To further illustrate the plight of the running back this season, I wanted to highlight Ronnie Brown. And not because he tore his ACL, ending his season in the 7th week. Instead, take a look at your league and check out where he ranks against the rest of the running backs and I'm talking everybody. If you're in a standard scoring league - no yardage bonus, funky touchdown schemes, ect. - he should be thirteenth or somewhere close. At least in the top 15.Let me say that again, a guy who hasn't played since week 7 is still in the top 15. It's week 14 people. That's absolutely unbelievable. It's ludicrous.
Of course, Ronnie is a very good running back and the things he did before he got hurt were nothing short of incredible. Playing on a losing team that was constantly behind with nary a whisper of a quarterback all season, he still averaged 86 rushing yards per game and 55 receiving. He scored 5 touchdowns in 7 games. Very impressive numbers without a doubt and if he could have stayed healthy it would have been interesting to see how his season, along with the dolphin's, turned out.
But really, in twice the games don't you think more people would have passed his 125 fantasy points by now? There are some big names sitting behind him, some of which will need the remainder of the season or their natural lives to catch up. Frank Gore, Willie Parker, Steven Jackson, Larry Johnson all sit on a lower rung. And I know what your going to say: But, Ray, some of those guys were injured as well. To which I would respond: You're right. Some were. But all of them have played in at least 8 games, including Jackson and LJ. That's one more game than Ronnie and they're at least, if you're very generous and assume they can lay down a 20 point game, one game away from his point total.
Overall, I think it speaks volumes about the state of the running back in the NFL. After this season, we may have to take a step back and reevaluate their importance in the grand scheme of fantasy. The lone gun runner is all but extinct giving way to dreaded platoons. I'm sure those Laurence Maroney owners can tell you all about how much they enjoy the 8 to 10 touches he gets a game.
Check out this interesting article from earlier this year. I think it's evident the trend continues.
2 comments:
I think it goes beyond simply the running backs in the NFL this year.
Take a look at the level of play in general this season. It's bad. Not Big 10 kinda bad, but still....not good. And the poor performance from "franchise" backs is just the easiest to identify from a fantasy standpoint. Any quarterback that is good enough to start in the NFL (notice this list does not include Alex Smith or Rex Grossman), will find a way to put up serviceable numbers.
Wide receivers and tight ends for the most part are right where you would expect from a performance standpoint. Outside of T.O., Moss, Gates, and Gonzo, your #2s are catching 4-5 balls a game and a TD here and there (assuming they have a QB that is capable enough to start in the NFL) This is about what everyone expects from them.
But running backs require more than just their own effort to put up stats.
Shaun Alexander comes to mind as a perfect example. A few seasons ago, he was unstoppable. Take away Steve Hutchinson along that O-line, and now Alexander is a shadow of his former self. Meanwhile, Adrian Peterson apparently doesn't even need ligaments in his knees to shred most defenses....behind Hutchinson.
I guess what I am really trying to say is, its time to find a way to incorporate O-linemen into fantasy numbers.
O-linemen in fantasy? I wouldn't be against it if there were a quantitative way to score for them without overlapping other positions. A point per pancake?
It's no secret that a quality offensive line is key to winning teams and a fantasy player's production. Could Tom Brady put up the numbers without his beef-eating line giving him time? Would Adrian Peterson's chariot have gone 296 yards without a few good horses in front of it? I doubt it.
I do think there are some backs who, through to an overabundance of genetic potential, can overcome line problems and still perform. LT would be my best example. Not to say his line isn't good, but you could run 80-year-old men in wheelchairs out there to block for him and he'd still crack the 100 yard mark with at least a touchdown.
Overall, the level of O-line play is down this year, directly corresponding to a decrease in quality gameplay. The NFC may in fact be the Big 10 this year, making the Cowboys your Ohio State. It's a complex problem. Has the draft pool been thin over the past decade? Have the projected pass protectors just not panned out to this point? I couldn't tell you. I do know that an injury on the offensive line can reek havoc on a unit. There's seems to be a lack of depth, especially at the tackle position on most teams and when one guy goes down, they instinctive shift someone over throwing the group dynamic to the shits. Always seemed like an idiotic solution to me but I guess that's why I'm not an NFL coach - that and the lack of an education or semblance of actually football experience.
Basically, in my own long winded way, I'm saying I agree. Shaun Alexander - the oldish, oft-injured, disappointment - may need to drive a semi onto the field to be unstoppable again. Steve Hutchinson isn't a documented faith healer is he? But other than that, you're dead on.
In draft prep, I've always ranked o-lines as part of my cheat sheet number gathering and crunching. It didn't work out so well this year but that's mostly because my retardation got in the way - a common problem if you're me.
Post a Comment