Sleeper Running Backs (1 Viewer)

[jco207]

Seeing Blount put up great points last weekend made me start thinking about how during the second half of every year a couple of running backs emerge. Last year it was Jamaal Charles, James Harrison, Beanie Wells. Who do you think they're going to be this year?

I watch for two kinds of situations. Players that are injured or likely to get injured. And teams that aren't running effectively and might give someone else a try. Here's a couple of teams I'm watching, no particular order...

Injuries

1. Jahvid Best's number have been down since this toe injuries. Maybe Smith will overtake him by the end of the season, especially if they build some solid leads and don't have to pass as much?

2. Indianapolis: Mike Hart looks like he can overtake Brown and maybe become the starter, but then he got hurt himself.

Ineffective Runners

1. Carolina. But I don't think the problem is with the back, no matter who they put back there.

2. Green Bay. Maybe James Stark? Will Jackson get better?

3. San Diego. Matthews hasn't been the all-purpose back that we were expecting so far. Will it remain a committee?

4. Arizona. Beanie been fragile and Hightower keeps fumbling. Will Stephens-Howling eventually break out?

5. Washington. I thought it was Torain but maybe with his injury someone else takes the reins?

Anyone else wanna highlight any other potential sleepers?

 

[Waiverhawk]

I could see Marcel Reece surfacing if there was a significant injury to Bush or McFadden. He's already caught some attention in limited action.

 

[davearm]

I could see Marcel Reece surfacing if there was a significant injury to Bush or McFadden. He's already caught some attention in limited action.

I recall reading an Oakland homer post that in the event of a significant injury to Bush or McFadden, Michael Bennett would be in line to pick up the slack, with Reece remaining in his current role. FWIW.

 

[JoeTall]

May sound crazy but the little bit that has come from rookie Deji Karim, Jax has been good.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-fantasy/0900...Karim-15-yd-run

 

[FGITLOTR]

I'm hearing great things about the Bears' practice star Lawrence Morizio--He starred in the Q for a few years and possesses all the skills to be a special back in the NFL. I'm just not impressed with Forte and would love to see the little guy get a shot

 

[towney]

Thought I read Kevin Smith was having alot of soreness in his surgically repaired knee and Best was getting back to 100%. With Smith getting 12 carries last week and his knee becoming an issue, got to wonder.

 

[jbz]

Best will not be 100% until next season IMO. Smith is going through the normal aches and pains that a rehabbing ACL patient has. I can see situational roles for both, thus making neither a very solid play down the stretch.

 

[Late225]

Keiland Williams seems intriguing to me. Portis didn't show too much in the beginning of the season. Torain played well, but Keiland outperformed him in the game he was hurt. Finally, Shanahan has a history of running backs coming out of nowhere to have brilliant seasons.

 

[Aznflyer14]

Keiland Williams seems intriguing to me. Portis didn't show too much in the beginning of the season. Torain played well, but Keiland outperformed him in the game he was hurt. Finally, Shanahan has a history of running backs coming out of nowhere to have brilliant seasons.

 

[blake]

Keiland Williams seems intriguing to me. Portis didn't show too much in the beginning of the season. Torain played well, but Keiland outperformed him in the game he was hurt. Finally, Shanahan has a history of running backs coming out of nowhere to have brilliant seasons.

agreed.i'm a little surprised no one has mentioned bernard scott of cincinnati yet. if something were to happen to cedric benson, scott has some promise.chester taylor could be intriguing should something happen to matt forte. already, taylor has supposedly become the goal line back in chicago since forte has been ineffective in the red zone.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Was just about to mention Scott but for a different reason. Benson's a free agent next year. If the Bengals season keeps going the way it is, you might see a lot more of the younger guys getting opportunities down the stretch if they decide to (partially IMO) blow it up.

The core of the offense - Palmer, Benson, Ocho, Owens very well could be all gone in 2011 (work stoppage or no). Palmer is the one guy without a ready replacement (baby bro surely ain't it and I can only see Lefevour as the guy if they were totally blowing it up, but who knows. A few similar situations on defense with replacements seeming ready to emerge (ones of course that are the way Mike Brown likes 'em - cheaper).

Anyhow, the point is that with Benson being a free agent for '11, the Bengals could very well give Scott more work as the season goes on to see what they got and get the kid experience.

-QG

 

[sspunisher]

At this point in the season you should be looking at teams with bad records who might be looking to the future soon.

Cowboys: Barber is so bad, no balance, no burst, no more of that power. Even Felix looks like he's lost his burst. Choice is easily the best back on that team. EASILY. He's explosive, great after the catch (spare me the Washington fumble, that was a fluke). Cowboys messed it up so bad by not giving this kid his chance when it counted, but now that the season is out of reach, he'll slowly get his touches.

Bengals: They're 2-5 I think, but sooner or later they'll be out of it, then it will be Bernard Scott time. Like someone said, Benson's contract is up next year. I haven't seen much of Scott, but the little I have seen, he's very explosive. Great PPR type of back.

Buffalo: Spiller's not really a sleeper, but he will get a big workload at the end of the season, I'm sure of it. Probably can't touch him in dynasties, but I'm sure you can easily get him in redraft leagues.

 

[Tanner9919]

Seeing Blount put up great points last weekend made me start thinking about how during the second half of every year a couple of running backs emerge. Last year it was Jamaal Charles, James Harrison, Beanie Wells. Who do you think they're going to be this year?Anyone else wanna highlight any other potential sleepers?

two weeks ago I would have said Shonn Greene, but he's just not going to get 'there' this season, he's your standard-issue 8-10 carry/week backup RB Fred Jackson, although he's not really a sleeper anymore..Brandon Jacobs

 

[coachbobbyfinstock]

How about T. Choice? Seems to me his role will be expanding. Barber just isn't the same anymore and F Jones is somewhat of an enigma. Next year it will be Jones/Choice tandem, might as well give it a shot now.

