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Posted by Bill in Fantasy Advice,Running Backs on Jan 12th 2010 (Print This)
Rice Needs To Have Another Big Game If The Ravens Are Going To Have Any Chance Saturday Against The Colts
With the Wild Card weekend behind us we rock on to the Divisional playoff weekend. The weekend was filled with some painful games to watch if you are a Patriots,Bengals or Eagles fan. The best game of the weekend and of the entire season for that matter was the crazy game between the Packers and Cardinals. The game was a shootout from the beginning with the Packers overcoming a 17 point deficit and bringing the game into overtime with a fluke fumble returned by the Cardinals defense for a touchdown that ended the game. The game saw 96 total points scored 1,024 total yards between both teams and 9 total touchdowns thrown. This weekend the Cardinals head to the Superdome in New Orleans in a game that will likely be another shootout with possibly even more offensive fireworks. The Ravens head to Indianapolis and will find out if too much rest is a bad thing for the Colts. Dallas is probably the hottest team in football right now having won their last four games. The Cowboys will face the Vikings in the Metrodome and have the tough task of shutting down Favre & Co. The Jets head out to the west coast where they will get the Chargers who have two weeks off. The San Diego offense has been firing on all cylinders and will test the tough defense of the Jets.
Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints- Sat 4:30 P.M.
Beanie Wells – ARI – RB
Wells continues to be the lead back in between the 10 yard lines yielding to Hightower in goal line and passing situations. Wells accumulated 91 yards on only 14 carries in a wild shoot out. Look for the Cards to try and slow the game down instead of getting into another shoot out with the Saints who can match the Cards stride for stride in the offensive fireworks department.
Tim Hightower – ARI – RB
Hightower does what he does best vulturing touchdowns from Wells. He had a one yard touchdown against the Packers. Hightower has value as a receiver but he is losing snaps to Stephens-Howling in passing downs.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Indianapolis Colts-Sat 8:15 P.M.
Ray Rice – BAL – RB
Rice took a vanilla run play and turned it into an 83 yard jaunt that was the beginning of the end of the Patriots day. Rice destroyed the Pats defense for 159 yards rushing and two touchdowns. The Ravens ran the ball down the Pats throat all day with a huge lead. The Colts can be run on and finished the 2009 regular season ranked 24th in stopping the run allowing an average of 124.6 yards a game rushing. Their front 7 is built for speed and is susceptible to a strong physical run game. The Colts are able to battle a strong run game with their high octance offense forcing opposing offense to abandon the run game to play catch up.
Willis McGahee – BAL – RB
McGahee got a ton of work as the Ravens had a huge lead all day and ran the ball all day on New England. He finished the day with a fourth quarter touchdown on top of his 62 yards rushing on twenty carries.
LeRon McClain – BAL – RB
McClain is still mainly at fullback but added an early score and finished with 8 yards on four carries.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings Sun. 1:00 P.M.
Marion Barber – DAL – RB
Barber was hampered by a knee(Bursar Sac)and finished with 4 yards on just three carries after he was taking out early. The Cowboys didn’t miss a beat without him. He is expected to start Sunday, but we will keep an eye on him as the week progresses.
Felix Jones – DAL – RB
Jones took up the load for the injured MBIII. Jones reminded everyone why he was a first round pick last year showing his explosiveness and game breaking speed on some of his runs. He finished with 148 yards with a long touchdown run of 73 yards while adding a 30 yard reception. Jones will likely share carries with Choice if Barber is unable to go. The run game has a tough task ahead facing the stalwart front 7 of the Vikings who finished the regular season ranked second in stopping the run.
Tashard Choice – DAL – RB
Choice got a lot more action than anyone anticipated with the Barber injury. Choice finished the day with 14 carries and on a one yard touchdown finishing the day with 42 yards rushing and added a 6 yard reception.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens Sat. 8:15 P.M.
Joseph Addai – IND – RB
Addai was a dual threat fantasy beast this season finishing with 13 total touchdowns and 1,164 total yards rushing and receiving all the while adding 51 receptions. Addai was banged up towards the end of the year and the Colts pulled their starters early in week 16 and he didn’t play week 17. Pretty decent numbers when Addai’s preseason rank was low due to the threat of Donald Brown stealing touches. Addai should be well rested for a tough matchup against the Ravens defense who finished the regular season ranked 5th in stopping the run. The Ravens shut down the Pats run game allowing 64 yards rushing on a 3.6 yards per carry. This number is skewed a bit since New England played from behind the entire game.
Donald Brown – IND – RB
Brown finished a very disappointing rookie 09 regular season with 281 yards rushing with 3 touchdowns and 169 yards receiving on 11 receptions. Brown was expected to cut into Addai’s value but injuries hampered his productivity throughout the year missing 5 total games and was banged up for most of the season.
