What Running Backs to Target (And Not Target) in the Middle Rounds
Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Ray Rice. Those are going to be the first 3 picks in every draft this week. If you are one of the owners who are oh so lucky to have the chance to be drafting in the top 3, or even top 5 for that matter, then you won’t have to worry about who your #1 RB is going to be this year. The question becomes who is going to be your #2 RB?
I could have been unoriginal and go on a tangent like these other bloggers do about how awesome Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson are going to be this year. What clever quip would work here? Been there, done that? That dog won’t hunt? You pick. Today, I am strictly talking about the running backs who are on average the 11th through 25th players picked at their respective position. I feel that in middle rounds (5-9) is where the leagues are won so we need to look at some of those RBs that will be available in those rounds. For you “newbies” that think the 6th round is useless just stop and think about how many owners drafted Ray Rice in round 6 last year. “Comin out of Rutgers U via the Dirty Jerz, Raaaaay Riiiice!” I couldn’t help myself, sorry. He carried many owners to fantasy football glory last season and I guarantee you there is a RB that will be drafted in the mid-rounds this season as well that will be a top 5 RB this year and I, The Frank Cap, will bring it to you. Here are some thoughts of who DEFINITELY won't be and who it COULD be.
Who Won’t Be…
Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants: Let’s take a second to analyze Brandon Jacobs ho is on average being drafted 60th overall versus his teammate Ahmad Bradshaw with an average draft position of 78. Those numbers should be swapped out with one another! Are you geeks watching the pre-season? Do you know that Ahmad is getting most of the carries? Why is anyone taking Jacobs before Bradshaw? Come on man! Bradshaw is getting the carries, catches and he is in there on third downs. Sure he may lose goal line carries but how many times a year does that come into play? I’m willing to bet that the average draft position will slowly change over the next 10 days as more drafts are done but people, please I beg you, DON’T DRAFT BRANDON JACOBS! This clown averaged 3.7 yards per carry last season and just won’t be healthy come fantasy playoff time. I’ll give you a pass if you draft Ahmad Bradshaw and then Jacobs as the hand-cuff.
Clinton Portis, Washington Redskirts: If you want to talk about someone who’s riding the coattail of his own name then insert Clinton Portis. Yeah, sure, he was great at “The U” and his first 7 years in the league, but his production (and psyche) last season was downright embarrassing. Everyone just remembers the old Portis and blocks out the Portis of today. Drafting him is like when owners were drafting Torry Holt in Rd 3 circa 2007. Portis has over 2,700 touches combined from college and in his professional career and his body is slowly breaking down. And he is also crazy! He makes Joaquin Phoenix look sane. Google “Clinton Portis costumes” and “Joaquin Phoenix” and get back to me. If you come back and tell me this Clinton hasn’t had a few screws knocked loose then I’ll have you committed! He’s a quitter and won’t be around come week 14 when the Redskins are 3-9 and out of the playoffs. He’ll either become crazy or hurt (maybe even both).
Who Could Be…
Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos: Other than having an awesome name, he is in a great situation. He has a serviceable Quarterback in Kyle Orton that will be smart enough to audible a running play at the line as well as check down to him when there is no one open downfield. This will happen often as Jabar Gaffney is the #1 WR in Denver, who couldn’t beat out Greg Lewis while he was trying out for the Eagles. Pathetic. Knowshon had a serious hamstring injury this off-season and is slipping in a lot of drafts. He may be a steal come round 6 if he is still there. Hamstrings are hard to recover from so make sure you consider what round you are in before you take this cat. Anything before round 4 is simply too early. Start monitoring him at the beginning of round 5 and if he is there in the 6th snatch him up. There is a slight risk here, but it is late enough in the draft where it won’t hurt your team.
Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers: Here come the WHAA-BULANCE owners complaining that Stewart splits time and DeAngelo is going to get all the touches and what not. Well that is all true but Stewart saw his carries increase by 20% last season and he has averaged 5.1 yards per carry. John Fox has a run first philosophy, whether he wants to or not, and DeAngelo and Stewart will get plenty of touches. Again, don’t target him too early. He is dropping in drafts since he hasn’t played all off-season due to an off-season knee surgery. Owners feel he may not be at a top level but he hasn’t missed a game in his professional career. For the owners who draft in the top 3 take this guy if he snakes back around to at the end of the 6th or beginning of the 7th. Great value!
My prediction
Arian Foster, Houston Texans: Not one RB this pre-season has flown up the rankings quicker than this guy. Foster came on strong at the end of last season and has had a great pre-season. I really wish I would have started this blog before Foster had a coming out party against the Cowgirls (if you can’t tell yet I am an Iggles Fan). If you don’t believe me, ask my buddy Taser who I may well have ripped off in a trade to get Foster about 2 weeks ago. When I heard Maurice Jones-Drew say that he had inside information that Foster was the sleeper of the season and that he drafted him in his own league, I had to go get him. He is slipping into the early party of the 5th round in some leagues and if he does in your league, you may have this year’s version of Ray Rice.
Friday I will bring to you an off topic fantasy football entry to prepare you for the season…
Low Cost Creative Trophies for the League Champion
And for the readers that are sending me direct emails, please leave comments on the blog so that I can respond to everyone at once. You're questions are all similar so I'd like to respond to all of them at once. Leave a comment and I will respond every Sunday to any questions you may have.
