Fantasy Backs

[Lumi]

Fantasy Backs


LAS VEGAS ? It?s only mid-June, but already there?s a huge fantasy football question being asked:

Who is the No. 2 running back behind Minnesota?s Adrian Peterson? It?s such a difficult question that no owner wants the second pick in the draft.

Let?s look at the candidates division by division.

AFC East

Buffalo: Marshawn Lynch is suspended for the first three games.

Miami: Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams split too many carries. Brown clearly is the better and more versatile back, but Williams takes goal line carries away.

New England: Committee. Laurence Maroney has been relegated to sleeper status.

New York Jets: Thomas Jones actually led the AFC in rushing last season. But he?s not even a first-round pick.

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AFC North

Baltimore: Willis McGahee never has been and never will be an elite runner.

Cincinnati: Given new life, Cedric Benson could surprise. However, four of his games are against the impossible-to-run-against Steelers and Ravens.

Cleveland: Jamal Lewis could be near the end.

Pittsburgh: Willie Parker doesn?t catch well enough and is not a shoo-in to get goal line touches.

AFC South

Houston: Steve Slaton, not Reggie Bush, is the real deal. It would take a lot of guts, though, to make him a top-five choice.

Indianapolis: I don?t see a comeback season in store for Joseph Addai.

Jacksonville: Here could be the No. 2 pick ? Maurice Jones-Drew. No Fred Taylor means Jones-Drew finally becomes the unequivocal featured back. The Jaguars like to play smash-mouth. That ensures lots of carries. Jones-Drew is a tough goal line back, despite his small size, and also an excellent pass-catcher.

Tennessee: Len Dale White led the AFC in touchdowns with 15. But White isn?t even the best back on Tennessee. Chris Johnson is. Johnson would be a candidate for the No. 2 pick if White didn?t vulture many of his touchdowns.

AFC West

Denver: Rookie Knowshon Moreno is getting a lot of love in early expert?s drafts. Obviously, though, he?s a huge unknown.

Kansas City: The Chiefs are getting away from the spread offense they ran last year, which could set up Larry Johnson for a comeback season. Johnson, however, has lots of mileage and has become a huge character risk.

Oakland: It?s never wise to trust an Oakland running back.

San Diego: LaDainian Tomlinson has slipped out of the top-five.

NFC East

Dallas: Marion Barber is worth a medium-to-late first-round pick. Injury concerns keep him from going higher.

New York Giants: Ditto Brandon Jacobs. This guy could be the No. 2 pick if you could know ahead of time he wouldn?t get nicked up like he always does.

Philadelphia: Brian Westbrook. This is a very strong division for fantasy running backs. Westbrook is a legitimate top-five choice in points-per-reception leagues.

Washington: Portis came through with a monster season in 2008, but 342 carries could take a toll. He also doesn?t catch many passes.

NFC North

Chicago: Matt Forte is good, but he just doesn?t excite. The presence of Jay Cutler might lessen his impact.

Detroit: Kevin Smith lost a ton of value with the coaching change.

Green Bay: Ryan Grant should get a lot of touches. The problem is he?s just not very good.

Minnesota: Peterson is the clear-cut No. 1 choice.

NFC South

Atlanta: Michael Turner is a strong candidate to go right behind Peterson. He?s the safe, consensus choice right now. But the guy did have a staggering 376 carries last season and did his damage on odd numbered weeks only.

Carolina: DeAngelo Williams is the most unsung running back in the NFL. He doesn?t get much publicity, but his numbers were staggering: an NFL-best 18 touchdowns and 1,515 yards rushing on 273 carries for a league-best 5.5 yard average. He?s definitely worth keeping an eye on, although Jonathan Stewart remains in the Carolina running back picture.

New Orleans: Bush is the most overrated running back in the NFL. In points-per-reception leagues, though, he?s still a late first-round pick.

Tampa Bay: Earnest Graham and Derrick Ward should be helped by the Buccaneers going to a zone-blocking running scheme. Don?t bother even wasting a late pick on Cadillac Williams anymore.

NFC West

Arizona: Rookie Beanie Wells definitely is worth paying attention to. The Cardinals need to become more balanced and Wells has talent.

St. Louis: Stephen Jackson just can?t be trusted health-wise to be the No. 2 overall pick.

