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
Gregg,
Well that makes sense, but I still think S-Jax will be a top 10 back by season's end.
1. LT
2. Addai
3. Westy
4. Gore
5. Parker
6. Barber
7. Portis
8. Henry
9. S-Jax
10. McGahee
I think Alexander falls out bc of his wrist getting worse as the season wears him down.
Honorable Mentions go to Rudi, Bush, LJ (team stinks, and he shouldnt have missed camp), Brown, and Caddy.
Posted by: Daniel | September 27, 2007 10:03 AM
For the time being (until Rhodes comes back) Jordan is ranked properly, but saying Rhodes is a non factor is absurd! Al Davis still pulls the strings in Oakland, and he didn't pay all that money for Rhodes to sit on the sidelines. Eventhough in the opinion of the masses Jordan is the better back.
Posted by: Brendan | September 27, 2007 10:03 AM
1. Addai
2. LT
3. Barber
4. Peterson
5. Westbrook
6. Alexander
7. LJ
8. S-Jax
9. Gore
10. Parker/ Henry
Posted by: Taylor | September 27, 2007 10:50 AM
So would trading Jordan & McNabb for Gore & Bulger be a bad idea?
Posted by: Matt | September 27, 2007 11:02 AM
What do you think of this deal from a pure value perspective:
LT and Vernon Davis
for
Steven Jackson and Adrian Peterson
?
Posted by: Jordan | September 27, 2007 12:16 PM
Gregg - great topic to instigate conversation. Finally some love for Portis.
Shawn - great analysis.
Average LJ and average Priest were not superhuman because of Cam Cameron, it was because of their line. LJ doesn't have that line anymore, and Cam doesn't have that line for Ronnie either.
I'd put Rudi, Maroney and Barber ahead of McGahee and Jordan.
Posted by: Tony C | September 27, 2007 02:55 PM
I traded Rudi Johnson for Larry Johnson straight up in my league. Not sure if that helps, but i'm 3-0 (sure a lot of it's luck and matchups) but I also traded Plaxico Burress for Adrian Peterson, and I dealt Jake Delhomme for Roy Williams and Matt Schaub...?
I'd offer Rudi up before the hammy gets even worse, or Watson gets even better
Posted by: Mike | September 27, 2007 03:49 PM