A few weeks back I put together the “Fantasy WRs” edition of the weekly power rankings. Most of the motivation for that column came from the fact that Braylon Edwards and several other highly regarded wide receivers were sucking so badly and I owned my share of those under-performers. I couldn’t resist taking a shot at them.
Since it was just a matter of time before the sibling column “Fantasy RBs” was due to come and I figured it would be the same story. However, much to my surprise there are few very busts at the running back position this year. Just about every top pick has performed at least an acceptable level, with most performing at “exceed expectations” level.
Another surprise is that most of the top running backs have been healthy; none have been lost for the season. Generally by week 8, the injury ferry will have visited more than a few top running backs, but not this year at least so far.
In addition, the RBCs have been quite productive. Lendale White/Chris Johnson, Warrick Dunn/Earnest Graham and Deangelo Williams/Jonathon Stewart are examples of platoons where both players are in most starting lineups each week.
Generally, by mid-season most fantasy leagues have two or three teams that look to be the class of the league, but this is a crazy year where in most of my leagues there are at least seven teams with a legitimate chance to win. Why is that – one simple reason, the consistency of the running backs.
On to the rankings:
Joseph Addai Division – Here is what I wrote about Addai before in the pre-season:
“I smell a time share with Rhodes. This guy is the worst conditioned running back in the NFL.”
I love being right! Addai has hit the bench with a hammy injury and in his absence, Dominic Rhodes has performed better than Addai. Look for Addai’s hamstring to heal like Isaac Bruce’s circa 1997. He’ll be healthy and you’ll start him, then his hammy will make it four plays. Trust me any Addai owner is going to hate this guy by the end of the year.
32. Detroit (0) – I think we need to start rewarding these pathetic teams for covering the spread. I’m not sure who in their right mind would bet on them, nonetheless nice cover, Lions.
31. Cincinnati (0) – The Bungles kept it close for three quarters. Oh and by the way Chris Perry is now done (fortunately I un-loaded him early in the year) and Cedric Benson is now their starting running back. I love Marvin Lewis, I will really miss him.
30. Kansas City (-1) – My prop bet of “Larry Johnson Assault Charges” against “Chief Wins” is looking good.
Laurence Maroney Division – What has happened to this guy in the last two years? After his rookie season, Maroney seemed destiny for an ESPN “fantasy hall-of-fame” jacket. Now he might be lucky to still have a job in the NFL.
Fortunately, for fantasy owners Maroney was a 4th or 5th rounder, so he hasn’t killed fantasy seasons like he did last year. In a way, I think most owners are relieved that is he is gone for the year, now they don’t have to agonize over whether “this will be the week” he finally goes off.
29. Seattle (-1) – First, it was Charlie Frye; then Seneca Wallace, who’s next? How about Brock Huard? Or better yet how about the Seahawks start every 3rd round quarterback bust from the past decade they can get their hands on? In addition to Huard the Seabags should consider Rohan Davey, David Greene, Jesse Palmer and Dave Ragone.
28. San Francisco (-1) – My favorite part of the Mike Nolan era – the suits and the “model” poses he would strike when he thought the camera might be on him. I can’t wait for Nolan to accept an NFL studio analyst job which will bring the acting of any daytime drama to the NFL. “I know, Bill, they should’ve stopped them. But they just couldn’t” – followed by a quick turn and an icy stare into the camera. Good times.
Ryan Grant Division – Grant showed some signs of life this past week. Maybe his nickname should be “Mr. Second Half”. Sunday was a preview of what he can expect the rest of the season out of Grant.
27. Oakland (-1) – Doesn’t the new Raiders coach (Tom Cable) look a lot like John Goodman? I want to see him pull out the black-rimmed sunglasses and start singing “Soul Man”. Cable looked very content to accept the tie on Sunday, almost as if he was thinking “Hey, Al will be happy with a tie, right? It’s better than a loss.”
26. Cleveland (-2) – Does any quarterback throw more un-catchable balls than Derek Anderson? He has the accuracy of Mr. Magoo playing darts. Then combine that with Braylon “Kid Drop” Edwards and its no wonder the Browns lost Sunday.
25. Houston HBo(0) – The Texans game last week was the, “Hey hun, why don’t we go the mall and buy you some new clothes” gambling moment of the year. Once you got home and received the news that the Texans failed to cover, you had to play the part of Jimmy Conway when he ripped the mink coat off Frankie Carbone’s wife and told him “take it back”.
24. St. Louis (+1) – What did Scott Linehan do to make this team hate him that much? The Rams absolutely annihilated the Cowboys.
Willie Parker Division – Where’s Willie? Fantasy’s #1 running back after week 1 has been MIA the past four weeks. What’s funny is the Parker owner’s after week 1 strutting around as though they made a great pick. With Mewelde Moore’s performance, Parker is looking at a time split, if he comes back. On the bright side, he tripled his touchdown total from last year.
23. New Orleans (-3) – The Saints get Colston and Shockey back and then lose Bush. I am ready to write the “obit” on the 2008 Saints.
Carolina RBs (DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart) Division – The poor man’s Titans time share, as both guys can be decent but both could lay an egg. But your biggest problem, the carries seem completely random. We have been told Stewart gets the goalline carries, but I have seen Williams getting the ball inside the ten! Puzzling!
22. NY Jets (0) – Was that Bill Callahan calling the plays Sunday? The absolute worst game plan I have seen this year. This week the “Eric Must Go!” chants start in the Meadowlands.
21. Miami (-4) – Just when you think the Dolphins are good, they lay an egg against the Ravens.
20. Minnesota (-1) –Here is an interesting prop bet – over/under 47.5 – combined points by the Bears against the Vikings
In 2008. Before the season if I would have cashed my 401K (what’s left of it) to bet the under. Yea, the Vikings suck.