 

[ourmanflint]

2. Indianapolis: Mike Hart looks like he can overtake Brown and maybe become the starter, but then he got hurt himself.Ineffective Runners3. San Diego. Matthews hasn't been the all-purpose back that we were expecting so far. Will it remain a committee?4. Arizona. Beanie been fragile and Hightower keeps fumbling. Will Stephens-Howling eventually break out?5. Washington. I thought it was Torain but maybe with his injury someone else takes the reins?

- Hart looks good. If he can stay healthy and Addai misses more time he could be nice.- If anyone breaks out in the San Diego situation its going to be Mathews. He's a rookie and he just doesn't get it yet. The light could come on in a few games and he might just be one of those late season gems.- Stephens-Howling is a Sproles type. Too small to be an every down back. He'll get injured. The breakout here is Beanie if he can get his damn knee healthy and stay in the lineup. He is rusty and needs some playing time to really breakout.- Williams is the breakout candidate here. Will he get a chance? If Torain stays hurt maybe so.Some of my own:- Ricky Williams -> Brown is wearing down again and Miami has a great playoff running schedule...week 15 and 16 they get the 32nd and 24th ranked run defenses- Michael Bush -> yea Run DMC is the king in Oakland but he is also fragile. In blowouts Bush gets some good touches anyway. Oakland's playoff schedule is second to none for running the ball. They close with Jax, Denver and Indy. Folks thats the 26th, 25th and 31st run defenses. Keep Bush in your sites if you plan on being in the playoffs.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Gotta like Keiland Williams, but Portis is coming back too...

Deeeeeeeeep sleeper:

Julius Jones.

Ivory got dinged end of last game and something's up with Pierre Thomas. The Saints actually tried to trade him for a backup CB and the Pats actualy demanded a draft pick on top, obviously not all is well.

Julius has looked surprisingly good, he gets the Payton offense (unlike Betts who just looks out of place) and I wouldn't be surprised if at the end of the year if PT does not improve that Julius is the 1a/b back with Bush with Ivory as the power running RB3 combo the Saints like to have.

PS - I like Ricky too, but when does he get his chance? Right now he's just dead weight on the bench.

 

[LittlePhatty]

two weeks ago I would have said Shonn Greene, but he's just not going to get 'there' this season, he's your standard-issue 8-10 carry/week backup RB

Before the season I truly thought there would be enough RB work for both LT and Greene to be at least Flex plays. Now it is obvious that Greene won't be the guy unless LT gets hurt.If you want to put your eggs in an "injury" basket, pick up Javon Ringer.

 

[Liquid Tension]

Gotta like Keiland Williams, but Portis is coming back too...Deeeeeeeeep sleeper:Julius Jones.Ivory got dinged end of last game and something's up with Pierre Thomas. The Saints actually tried to trade him for a backup CB and the Pats actualy demanded a draft pick on top, obviously not all is well. Julius has looked surprisingly good, he gets the Payton offense (unlike Betts who just looks out of place) and I wouldn't be surprised if at the end of the year if PT does not improve that Julius is the 1a/b back with Bush with Ivory as the power running RB3 combo the Saints like to have.PS - I like Ricky too, but when does he get his chance? Right now he's just dead weight on the bench.

Guys, Ricky is a straight ahead runner with almost no cutting ability and he is not as quick as he was. He is good at going straight ahead or even on a sweep, but I would not expect a lot from him...I think the other choices are better in this thread.

 

[Shutout]

Keiland Williams OR James Davis. One of these guys should be a well known name next season in Washington. I am actually putting my money on Daivs to go the Arian Foster route. I think he could be a guy that gets activated late in the season when Washington is eliminated and could be a guy that can run and catch. If he can make the smart decisions, I think he is very much the type of back Shanahan likes.

This Marcel Reece kid is absolutely intriguing to me. On a team like the Patriots, he would be impressive because they could/would use him in a lot of ways and he appears to be able to do a lot of things. If you ever wanted to truly roll the dice and maybe wina lottery, this kid could be the one..Will require some patience though. He may not even be on the team he will excel with right now.

I love Bernard Scott. Yes, its wasn't DIV. 1 opponents, but he has some of the most rediculous plays and absurd stats I have ever seen in college. In two years, he had something like 5700 total yards and 70 TDs (yes, 70). It was some mind blowing number like Ty Cobb stealing home plate 50+ times...just insane. He obviously fell in the draft because of character issues but that clearly seems to be in the rear view mirror now. The only downside I see with him is he is already close to 27 years old and the Bengals WRs are older and I just have the feeling that the Bengals will either resign Ced or want to have a RBBC with a couple of guys. In that division, the presence of a dependable ground game seems to be the only way to get things done these days. So, with cincy, I just don't know how much time he has to be featured before he's "too old". He's not very attractive to me in a dynasty league, sadly, because I really like this kid.

 

[bjabrad]

Keiland Williams seems intriguing to me. Portis didn't show too much in the beginning of the season. Torain played well, but Keiland outperformed him in the game he was hurt. Finally, Shanahan has a history of running backs coming out of nowhere to have brilliant seasons.

agreed.i'm a little surprised no one has mentioned bernard scott of cincinnati yet. if something were to happen to cedric benson, scott has some promise.chester taylor could be intriguing should something happen to matt forte. already, taylor has supposedly become the goal line back in chicago since forte has been ineffective in the red zone.

But don't they already know that Bernard Scott can play well when he was worked in for Benson last year? If he's the guy of the future then why not work the wheels off Benson rather than risk injury to the guy you want for next year?

 

[bjabrad]

At this point in the season you should be looking at teams with bad records who might be looking to the future soon.Cowboys: Barber is so bad, no balance, no burst, no more of that power. Even Felix looks like he's lost his burst. Choice is easily the best back on that team. EASILY. He's explosive, great after the catch (spare me the Washington fumble, that was a fluke). Cowboys messed it up so bad by not giving this kid his chance when it counted, but now that the season is out of reach, he'll slowly get his touches. Bengals: They're 2-5 I think, but sooner or later they'll be out of it, then it will be Bernard Scott time. Like someone said, Benson's contract is up next year. I haven't seen much of Scott, but the little I have seen, he's very explosive. Great PPR type of back. Buffalo: Spiller's not really a sleeper, but he will get a big workload at the end of the season, I'm sure of it. Probably can't touch him in dynasties, but I'm sure you can easily get him in redraft leagues.

