Top RB's 2007
Running Backs are the most valuable players on your fantasy team. Every owner knows this. Many people believe that if your first two picks are not RB’s you will have a bad season. I am not one of those people. The drop offs are significant among the RB’s and knowing these are super important in my humble opinion.
The consensous number 1 pick in all fantasy drafts this year should be LT. This is a no brainer. After that I like Steven Jackson. His receiving touches make him more valuable than any other back not named Tomlinson. In my opinion these two make up the first drop off.
The next group is a big one. Frank Gore is the best of the bunch. He did break his hand in training camp but he should be fine. Although he did have fumbling problems last year and a broken hand won’t help, I’m not worried. Larry Johnson was originally my number 2 guy but he is holding out and the Chiefs lost Willie Roaf and Will Shields, two of the best O-linemen in football, to retirement. This could hurt LJ especially if he continues to hold out. I like Westbrook, Addai, and Parker equally as they round out this group. Westbrook is the all purpose back in Philly, Addai is the only option in Indy, and Parker’s speed is far too awesome to stop.
Rudi Johnson, Shaun Alexander, and Reggie bush make up the next group. Rudi Johnson is not flashy but he gets it done and the Bengals put up tons of points. Alexander still has it as he showed flashes late last year. Seattle should be better this year if Hasslebeck can stay healthy. Reggie Bush might explode this year. I know the Saints will get him more involved. The only problem is he loses red zone carries to Deuce McAllister.
In the next group I like Travis Henry and Laurence Maroney a lot. I think Maroney will be a capable workhorse in New England and Travis Henry has always been effective when given the carries. Oh, did I mention he is on Denver now! I think I have Jones-Drew a little high but he has such huge big game potential. I just don’t think he will match last years TD numbers. Ronnie Brown and Willis McGahee round out the group. Both guys are disappointments in my opinion and unless forced to I wouldn’t take either of them.
The next group is McAllister to Thomas Jones. Some interesting picks here. We know McAllister will get 10+ TD’s and Barber probably will too. Some experts think that Barber can’t repeat last year but I have no respect for Julius Jones in the red zone. Benson and James should get 80% of the carries for their teams. Thomas Jones will be huge in New York in my opinion but he will share time with Leon Washington. I’m not sure how much but Washington is too explosive to leave on the bench. Lynch is the interesting pick in this group. He will be given every opportunity to succeed in Buffalo and the offense is improving so he could be huge but he is a rookie. I think he would make an awesome number 3 back on any fantasy team.
Clinton Portis to Ahman Green make up the next group. Pretty much every guy in this group has a chance to make the owner that pick him look like a genius or a dumb ass. Portis is obviously the best of the bunch but he is still not fully healed from last year. Carnell Williams is supposed to be a bounce back player but the Tampa O-line still needs improvement. He might hit his stride late in the year though if the O-line can improve. Jacobs, Lewis, and Green should get the bulk of the carries in the offense they play in and there could be some value. Only Jacobs plays on a good team though so remember that. I have no idea what to expect out of Peterson but he could do some damage as a rookie.
Chester Taylor is the last guy in the next group, Vernand Morency rounds out the next group, and finally we end with Adrian Peterson in Chicago. In these last three groups I like Ladell Betts, Jerious Norwood, Tatum Bell (if Kevin Jones can’t go), Brandon Jackson, and Chris Henry.
Rank Player Team Bye
1 Ladanian Tomlinson San Diego 7
2 Steven Jackson St. Louis 9
3 Frank Gore San Francisco 6
4 Larry Johnson Kansas City 8
5 Brian Westbrook Philadelphia 5
6 Joeseph Addai Indianapolis 6
7 Wille Parker Pittsburgh 6
8 Rudi Johsnon Cincinnati 5
9 Shaun Alexander Seattle 8
10 Reggie Bush New Orleans 4
11 Maurice Jones-Drew Jacksonville 4
12 Travis Henry Denver 6
13 Laurence Maroney New England 10
14 Ronnie Brown Miami 9
15 Willis McGahee Baltimore 8
16 Deuce McAllister New Orleans 4
17 Cedric Benson Chicago 9
18 Edgerrin James Arizona 8
19 Marion Barber III Dallas 8
20 Marshawn Lynch Buffalo 6
21 Thomas Jones New York Jets 10
22 Clinton Portis Washington 4
23 Adrian Peterson Minnesota 5
24 Carnell Williams Tampa Bay 10
25 Brandon Jacobs New York Giants 9
26 Jamal Lewis Cleveland 7
27 Ahman Green Houston 10
28 Julius Jones Dallas 8
29 Warrick Dunn Atlanta 8
30 Fred Taylor Jacksonville 4
31 Deangelo Williams Carolina 7
32 Lendale White Tennessee 4
33 Lamont Jordan Oakland 5
34 Ladell Betts Washington 4
35 Chester Taylor Minnesota 5
36 Kevin Jones Detroit 6
37 Tatum Bell Detroit 6
38 Jerious Norwood Atlanta 8
39 Brandon Jackson Green Bay 7
40 Leon Washington New York Jets 10
41 Michael Turner San Diego 7
42 Deshaun Foster Carolina 7
43 Reuben Droughns New York Giants 9
44 Vernand Morency Green Bay 7
45 Chris Henry Tennessee 4
46 Mike Bell Denver 6
47 Anthony Thomas Buffalo 6
48 Corell Buckhalter Philadelphia 5
49 Chris Brown Tennessee 4
50 Adrian Peterson Chicago 9
The consensous number 1 pick in all fantasy drafts this year should be LT. This is a no brainer. After that I like Steven Jackson. His receiving touches make him more valuable than any other back not named Tomlinson. In my opinion these two make up the first drop off.
