JGalligan
Footballguy
I debated on whether or not to try and write a RB edition for Comatose Sleepers, but decided it would be impossible. Unlike WR’s, teams only usually use two RB’s maximum (as starters) so there is essentially just three main RB’s on a roster at any given time. You could definitely make a case for a couple RB's as comatose sleepers but it's definitely not a whole list that would warrant much discussion.
Unlike WR’s, a backup RB only needs one injury to pave the way for his shot at a starting job. Year after year new RB’s barrel there way to recognition. In the interests of backing this claim up with stats, (because when is that EVER a bad thing?) I did some extensive research.
Since the 2000 season, an average of 9 players have broken into the Top 25 rushing list that weren’t there the year prior. Nine. The majority of them broke well into the Top 20 as well. What this tells us is that no matter how much we like to think so, the RB landscape is going to change. People are going to get injured, teams are going to give their youth a shot and some dark horses will emerge. It‘ll all happen like clockwork.
With the league’s new trend, the running back by committee, we could eventually be putting a much larger stake in a Top 30 or 40. I don’t think I need to tell you that the average amount of players that would break into a Top 30 or 40 would likely go up. Tis simple mathematics.
Some backups have question for the handcuff (Kansas City) while others may be a worthy handcuff to another handcuff (Miami). In the end it is of no matter. They all deserve a small part of your attention.
Anyway, hopefully I’ve convinced you that it’s worth studying up on your backup RB’s because even if I haven‘t, we’re still going forward. Sorry..
As with the WR’s, make sure you’re an optimist before reading much further and feel free to mention anyone who I may not have noticed yet in your replies. The comatose sleepers WR edition has already built up an impressive list of prospects through community input. As long as you do it coherently and they’re not completely hopeless, I’ll add them. It’s that simple!
Cue the list!
Fred Jackson (BUF) - Despite Marshawn Lynch having the second best rookie RB season next to only Adrian Peterson, he did manage to get injured. It was a minor injury, but he was still out for 3 games none-the-less. The job Fred Jackson did while filling in for Lynch impressed many people. Especially his 300 yards on 58 carries with 22 receptions tacked on for 190 yards. Those stats, along with the fact that Marshawn Lynch runs with a reckless abandon style, give Jackson huge value as a backup.
Outlook: Lynch is too tough to miss too much time from mere bumps and bruises. So barring some breaks or tears, Jackson likely will see much of the same amount of action that he did last year.
Handcuff value: High
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Steve Slaton (HOU) - With news of Ahman Greens injury surprising a grand total of 3 people, Slaton should have a shot to show why he has what it takes to have a role on offense. Many people aren’t too high on him because of his size (or lack thereof) but isn’t that what people said about Barry Sanders? Note: That was NOT a Barry Sanders/Steve Slaton comparison. It was just a thought.
Outlook: He’s still on a roster that has more RB’s than the Buccaneers have QB’s and as we all know, that’s certainly saying something. The key thing is that although he’s on a crowded depth chart, it’s a depth chart saddled with mediocrity.
Handcuff value: Not very much
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Mike Hart (IND) - The main knock against Mike Hart is that he’s a working mans RB. He succeeds through hard work, desire and the will to get it right. Although he had one of the most impressive runs I have ever seen in high school, he’s basically the epitimy of the term ‘workhorse back’. He won’t be juking out defenders, but will continue to run at them until he succeeds in running them over. The Colts appear set with Dominic Rhodes as the current backup to Joseph Addai, but the more Hart is around, the more he’ll impress the coaches.
Outlook: Rhodes isn’t going to stand in Hart’s way for very long. It may take a while, but Hart should chip away at his shot at Addai’s backup catch by catch and run by run.
Handcuff value: Potentially decent
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Greg Jones (JAX) - The older Fred Taylor gets, not only does Maurice Jones-Drew inch closer towards the starting spot, but the RB2 spot along with MJD becomes all the more important. You may remember Greg Jones as Fred Taylor’s compliment during the 2005 season. He rushed for 575 yards and 4 TD’s and many were optimistic about his status heading into the 2006 season. Then the ACL tear fairy struck and he missed the entire season.