I appreciate your analysis of the Cowboys. Things may have gotten so bad that Wade Phillips could have a bigger say in trotting out who he really wants to play (read the best performer) or it could be so dysfunctional that Jones will take even more of the head coaches balls. What's up with Buffalo? I don't know how close you guys have been paying attention but Buffalo since Fitzgerald has been starting at QB the offense refuses to run the ball even in run situations. Last week vs KC was typical of BUF the last few weeks. BUF is in a close game and instead of having a balanced offense it's pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, etc... Until this changes, Spiller has no value. What hope do we have that this philosophy will change?

 

[emge]

So here are my top-15 stash-and-hope RBs. For the most part, I’m talking about guys who are strictly backups and aren’t seeing the field much at all right now, thus likely available in 90% of the leagues out there.

1. Anthony Dixon (SF) – He’s my guy. That dude could be a top-10 back if Frankie Gore goes down. He may not be perfect, but Dixon looks like a really nice volume back, and with a little wiggle to him.

2. Javon Ringer (Ten) – He’s a different player than Chris Johnson, more of a lunch pail guy, but he can produce, for sure, behind this very good OL.

3. Jason Snelling (Atl) – I’m really surprised he’s vanished, but he looked fantastic subbing for Mike Turner early in the season. Dare I say he looked better than Turner’s ever looked? I guess I just did.

4. Bernard Scott (Cin) – He’s not a long-term featured back, but he can be very effective if carrying the load for a few weeks, and his explosiveness would be a welcome addition to this sluggish offensive attack.

5. Derrick Ward (Hou) – I do think he looks slow-ish this year, but he’s a good fit for their scheme, and they do block well for the run.

6. Ken Darby (Stl) – He actually looks really good this year, and he can run inside well and catch the ball, so he’d be quite handy if Steven Jackson went down.

7. D.J. Ware (NYG) – The Giants, of course, would turn more to Brandon Jacobs, but I believe the versatile Ware would get 10+ touches a game if Ahmad Bradshaw went down, and I think he’d do well.

8. Kevin Smith (Det) – His role may be expanding right now, so he doesn’t fit the profile as well, but he’s the guy if Jahvid Best is out, so he’s a stash-and-hope guy and then some. He’s a grinder, and he can catch the ball pretty well.

9. Rashad Jennings(Jac) – Even though he’s been inactive lately and rookie Deji Karim has played, I still think Jennings is the handcuff to MJD and that he’d be decent. Karim’s role would definitely increase, but Jennings is the sizeable inside runner they want.

10.Jerome Harrison (Phi) – Hopefully, he’s picking up the nuances of the offense quickly, but by now I’d have to assume he’s ready to be the guy if LeSean McCoy went down. He’s certainly capable of running the ball, and he’s a good receiver, which is why they went out and traded for him.

11.Tashard Choice (Dal) – He’s a little bit of a reach because there are two other guys here, but at this point I might argue that Choice would be this team’s best option right now. He’s capable of being a sustainer inside, and he’s a good receiver. If one of the top guys got hurt, he’d get a chance.

12.Toby Gerhart (Min) – His role is increasing, and he’s looked okay lately. He’s probably not ready, but if Adrian Peterson went down, ready or not, Gerhart is the guy.

13.Mike Bell (Phi) – He was brought over because he fits well with what they are doing in terms of their power inside running game, so he’d get a lot of carries if Peyton Hillis went down.

14.Isaac Redman (Pit) – He’s still getting carries now, and if starter Rashard Mendenhall went down, a guy like Mewelde Moore’s role would increase, but I think they’d roll with the tough inside running of Redman 10+ times per game.

15.James Starks (GB) – He’s the biggest reach on the list because his only chance would be if Brandon Jackson got hurt, and even then, he’s not lock. But I’d be lying if I said I still wasn’t intrigued by his potential carrying a healthy load here. Those close to the team do say it’s probably not happening for him this year, but that could change if there’s an injury.

A friend e-mailed me this list

 

[moondog]

So here are my top-15 stash-and-hope RBs. For the most part, I’m talking about guys who are strictly backups and aren’t seeing the field much at all right now, thus likely available in 90% of the leagues out there. 1. Anthony Dixon (SF) – He’s my guy. That dude could be a top-10 back if Frankie Gore goes down. He may not be perfect, but Dixon looks like a really nice volume back, and with a little wiggle to him. 2. Javon Ringer (Ten) – He’s a different player than Chris Johnson, more of a lunch pail guy, but he can produce, for sure, behind this very good OL. 3. Jason Snelling (Atl) – I’m really surprised he’s vanished, but he looked fantastic subbing for Mike Turner early in the season. Dare I say he looked better than Turner’s ever looked? I guess I just did. 4. Bernard Scott (Cin) – He’s not a long-term featured back, but he can be very effective if carrying the load for a few weeks, and his explosiveness would be a welcome addition to this sluggish offensive attack. 5. Derrick Ward (Hou) – I do think he looks slow-ish this year, but he’s a good fit for their scheme, and they do block well for the run. 6. Ken Darby (Stl) – He actually looks really good this year, and he can run inside well and catch the ball, so he’d be quite handy if Steven Jackson went down. 7. D.J. Ware (NYG) – The Giants, of course, would turn more to Brandon Jacobs, but I believe the versatile Ware would get 10+ touches a game if Ahmad Bradshaw went down, and I think he’d do well. 8. Kevin Smith (Det) – His role may be expanding right now, so he doesn’t fit the profile as well, but he’s the guy if Jahvid Best is out, so he’s a stash-and-hope guy and then some. He’s a grinder, and he can catch the ball pretty well. 9. Rashad Jennings(Jac) – Even though he’s been inactive lately and rookie Deji Karim has played, I still think Jennings is the handcuff to MJD and that he’d be decent. Karim’s role would definitely increase, but Jennings is the sizeable inside runner they want. 10.Jerome Harrison (Phi) – Hopefully, he’s picking up the nuances of the offense quickly, but by now I’d have to assume he’s ready to be the guy if LeSean McCoy went down. He’s certainly capable of running the ball, and he’s a good receiver, which is why they went out and traded for him. 11.Tashard Choice (Dal) – He’s a little bit of a reach because there are two other guys here, but at this point I might argue that Choice would be this team’s best option right now. He’s capable of being a sustainer inside, and he’s a good receiver. If one of the top guys got hurt, he’d get a chance. 12.Toby Gerhart (Min) – His role is increasing, and he’s looked okay lately. He’s probably not ready, but if Adrian Peterson went down, ready or not, Gerhart is the guy. 13.Mike Bell (Phi) – He was brought over because he fits well with what they are doing in terms of their power inside running game, so he’d get a lot of carries if Peyton Hillis went down. 14.Isaac Redman (Pit) – He’s still getting carries now, and if starter Rashard Mendenhall went down, a guy like Mewelde Moore’s role would increase, but I think they’d roll with the tough inside running of Redman 10+ times per game. 15.James Starks (GB) – He’s the biggest reach on the list because his only chance would be if Brandon Jackson got hurt, and even then, he’s not lock. But I’d be lying if I said I still wasn’t intrigued by his potential carrying a healthy load here. Those close to the team do say it’s probably not happening for him this year, but that could change if there’s an injury.A friend e-mailed me this list

