Week 1 Lineup calls: Running Back's top starts, sleepers and flops
Lineup calls: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | D/ST
It’s that magical time again. The long and arduous journey to a February date in Dallas begins with a Thursday night rematch of the NFC Championship Game.
Fantasy owners have done their due diligence and worked hard to split hairs and create the ultimate fantasy draft list. Now, they have to make the difficult decisions in the second running back and second and third wide receiver slots.
They’ll also look a few of their would-be automatic starters sideways. It’s Week 1. Repeat this mantra. “I will play my studs.” “I will play my studs.”
As I contemplated this list, some of the running backs rated as back-end RB1s and early RB2 had to fall into the “Flops” list. Temper your expectations.
Let’s rock.
Top 10 Running Backs
Running Back Sleepers
Jerome Harrison at Tampa Bay
The fifth-year player and 2009 fantasy hero gets the first crack at the Buccaneers. Gerald McCoy is being counted on to raise this unit immediately from its place at the bottom of the run defense ranks. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Harrison posts a big day to start 2010.
Tim Hightower at St. Louis
What else can I say? You have ample questions under center, so do the two-step and swing the ball to the running backs. The Rams ranked 27th against the run in 2009, yet only swapped out one member of the front seven (Fred Robbins comes in from New York). Hightower makes the most of his 14 touches this week.
Carnell "Cadillac" Williams vs. Cleveland
Williams appears on this list given the expectation of a huge workload and the likelihood of Shaun Rogers’ absence on the defensive line. Williams topped 75 rushing yards on five occasions last season en route to a solid 800-yard season. The Browns ranked 28th in run defense last year with Rogers appearing in only 11 games. Williams rates as a solid RB3 this week.
C.J. Spiller vs. Miami
Injuries to Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson have opened the door for Spiller to showcase his skills to the football world. He takes aim in the opener against a re-tooled, middle of the road Miami defense. Like everyone else, I’m curious to see how Spiller is supported by and is integrated into the passing game. That’s where I’m looking for a big play to emerge, a quick-hit pass where Spiller turns on the after-burners.
Running Back Flops
Shonn Greene vs. Baltimore
Ngata. I just love that we’re back into game analysis and talking about the monsters on the defensive interior. Greene has “home run”-hitting ability, of course, but running room between the tackles will be sparse. It’s the classic strength-on-strength matchup.
Cedric Benson at New England
Benson was mighty impressive last season, and I’m confident that he comes up with another tremendous season for owners in 2010. However, Benson opens the season against the wall that is Vince Wilfork. The Patriots have ranked in the upper-half against the run in the past two seasons while allowing a total of 14 touchdowns in 32 games. The Bengals’ offense is enticing, but any fireworks are coming against the New England secondary.
Pierre Thomas vs. Minnesota
The split backfield continues in New Orleans. That’s not my concern. I’m looking squarely at the behemoths up front for the Vikings (second in run defense last year) as an impediment despite Thomas’ 99 total yards and two touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game. Thomas has to be in your lineup as an RB2, but you’re left hoping for Thomas to cash the check following a Drew Brees completion. Yardage on the ground will be tough to find.
Ryan Grant at Philadelphia
I remain a big-time backer of Grant overall, but he starts the season with a tough road matchup against the always-stout Philly run defense (ninth last year). Grant could see a short goal-line plunge off Aaron Rodger’s efforts. I’m not banking on a robust yardage total here.