Outlook: The emergence of MJD limited Jones’ role when he returned in 2007, but he’s the leading candidate to return to his complimentary role once Fred Taylor retires. I wouldn’t bet too much on that happening this year or even the next, but it is going to happen eventually.
Handcuff value: Rising
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Jackie Battle, Jamaal Charles and Kolby Smith (KC) - The battle to be Larry Johnson’s backup appears to be wide open with Kolby Smith gaining a slight edge with his performance in the Chiefs second pre-season game (4 carries for 37 yards, 2 receptions for 10 yards). Jackie Battle is fighting for the spot as well but hasn’t done too much to show he deserves it. Jamaal Charles’ fumbling issues continue to plague him but if we learned anything from Tiki Barber, besides that he’s definitely a better football player than announcer, it’s that fumbling issues can be cured.
Outlook: Charles has the most value in the long run due to youth and talent, but his fumbling issues should give Smith the shot at LJ’s backup once again this year. He’ll have the opportunity to claim the backup spot as his own but could lose it over the course of the season should Charles succeed in weakening his weaknesses. With Larry Johnson’s injury last year proving he’s not invincible, the battle is definitely worth monitoring.
Handcuff value: Decent (For the victor)
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Jalen Parmele (MIA) - Parmele has the lead it appears for the RB3 spot behind perennial injury risks, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. There’s no doubt he has talent and has so far impressed the coaches enough to warrant the lead in the second backup battle. Williams is now 31 and although he looks impressive, he won’t likely be around for too long. The situation in general has Parmele in a very favorable position.
Outlook: With injuries very, very likely for both Williams and Brown, Parmele could get his feet wet this year with a decent amount of playing time. Even if he doesn’t he can learn the offense and be primed to steal the RB2 spot from Williams next year.
Handcuff value: Rising
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Michael Bush (OAK) - Although Justin Fargas is likely to be splitting snaps with Darren McFadden to start the year, it’s up in the air how it will eventually go. Fargas looked impressive last year but is injury prone and fast approaching the age of 30. Despite what at first glance doesn’t look too good of a situation for Bush, it could eventually turn out quite well. Unless of course Justin Fargas has hired Fred Taylor’s strength and conditioning trainers.
Outlook: If the rehab from his injury went well and he can return to prior form, the Raiders could end up with a potent duo of McFadden and Bush for years to come.
Handcuff value: Potentially necessary
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Tim Hightower (ARI) - The buzz out of Arizona (and right here on the boards!) is all about fifth round rookie RB Tim Hightower. Reportedly, he’s passed J.J. Arrington and Marcell Ship on the depth chart and is now the direct backup behind the aging and questionable Edgerrin James. Although Edge has never really been what you could call an injury risk, that could change with each extra year he plays in the NFL.
Outlook: Although it would be hard to imagine Edge falling off the map completely this year or even the next, Hightower finds himself in position many other talented young backup RB’s would kill for: The next in line behind an aging veteran.
Handcuff value: Couldn’t hurt
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Others to keep your eye on that you don’t likely need to be informed about (with links to any relevant forum discussions):
Jerious Norwood (ATL)
Brandon Jackson (GB)
Pierre Thomas (NO)
Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward (NYG)
Justin Forsett (SEA)
Lamont Jordan(NE)
Ray Rice (BAL)
Marcus Mason (WAS)
Jacob Hester (SD)
Tashard Choice (DAL)
Garrett Wolfe (CHI)
Chris Perry (CIN)
Lorenzo Booker (PHI)
Unlike WR’s, a backup RB only needs one injury to pave the way for his shot at a starting job. Year after year new RB’s barrel there way to recognition. In the interests of backing this claim up with stats, (because when is that EVER a bad thing?) I did some extensive research.