This is subscriber only info taken verbatim from another FF site.

 

[JamesTheScot]

2. Indianapolis: Mike Hart looks like he can overtake Brown and maybe become the starter, but then he got hurt himself.

Ineffective Runners

3. San Diego. Matthews hasn't been the all-purpose back that we were expecting so far. Will it remain a committee?

4. Arizona. Beanie been fragile and Hightower keeps fumbling. Will Stephens-Howling eventually break out?

5. Washington. I thought it was Torain but maybe with his injury someone else takes the reins?

- Hart looks good. If he can stay healthy and Addai misses more time he could be nice.- If anyone breaks out in the San Diego situation its going to be Mathews. He's a rookie and he just doesn't get it yet. The light could come on in a few games and he might just be one of those late season gems.

- Stephens-Howling is a Sproles type. Too small to be an every down back. He'll get injured. The breakout here is Beanie if he can get his damn knee healthy and stay in the lineup. He is rusty and needs some playing time to really breakout.

- Williams is the breakout candidate here. Will he get a chance? If Torain stays hurt maybe so.

Some of my own:

- Ricky Williams -> Brown is wearing down again and Miami has a great playoff running schedule...week 15 and 16 they get the 32nd and 24th ranked run defenses

- Michael Bush -> yea Run DMC is the king in Oakland but he is also fragile. In blowouts Bush gets some good touches anyway. Oakland's playoff schedule is second to none for running the ball. They close with Jax, Denver and Indy. Folks thats the 26th, 25th and 31st run defenses. Keep Bush in your sites if you plan on being in the playoffs.

Keep in mind though that with Matthews, you've got a rookie back heading into the part of the season that he didn't have to face in college. Matthews hasn't been run into the ground, but he's still going to go through the mental and physical stress of preparing for 6 more games than he's used to. I think his long term upside is still there, but we are to the halfway point and the wall looms. The wall may offset whatever strides he's making as far as adjusting to the pro game. Just food for thought.

 

[JHicks22]

Its my understanding that Snelling will be a FA next year, I think he could be another backup turned star a la Michael Turner. He has been ultra productive when given the start in Turners abscence. Can any Falcons homers comment?

 

[boneman18]

So here are my top-15 stash-and-hope RBs. For the most part, I’m talking about guys who are strictly backups and aren’t seeing the field much at all right now, thus likely available in 90% of the leagues out there.

1. Anthony Dixon (SF) – He’s my guy. That dude could be a top-10 back if Frankie Gore goes down. He may not be perfect, but Dixon looks like a really nice volume back, and with a little wiggle to him.

2. Javon Ringer (Ten) – He’s a different player than Chris Johnson, more of a lunch pail guy, but he can produce, for sure, behind this very good OL.

3. Jason Snelling (Atl) – I’m really surprised he’s vanished, but he looked fantastic subbing for Mike Turner early in the season. Dare I say he looked better than Turner’s ever looked? I guess I just did.

4. Bernard Scott (Cin) – He’s not a long-term featured back, but he can be very effective if carrying the load for a few weeks, and his explosiveness would be a welcome addition to this sluggish offensive attack.

5. Derrick Ward (Hou) – I do think he looks slow-ish this year, but he’s a good fit for their scheme, and they do block well for the run.

6. Ken Darby (Stl) – He actually looks really good this year, and he can run inside well and catch the ball, so he’d be quite handy if Steven Jackson went down.

7. D.J. Ware (NYG) – The Giants, of course, would turn more to Brandon Jacobs, but I believe the versatile Ware would get 10+ touches a game if Ahmad Bradshaw went down, and I think he’d do well.

8. Kevin Smith (Det) – His role may be expanding right now, so he doesn’t fit the profile as well, but he’s the guy if Jahvid Best is out, so he’s a stash-and-hope guy and then some. He’s a grinder, and he can catch the ball pretty well.

9. Rashad Jennings(Jac) – Even though he’s been inactive lately and rookie Deji Karim has played, I still think Jennings is the handcuff to MJD and that he’d be decent. Karim’s role would definitely increase, but Jennings is the sizeable inside runner they want.

10.Jerome Harrison (Phi) – Hopefully, he’s picking up the nuances of the offense quickly, but by now I’d have to assume he’s ready to be the guy if LeSean McCoy went down. He’s certainly capable of running the ball, and he’s a good receiver, which is why they went out and traded for him.

11.Tashard Choice (Dal) – He’s a little bit of a reach because there are two other guys here, but at this point I might argue that Choice would be this team’s best option right now. He’s capable of being a sustainer inside, and he’s a good receiver. If one of the top guys got hurt, he’d get a chance.