San Francisco: Frank Gore took a step back last year. Health, too, is a huge concern with him.

Seattle: Supreme touchdown vulture T.J. Duckett could suck any limited value out of Julius Jones.

 

[CartersCubs]

loved it... thanks for the advice iluminati

 

[Keith 1]

alot of people talking MJD as high as # 2, but I believe that, if I had the # 2 pick, I would take Matt Forte. First, I think Michael Turner was overworked last year and he has a really tough schedule in terms of run defenses this coming year. As for MJD, he has great opportunity, but I for one am not buying until I see him do it. The other choices have all done it already.

Forte is solid as they come, and with his receptions, he will be gold in a PPR league. He has great opportunity, and with Cutler now making defenses fear the long ball, it opens up the middle. He is young, only his second year--so you know he is not overworked. He has ZERO chance of losing his job to Kevin Jones (I still hate him for fantasy slights of years past), and Forte gets ALL the goal line carries. Might not be a sexy pick, but he is probably the safest pick, amongst Forte, Turner and MJD.

I fully expect those 4 guys to be gone when I pick at # 5 in my draft this season.

 

[hedgehog]

Brandon Jacobs is #2 back in my opinion

 

[Keith 1]

Brandon Jacobs is #2 back in my opinion

but you would never take him with the # 2 pick, as his ADP is 12-14 spots lower. I had Jacobs last year and he was a beast, but his injury issues make him too unreliable as a #1 stud RB.

 

[HUDSON]

Nice write-up man......just got all excited to see that Pigskin in the air!!!!

 

[Lumi]

Fantasy football: NFL QB pool deep and talented

Fantasy football: NFL QB pool deep and talented

Fantasy football: NFL QB pool deep and talented

Only in fantasy football do quarterbacks rate third in importance to running backs and wide receivers.

Now obviously you have to have a good quarterback, or forget about cashing.

Most leagues require only one starting quarterback compared to multiple wide receivers and running backs. That really reduces the value of the quarterback position.

It sets up an either/or strategy. Either you take Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Drew Brees high in your draft, or wait and get one of the many ?B? quarterbacks.

There are enough good quarterbacks to go around that my recommendation is to wait. Get your two running backs and fill out your receiver requirements, and then worry about quarterback.

Don?t worry. There are enough good quarterbacks around and I?m not even counting Eli Manning, Jake Delhomme, Chad Pennington, Marc Bulger, Trent Edwards, Jason Campbell and Kyle Orton.

These are ?C? quarterbacks. They are backup material. If you?re reduced to having one of them as your starter, then you need to trade one of your star running backs or wide receivers.

But it shouldn?t come down to that.

Most leagues have 10 or 12 teams. There are 10 strong quarterbacks besides Brees, Peyton Manning, who no longer has Marvin Harrison, and Brady, who still has to prove he is 100 percent after a devastating knee injury.

The key question is who is the fourth-best fantasy football quarterback? Identify the right one and you very well could win your league.

I?ve seen Aaron Rodgers ranked as high as No. 4. His fate is tied to younger receivers stepping up such as Jordy Nelson and tight end Jermichael Finley, along with the Packers alleviating their offensive tackles concerns.

Philip Rivers was a perfect example last year of waiting late to take your starting quarterback. Always highly accurate, he moved into elite status throwing for 34 touchdowns and 4,009 yards.

Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb and Kurt Warner are all in the top-five discussion. All are in passing offenses and have good receivers. Romo has a great tight end to throw to plus dangerous change-of-pace backs like Felix Jones, who can turn a swing pass into a touchdown.

McNabb is my favorite. He?s always there in the fifth round and he?s poised for another big year with home run hitter DeSean Jackson and rookie Jeremy Maclin. He also has Brian Westbrook, who is the best pass-catching running back in the NFL.

Warner stayed healthy last year and the result was 30 touchdowns and 4,582 yards. Those are automatic numbers whenever he can play a full schedule.

Let?s not forget about Carson Palmer. He was a monster from 2005-2007, averaging more than 4,000 yards and nearly 29 touchdowns per season during those years. He?s on the comeback trail, has an upgraded offensive line and Chad Ochocinco and Laveranues Coles to lessen the sting of losing T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

That?s nine quarterbacks. Jay Cutler and Ben Roethlisberger make it 11 excellent quarterbacks.

