RB depth this year.....

[Gopher]

I have heard a lot of comments about the depth at RB in this year's fantasy drafts. However, if you're looking for a sure starter as your #2 RB, you had better plan on either starting your draft RB-RB or taking a chance on a RBBC situation as your #2. Keep in mind, when I say RBBC, that could just mean that the starting back has yet to be determined, not necessarily that two or more backs will be sharing carries equally once the season starts. There are a number of RB situations still up in the air as we enter the pre-season. Likely, a lot of these situations will be cleared up in the next 4 weeks. On the other hand, injuries may add even more teams into the RBBC mix. This always seems to happen to at least one team during the pre-season, or at the very least, early on in the regular season (GB and NO last year).

 

I have participated in several mocks this year, and find it very interesting how late some of these RBBC combos can be had in some draft scenarios. It is not uncommon to see guys like Fred Taylor, Curtis Martin, or Ahman Green go as late as round 8-10, with their "handcuffs" in Jones, Houston, and Gado picked a couple of rounds later. Conversely, even in redraft leagues, most of the rookie RB's (Bush, Addai, White, and Williams) are all gone by about round 6-7. Even Maroney, who it is assumed will spend a good portion of the season backing up Dillon, has been drafted long before Taylor, Martin, or Green in many drafts.

 

I know it's early in the pre-season and a lot may change, but here's my question: Of all the teams with starting RB still yet to be decided, which pair in each of the following groups would you be most happy drafting, and where do you see them going in your draft? For the purpose of discussion, let's assume a 12-team redraft league. I have grouped them in the following categories:

 

Still somewhat up in the air:

TEN - Brown/White

CHI - Benson/Jones

NOS - Bush/McAllister

IND - Rhodes/Addai

DEN - Bell/Dayne

CAR - Williams/Foster

GB - Green/Gado/Davenport

 

Starter is getting up there in age and/or is injury-prone:

NEP - Dillon/Maroney

JAC - Taylor/Jones

NYJ - Martin/Houston

 

Starter appears to be clear, but I wouldn't be surprised if both get significant touches:

SF - Gore/Barlow

DAL - Jones/Barber

BAL - Lewis/Anderson

[DMD]

I would add in

 

ATL - Dunn/Duckett (Duckett hawks TDs)

HOU - Davis/A Smith (Davis always hurt)

[Whiskey Pimp]

The only 2 groups I may target going in are Foster/Williams and Dillon/Maroney. That's not to say I don't end up getting 1 of the others when things happen during the draft, but I will target the above 2.

[Randall]

The only 2 groups I may target going in are Foster/Williams and Dillon/Maroney. That's not to say I don't end up getting 1 of the others when things happen during the draft, but I will target the above 2.

 

 

 

I like Foster/Williams too. Or Bush/Deuce.

[Whiskey Pimp]

Let's also look at this another way. Of the groups mentioned, which do you try to get both (obviously like the 1st guy and feel you need to back the pick up) and which do you strictly try to snag the "backup"?

 

For example, I like Foster and will do everything I have to to grab Williams too. I don't like Chris Brown at all but I would probably try to get White at some point.

 

So which do you want to get both and which are you happy with only one of the two?

[Gopher]

I agree that Williams/Foster will be one of the more sought after duos of the bunch listed. I guess what I am wondering is, would someone be better off drafting a guy like Fred Taylor in the 7th round or later, and backing him up with Jones around round 10, than wasting two of their top 6-7 picks on, let's say, Lendale White and Chris Brown. I would have to guess that Jacksonville's defense will keep them in a number of games this year, while I don't see Tennessee being all that competitive on a consistent basis. The likelihood of Jacksonville going to the ground game in the 4th quarter is higher than that of Tennessee. I guess I just don't see myself any worse off with a combination of Taylor/Jones than I would be with Brown/White. Anyone agree/disagree?

 

Keep in mind that I am just using those two particular teams as an example, and am not intending to start a debate over which team will be better this year, or which back will have a better fantasy year. I just think that some of the rookie RB's are being picked a little too high in relation to some of the other "more seasoned" starting backs, especially when you consider that, in most cases, you would want to pick up their handcuff player in either situation.

 

Throwing another example out there (and keeping in mind that this discussion is based on a redraft league), would you rather spend your 3rd and 5th round picks on Bush/McAllister or your 4th/7th on Dillon/Maroney? I think I would lean towards the latter, especially if we assume that New England will put a better team on the field this year than New Orleans.

 

I realize that a lot of you probably don't want to disclose too much of your personal draft strategy, but does anyone have any thoughts?

[DexterDew]

I feel the key for my draft is how to make heads and tails of all the messed up backfields out there. Handcuffing is a real possibility and that sucks because i have only 4 roster spots for RBs, and the bye week will leave me with no options.

 

The backfields i am seriously considering handcuffing are Addai/Rhodes, Benson/Jones, Williams/Foster, Maroney/Dillon and Jones/Barber. I am really curious on a few others (mainly getting White as a stand alone RB3), but I prefer RBs on winning teams with good OL, QB and DEF.

 

I personally think the situation in IND is the most intriguing, since someone will get double digit touchdowns in that offense. I was leaning towards Rhodes figuring IND will want to protect Manning first, and any production will be a bonus. That is until I saw this on the weekly team report:

 

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: RB Joseph Addai. He's been as good as advertised. Maybe even better. Addai, the Colts' first-round draft pick in April, has displayed a strong burst at the line of scrimmage, good moves to escape would-be tacklers and has shown that he can make good yardage running between the tackles. He has also proved to be quite adept as a pass receiver. Addai's moment of the week came in the Colts' first evening practice, when he took a handoff, dashed outside, eluded one tackler with a spin move and then burst to the sidelines where he took the ball 45 yards for a touchdown.

 

ROOKIE REPORT: RB Joseph Addai: Steal of the first round? It certainly looks like it. The complete package for a running back in the Colts' system.

 

I personally don't like entrusting a rookie as a RB1 or RB2 because when you make a mistake with either of those roster spots, you are playing catch up all year long. But if Addai's reviews are so glowing, he might not make it past the fourth round, and even jump ahead of Bush. I have no problem starting with three RBs in the first four picks, i would just rather not be so weighted so early.

 

Last year, got lucky with Cadillac as a RB3 at 5.04 (and Parker at 13.04), which is where I would love to take Bush or Addai, but the mocks i've seen recently have them gone by then...