Minnesota Vikings vs. Dallas Cowboys Sun. 1:00 P.M.
Adrian Peterson – MIN – RB
A.P. finished 2009 with a league leading 18 rushing touchdowns and 1,389 yards rushing rewarding owners with exactly what they were hoping for from the consensus pre-season number one pick. Peterson’s value took a big hit in preseason ranks for P.P.R. formatted leagues. Everyone was worried about his lack of involvement in the pass game which turned out to be completely unwarranted since he finished with 43 receptions for 436 yards receiving. A.P. has a better than expected matchup against the Cowboys this weekend. The Cowboys have not faced a good power run game since their week 13 loss to the Giants. The Cowboys finished the regular season ranked 4th in stopping the run but don’t be fooled they can be run on.
Chester Taylor – MIN – RB
Taylor’s role was reduced as the season rolled on. He was a reception machine but lost some playing time to the afore mentioned increase in Peterson’s role in the passing game. Taylor’s numbers didn’t suffer much across the board with the exception of touchdowns, going from 6 touchdowns in 2008 to just two in 2009. The numbers are more of a testament to the Vikings offense than Taylor’s would be playing time if more games had been closer.
New Orleans Saints vs. Arizona Cardinals Sat. 4:30 P.M.
Pierre Thomas – NOR – RB
The Saints are filled with X-factors across the board. On any given Sunday any of the Saints’ WR’s or RB’s could put up huge numbers often frustrating owners who were faced with tough line up decisions and just going with the hot hand. The running back situation was a little easier to figure out than the wide outs but not by much. Thomas was the obvious back heading into the 2009 season as many predicted his break out season but an injury hampered his start which led to Mike Bell taking the lead role in the first two games before Bell yielded the starting job due to an injury. Thomas took over the starting job and received the most playing time of the other backs but his numbers suffered due to the Saints multiple personnel packages they used in the red-zone. Thomas led the team in total yards, Bush finished with the most receptions and receiving yards and Bell led the running back with total touchdowns beating out both Bush and Thomas by one. Thomas’ rib injury will likely determine the other two backs playing time. Thomas is the most complete back of the three, and the Cardinals are susceptible to the run.
Reggie Bush – NOR – RB
Bush’s numbers across the board took a hit with the exception of touchdowns finishing with two more than in 08. Bush continues to get it done in the passing game and is a threat in the return game as well as in the redzone. He could see more playing time if Thomas’ ribs is worse than reported.
Mike Bell – NOR – RB
Bell is the power back of this offense and was a beast when he was the starter. Fumbles and injuries have cut into his playing time throughout the year. Bell could also see more short yardage situations with Thomas’ rib injury a concern.
New York Jets vs. San Diego Chargers Sun. 4:40 P.M.
Greene Busted Out Last Week Against The Bengals
Thomas Jones – NYJ – RB
Jones took a backseat to the rookie Greene during his coming out party. Jones finished the day with 34 yards rushing on 15 carries and added a score from 9 yards out. Jones has been susceptible to strong run defenses this season but was not needed to carry the load against the Bengals whom played the entire game from behind. Up this week the Chargers who’s run defense improved as the season rolled along. San Diego allowed only one one hundred yard rusher between weeks 5 through 17 and that back was Chris Johnson.
Shonn Greene – NYJ – RB
Greene saved his best game for the playoffs. The rookie finished with 135 yards rushing and added a 39 yard score. Greene and Jones will likely share the load equally but if Greene has another impressive outing against the Chargers, look out for the hype machine to be in full blown effect. With the impending off-season looming Greene has given the Jets enough reason to scuttle Jones in the off-season. Greene could enter the 2010 fantasy season with a top 20 pre-season rank.
San Diego Chargers vs. New York Jets Sun. 4:40 P.M.
LaDainian Tomlinson – SDC – RB
LDT was a buy low candidate coming into the 209 season. He rewarded patient owners with 11 rushing touchdowns in a nine week span(Weeks 8-16)He had only one carry in week 17. The Jets are a tough team to run on(Ranked 8th in stopping the run in the regular season) and have the best shut down corner in football. The Jets were gashed by Cedric Benson who ran for 169 yards and a score. The Chargers will likely pass to set up the run, a 15 carry for 69 yards and a touchdown day is likely Sunday.
Darren Sproles – SDC – RB
Sproles is at his best when put in space and the Chargers try to get the mighty mite the ball using swing passes and screens to stretch the field from sideline to sideline. Sproles gets the ball in obvious passing downs and to spell LDT. He is a huge threat in the return game.
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