Yes, Cutler loses value going to the Bears. I don?t see a Lovie Smith quarterback airing the ball out 616 times like Cutler did last season. So he?s not going to match the 4,526 yards he threw for in 2008. He doesn?t have the wideouts either that he had in Denver.

But Cutler does have an excellent pass-catching tight end, Greg Olsen, and will be playing behind a much better defense than he had in Denver. The Bears also have excellent return men, which should mean better starting field position for Cutler.

Roethlisberger has been a better NFL quarterback than a fantasy one. The Steelers never lose sight of being a ground-oriented club. Roethlisberger did have a fantasy breakthrough two years ago when he threw 32 touchdowns. He represents good value as the 11th quarterback.

So, what if you?re in a 12-team league? No worries. Matt Schaub and Matt Ryan are available.

Schaub missed nearly one-third of the season and still threw for more than 3,000 yards and 15 touchdowns. His weapons include Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton, Kevin Walter and Owen Daniels.

Slaton emerged as a star the last month of the season. It?s no coincidence that Schaub averaged 320 yards passing during the final four weeks.

Ryan had a super rookie season with 3,440 passing yards and 16 touchdown throws. He?s only going to get better, especially with tight end Tony Gonzalez in the mix.

That?s 13 legitimate starting fantasy football quarterbacks. If you need a fallback plan, though, Matt Cassel, Matt Hasselbeck and David Garrard are there.

Cassel threw for 3,693 yards and accounted for 23 touchdowns last season in a scaled down Patriots offense.

Garrard is due for a bounce back season with the Jaguars fervently refurbishing their battered offensive line and finally signing a class wide receiver, Torry Holt.

Hasselbeck is going to be forgotten about in many drafts because he missed nine games with back and leg injuries last season. He?s healthy now, plays in a division full of vulnerable secondaries and his receiving corps is strengthened with the addition of Houshmandzadeh.

A combination of five stud running backs/wide receivers with a mix-and-match quarterback trio of Schaub/Hasselbeck/Garrard just could be the ticket to a fantasy title.

 

[Lumi]

Less work for Turner means lower value

Less work for Turner means lower value

Less work for Turner means lower value

It's being widely reported that the Atlanta Falcons would like to reduce running back Michael Turner's workload in 2009.

That's probably not a bad idea for a running back who carried the ball 376 times in the regular season and another 18 in the postseason, but it certainly won't make Mularkey a favorite of Turner's fantasy owners.

Turner was one of the biggest surprises in 2008, going from LaDainian Tomlinson's back up in San Diego to fantasy superstar in one season. After carrying the ball for a total of 228 times in four seasons with the Chargers, Turned lugged the pigskin almost 380 times for 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns last season.

He finished second in fantasy scoring among running backs with 301 points (DeAngelo Williams was No.1 with 320 points) and considering his Average Draft Position (ADP) was 44, Turner was one of the top candidates for 2009 TSN Best Bargain Award.

In many of the early mock drafts, Turner has become a very high pick (2009 RapidDraft ADP of 2.9) and in fact, I have seen more than one article tout him as the No.1 overall selection.

But if the news that the Falcons would like to lighten his workload is correct and Jerious Norwood gets additional carries, then Turner probably shouldn't be on top of the charts.

If we assume that the Falcons manage to lower his rushing attempts by 15% that would amount to 56 carries. Given his rushing average of 4.5 yards-per-carry in 2008 his rushing total would drop by 252 yards to 1,447 yards. Since he also scored on one every 22 carries, his touchdown total would also be reduced - to 15 TDs. This drops his points total for the upcoming season by at least 37 points to 264 (more if he misses out on any 100-yard bonus points because of the reduced carries).

If you also add in the fact that his rookie quarterback of 2008, Matt Ryan, is now a "veteran" and the team added the No.1 tight end in the NFL to it's air attack, then Turner's numbers might fall even lower.

Given this new information, I can't choose Turner with the top overall pick and in fact have him at No.3 spot behind Adrian Peterson and Maurice Jones-Drew.