Since the 2000 season, an average of 9 players have broken into the Top 25 rushing list that weren’t there the year prior. Nine. The majority of them broke well into the Top 20 as well. What this tells us is that no matter how much we like to think so, the RB landscape is going to change. People are going to get injured, teams are going to give their youth a shot and some dark horses will emerge. It‘ll all happen like clockwork.
With the league’s new trend, the running back by committee, we could eventually be putting a much larger stake in a Top 30 or 40. I don’t think I need to tell you that the average amount of players that would break into a Top 30 or 40 would likely go up. Tis simple mathematics.
Some backups have question for the handcuff (Kansas City) while others may be a worthy handcuff to another handcuff (Miami). In the end it is of no matter. They all deserve a small part of your attention.
Anyway, hopefully I’ve convinced you that it’s worth studying up on your backup RB’s because even if I haven‘t, we’re still going forward. Sorry..
As with the WR’s, make sure you’re an optimist before reading much further and feel free to mention anyone who I may not have noticed yet in your replies. The comatose sleepers WR edition has already built up an impressive list of prospects through community input. As long as you do it coherently and they’re not completely hopeless, I’ll add them. It’s that simple!
Cue the list!
Fred Jackson (BUF) - Despite Marshawn Lynch having the second best rookie RB season next to only Adrian Peterson, he did manage to get injured. It was a minor injury, but he was still out for 3 games none-the-less. The job Fred Jackson did while filling in for Lynch impressed many people. Especially his 300 yards on 58 carries with 22 receptions tacked on for 190 yards. Those stats, along with the fact that Marshawn Lynch runs with a reckless abandon style, give Jackson huge value as a backup.
Outlook: Lynch is too tough to miss too much time from mere bumps and bruises. So barring some breaks or tears, Jackson likely will see much of the same amount of action that he did last year.
Handcuff value: High
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Slaton (HOU) - With news of Ahman Greens injury surprising a grand total of 3 people, Slaton should have a shot to show why he has what it takes to have a role on offense. Many people aren’t too high on him because of his size (or lack thereof) but isn’t that what people said about Barry Sanders? Note: That was NOT a Barry Sanders/Steve Slaton comparison. It was just a thought.
Outlook: He’s still on a roster that has more RB’s than the Buccaneers have QB’s and as we all know, that’s certainly saying something. The key thing is that although he’s on a crowded depth chart, it’s a depth chart saddled with mediocrity.
Handcuff value: Not very much
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Hart (IND) - The main knock against Mike Hart is that he’s a working mans RB. He succeeds through hard work, desire and the will to get it right. Although he had one of the most impressive runs I have ever seen in high school, he’s basically the epitimy of the term ‘workhorse back’. He won’t be juking out defenders, but will continue to run at them until he succeeds in running them over. The Colts appear set with Dominic Rhodes as the current backup to Joseph Addai, but the more Hart is around, the more he’ll impress the coaches.
Outlook: Rhodes isn’t going to stand in Hart’s way for very long. It may take a while, but Hart should chip away at his shot at Addai’s backup catch by catch and run by run.
Handcuff value: Potentially decent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greg Jones (JAX) - The older Fred Taylor gets, not only does Maurice Jones-Drew inch closer towards the starting spot, but the RB2 spot along with MJD becomes all the more important. You may remember Greg Jones as Fred Taylor’s compliment during the 2005 season. He rushed for 575 yards and 4 TD’s and many were optimistic about his status heading into the 2006 season. Then the ACL tear fairy struck and he missed the entire season.
Outlook: The emergence of MJD limited Jones’ role when he returned in 2007, but he’s the leading candidate to return to his complimentary role once Fred Taylor retires. I wouldn’t bet too much on that happening this year or even the next, but it is going to happen eventually.