The next group is a big one. Frank Gore is the best of the bunch. He did break his hand in training camp but he should be fine. Although he did have fumbling problems last year and a broken hand won’t help, I’m not worried. Larry Johnson was originally my number 2 guy but he is holding out and the Chiefs lost Willie Roaf and Will Shields, two of the best O-linemen in football, to retirement. This could hurt LJ especially if he continues to hold out. I like Westbrook, Addai, and Parker equally as they round out this group. Westbrook is the all purpose back in Philly, Addai is the only option in Indy, and Parker’s speed is far too awesome to stop.
Rudi Johnson, Shaun Alexander, and Reggie bush make up the next group. Rudi Johnson is not flashy but he gets it done and the Bengals put up tons of points. Alexander still has it as he showed flashes late last year. Seattle should be better this year if Hasslebeck can stay healthy. Reggie Bush might explode this year. I know the Saints will get him more involved. The only problem is he loses red zone carries to Deuce McAllister.
In the next group I like Travis Henry and Laurence Maroney a lot. I think Maroney will be a capable workhorse in New England and Travis Henry has always been effective when given the carries. Oh, did I mention he is on Denver now! I think I have Jones-Drew a little high but he has such huge big game potential. I just don’t think he will match last years TD numbers. Ronnie Brown and Willis McGahee round out the group. Both guys are disappointments in my opinion and unless forced to I wouldn’t take either of them.
The next group is McAllister to Thomas Jones. Some interesting picks here. We know McAllister will get 10+ TD’s and Barber probably will too. Some experts think that Barber can’t repeat last year but I have no respect for Julius Jones in the red zone. Benson and James should get 80% of the carries for their teams. Thomas Jones will be huge in New York in my opinion but he will share time with Leon Washington. I’m not sure how much but Washington is too explosive to leave on the bench. Lynch is the interesting pick in this group. He will be given every opportunity to succeed in Buffalo and the offense is improving so he could be huge but he is a rookie. I think he would make an awesome number 3 back on any fantasy team.
Clinton Portis to Ahman Green make up the next group. Pretty much every guy in this group has a chance to make the owner that pick him look like a genius or a dumb ass. Portis is obviously the best of the bunch but he is still not fully healed from last year. Carnell Williams is supposed to be a bounce back player but the Tampa O-line still needs improvement. He might hit his stride late in the year though if the O-line can improve. Jacobs, Lewis, and Green should get the bulk of the carries in the offense they play in and there could be some value. Only Jacobs plays on a good team though so remember that. I have no idea what to expect out of Peterson but he could do some damage as a rookie.
Chester Taylor is the last guy in the next group, Vernand Morency rounds out the next group, and finally we end with Adrian Peterson in Chicago. In these last three groups I like Ladell Betts, Jerious Norwood, Tatum Bell (if Kevin Jones can’t go), Brandon Jackson, and Chris Henry.
Rank Player Team Bye
1 Ladanian Tomlinson San Diego 7
2 Steven Jackson St. Louis 9
3 Frank Gore San Francisco 6
4 Larry Johnson Kansas City 8
5 Brian Westbrook Philadelphia 5
6 Joeseph Addai Indianapolis 6
7 Wille Parker Pittsburgh 6
8 Rudi Johsnon Cincinnati 5
9 Shaun Alexander Seattle 8
10 Reggie Bush New Orleans 4
11 Maurice Jones-Drew Jacksonville 4
12 Travis Henry Denver 6
13 Laurence Maroney New England 10
14 Ronnie Brown Miami 9
15 Willis McGahee Baltimore 8
16 Deuce McAllister New Orleans 4
17 Cedric Benson Chicago 9
18 Edgerrin James Arizona 8
19 Marion Barber III Dallas 8
20 Marshawn Lynch Buffalo 6
21 Thomas Jones New York Jets 10
22 Clinton Portis Washington 4
23 Adrian Peterson Minnesota 5
24 Carnell Williams Tampa Bay 10
25 Brandon Jacobs New York Giants 9
26 Jamal Lewis Cleveland 7
27 Ahman Green Houston 10
28 Julius Jones Dallas 8
29 Warrick Dunn Atlanta 8
30 Fred Taylor Jacksonville 4
31 Deangelo Williams Carolina 7
32 Lendale White Tennessee 4
33 Lamont Jordan Oakland 5
34 Ladell Betts Washington 4
35 Chester Taylor Minnesota 5
36 Kevin Jones Detroit 6
37 Tatum Bell Detroit 6
38 Jerious Norwood Atlanta 8
39 Brandon Jackson Green Bay 7
40 Leon Washington New York Jets 10
41 Michael Turner San Diego 7
42 Deshaun Foster Carolina 7
43 Reuben Droughns New York Giants 9
44 Vernand Morency Green Bay 7
45 Chris Henry Tennessee 4
46 Mike Bell Denver 6
47 Anthony Thomas Buffalo 6
48 Corell Buckhalter Philadelphia 5
49 Chris Brown Tennessee 4
50 Adrian Peterson Chicago 9