Michael Turner Career Statistics
Year Team Att Yards Ave TDs
2004 SD 20 104 5.2 0
2005 SD 57 335 5.9 3
2006 SD 80 502 6.3 2
2007 SD 71 316 4.5 1
2008 ATL 376 1,699 4.5 17

 

[Lumi]

Quarterback Player Notes

Quarterback Player Notes

Player Position Date
Carson Palmer Steady QB 7/19/2009 10:25:00 AM
Description: Palmer pronounced himself 100% healthy, according to AOL Sports.
Insight: Palmer's injury killed the Bengals offense and any hope to get some fantasy production from the team. While I would prefer if team doctors pronounced him 100% healthy, the fact that he is feeling good is a nice sign. He might be a decent backup. (SportsBuff.com)
Brady Quinn Steady QB 7/18/2009 6:23:00 PM
Description: Quinn will get another chance to be the Browns starting QB in 2009. He'll have to defeat Derek Anderson in a preseason throw-off, but the job is there for the taking.
Insight: Thus far, Quinn's pro career has been disappointing. He slid in the draft, watched Anderson catch fire in his rookie year, and started a trio of games last year. He threw for two TD's and was picked off twice. It would be a surprise if he were a fantasy factor in standard leagues next year. (SportsBuff.com)
Kellen Clemens Steady QB 7/18/2009 6:15:00 PM
Description: If Clemens starts for the Jets this season, it won't be long. He'll be keeping the seat warm for Mark Sanchez.
Insight: Clemens started ten games in 2007 and threw for five TD's and ten interceptions. He carried the clipboard for soon-to-be-retired-then-unretired Brett Farve last year. He looks like a career backup. (SportsBuff.com)
Kerry Collins Steady QB 7/18/2009 6:11:00 PM
Description: Collins was praised excessively for his work with the Titan offense. As a fantasy quarterback, he was not all that. He had 12 TD's and seven interceptions.
Insight: If you don't expect too much from your fantasy QB, then maybe Collins is for you. There are plenty of other fantasy options that are better than Collins who threw for more than one TD only three times last year. (SportsBuff.com)
Marc Bulger Steady QB 7/18/2009 6:09:00 PM
Description: Bulger has been the Rams starter for the last six seasons and has gotten really beaten up. He's had 11 TD's in each of the last two seasons.
Insight: For the first time, Bulger will be working without Torry Holt, but maybe Donnie Avery will step up to be the go-to guy. Bulger will be a backup QB for fantasy teams at best. (SportsBuff.com)
Jason Campbell Steady QB 7/18/2009 6:05:00 PM
Description: Campbell was a product of the Redskins system in 2008. He had 13 TD's and six interceptions and threw for 3245 yards.
Insight: Campbell actually played better on the road where he threw eight TD's compared to two interceptions. While the Redskins spent the offseason trying to upgrade their QB position with a splashy move (big surprise, there), Campbell has been a good soldier and should enjoy working with Jim Zorn again. (SportsBuff.com)
Jake Delhomme Steady QB 7/18/2009 6:00:00 PM
Description: After his injury, Delhomme became a caretaker quarterback. He had just 15 touchdowns, his lowest total as a starter.
Insight: Delhomme's decent season will unfortunately be remembered for his playoff game against the Cardinals in which he stopped being a caretaker and threw five interceptions. He'll be handing off a lot to DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart in 2009. (SportsBuff.com)
Trent Edwards Steady QB 7/18/2009 5:56:00 PM
Description: Edwards first year as a full-fledged starter was underwhelming from a fantasy perspective. His accuracy improved (65.5 percent) but he only threw for 11 TD's.
Insight: If you believe Terrell Owens is in for a big season, then you should think that he'll drag Edwards along. However, Owens is 35 years old and may have slipped some. Either way, Edwards should have around 20 TD's. (SportsBuff.com)
Tom Brady Steady QB 7/18/2009 5:42:00 PM
Description: Just as Brady ruined a lot of fantasy seasons last year, he could be in line to help many teams in 2009.
Insight: Brady might be slightly overdrafted for two reasons: 1. he is coming off a major injury 2. prior to his injury, he threw for 50 TD's. His previous career high was 28 TD's and he is more likely to throw for 25 than 40. Nevertheless, the only QB I would definitely draft before him is Drew Brees. (SportsBuff.com)
Derek Anderson Steady QB 7/18/2009 10:35:00 AM
Description: Anderson has recovered from a calf injury that limited him in 2008 and will be ready for training camp, according to ESPN.com.
Insight: After an astounding 2007 season in which he threw 29 TD's, Anderson fell off a cliff last year and played in just ten games with nine TD's. He'll compete with Brady Quinn for the Browns starting spot in the new Eric Mangini regime. (SportsBuff.com)
Matt Hasselbeck Steady QB 7/17/2009 10:46:00 AM
Description: Hasselbeck has been swimming in the Columbia River in an effort to rehabilitate his back. He told KIRO-AM, "It's not warm... it's not warm."
Insight: Hasselbeck is apparently taking the advice of Kramer who swam in the polluted East River to help his ailing back. Hasselbeck was limited to seven games last year, so whatever gets him on the field is ok. (SportsBuff.com)
