With preseason games teasing us before we finally get some real football, the next best thing to turn our attention to is fantasy football. Draft lobbies everywhere are opening up as we speak and soon everyone will be wheeling and dealing for the best players available that they can add to their squad. With that said, some players are simply more valuable than others at their respective positions, so I’m going to tell you which ones you need to draft above all others. Over the next week, I’ll be bringing you a series of breaking down the top players at every important fantasy position in 2014, and I’ll also throw in a sleeper for each position, just cause I love you.
You’ve seen the quarterbacks, now let’s get into the running backs.
1. LeSean McCoy
This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who owned or played against Shady McCoy last year. The Eagles RB tops the list for 2014 and he is simply put the best all-around running back in the NFL this year. He can catch passes, run between the tackles and he is a nightmare when he gets the ball in space. Quite simply, he is what you would make in a lab if you wanted the ultimate fantasy scoring back. While some may say he isn’t the most durable back on the list, he still led the league in rushing and if your argument is health, you better not talk to me about Jamaal Charles. Shady is also in the PERFECT situation in Philadelphia where he is the main option in Chip Kelly’s offense and with the limitations of Foles we will see plenty of screens and check downs end up in McCoy’s hands. They’ll be no shortage of opportunities for Shady this year and I expect him to take advantage of just about all of them.
2. Adrian Peterson
Some may see AP as the number one pick this year, and he wouldn’t be a bad choice either to be honest. However if you take AP number one you might be doing so simply out of habit. Peterson has been the consensus top fantasy pick for most of the past decade and it’s easy to see why some may take him over McCoy, however you can’t be blind to the facts. Peterson is another year older and has a ton of miles on him which hasn’t been great for running backs in this era. He also is only a few years removed from a major knee reconstruction and let’s face it, nowadays when running backs lose their elite ability, it goes quick. Just like that, a guy can fall off the table and while I don’t think anything like that happens to Peterson this year, it is something you have to think about as each season tacks on to his career. Peterson is still a top three back without argument, but the risk is starting to creep in our minds and this could be one of his last great years. Peterson will also get his hands on the ball a ton this year with Matt Cassel at the helm and possibly a rookie at QB later in the year.
3. Jamaal Charles
If Jamaal Charles could prove he could stay healthy, he just might be in the number one spot on this list. However, we live in reality and trusting the health of Jamaal Charles is a lot like trusting the health of Derrick Rose. You only believe it if you are insane or just a believer in blind faith. I’m neither of those things but that doesn’t mean I don’t think Charles won’t have a great year. He is unquestionably one of the most talented backs in the league and is the rare combo of a home run hitter and a volume ball carrier for the Chiefs. He also gets the luxury of playing with captain check-down himself in Alex Smith who doesn’t seem to be capable of throwing a ball more than 15 yards. Like McCoy, Jamaal will benefit from lots of screens and passes into the flat and Andy Reid will work for get him the ball with space to work. If all goes as planned, you can build a championship fantasy team around Charles.
4. Matt Forte
Another guy with a long rap sheet of injuries, but Forte is one of the most under appreciated offensive weapons in the league out of the backfield. Like Charles, Forte is an every down back that also has huge play ability and can strike for a 40 yard gain before the defense has time to react. Forte may lose out of some touches due to his QB and the volume of passes the Bears offense runs, but if he makes the most of his opportunities, Forte will prove himself worthy of a first round pick in almost any league. If you miss out on one of the first big three on this list some may choose to take a Jimmy Graham or Megatron in the first round but that can be risky as running back is pretty thin once you get out of the top five or six. Instead, I would take Forte and build my team around him knowing I got an elite back for this season who could have just as good a year as the other three. Forte is probably the biggest risk on this list, but he is a risk worth taking for sure.
5. Marshawn Lynch
Lynch has been somewhat of a debate this year among fantasy players, as some think he could fall off the cliff this year after so much use the past two years but I’m not ready to declare him dead quite yet. Lynch has taken a ton of hits the last few years, but it isn’t anything new. Beastmode has been a power back his whole career and while they typically don’t last for the long haul, Lynch has proven to be the exception to the rule. He hasn’t slowed down one bit and the team around him has gotten better and better. Russell Wilson will probably throw a little more this season and a healthy Percy Harvin (rarely seen in the wild) would certainly help open up the offense and take a little pressure off of Lynch. However, he will still get his carries and will most certainly get his goal line carries. Seattle doesn’t have a big play offense and Wilson will take care of the ball. Lots of Seahawk drives this year will end in the red zone which will mean plenty of short yard carries into the end zone for Lynch.
Sleeper: Bernard Pierce
While Pierce will be the starting back in Baltimore for the first two weeks while Ray Rice sits under suspension, he could be the starter for much longer than that. Last year Rice had an abysmal year and as I mentioned before when these backs lose it, they lose it in the blink on an eye and it’s possible Rice never gets back to the level of play he was at two seasons ago. Last year Rice had fewer 20 yard runs than Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Go ahead and read that again. If Pierce comes out in the first two weeks and puts up big games, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see him be named the starting back for the foreseeable future even when Rice returns. Pierce is no slouch and if you can snag him as a late round pick he could end up being the biggest value pick in your draft, And even if he doesn’t win the starting job, he is too good to keep on the sideline and you can bank on him getting plenty of carries alongside Rice, including some red zone touches.
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