I could have been unoriginal and go on a tangent like these other bloggers do about how awesome Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson are going to be this year. What clever quip would work here? Been there, done that? That dog won’t hunt? You pick. Today, I am strictly talking about the running backs who are on average the 11th through 25th players picked at their respective position. I feel that in middle rounds (5-9) is where the leagues are won so we need to look at some of those RBs that will be available in those rounds. For you “newbies” that think the 6th round is useless just stop and think about how many owners drafted Ray Rice in round 6 last year. “Comin out of Rutgers U via the Dirty Jerz, Raaaaay Riiiice!” I couldn’t help myself, sorry. He carried many owners to fantasy football glory last season and I guarantee you there is a RB that will be drafted in the mid-rounds this season as well that will be a top 5 RB this year and I, The Frank Cap, will bring it to you. Here are some thoughts of who DEFINITELY won't be and who it COULD be.
Who Won’t Be…
Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants: Let’s take a second to analyze Brandon Jacobs ho is on average being drafted 60th overall versus his teammate Ahmad Bradshaw with an average draft position of 78. Those numbers should be swapped out with one another! Are you geeks watching the pre-season? Do you know that Ahmad is getting most of the carries? Why is anyone taking Jacobs before Bradshaw? Come on man! Bradshaw is getting the carries, catches and he is in there on third downs. Sure he may lose goal line carries but how many times a year does that come into play? I’m willing to bet that the average draft position will slowly change over the next 10 days as more drafts are done but people, please I beg you, DON’T DRAFT BRANDON JACOBS! This clown averaged 3.7 yards per carry last season and just won’t be healthy come fantasy playoff time. I’ll give you a pass if you draft Ahmad Bradshaw and then Jacobs as the hand-cuff.
Clinton Portis, Washington Redskirts: If you want to talk about someone who’s riding the coattail of his own name then insert Clinton Portis. Yeah, sure, he was great at “The U” and his first 7 years in the league, but his production (and psyche) last season was downright embarrassing. Everyone just remembers the old Portis and blocks out the Portis of today. Drafting him is like when owners were drafting Torry Holt in Rd 3 circa 2007. Portis has over 2,700 touches combined from college and in his professional career and his body is slowly breaking down. And he is also crazy! He makes Joaquin Phoenix look sane. Google “Clinton Portis costumes” and “Joaquin Phoenix” and get back to me. If you come back and tell me this Clinton hasn’t had a few screws knocked loose then I’ll have you committed! He’s a quitter and won’t be around come week 14 when the Redskins are 3-9 and out of the playoffs. He’ll either become crazy or hurt (maybe even both).
Who Could Be…
Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos: Other than having an awesome name, he is in a great situation. He has a serviceable Quarterback in Kyle Orton that will be smart enough to audible a running play at the line as well as check down to him when there is no one open downfield. This will happen often as Jabar Gaffney is the #1 WR in Denver, who couldn’t beat out Greg Lewis while he was trying out for the Eagles. Pathetic. Knowshon had a serious hamstring injury this off-season and is slipping in a lot of drafts. He may be a steal come round 6 if he is still there. Hamstrings are hard to recover from so make sure you consider what round you are in before you take this cat. Anything before round 4 is simply too early. Start monitoring him at the beginning of round 5 and if he is there in the 6th snatch him up. There is a slight risk here, but it is late enough in the draft where it won’t hurt your team.
Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers: Here come the WHAA-BULANCE owners complaining that Stewart splits time and DeAngelo is going to get all the touches and what not. Well that is all true but Stewart saw his carries increase by 20% last season and he has averaged 5.1 yards per carry. John Fox has a run first philosophy, whether he wants to or not, and DeAngelo and Stewart will get plenty of touches. Again, don’t target him too early. He is dropping in drafts since he hasn’t played all off-season due to an off-season knee surgery. Owners feel he may not be at a top level but he hasn’t missed a game in his professional career. For the owners who draft in the top 3 take this guy if he snakes back around to at the end of the 6th or beginning of the 7th. Great value!
My prediction
Arian Foster, Houston Texans: Not one RB this pre-season has flown up the rankings quicker than this guy. Foster came on strong at the end of last season and has had a great pre-season. I really wish I would have started this blog before Foster had a coming out party against the Cowgirls (if you can’t tell yet I am an Iggles Fan). If you don’t believe me, ask my buddy Taser who I may well have ripped off in a trade to get Foster about 2 weeks ago. When I heard Maurice Jones-Drew say that he had inside information that Foster was the sleeper of the season and that he drafted him in his own league, I had to go get him. He is slipping into the early party of the 5th round in some leagues and if he does in your league, you may have this year’s version of Ray Rice.
Friday I will bring to you an off topic fantasy football entry to prepare you for the season…
Low Cost Creative Trophies for the League Champion
And for the readers that are sending me direct emails, please leave comments on the blog so that I can respond to everyone at once. You're questions are all similar so I'd like to respond to all of them at once. Leave a comment and I will respond every Sunday to any questions you may have.
posted by Frank Cap at
7:19 AM
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