Alex Smith QB 7/16/2009 3:16:00 PM
Description: Coach Mike Singletary says the Niners' QB competition won't be decided until exhibition season.
Insight: Smith has drawn some favorable reviews from off-season workouts, but you'd hope a former No. 1 overall pick would look good in shorts and T-shirts. Hill has to be considered the favorite based on 2008 performance, but we'll see what happens. (SportsBuff.com)
Shaun Hill QB 7/16/2009 3:14:00 PM
Description: Coach Mike Singletary has said that he won't decide on a starting quarterback until he's had the chance to see the candidates in exhibition games this summer.
Insight: Hill would seem to be the favorite in his battle with Alex Smith after playing pretty well in the second half of 2008. He's already only a late backup option in fantasy drafts, so this uncertainty shouldn't really affect his status too much. (SportsBuff.com)
Matt Cassel Steady QB 7/14/2009 3:52:00 PM
Description: Cassel agreed to a long-term deal with the Chiefs that will keep him on the team until 2014. There shouldn't be any quarterback controversies in Kansas City for the next few years.
Insight: Cassel had not played competitively before last year since high school, but he helped the Patriots salvage their season by throwing 21 TD's. The Chiefs do not have the same kind of offensive weapons as New England, but Cassel has shown the ability to move the chains. (SportsBuff.com)
Brian Griese Steady QB 7/14/2009 12:17:00 PM
Description: Griese was released by Tampa to make room on the roster for third round pick DT Roy Miller.
Insight: Griese started five games for the Buccaneers last year and had five TD's and seven interceptions. He could be picked up by a team that needs a veteran backup QB, but his value as a fantasy asset has bottomed out. (SportsBuff.com)
Joe Flacco QB 7/13/2009 10:53:00 PM
Description: Flacco's No. 1 receiver, Derrick Mason, surprisingly announced his retirement on Monday. The move, which is not yet official, would take out nearly a third of the team's 261 completions from a year ago.
Insight: Mason caught almost twice as many passes as anyone else on the team last year, so his departure would be a big blow. At this point, we have to downgrade Flacco a bit, but he has been going late in drafts anyway. He's still a decent fantasy backup. (SportsBuff.com)
Tarvaris Jackson Steady QB 7/12/2009 5:31:00 PM
Description: Jackson is battling Sage Rosenfels for the "starting" QB position in Minnesota, according to the USA Today.
Insight: It is only "starting" until a former Packer decides whether he wants to rejoin the league he created again. No, I don't mean Lynn Dickey. Jackson, a former second round draft pick, has never been afforded the time to take his bruises as a QB and learn. (SportsBuff.com)
Sage Rosenfels Steady QB 7/12/2009 5:29:00 PM
Description: The Vikings are proceeding with a quarterback battle between Rosenfels and Tavaris Jackson until a certain someone decides whether he wants to come back, according to the USA Today.
Insight: Oh, who are we kidding? Favre will be back and he will be the starter from Day One. Meanwhile, the summer sweat of Rosenfels will not be for naught. He may see some action after the 39-year-old QB really gets hurt. (SportsBuff.com)
Michael Vick Steady QB 7/11/2009 11:25:00 AM
Description: The Sporting News Today reported that the rumor mill is abuzz of the Dolphins being interested in signing Vick. Dolphin GM Jeff Ireland had no official comment.
Insight: Vick does seem to be an ideal for the wildcat formation. The question is how much he has lost by not playing for the last two years. (SportsBuff.com)
Michael Vick Steady QB 7/11/2009 11:16:00 AM
Description: The Sporting News Today reported that the rumor mill is abuzz of the Dolphins being interested in signing Vick. Dolphin GM Jeff Ireland had no official comment.
Insight: Vick does seem to be an ideal for the wildcat formation. The question is how much he has lost by not playing for the last two years. (SportsBuff.com)
Jay Cutler Steady QB 7/5/2009 8:57:00 AM
Description: The Bears would like to extend Cutler's contract, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Cutler is signed through 2011, but has a large roster bonus in the final year of his contract.
Insight: According to the paper, the Bears would like to even out Cutler's contract. If it calls for more money in the end, it is hard to see Cutler and his people arguing. Hopefully, the Bears don't try to trade for another QB in that time - that appears to rankle Cutler. (SportsBuff.com)
Matt Cassel Steady QB 7/5/2009 8:43:00 AM
Description: The Kansas City Star suggests that the Chiefs should use the spread offense because of their weak offensive line and lack of playmakers. This offense wouldn't be a complete change for Cassel, who proved capable of running the Patriots' variant of the spread.
Insight: The Chiefs had used a pro-style offense, but the paper indicates that Cassel would see a lot of pressure if that practice continues. It sounds like a win-win proposal from the Star. (SportsBuff.com)