19. Denver (-1) –Ron Jawsorski and every fantasy owner playing against Jay Cutler were wondering why he was still in a game miserably out of reach. Then it donned on me – maybe Jaws was playing against Cutler too.
Larry Johnson Division – “Good, now I don’t have to worry about taking him!” – Every fantasy owner after Larry Johnson was drafted at least one round too early. LJ found the fountain of 2005 for a couple of weeks, but unless your league awards points for assaulting women he has been useless over the last four weeks.
18. Baltimore (+5) –Bounties? What is all this talk about bounties? Come on Suggs, everyone knows the only thing keeping NFL defensive players out of jail is the 60 minutes every Sunday they can legally maul other humans. But you don’t talk about bounties, ok?
Ladainian Tomlinson Division – I won’t go as far as to call LT a bust, but he has been a big disappointment. When running backs go, they go quick (see Shaun Alexander) and LT might be done. But I want no part of this guy in a big fantasy game.
17. Indianapolis (-9) –Week 8 and the Colts face a must-win game against the Titans.
16. Dallas (-7) –Funny thing happened on the way to the Super Bowl. You know it’s bad when after the Rams game Torry Holt was overheard telling his teammates – “Practice wasn’t that bad today!”
Michael Turner – Mr. Yo-Yo, one week he’s up; the next he’s down. The problem is the “up” weeks have been diminishing. There really isn’t rocket science behind this – he is better at home and better against lousy run defenses.
15. Green Bay (+6) – Nice win against the Colts, but come on Packer fan the Colts were without Addai! ROLFLMAO!
14. San Diego (-4) –Finding ways to lose is a Norv Turner trademark. This week’s episode – an interception in the end zone and then allowing the Bills to drive down for a field goal that sealed the game.
13. Jacksonville (+3) – The Jags have the “triumvirate of suck” coming up – Cleveland, Cincinnati and Detroit. If they can keep Hyde in the closet, they should be primed for a playoff run.
12. Carolina (+3) –The classic yo-yo team – beat New Orleans by 27 after getting drubbed by the Bucs the week before.
Steve Slaton Division – How about the market on Slaton – he has gone from 16th round draft pick to a throw-in with upside to teams now offering the likes of Phillip Rivers straight-up and getting turned down. Slaton owners have to worry that he will fade around playoff time, for a variety of reasons – he’s a rookie, the Texans defense is as bad as it gets and there has been a sighting of the corpse of Ahman Green.
11. Atlanta (+2) – If the Falcons win in Philly this week, I put them on the legitimate Super Bowl contender list. Hell, stay close this week in Philly and it’s a moral victory.
Reggie Bush Division – Prior the getting injured, Reggie was the top producing fantasy running back, which figures since I traded him in my keeper league.
10. Chicago (+1) – Kyle Orton? 48 points? Da division is Da Bears to lose.
9. Arizona (+5) – If the Cardinals do not win the NFC West this year, they never will. Even with the resurgent Rams, the Cardinals are the class of the division.
8. New England (+4) – This team being at number 8, is really an indictment of the NFL. Parity really just means lousy, inconsistent football.
Matt Forte Division – Forte came from nowhere and is the hands down the best rookie running back. For a rookie he has been amazingly consistent and shows no signs of slowing down. However, I think this is a “sell-high” guy. If you can turn Forte into a disappointing Tomlinson with only a minor downgrade at WR, you have to do that deal. I would even consider Ryan Grant and an upgrade at WR to be a steal right now.
7. Tampa Bay (-1) – Did you know that this “Rays” team that is in the World Series is also from Tampa Bay? Most residents of Tampa found that out this month. I don’t believe in either Tampa team.
6. Philadelphia (-1) – They need a healthy Westbrook for the rest of the season or they’re done.
Steven Jackson Division – I have to throw a bone to the best player on my favorite team. Now that Linehan is gone I expect Jackson to finish in the top 3 by the end of the year.
Quick tangent regarding Jackson – Going into the season I was planning to have Jackson in all of my leagues (five), except the keeper league. And even in that keeper league I was willing to overpay for Jackson. To make a long story short, Jackson was selected the pick before me in my first three leagues. By the fourth, I decided it wasn’t meant to be and I passed on him. I could’ve made several deals for him when the price was low, but only one was fair.
So I only have him in one league and now the price is far too high in the other leagues.
5. Buffalo (+2) – The Bills look like the best bet to break the tie for Super Bowl losses. Go Bills! Beware Toronto, this team will torture you.
4. Washington (0) – Almost gave away that game against the Browns, but found a way to hang on.
Marion Barber Division – My, my how the times have changed for Barber, just a year ago he was still in that moronic time share with Julius Jones and mired in fantasy mediocrity. He has been everything you could ask for out of your first round pick – consistent (only one dud) and explosive (4 games with 2 TDs).
3. NY Giants (0) – After the Seahawks game – they’ve looked bored. This week should tell us whether they’ve been bored or they’re not as good as we thought.
2. Pittsburgh (0) – They haven’t missed a beat without Willie Parker.
Clinton Portis Division – I have Portis in one league and he is the single reason I am sitting near the top. A buddy of mine, selecting Portis with the 4th pick in a league where most of the guys consider themselves “fantasy experts”. Obviously, he took some grief, but then he shot back with a bold prediction “I bet you Portis is in the top five running backs at the end of year”. I am not sure he really believed that, but a couple guys took him up on it. Barring injury, the bet is looking like a lock.
1. Tennessee (0) – The Titans are still un-beaten, oh yeah, they had a bye this week. Get ready to pop the champagne you old crusty bastards, the Titans go down this week.