12.Toby Gerhart (Min) – His role is increasing, and he’s looked okay lately. He’s probably not ready, but if Adrian Peterson went down, ready or not, Gerhart is the guy.

13.Mike Bell (Phi) – He was brought over because he fits well with what they are doing in terms of their power inside running game, so he’d get a lot of carries if Peyton Hillis went down.

14.Isaac Redman (Pit) – He’s still getting carries now, and if starter Rashard Mendenhall went down, a guy like Mewelde Moore’s role would increase, but I think they’d roll with the tough inside running of Redman 10+ times per game.

15.James Starks (GB) – He’s the biggest reach on the list because his only chance would be if Brandon Jackson got hurt, and even then, he’s not lock. But I’d be lying if I said I still wasn’t intrigued by his potential carrying a healthy load here. Those close to the team do say it’s probably not happening for him this year, but that could change if there’s an injury.

A friend e-mailed me this list

This is subscriber only info taken verbatim from another FF site.

Whoever needs to pay for this info is not very informed. I know a lot of people can't follow it as closely as they would like, so this type of info might have value for someone who has neglected to pay attention. Otherwise you can find all of this info throughout the sharkpool by compiling your own list and ranking them.I especially love the part at the top where it appears Emge is the author, note the disclaimer at the bottom. Atleast use quotes or move your discalimer to the top.

 

[jco207]

Lots of great comments in this thread! Thanks everyone for your input. Just curious, when do you pick these guys up? Do you take a game and pick one up early, or do you wait for the breakout and hope no one picks them up on waivers before you?

 

[Dismattle]

Quote: This hot streak isn’t going to last, especially when you take note that Blount’s next six games feature four showdowns against defenses that rank in the bottom-11 in points allowed to opposing running backs. <-- http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Trade-Bait-6596.html

Im not endorsing anything on the thread esp E. Manning (not his biggest fan)

K. Smith (I drafted him and cut him). I dunno if the knee speak is Coach talk, but almost wish I had kept him at this point. It would be nice to know why W. McGahee isnt listed (five less carries, but had the TD) last game...

J. James depending upon your view on the injurys, he could/should be rostered now. fwiw I was posting his name prior and he only had four yds (3 carrys).

 

[Steel Town]

Good topic. Here are my candidates;

Stephens-Howling. Hightower is toast. His fumbles of put him in the doghouse and I don't see him getting out at this point. Even if Wells can get fully healthy - which is not a sure thing - I see this guy having some value, especially in PPR leagues. I am willing to role the dice and pick him up, and look for Wells to miss some time, giving Stephens-Howling a chance. Once he gets the opportunity, I think he can produce. He looks explosive and is running with more power and speed than Wells, IMO. I don't have his stats in front of me, but I have to think he is much bigger than Sproles (response to previous comment)

Pierre Thomas. I think he will get back to the field after the bye. He should be healthy in 2 weeks. No one else has stepped up and the team needs a running game to progress in the playoffs. If he gets healthy, then he is a prime candidate to break out during the fantasy playoffs. One thing keeping my optimism in check, is the week 15 matchup @ Baltimore.

 

[ourmanflint]

2. Indianapolis: Mike Hart looks like he can overtake Brown and maybe become the starter, but then he got hurt himself.

Ineffective Runners

3. San Diego. Matthews hasn't been the all-purpose back that we were expecting so far. Will it remain a committee?

4. Arizona. Beanie been fragile and Hightower keeps fumbling. Will Stephens-Howling eventually break out?

5. Washington. I thought it was Torain but maybe with his injury someone else takes the reins?

- Hart looks good. If he can stay healthy and Addai misses more time he could be nice.- If anyone breaks out in the San Diego situation its going to be Mathews. He's a rookie and he just doesn't get it yet. The light could come on in a few games and he might just be one of those late season gems.

- Stephens-Howling is a Sproles type. Too small to be an every down back. He'll get injured. The breakout here is Beanie if he can get his damn knee healthy and stay in the lineup. He is rusty and needs some playing time to really breakout.

- Williams is the breakout candidate here. Will he get a chance? If Torain stays hurt maybe so.

Some of my own:

- Ricky Williams -> Brown is wearing down again and Miami has a great playoff running schedule...week 15 and 16 they get the 32nd and 24th ranked run defenses

- Michael Bush -> yea Run DMC is the king in Oakland but he is also fragile. In blowouts Bush gets some good touches anyway. Oakland's playoff schedule is second to none for running the ball. They close with Jax, Denver and Indy. Folks thats the 26th, 25th and 31st run defenses. Keep Bush in your sites if you plan on being in the playoffs.

Keep in mind though that with Matthews, you've got a rookie back heading into the part of the season that he didn't have to face in college. Matthews hasn't been run into the ground, but he's still going to go through the mental and physical stress of preparing for 6 more games than he's used to. I think his long term upside is still there, but we are to the halfway point and the wall looms. The wall may offset whatever strides he's making as far as adjusting to the pro game. Just food for thought.

Point taken. But Mathews hasn't really been used as a bell cow. He has sat relatively large portions of many games whereas in college he was the centerpiece of the offense. Its still more games than he's used to but the mileage to this point is still low in comparison IMO.

 

[Bad_Mo]

Was just about to mention Scott but for a different reason. Benson's a free agent next year. If the Bengals season keeps going the way it is, you might see a lot more of the younger guys getting opportunities down the stretch if they decide to (partially IMO) blow it up.

The core of the offense - Palmer, Benson, Ocho, Owens very well could be all gone in 2011 (work stoppage or no). Palmer is the one guy without a ready replacement (baby bro surely ain't it and I can only see Lefevour as the guy if they were totally blowing it up, but who knows. A few similar situations on defense with replacements seeming ready to emerge (ones of course that are the way Mike Brown likes 'em - cheaper).

Anyhow, the point is that with Benson being a free agent for '11, the Bengals could very well give Scott more work as the season goes on to see what they got and get the kid experience.

-QG

I thought Ocho already was let go and flipping burgers somewhere. At least, that's what my bench coach tells me.