Handcuff value: Rising
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jackie Battle, Jamaal Charles and Kolby Smith (KC) - The battle to be Larry Johnson’s backup appears to be wide open with Kolby Smith gaining a slight edge with his performance in the Chiefs second pre-season game (4 carries for 37 yards, 2 receptions for 10 yards). Jackie Battle is fighting for the spot as well but hasn’t done too much to show he deserves it. Jamaal Charles’ fumbling issues continue to plague him but if we learned anything from Tiki Barber, besides that he’s definitely a better football player than announcer, it’s that fumbling issues can be cured.
Outlook: Charles has the most value in the long run due to youth and talent, but his fumbling issues should give Smith the shot at LJ’s backup once again this year. He’ll have the opportunity to claim the backup spot as his own but could lose it over the course of the season should Charles succeed in weakening his weaknesses. With Larry Johnson’s injury last year proving he’s not invincible, the battle is definitely worth monitoring.
Handcuff value: Decent (For the victor)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jalen Parmele (MIA) - Parmele has the lead it appears for the RB3 spot behind perennial injury risks, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. There’s no doubt he has talent and has so far impressed the coaches enough to warrant the lead in the second backup battle. Williams is now 31 and although he looks impressive, he won’t likely be around for too long. The situation in general has Parmele in a very favorable position.
Outlook: With injuries very, very likely for both Williams and Brown, Parmele could get his feet wet this year with a decent amount of playing time. Even if he doesn’t he can learn the offense and be primed to steal the RB2 spot from Williams next year.
Handcuff value: Rising
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Bush (OAK) - Although Justin Fargas is likely to be splitting snaps with Darren McFadden to start the year, it’s up in the air how it will eventually go. Fargas looked impressive last year but is injury prone and fast approaching the age of 30. Despite what at first glance doesn’t look too good of a situation for Bush, it could eventually turn out quite well. Unless of course Justin Fargas has hired Fred Taylor’s strength and conditioning trainers.
Outlook: If the rehab from his injury went well and he can return to prior form, the Raiders could end up with a potent duo of McFadden and Bush for years to come.
Handcuff value: Potentially necessary
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Tim Hightower (ARI) - The buzz out of Arizona (and right here on the boards!) is all about fifth round rookie RB Tim Hightower. Reportedly, he’s passed J.J. Arrington and Marcell Ship on the depth chart and is now the direct backup behind the aging and questionable Edgerrin James. Although Edge has never really been what you could call an injury risk, that could change with each extra year he plays in the NFL.
Outlook: Although it would be hard to imagine Edge falling off the map completely this year or even the next, Hightower finds himself in position many other talented young backup RB’s would kill for: The next in line behind an aging veteran.
Handcuff value: Couldn’t hurt
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Others to keep your eye on that you don’t likely need to be informed about (with links to any relevant forum discussions):
Jerious Norwood (ATL)
Brandon Jackson (GB)
Pierre Thomas (NO)
Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward (NYG)
Justin Forsett (SEA)
Lamont Jordan(NE)
Ray Rice (BAL)
Marcus Mason (WAS)
Jacob Hester (SD)
Tashard Choice (DAL)
Garrett Wolfe (CHI)
Chris Perry (CIN)
Lorenzo Booker (PHI)
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First, Bush is doing most of his damage right now against guys who will be bussing tables next week. I don't think there will be many carries left over after Fargas and McFadden get their touches. In fact, I'm not yet convinced that Bush will even be the goal line back everyone seems to think he'll automatically be. If either of the bellcows go down, well, of course then all bets are off.
He could either be good all year with Willis hurting, or he could have good (better) value after first week or 2, plays Cincy week 1 
) and even though the word is Rudi is in "the best shape of his career", he's already dinged.And if anyone still has the stomach for playing the DEN RB lottery, Hall looks like the sneaky play as a late round pick. He's already getting early game / 1st team reps in pre-season, and looks to be the better inside/goal line guy (for now anyway) - even though he's smaller. And Selvin hasn't proven to be extremely durable OR capable of being a 20 carry/game kind of RB.
