Who's your top running back now?
If you had a league starting this week, how would you rank your top ten running backs and receivers? I'm not asking what you would have done three weeks ago. You don't get LaMont Jordan's fast start, only his next 13 games. Here's how I'd go.
1. LaDainian Tomlinson - Hard part of schedule is mostly over.
2. Joseph Addai - Safer than safe.
3. Frank Gore - I still believe.
4. Brian Westbrook - Minor injuries a minor concern.
5. Willie Parker - Improvements haven't totally shown up in box scores, but they will.
6. Clinton Portis - Injury/Betts concerns were overblown.
7. Larry Johnson - Tough part of schedule is mostly over, but injury risk remains.
8. Travis Henry - Everything has gone as expected thus far.
9. Shaun Alexander - About what we expected.
10 (tie). Willis McGahee - Unremarkably consistent.
10. LaMont Jordan - Dominic Rhodes will be less of a threat than people think.
To be honest, the first ten are a lot easier to rank than the next ten would be. Ronnie Brown, Steven Jackson, Rudi Johnson, Reggie Bush, Carnell Williams, Brandon Jacobs and Laurence Maroney were among the backs not making the cut here. So what's your list?
I may expand this idea into a larger column later, so forgive me if you see it in some form again. We'll do receivers tomorrow.
Comments
Those other names weren't listed in order, just a sampling. That said, MBIII might not make the cut. You don't get the five scores he already put up and committee backs will usually drive you crazy.
Posted by: Gregg | September 26, 2007 05:32 PM
Portis looks a bit high. His schedule has been very favorable so far, and injury concerns don't just go away in September.
Posted by: Kurt | September 26, 2007 05:42 PM
Marion Barber doesn't even make your Top 18?
Posted by: Ian | September 26, 2007 05:47 PM
Gregg I agree with all but 9 - 10.
9. LaMont Jordan (What a turnaround from last year)
9. Willis McGahee (expected more)
10. Shuan Alexander (Wearing Down)
Posted by: Ronny Bailey | September 26, 2007 05:47 PM
Gregg,
The biggest difference I would make to your rankings:
6. Shaun Alexander
7. Travis Henry
8. Clinton Portis
9. Larry Johnson
10.Rudi Johnson
Keeping in mind that I also don't get the low performance of the last 3 weeks for some of these.
Now, should I target the Larry Johnson owner with an offer of Rudi? Or some combo including V.Jackson, Edge?
Posted by: drmtm | September 26, 2007 05:51 PM
Gregg,
Maybe you can do QB's also.
Do you see Jacobs and Williams as RB2's?
Posted by: Scott Girasia | September 26, 2007 05:59 PM
Adrian PETERSON, you might have forgotten the RB from Minnesota???
Posted by: kevin | September 26, 2007 06:03 PM