 

[cobalt_27]

At this point in the season you should be looking at teams with bad records who might be looking to the future soon.Cowboys: Barber is so bad, no balance, no burst, no more of that power. Even Felix looks like he's lost his burst. Choice is easily the best back on that team. EASILY.

Oh stop.

 

[TS Garp]

I like Gerhart to have real value before the end of the season.

 

[RedskinsFan]

Injuries create opportunities but it's too difficult to predict when/if those will happen. I like to look for guys who are already involved with there teams game plans who I can see having more opportunity going forward with or without an injury. Full disclosure I own these guys in a 12 team league and picked them up off the WW this year.

I decided to stash these guys over other question marks like Anthony Dixon (SF) Bernard Scott (Cin) Ken Darby (Stl) Rashad Jennings(Jac) and Tashard Choice (Dal) because all of those guys haven't been used much up until this point and seem to be the worse player compared to the established starter. No one can be sure if those guys might become startable if an injury occurs but without an injury those guys aren't rosterable to me. If your looking for a lottery ticket those guys are fine but I would expect next to nothing from 90% of them unless a serious injury occurs.

These guys are included in game plans right now and at times have looked better then the established starters. A drop off with these players isn't expected if they get more carries and as the season goes on they probably will be used more to keep the starters healthier for a December/January run:

1. Brandon Jacobs NYG

2. Ricky Williams MIA

3. Jason Snelling ATL

Jacobs: 6/10/9/12 carries in his last four games and has gotten 5 TD's in the last 4 games. Bradshaw last year didn't play well in Nov-Dec except vs the Redskins in week 14 and I expect Jacobs to get more opportunities going forward. The Giants will go with the hot hand and Bradshaw has it now but that could change and his schedule the rest of the year looks great in weeks 11-15.

Williams: He's been performing better then Ronnie Brown this season. Ronnie Browns been making a stink about his contract and if you follow the money it's not looking like Miami wants to invest in him long term. Brown has an injury history. Miami has one the softest playoff schedules there is. If anything happens to Brown he could well be your Fantasy playoffs hero

Snelling: In relief duty this year Snelling looked awesome. He's been phased out some the last two weeks. However Turner has an injury history. The schedule in weeks 13-17 for Atlanta looks great. Snelling needs an opportunity but if he's shown that with that opportunity he can perform and Atlanta is going to be in a dog fight to get to the playoffs this year.

 

[plyka]

Keiland Williams seems intriguing to me. Portis didn't show too much in the beginning of the season. Torain played well, but Keiland outperformed him in the game he was hurt. Finally, Shanahan has a history of running backs coming out of nowhere to have brilliant seasons.

The funny thing is that you're right: "Finally, Shanahan has a history of running backs coming out of nowhere to have brilliant seasons."I think his name is Torain though, lol.

 

[doubletrouble]

Keiland Williams seems intriguing to me. Portis didn't show too much in the beginning of the season. Torain played well, but Keiland outperformed him in the game he was hurt. Finally, Shanahan has a history of running backs coming out of nowhere to have brilliant seasons.

The funny thing is that you're right: "Finally, Shanahan has a history of running backs coming out of nowhere to have brilliant seasons."I think his name is Torain though, lol.

WOW, 2 good games and now it's a brilliant season....

 

[sspunisher]

At this point in the season you should be looking at teams with bad records who might be looking to the future soon.Cowboys: Barber is so bad, no balance, no burst, no more of that power. Even Felix looks like he's lost his burst. Choice is easily the best back on that team. EASILY.

Oh stop.

How about you provide some useful information instead of making useless comments. A forum is for sharing knowledge.Maybe you haven't been watching Cowboys football lately. Felix had the past 4 weeks to snatch the starting job away from Barber. He failed. I don't care what he did against TEN. I rather judge a RB by his bad performances than his good performances. He's not running the same way he was last year, and we can't use the opportunities excuse anymore. Barber may start, but Felix was given every chance and he's not taking full advantage. Yea not everything is peachy in Dallas but gamebreakers are supposed to do it on their own every now and then. Felix has great potential but the current situation in Dallas isn't suited for him. He needs a mauling oline or a team that wants to take a 3 point lead and play field position w/ great defense so they can run the ball 30-40 times down your throat. The high hopes for Felix this year were basically b/c of what we expected from Dallas, a high scoring team with an attacking defense that puts the game out of reach in the 4th quarter and turns the reigns over to the run game. Well that's definitely not Dallas this year. Felix can't put up elite numbers with 10-12 touches the way I think Choice can. This isn't KC, OAK or TEN, Dallas isn't trying to run the ball 30-40 times a game. Cowboys have one of the best WR corps in the game, 20 rushes is all you'll see any given Sunday and that 20 is split 2-3 ways. Definitely won't see more than 20 rush attempts with them playing catch up every single week.And this whole give him the ball in space thing is a joke. Didn't he get like 10 receptions in that Vikings game? 60 yards on 10 receptions isn't exactly making anyone miss. Good receiving average for a RB I think is around 9-10 yards per catch. I'm sure Jones is nowhere near there, and I'm sure Choice would average around there if he was used more. Choice isn't as fast as Felix, but I think he's got better acceleration and elusiveness, and definitely is a more natural receiver. Obviously Dallas isn't going to be a 40 rush attempts per game type of team, and that's what Felix needs to be the best back on that team. 10-15 touches for a RB per game is more suited for Choice, who can turn short dumpoffs into bigger gains and run the ball just as well I think.That's why I believe Choice is the best back on that team, he's more likely to turn limitted Cowboys RB touches into something fantasy relevant. And he more fits what the Cowboys want to be, a pass first team.

