Dynasty Rankings: Running Backs
As explained in Thursday's Quarterback Rankings, I haven't updated my Dynasty league blog since before the draft. Since I'm finally getting around to mass updates, I'm rolling them out on Pancake Blocks one position at a time, with Running Backs on the agenda today.
A few notes of interest on the running backs:
1. As most of you know, I'm an unabashed Chris Johnson true believer. I make no apologies for his high ranking and firmly believe he's a special talent and a true nucleus player for Dynasty leaguers.
2. Tier two is a bottleneck. The last could be first and the first could be last. I'm perfectly willing to admit that the two top rookies may be too high, but the rest of the backs in that tier have significant questions preventing them from holding down true stud status. The rookies, though, have the talent and opportunity to be RB1s for a long time.
3. Clinton Portis is too low, I know. But I just have no interest in being left holding the bag when he falls off the cliff . . . and I get the feeling the cliff is coming like a freight train.
4. Darren McFadden is too high and Steve Slaton is being disrespected. Very possible. I think Slaton lacks staying power just as I believed that players like Willie Parker and Joseph Addai lacked staying power. McFadden still has a chance to be special.
OK, on to the rankings. . . .
RUNNING BACKS
Tier One
1. Adrian Peterson, MIN | Age: 24.5 | Value Score: 100
2. Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX | Age: 24.4 | Value Score: 98
3. Chris Johnson, TEN | Age: 23.9 | Value Score: 97
4. Steven Jackson, STL | Age: 26.1 | Value Score: 95
5. Matt Forte, CHI | Age: 23.7 | Value Score: 93
Tier Two
6. Frank Gore, SF | Age: 26.2 | Value Score: 87
7. Michael Turner, ATL | Age: 27.5 | Value Score: 87
8. DeAngelo Williams, CAR | Age: 26.4 | Value Score: 85
Tier Three
9. Knowshon Moreno, DEN | Age: 22.2 | Value Score: 76
10. Beanie Wells, ARI | Age: 21.1 | Value Score: 75
11. Marion Barber, DAL | Age: 26.3 | Value Score: 74
12. Brian Westbrook, PHI | Age: 30.0 | Value Score: 73
13. Marshawn Lynch, BUF | Age: 23.4 | Value Score: 73
14. Ronnie Brown, MIA | Age: 27.7 | Value Score: 72
15. Brandon Jacobs, NYG | Age: 27.2 | Value Score: 72
16. Jonathan Stewart, CAR | Age: 22.5 | Value Score: 70
17. Darren McFadden, OAK | Age: 22.0 | Value Score: 70
18. Steve Slaton, HOU | Age: 23.7 | Value Score: 69
19. Pierre Thomas, NO | Age: 24.7 | Value Score: 69
Tier Four
20. Clinton Portis, WAS | Age: 28.0 | Value Score: 62
21. Donald Brown, IND | Age: 22.4 | Value Score: 60
22. Reggie Bush, NO | Age: 24.5 | Value Score: 60
23. LaDainian Tomlinson, SD | Age: 30.2 | Value Score: 59
24. Kevin Smith, DET | Age: 22.7 | Value Score: 57
25. Ryan Grant, GB | Age: 26.7 | Value Score: 55
Tier Five
26. Rashard Mendenhall, PIT | Age: 22.2 | Value Score: 46
27. Ray Rice, BAL | Age: 22.7 | Value Score: 44
28. Derrick Ward, TB | Age: 29.1 | Value Score: 43
29. Shonn Greene, NYJ | Age: 24.1 | Value Score: 42
30. Felix Jones, DAL | Age: 22.3 | Value Score: 42
31. Willie Parker, PIT | Age: 28.8 | Value Score: 40
Tier Six
32. Joseph Addai, IND | Age: 26.3 | Value Score: 32
33. LeSean McCoy, PHI | Age: 21.2 | Value Score: 32
34. Cedric Benson, CIN | Age: 26.7 | Value Score: 29
35. Laurence Maroney, NE | Age: 24.5 | Value Score: 28
36. Larry Johnson, KC | Age: 29.8 | Value Score: 28
37. Thomas Jones, NYJ | Age: 31.0 | Value Score: 27
38. Willis McGahee, BAL | Age: 27.9 | Value Score: 26
39. Jamaal Charles, KC | Age: 22.7 | Value Score: 24
40. Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG | Age: 23.5 | Value Score: 22
41. Michaeal Bush, OAK | Age: 25.3 | Value Score: 20
Tier Seven
42. Darren Sproles, SD | Age: 26.3 | Value Score: 14
43. Andre Brown, NYG | Age: 22.7 | Value Score: 13
44. LenDale White, TEN | Age: 24.7 | Value Score: 12
45. Le’Ron McClain, BAL | Age: 24.7 | Value Score: 11
46. Fred Jackson, BUF | Age: 26.3 | Value Score: 11
47. Tashard Choice, DAL | Age: 24.8 | Value Score: 10
48. Leon Washington, NYJ | Age: 27.0 | Value Score: 9
49. Jerious Norwood, ATL | Age: 26.1 | Value Score: 9
50. Jamal Lewis, CLE | Age: 30.0 | Value Score: 8
