The Fantasy Football Advice Column

[The Armchair]

Being a self-important prick, I figured I should open up a thread like the "Ask Bison" ones in OOT. Big difference is that mine is going to be about fantasy football, because that's pretty much the only thing I know anything about.

All reasonable questions will be answered except those involving defenses (including individual defensive players) because the best way to use a defense is to pick a new one every week based on how bad of a team they are facing.

[CD56]

how do you rate the top 25 rb's based on a td-6pt, 10yd-1pt standard league,

[The Armchair]

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how do you rate the top 25 rb's based on a td-6pt, 10yd-1pt standard league,

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I generally don't go in with an actual list, and draft by the seat of my pants. But I have some rough tiers in mind and draft accordingly.

LT is #1, and in a class by himself.

The second grouping is Alexaner, Holmes, Edge, McGahee. They each have a significant question surrounding them, but are so good that they stand above the rest.

Next, I tend to favor the younger guys who have shown they they are good: Kevin Jones, Julius Jones, Rudi Johnson, Domanick Davis.

Then I have the youngish vets who are all good and could either soar or crumble -- and even if they do fall, absent due to injury, they'll still put up good numbers. Tiki Barber (although he could be in another category), Jamal Lewis, Deuce McAllister, Clinton Portis, Ahman Green, and Brian Westbrook are all here.

After them is a group of young RBs who are not as proven. These guys should honestly be drafted at about the same point as the group above, to taste: Tatum Bell*, Lamont Jordan, Steven Jackson, and JJ Arrington are here. I'm tempted to add Carnell Williams to this category, but I want to hear Gruden name him the starter first. But for sake of argument, let's includ him here.

You'll note Bell is asterisked above. That is because while I'm rather sure he'll start, it's hardly a lock as of yet.

Finally, there's Corey Dillon, Curtis Martin, and to a lesser degree, Jerome Bettis. I'll take these guys before I take almost any WR, but I'm not really willing to bank my season on them.

That's 23. I'd go with DeShaun Foster and Michael Bennett to round it out, but the fact is that I'm less likely to take them than many others would because I really hate losing a top 5 round draft pick to injury, and because neither has a clear backup.

I find it sad that Marshall Faulk did not make this list.

[SossMan]

I can't say that i disagree with your analysis to any large extent. FWIW, i have Dillion about 10 spots higher and am not as high on Lewis and Westbrook, but like you say, it's a matter of taste.

[BWebb]

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Finally, there's Corey Dillon, Curtis Martin, and to a lesser degree, Jerome Bettis. I'll take these guys before I take almost any WR, but I'm not really willing to bank my season on them.



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Dillon and Martin in a class with Bettis? Are you nuts? Bettis ahead of Staley? Not sure why you are down on Dillon and Martin, but both are as steady as they come. I actually expect a big year out of Dillon.

[The Armchair]

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Finally, there's Corey Dillon, Curtis Martin, and to a lesser degree, Jerome Bettis. I'll take these guys before I take almost any WR, but I'm not really willing to bank my season on them.



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Dillon and Martin in a class with Bettis? Are you nuts? Bettis ahead of Staley? Not sure why you are down on Dillon and Martin, but both are as steady as they come. I actually expect a big year out of Dillon.

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Dillon: Age 31, 345 carries (plus 65 in the post season)
Martin: Age 32, 371 carries
Bettis: Age 33, hasn't topped 250 carries in years, but still scores 7++ TDs.
Staley: Age 30, coming off injury, has never been really that good.

The first two are likely to take a step back, Bettis is likely to put up 600 yards and 7 TDs at a minimum, and may have a lot of touchdowns like he did last year.

Staley will be splitting carries and not those of the goal-line variety.

[BWebb]

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Dillon: Age 31, 345 carries (plus 65 in the post season)
Martin: Age 32, 371 carries
Bettis: Age 33, hasn't topped 250 carries in years, but still scores 7++ TDs.
Staley: Age 30, coming off injury, has never been really that good.

The first two are likely to take a step back, Bettis is likely to put up 600 yards and 7 TDs at a minimum, and may have a lot of touchdowns like he did last year.

Staley will be splitting carries and not those of the goal-line variety.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are out of your mind. Last years stats:

Martin-1697 yds, 13 total tds
Dillon-1635 yds, 13 total tds

Both are clear cut starters. Even if both rush for 400 yards less and 4 touchdowns less they are far more valuable than Bettis. Bettis isn't the starter in Pittsburgh. If you remember, he was the backup until Staley got hurt. Sure he might get some goal line tds (I'll be generous and say 9 tds), but he won't get any yardage. Staley was and still is the starter. There is about a 5 round difference between Dillon & Martin compared to Bettis.

[RacersEdge]

Oh no...

[BadBoyBenny]

I have a poor team team in a league that keeps six players each year.

The only serviceable running back that I have is Chris Brown. I get first pick in the upcoming draft. Assuming that all proven Running Backs will be kept and only rookies are available, which one should I pick?

The league scores 6 points for a TD
1 point for 15 yards rushing or receiving
1/2 point per catch.

[Josh W]

JJ Arrington. High upside, good chance of starting, big play potential.

Also, a guy like LaMont Jordan has a high likelihood of going "unkept".