 

[plyka]

So here are my top-15 stash-and-hope RBs. For the most part, I’m talking about guys who are strictly backups and aren’t seeing the field much at all right now, thus likely available in 90% of the leagues out there. 1. Anthony Dixon (SF) – He’s my guy. That dude could be a top-10 back if Frankie Gore goes down. He may not be perfect, but Dixon looks like a really nice volume back, and with a little wiggle to him. 2. Javon Ringer (Ten) – He’s a different player than Chris Johnson, more of a lunch pail guy, but he can produce, for sure, behind this very good OL. 3. Jason Snelling (Atl) – I’m really surprised he’s vanished, but he looked fantastic subbing for Mike Turner early in the season. Dare I say he looked better than Turner’s ever looked? I guess I just did. 4. Bernard Scott (Cin) – He’s not a long-term featured back, but he can be very effective if carrying the load for a few weeks, and his explosiveness would be a welcome addition to this sluggish offensive attack. 5. Derrick Ward (Hou) – I do think he looks slow-ish this year, but he’s a good fit for their scheme, and they do block well for the run. 6. Ken Darby (Stl) – He actually looks really good this year, and he can run inside well and catch the ball, so he’d be quite handy if Steven Jackson went down. 7. D.J. Ware (NYG) – The Giants, of course, would turn more to Brandon Jacobs, but I believe the versatile Ware would get 10+ touches a game if Ahmad Bradshaw went down, and I think he’d do well. 8. Kevin Smith (Det) – His role may be expanding right now, so he doesn’t fit the profile as well, but he’s the guy if Jahvid Best is out, so he’s a stash-and-hope guy and then some. He’s a grinder, and he can catch the ball pretty well. 9. Rashad Jennings(Jac) – Even though he’s been inactive lately and rookie Deji Karim has played, I still think Jennings is the handcuff to MJD and that he’d be decent. Karim’s role would definitely increase, but Jennings is the sizeable inside runner they want. 10.Jerome Harrison (Phi) – Hopefully, he’s picking up the nuances of the offense quickly, but by now I’d have to assume he’s ready to be the guy if LeSean McCoy went down. He’s certainly capable of running the ball, and he’s a good receiver, which is why they went out and traded for him. 11.Tashard Choice (Dal) – He’s a little bit of a reach because there are two other guys here, but at this point I might argue that Choice would be this team’s best option right now. He’s capable of being a sustainer inside, and he’s a good receiver. If one of the top guys got hurt, he’d get a chance. 12.Toby Gerhart (Min) – His role is increasing, and he’s looked okay lately. He’s probably not ready, but if Adrian Peterson went down, ready or not, Gerhart is the guy. 13.Mike Bell (Phi) – He was brought over because he fits well with what they are doing in terms of their power inside running game, so he’d get a lot of carries if Peyton Hillis went down. 14.Isaac Redman (Pit) – He’s still getting carries now, and if starter Rashard Mendenhall went down, a guy like Mewelde Moore’s role would increase, but I think they’d roll with the tough inside running of Redman 10+ times per game. 15.James Starks (GB) – He’s the biggest reach on the list because his only chance would be if Brandon Jackson got hurt, and even then, he’s not lock. But I’d be lying if I said I still wasn’t intrigued by his potential carrying a healthy load here. Those close to the team do say it’s probably not happening for him this year, but that could change if there’s an injury.A friend e-mailed me this list

This is subscriber only info taken verbatim from another FF site.

Not very good advice. They list every handcuff known to man. Not sure why anyone would pay for it.

 

[Late225]

So here are my top-15 stash-and-hope RBs. For the most part, I’m talking about guys who are strictly backups and aren’t seeing the field much at all right now, thus likely available in 90% of the leagues out there. 1. Anthony Dixon (SF) – He’s my guy. That dude could be a top-10 back if Frankie Gore goes down. He may not be perfect, but Dixon looks like a really nice volume back, and with a little wiggle to him. 2. Javon Ringer (Ten) – He’s a different player than Chris Johnson, more of a lunch pail guy, but he can produce, for sure, behind this very good OL. 3. Jason Snelling (Atl) – I’m really surprised he’s vanished, but he looked fantastic subbing for Mike Turner early in the season. Dare I say he looked better than Turner’s ever looked? I guess I just did. 4. Bernard Scott (Cin) – He’s not a long-term featured back, but he can be very effective if carrying the load for a few weeks, and his explosiveness would be a welcome addition to this sluggish offensive attack. 5. Derrick Ward (Hou) – I do think he looks slow-ish this year, but he’s a good fit for their scheme, and they do block well for the run. 6. Ken Darby (Stl) – He actually looks really good this year, and he can run inside well and catch the ball, so he’d be quite handy if Steven Jackson went down. 7. D.J. Ware (NYG) – The Giants, of course, would turn more to Brandon Jacobs, but I believe the versatile Ware would get 10+ touches a game if Ahmad Bradshaw went down, and I think he’d do well. 8. Kevin Smith (Det) – His role may be expanding right now, so he doesn’t fit the profile as well, but he’s the guy if Jahvid Best is out, so he’s a stash-and-hope guy and then some. He’s a grinder, and he can catch the ball pretty well. 9. Rashad Jennings(Jac) – Even though he’s been inactive lately and rookie Deji Karim has played, I still think Jennings is the handcuff to MJD and that he’d be decent. Karim’s role would definitely increase, but Jennings is the sizeable inside runner they want. 10.Jerome Harrison (Phi) – Hopefully, he’s picking up the nuances of the offense quickly, but by now I’d have to assume he’s ready to be the guy if LeSean McCoy went down. He’s certainly capable of running the ball, and he’s a good receiver, which is why they went out and traded for him. 11.Tashard Choice (Dal) – He’s a little bit of a reach because there are two other guys here, but at this point I might argue that Choice would be this team’s best option right now. He’s capable of being a sustainer inside, and he’s a good receiver. If one of the top guys got hurt, he’d get a chance. 12.Toby Gerhart (Min) – His role is increasing, and he’s looked okay lately. He’s probably not ready, but if Adrian Peterson went down, ready or not, Gerhart is the guy. 13.Mike Bell (Phi) – He was brought over because he fits well with what they are doing in terms of their power inside running game, so he’d get a lot of carries if Peyton Hillis went down. 14.Isaac Redman (Pit) – He’s still getting carries now, and if starter Rashard Mendenhall went down, a guy like Mewelde Moore’s role would increase, but I think they’d roll with the tough inside running of Redman 10+ times per game. 15.James Starks (GB) – He’s the biggest reach on the list because his only chance would be if Brandon Jackson got hurt, and even then, he’s not lock. But I’d be lying if I said I still wasn’t intrigued by his potential carrying a healthy load here. Those close to the team do say it’s probably not happening for him this year, but that could change if there’s an injury.A friend e-mailed me this list

This is subscriber only info taken verbatim from another FF site.