51. Julius Jones, SEA | Age: 28.0 | Value Score: 7
Tier Eight
52. Jerome Harrison, CLE | Age: 26.5 | Value Score: 5
53. Earnest Graham, TB | Age: 29.7 | Value Score: 5
54. Chester Taylor, MIN | Age: 30.0 | Value Score: 5
55. Sammy Morris, NE | Age: 32.5 | Value Score: 4
56. Fred Taylor, NE | Age: 33.6 | Value Score: 4
57. Brandon Jackson, GB | Age: 23.9 | Value Score: 4
58. Justin Fargas, OAK | Age: 29.6 | Value Score: 4
59. James Davis, CLE | Age: 23.7 | Value Score: 3
60. Arian Foster, HOU | Age: 23.1 | Value Score: 3
Comments
i have sjax in the top 10. like i said hes not trash. his situation is mostly ideal and hes quality, just way overhyped each and every year. his durability/team/over uese concerns me a lot. i really dont think he'll ever live up to the billing of an "elite" back. Id rather take my chance on a AP, MJD, Forte, CJ, DWill, Tuner, Gore, Slaton, and Westbrook (maybe LT) over him (redraft for westbrook/LT). They produce - mostly - and are in better situations - again, mostly. in a redraft id value him with the elite wideouts, and would perfore taking one of them when it comes time to draft there over him.
in dynasty, id just simply stay away, considering hed never live up to what youd be giving to get him. i really dont think he'll ever put up a blockbuster year again. dont get me wrong, im not putting him in the LJ/totally washed up category, i just think hes way overbilled. and his production over the last two years backs that. he's more of an addai than jones-drew. but again, most people dont see that cus all the talent. as u can see im a non-believer.
Posted by: scott c | May 22, 2009 05:41 PM
I got to admit, I love Jackson but in my eyes he is the equivalent to Superman in a cryptonite box. He has the power to break out, but will he? He has amazing ability. He is a complete back, but throw in the fact that he has a lot of injury concerns, along with playing for a team with no defense (to at least "give" the Rams a chance to run) and no other offensive talent (which forces him to see 8 in the box on every 1st and 2nd down), and you get a mid to late tier 1st round player. I agree with Scott C, there are probably 10 to 12 guys I would take over him without hesitation.
Posted by: Trickydyk | May 22, 2009 05:52 PM
you do realize that you have a lot of players ages wrong in this, right?? Ryan Grant for example turn 26 in early december, which at the end of may will be 6 months ago, which would make him 26.5, not 26.7. I mean if your gunna go into decimals with age atleast do it right
Posted by: Anonymous | May 22, 2009 06:41 PM
I noticed Michael Bush was listed older than he was, took a look at his birthday and quickly realized the age listed on this list is the age they will be at the start of the season.
Scott C - SJAX is 5 so moving him down 4 spots doesn't sound like alot to me. You still have him as a RB1, albeit toward the end of the pack instead of the middle. For some reason while I was reading your comments I was getting the feeling you had him ranked around 20 or something.
I'm not a lover of SJAX by any means but he'll only be 26, has uber talent and a brand new young LT to run behind. Those three things there despite his surrounding offensive cast makes him a legitimate top 10 RB in any format.
Posted by: theendzoneview | May 22, 2009 06:54 PM
Oops, SJAX is 4 on this list, 5 on mine. Sorry about that.
Posted by: theendzoneview | May 22, 2009 06:57 PM
i think 4 to 10 is a HUGE difference. Especially in a redraft format.
Posted by: scott c | May 22, 2009 08:55 PM
Why no love for Rashad Jennings? yeah, i know he's a 7th round pick, but he was rated to go in the 2nd or 3rd round by a lot of experts. he was a good prospect when he started at Pitt, then had to transfer home due to a family issue...so he then dominated at the smaller school...he's got a great NFL body and has been turning heads in camp thus far...
he at least deserves to be ahead of Free Agent rookies like Arian Foster...all he has to do is beat out Chauncy Washington to be MJD's backup and possibly take the Fred Taylor role!
Posted by: Bart | May 22, 2009 09:55 PM