brown, TEN (7.04)
15 games, 851 rushing yards, 3.8 yds/carry, 5 TD; 25 rec, 327 rec yards, 2 TD
Productive when he plays...he's got Travis Henry and Lendale White looming behind him...trade talk seems to have died down but still a risky pick.
SLEEPERS
Frank Gore, SF (7.02)
14 games, 608 yards, 4.8 yds/carry, 3 TD; 15 rec, 131 rec yards, 0 TD
Kevan Barlow has proven that he's not a full-time back; is Gore the answer?...he's performed well in limited time so far, but not much is expected of the 49er offense...after offseason surgery on both shoulders, durability questions are legit.
Ron Dayne, DEN (6.11)
10 games, 270 rushing yards, 5.1 yds/carry, 1 TD; 3 rec, 17 rec yards, 0 TD
Every so often, preseason hype gathers around Dayne, and each time he disappoints...is this his year?...he looked great at times for Denver last season, but how will the backfield shake out with Dayne, Bell and Cobbs...should at least be good for some goal line carries.
DeAngelo Williams, CAR (7.08)
No Stats
If Foster falters or gets injured (again), Williams will have a chance to shine...could be the most talented pure runner in this year's rookie crop.
Cedric Houston, NYJ (12.07)
12 games, 302 rushing yards, 3.7 yds/carry, 2 TD; 8 rec, 66 rec yards, 0 TD
With Curtis Martin on the PUP list for a while, Houston will get a chance to run with the first team...if this continues into the season, Houston could be a big surprise...performed well in a few late-season starts last year.
Lendale White, TEN (9.01)
No Stats
Unless one of them is traded, he has to leapfrog Chris Brown and Travis Henry...should get the ball near the goal line, and could be in line for more work later in the season...came into camp in good shape.
Samkon Gado, GB (9.04)
8 games, 582 rushing yards, 4.1 yds/carry 6 TD; 10 rec, 77 rec yards, 1 TD
Ran well last season...he's coming off a knee injury, but is looking to unseat shaky starter Ahman Green...feel-good story last year but with sleeper expectations following him into this season, can Gado deliver?
Greg Jones, JAX (9.12)
14 games, 575 rushing yards, 3.8 yds/carry, 4 TD; 10 rec, 65 rec yards, 0 TD
Still has Fred Taylor ahead of him, but he's proven he is a capable starter when he gets the carries...should vulture his share of TDs.
Marion Barber III, DAL (8.07)
13 games, 538 rushing yards, 3.9 yds/carry, 5 TD; 18 rec, 115 rec yards, 0 TD
Performed well for the Cowboys and seems to be a "Parcells guy."
Mewelde Moore, MIN (11.01)
16 games, 662 rushing yards, 4.3 yds/carry, 1 TD; 37 rec, 339 rec yards, 2 TD
The team signed Chester Taylor, so Moore is going to have to play well in preseason to win the starting job...he has been productive when he gets the snaps...value increases in PPR leagues.
Mike Anderson, BAL (10.12)
15 games, 1,014 rushing yards, 4.2 yds/carry, 12 TD; 18 rec, 212 rec yards, 1 TD
The Jamal Lewis news has been good, which doesn't bode well for Anderson...he's a proven starter and would be valuable if Lewis misses any time.
Laurence Maroney, NE (8.05)
No Stats
The rookie will have to wrest the starting job from Corey Dillon's cold, dead hands.
Brandon Jacobs, NYG (13.09)
16 games, 99 rushing yards, 2.6 yds/carry, 7 TD; 0 rec, 0 rec yards, 0 TD
His value will skyrocket if Tiki goes down for any extended period...will again steal some goal line carries and could be used more often to keep Tiki fresh.
T.J. Duckett , ATL (10.09)
14 games, 380 rushing yards, 3.1 yds/carry, 8 TD; 6 rec, 63 rec yards, 0 TD
Is only valuable when Dunn isn't playing or in TD leagues.
Kevan Barlow, SF (9.11)
12 games, 581 rushing yards, 3.3 yds/carry 3 TD; 31 rec, 241 rec yards, 0 TD
Blew several chances to be a stud...Frank Gore just runs harder than Barlow, and barring a Gore injury, Barlow probably won't see much time.