Not very good advice. They list every handcuff known to man. Not sure why anyone would pay for it.

Also discusses Mike Bell as the Hillis handcuff, but lists (PHI) next to his name...Also, a little upset Brandon Jacobs isn't on that list.

 

[faulkfan]

May sound crazy but the little bit that has come from rookie Deji Karim, Jax has been good.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-fantasy/0900...Karim-15-yd-run

SIU BABY! Go DAWGS!

 

[faulkfan]

2. Indianapolis: Mike Hart looks like he can overtake Brown and maybe become the starter, but then he got hurt himself.Ineffective Runners3. San Diego. Matthews hasn't been the all-purpose back that we were expecting so far. Will it remain a committee?4. Arizona. Beanie been fragile and Hightower keeps fumbling. Will Stephens-Howling eventually break out?5. Washington. I thought it was Torain but maybe with his injury someone else takes the reins?

- Hart looks good. If he can stay healthy and Addai misses more time he could be nice.- If anyone breaks out in the San Diego situation its going to be Mathews. He's a rookie and he just doesn't get it yet. The light could come on in a few games and he might just be one of those late season gems.- Stephens-Howling is a Sproles type. Too small to be an every down back. He'll get injured. The breakout here is Beanie if he can get his damn knee healthy and stay in the lineup. He is rusty and needs some playing time to really breakout.- Williams is the breakout candidate here. Will he get a chance? If Torain stays hurt maybe so.Some of my own:- Ricky Williams -> Brown is wearing down again and Miami has a great playoff running schedule...week 15 and 16 they get the 32nd and 24th ranked run defenses- Michael Bush -> yea Run DMC is the king in Oakland but he is also fragile. In blowouts Bush gets some good touches anyway. Oakland's playoff schedule is second to none for running the ball. They close with Jax, Denver and Indy. Folks thats the 26th, 25th and 31st run defenses. Keep Bush in your sites if you plan on being in the playoffs.

Don't overlook the fact that Bush has been equally fragile. Every time there was an opportunity for him to become the man it seemed like he was sitting on the bench nursing an injury. Maybe it just felt that way because he was always on MY bench when the opportunity presented itself...

 

[Liquid Tension]

At this point in the season you should be looking at teams with bad records who might be looking to the future soon.Cowboys: Barber is so bad, no balance, no burst, no more of that power. Even Felix looks like he's lost his burst. Choice is easily the best back on that team. EASILY.

Oh stop.

How about you provide some useful information instead of making useless comments. A forum is for sharing knowledge.Maybe you haven't been watching Cowboys football lately. Felix had the past 4 weeks to snatch the starting job away from Barber. He failed. I don't care what he did against TEN. I rather judge a RB by his bad performances than his good performances. He's not running the same way he was last year, and we can't use the opportunities excuse anymore. Barber may start, but Felix was given every chance and he's not taking full advantage. Yea not everything is peachy in Dallas but gamebreakers are supposed to do it on their own every now and then. Felix has great potential but the current situation in Dallas isn't suited for him. He needs a mauling oline or a team that wants to take a 3 point lead and play field position w/ great defense so they can run the ball 30-40 times down your throat. The high hopes for Felix this year were basically b/c of what we expected from Dallas, a high scoring team with an attacking defense that puts the game out of reach in the 4th quarter and turns the reigns over to the run game. Well that's definitely not Dallas this year. Felix can't put up elite numbers with 10-12 touches the way I think Choice can. This isn't KC, OAK or TEN, Dallas isn't trying to run the ball 30-40 times a game. Cowboys have one of the best WR corps in the game, 20 rushes is all you'll see any given Sunday and that 20 is split 2-3 ways. Definitely won't see more than 20 rush attempts with them playing catch up every single week.And this whole give him the ball in space thing is a joke. Didn't he get like 10 receptions in that Vikings game? 60 yards on 10 receptions isn't exactly making anyone miss. Good receiving average for a RB I think is around 9-10 yards per catch. I'm sure Jones is nowhere near there, and I'm sure Choice would average around there if he was used more. Choice isn't as fast as Felix, but I think he's got better acceleration and elusiveness, and definitely is a more natural receiver. Obviously Dallas isn't going to be a 40 rush attempts per game type of team, and that's what Felix needs to be the best back on that team. 10-15 touches for a RB per game is more suited for Choice, who can turn short dumpoffs into bigger gains and run the ball just as well I think.That's why I believe Choice is the best back on that team, he's more likely to turn limitted Cowboys RB touches into something fantasy relevant. And he more fits what the Cowboys want to be, a pass first team.

have to at least say this was a well thought out answer

 

[ourmanflint]

Don't look now but Washington's RB playoff schedule looks rather nice.

Week 14: Tampa (30th ranked run defense, 7 rushing TDs allowed ties for 21st)

Week 15: at Dallas (injuries have decimated this line, 22nd ranked run defense, 6 rushing TDs allowed)

Week 16: at Jax (20th ranked run defense with 11 rushing TDs allowed ranks them 31st)

Also notice all good weather.

Some RB from Washington looks very relevant for the fantasy playoffs.

I would rank them in this order:

Ryan Torain, Keiland Williams, Clinton Portis

 

[qimqam]

Don't look now but Washington's RB playoff schedule looks rather nice.

Week 14: Tampa (30th ranked run defense, 7 rushing TDs allowed ties for 21st)

Week 15: at Dallas (injuries have decimated this line, 22nd ranked run defense, 6 rushing TDs allowed)

Week 16: at Jax (20th ranked run defense with 11 rushing TDs allowed ranks them 31st)

Also notice all good weather.

Some RB from Washington looks very relevant for the fantasy playoffs.

I would rank them in this order:

Ryan Torain, Keiland Williams, Clinton Portis

What about James Davis