 

[Lumi]

Ranking the top 20 running backs

Ranking the top 20 running backs

Ranking the top 20 running backs

NFL Fantasy Betting ? Ranking the top 20 running backs

NFL betting players take their fantasy teams as seriously as their online betting, and with preseason right around the corner, it?s good to get as much information as possible. Here?s a look at the top 20 running backs in the league, beginning with a perennial 2,000-yard threat.

NFL fantasy betting: Running back preview
? Peterson getting better and better

? Jacobs is a touchdown machine

? Big things expected from rookie Moreno


1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
Even if the Vikings get Brett Favre, don?t expect a drop in yards for Peterson, who led the NFL in rushing. In fact, he could get more yards as defenses won?t be able to key on him. If he has a weakness, it?s his hands: Peterson also led the league with nine fumbles.

2. Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants
Jacobs just signed a new contract and will be eager to prove to fantasy betting players that he was worth it. Eli Manning will have to develop the receivers, so that could mean even more carries for Jacobs, who had 15 touchdowns last year.

3. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears
Forte was the leading rookie rusher last year, and Jay Cutler coming to town can only open up the field for the 23-year-old. Forte can also catch the ball as well as any back in the league, and with a new and improved offense, the Bears? NFL lines should receive quite a boost.

4. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons should lean a little more on pivot Matt Ryan, especially with the acquisition of Tony Gonzalez, but don?t expect them to forget about Turner, who was second in yards and touchdowns. Playing in the NFC South doesn?t hurt, either.

5. DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers
Williams topped the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 18 in 2008, and he had two games with four scores. He?ll be sharing time with Jonathan Stewart, who had an impressive rookie, so that may hurt his numbers just a bit, but not much.

6. Clinton Portis, Washington Redskins
Portis is a warrior who fights through injuries on a weekly basis, and he?s averaged over 1,300 yards over his seven-year career. The Redskins don?t seem to be very confident in Jason Campbell at quarterback, so expect another heavy workload for the former Miami Hurricane.

7. Thomas Jones, New York Jets
Jones was fifth in the league in rushing and scored a career-high 13 touchdowns, and now the Jets will be trying to ease rookie pivot Mark Sanchez into the league, which should mean a lot of carries for the 30-year-old.

8. Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos
The Broncos? backs were decimated by injuries, and they haven?t had a 1,000-yard rusher since 2006. With Kyle Orton at quarterback, Moreno, a standout at Georgia, should get plenty of opportunity to prove himself. He was the first running back taken in the draft, and has all the tools to be a star for a long time.

9. Marion Barber, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys? receivers are awful, which means the Tony Romo-Jason Witten line will be keyed on. This makes Barber, who the Cowboys inexplicably went away from late in the 2008 campaign, even more important to Dallas? betting chances.

10. Steve Slaton, Houston Texans
Many who make sports picks wondered if Slaton was durable enough to be a No.1 running back. He responded by leading the 2008 draft class in rushing yards, and he forms with Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson, one of the most explosive offensive trios in the NFL.

11. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans
12. LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers
13. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars
14. Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers
15. Larry Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs
16. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers
17. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams
18. Willie Parker, Pittsburgh Steelers
19. Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals
20. Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia Eagles